Well you gotta snap a lot of pictures to get a few good ones. This is one that we liked a lot!
The Blue Angels Precision Demo Team in action!
Military
Miramar Air Show
We took over 800 pictures today at the USMCAS Miramar Air Show. Damsel’s camera is still downloading as I type this. It will take some time to go through them all, so I’m going to throw one of them up real quick to get a post on for today. This is the Blue Angels at the top of one of their spectacular maneuvers.
So, what did you do today?
ISF Hits Terrorists in the Wallet
Who says that the Iraqis aren’t willing to shut down the insurgency? And right in Saddam’s old stomping grounds at that.
From CENTCOM:
BAGHDAD — Local police, supported by special Iraqi Army forces, conducted a raid Oct. 9 in Tikrit against a local hawala allegedly used by individuals and businesses to provide financial support to insurgent groups and detained 16 individuals.
The hawala, a local financial system for banking and money exchange, was allegedly being used by insurgents and criminals to hide money made through illegal activity and illegally funneled into Iraq. The daylight raid was based on tips from Iraqi citizens.
Iraqi Police and Army forces, with coalition advisers, shut down the suspected illegal financial activity which was directly supporting foreign fighters and the ongoing insurgency. This support was directly responsible for attacks targeting Iraqi civilians as well as Iraqi Security and Coalition forces.
No significant damage was done in the area and there were no civilian, Iraqi forces or Coalition forces casualties.
This operation is an example of the resolve of Iraqi citizens to stop the illegal and violent activity bringing harm to their communities and demonstrates the increased ability of the Iraqi Security Forces to target and combat insurgent activity.
There IS Good News
Taken from the front page of DEFEND AMERICA:
British Forces Kill Escaped al-Qaida Terrorist
BAGHDAD, Sept. 27, 2006 — British forces in Iraq say they have killed a leading al-Qaida terrorist who escaped from a U.S. prison in Afghanistan last year.Terrorist Bomb Expert Captured in Afghanistan
WASHINGTON, Sept. 27, 2006 — Afghan and coalition forces captured a known makeshift bomb expert and terrorist cell leader today during an operation south of Asadabad, U.S. military officials reported.Weapons Cache Found Near Kathamayan Mosque
BAGHDAD, Sept. 27, 2006 — After several tips from local citizens, Iraqi Special Operations Forces had been given the mission to move on a weapons cache near the Kathamayan Mosque, while U.S. Army soldiers secured the outer cordon and provided observation teams.Deployed ‘Doc’ Mends Bodies and Minds in Iraq
HUSAYBA, Iraq, Sept. 27, 2006 — U.S. Navy Seaman Samuel L. Blanco is a healer. The hospital corpsman geared up in body armor has a bag of tricks he carries that?s not just healing wounds but also relations and trust between Americans and local Iraqis.MP Brigade Takes Charge of Detainee Operations
CAMP VICTORY, Iraq, Sept. 26, 2006 — Control of theater-level detainee operations for Coalition forces in Iraq changed hands today, with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) from Fort Bragg N.C., taking the helm.
Chances are you will not see or hear these stories anywhere else, so go over and check ’em out!
A Yellow Rose for Our Troops
For our service men and women on duty this weekend we send them this yellow rose to let them know we haven’t forgotten about them and their worldwide missions, and pray for their safe return.
Many thanks to all of you and God bless.
Weekend Warriors
When we drive to the shooting range, we pass our local California National Guard armory. Today, the Weekend Warriors were busy with their activities and had this large transport vehicle at the ready. We’re proud of our soldiers and salute them for giving up a part of their regular lives to be in the service of our state and country. God bless them!
Marine Hovercraft Ferry Firefighters
UPDATE: (May 11, 2007) Catalina Fire Pictures Here.
Firefighters responding to a brush fire on Catalina Island get a lift from the US Marine Corps:
Firefighters struggle with Catalina Island brush fire
A stubborn lightning-sparked brush fire that has charred hundreds of acres since Saturday night on Catalina Island was 50 percent contained Monday, but authorities said full containment will not come today as crews had hoped.
Full containment is now expected sometime Thursday, said Los Angeles County Fire Department Inspector Sam Padilla.
Lightning ignited two fires in the central part of the 76-square-mile island shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, Padilla said. One of those fires was contained a short time later at about 130 acres.
[. . .]
Marines from Camp Pendleton ferried Los Angeles County firefighters to the island in four hovercraft Sunday to assist the Avalon Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department Supervisor Ed Pickett said.
The hovercraft were used because severe lightning made helicopter travel dangerous.
This is another example of how versatile and vital our military is to our nation.