Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Toni


LTC Tim Karcher


Lieutenant Colonel Tim Karcher was shot in the shoulder in Iraq back in 2006. After just 5 months of healing at home that included 7 surgeries, he chose to go back to war.

"My unit was over there, they were taking casualties. It felt terrible to be here, it felt wrong," he said.

Reunited with his troops, Karcher was in Baghdad last summer for the historic transfer of power from the U.S. to the Iraqis.

But 10 days after that historic day, Karcher's vehicle was bombed and he lost both of his legs in the explosion.

"I'm very proud of him, he's fought for his life, he fought the whole summer to stay alive and he's taking it and running with it, he's so positive," said Alesia Karcher, Tim's wife.

Karcher says the tragedy of losing his legs made him realize what he still had including a wife and three children who need him.

"I could sit around and have a pity party everyday, but it's not going to grow my legs back," he said. "Life kicks you in the teeth every now and again, you get to decide how you react to it."

You can read more about LTC Karcher here and here.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From Here


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

2010 Milbloggies

The 2010 Milbloggie awards process kicks off March 31, with nominations opening......you can read more about it over at Milblogging.com

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

A short 'surf' of the web for news or blog posts by, or about,
Soldiers Angels


Soldiers Angels of IL has a nice round-up of the recent gala for the opening of the
Soldiers Angels warehouse
A Celebration of Heroes and Angels

and Patsy's Pockets of Peace also has a nice post related to that here
Where Does It Come From....This Thing Called Dedication

which segues nicely into this article over at NewsBlaze
Angels Add Wings to Soldier's Drum Hike for Fellow Troops


View From the 8th Floor has a wonderful post here
"Thank You" from a Marine's little sister

and,lastly, Soldiers Angels Germany has
Soldiers' Angels brings Chefs to Landstuhl


That's the surf!

2010 Face of America Bike Ride, April 23-25

something I Can go to, after all.......Yay!!!:)

The 2010 Face of America Bike Ride

(no, not going as a rider, but as a volunteer, through Soldiers Angels , for the Fourth year in a row.......can't wait!!)

5th Annual Milblog Conference,April 9-10

Even though I can't go to this:( there's no reason I can't pass it on.....

via Milblogging.com

Fifth Annual Milblog Conference, April 9/10: There is still time to register

I've been able to make it to two of these conferences over the past few years, if you have a chance to go? it's a blast!:) meeting folks in person you've interacted with online, gazing in awe from afar at the 'rock stars' of the Milblog world,lol.......and just generally having a fantastic, fun-filled day of learning and sharing.

Andi always does a great job putting it together, and I'm sure the Fifth one will totally Rock!

Go, if you can :)

(and I'll be at work that day,lol, thinking of all of you there!)

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested & Written By Debbie In Honor Of Her Great Uncle.


Sgt. William Robert Cain
August 1, 1922 - July 4, 1944


William Robert Cain (August 1, 1922 - July 4, 1944) was a husband to Genevieve (Anderson) and the only son of Cleveland and Margaret Cain. He was the baby brother to three sisters, Lena Mae, Anna Phyllis (who died in 1932) and Lora Genevieve.

He was born in the town named after his ancestors called Cainsville, Missouri. He grew up, went to school and played baseball there until he decided to join the U.S. Army. He made the decision to join the Army after graduating high school earlier in the year of 1940 but he would not be turning eighteen until August so he waited and enlisted right after his 18th birthday.

The letter his parents received was dated August 27, 1940 asking them to fill out before a Notary Public, Postmaster or Justice of Peace an Age Verification and Consent Papers and sign BOTH PAPERS in PEN or INK. They were asked to kindly give this their immediate attention as this young man cannot be enlisted till the papers were returned.

Sgt. Robert Cain, (lovingly called Billy Bob by his family and Doc by the Army men), enlisted in August, 1940 and ranked as Sergeant in the medical corps. in charge of hospital on shipboard. His last duty was at Letterman Hospital, Presidio, California. In all he had been assigned to four different ships and made 34 trips over the ocean, the last one a supply ship called SS Jean Nicolet. Sgt. Cain was serving aboard the SS Jean Nicolet when it was attacked by the Japanese on July 2, 1944. The Jean Nicolet was sunk and Sgt. Cain was one of many men taken hostage. He was also one of many men who were tortured for two days before he was killed or died in the Indian Ocean.

From Debbie: I have heard family stories about him, one of which of course is how he died in WWII and that he received the Purple Heart of which I am very proud of. More stories where about how he loved his family. I personally, as his Great Niece, have the love of medicine and caring for others as he did. I am a nurse. This is why it means so much to me that he is remembered as well as the others who were on the Liberty Ship Jean Nicolet that fatal day!

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

Cpl. Charles Aldieri(Ret.) & 1st Lt. Jack Jewell(Ret.)


Lt. Col. David Hurley, commander of Schweinfurt, Germany's 15th Engineer Battalion, presents unit coins to two 9th Infantry Division World War II veterans -- Charles Aldieri, a former corporal with the 746th Tank Battalion (shaking hands) and Jack Jewell, a former first lieutenant with Company B, 39th Infantry -- during a March 8 ceremony honoring the division's efforts in capturing the famed Remagen Bridge in the closing days of World War II. The commemoration took place in the Remagen Bridge and Peace Museum now housed in the remains of the span, which collapsed 10 days after its capture on March 7, 1945.

Photo Courtesy United States Army

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Wednesday Hero

Cpl. Jason L. Dunham
22 years old from Scio, New York
Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced)
April 22, 2004


For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Corporal Jason L. Dunham, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004. Corporal Dunham's squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west. Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander's convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

WW II Flight Nurse Exhibit at Air Force Museum

A seattlepi blog post led me to this story

World War II flight nurses exhibit now open

from the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton,Ohio.

Very cool, might have to find time to go check this out.

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

Been awhile since I did a Soldiers Angels web 'surf' post,
with news by and about, Soldiers Angels

With the revamping of the main Soldiers Angels website there are a lot more news stories featured there, and rather than repeat something you can find there, I try and look for links to 'Angels' or stories you may not have come across on the website.

However,two stories I'd particularly suggest for you to check out on the SA website are
The SA Warehouse & Unsuspected Grace

and

Life in the Letter Writing Team


A quite interesting blogger I came across is also a letter writer , as you can see on his post here
How To Be a Soldiers Angel

Came across several blog posts regarding Blankets and Wounded Soldiers, such as

We Need a Few Angels over at Citizen Sparta

and a post from Scrap Me with Style about Soldiers Angels Blankets of Hope Needed


Nice pics here from soldiers angels oregon
Rosewood VA Appreciation day

Lastly, as always, lovin' the Bikers and the Biker Fusion Event, nice write up here
2010 Daytona Bike Week Day 3 Report

and besides the awesome support for Soldiers Angels, read the story near the end of what was done by fellow bikers and friends for Romulo Camargo, who was wounded and his life altered forever while serving our country.

That's the 'surf', I'll see ya next time I've got some tidbits to share from around the web by and about Soldiers Angels :)

Hearing Marcus Luttrell speak.......

I'm late in reporting on going to VMI this past Friday evening to hear Marcus Luttrell speak.
There's a nice write-up about his talk from VMI's webpage here
‘Lone Survivor’ Author Describes Harrowing Mission

We're most grateful to VMI for opening this talk up to the public. For me, personally, it meant more than I can express to hear someone I consider a true patriot and a courageous and admirable man.

If you haven't read Lone Survivor about Marcus' story, and the story of the Lost Heroes of Operation Redwing? I highly recommend it.

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Actually Written By Sgt. McGowen A Year Before He Passed Away. He Was Suggested By His Granddaughter, Leigh, To Honor Him.


Sgt. Charlie McGowen
August 22, 1921 - December 5, 2009

1940-1945

In 1942 he was drafted into the Army Air Corps. He was sent to England. His trip there took him through Warrior, Alabama, Ft. McClellan, Ft. McPherson, Gulf Port, Mississippi, Chanute, Salt Lake City, El Paso, Alamorgoro, and New York City. Then he took the Queen Mary to the Fifth of Clyde in Scotland. Upon arriving he was sent to the Wending base in England. In his military service he was part of the World War II: 32 Bomb Group 578 and 579 Bomb Squadron Second Air Division, 8th Air Force, ETON 117 Wending, Norfolk, England. While stationed in Wending, he went to Piccadilly Circus in London. While he was there he visited the American Red Cross Center with friends. The center was Rainbow Corner. While there he was introduced to a lovely English lady named Margaret (Peggy) Johnston. It was love at first sight. They were married on January 13, 1945. They moved back to Alabama after the war and raised six children. They have ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

Marcus Luttrell to Speak at VMI on March 5,2010

From Virginia Military Institute's webpage
Former Navy Seal to Share Story of Courage

the presentation is free, and open to the public.

I've read Lone Survivor .....we will definitely be going to hear him speak.

Face of America Bike Ride 2010-Banners Needed and Friends Riding:)

Once again, World T.E.A.M. Sports is holding the Face of America Bike Ride April 24th & 25th, this year beginning at the nation's capitol and riding to Gettysburg,PA.



Although it looks like I sadly won't be able to volunteer this year through Soldier's Angels to help out at the bike ride(due to work conflicts), what I Can do is at least pass the word along about needed items for the ride.



Banners Needed



From this page on Soldiers Angels website

Homemade Banners for Wounded Heroes comes the info about whom to contact to send along your banners.



Having been on the 'Banner Hanging Team" the past several years when I've volunteered? I've got several slide shows featuring or showing the banners, if you need ideas:) we've seen some great banners over the years, please consider sending some in this year!



Here's the links to slideshows 2009 Banners FOA and

Day One~2008 FOA Bike Ride and 2007 Face of America Bike Ride



Friends Riding



Got two friends riding this year on Chuck's Team Soldiers Angels (and Chuck would be Major Ziegunfuss of From My Position...On the Way! )



Greta, Angel Friend Extraordinaire:) and milblogger, has a donation page Here

(she rode with me in the car last year when I volunteered, and I'm not sure....did riding with me cause her to feel like riding in the bike ride would be Safer?LOL:)



and Blake , of Laughing Wolf and Cooking with the Wounded fame, has a donation page Here

Please help them out if you can, and please help spread the word about the Bike Ride!

Lastly, my daughter took a video last year at the end of the FOA 2009 Bike Ride, just wanted to share it again....this bike ride is an amazing event to be a part of!




(and if the embed doesn't work, the link to the video is Here )

A Community Helps to Rebuild

In searching for something else on my previous version of this blog, I came across this post
from July 2006 Deployed Soldier's Family Found Murdered and remembered the horror of reading that Leonid Milkin had lost his family to murder while he was deployed, and praying for him during that time.

Wondering how Leonid Milkin was faring these days, I did a search and found this
Volunteers pour in to help rebuild Milkin house; funds still needed
(from the Kirklandreporter.com)

The article mentions a Facebook page set up for this volunteer project.

It warmed my heart to read that his community was still supporting him. Please spread the word about this, won't you?

Remembering February 26,1993

From the National September 11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center website





Remember February 26,1993





February 26,1993 is the date of the First attack on the WTC.



I can never think of this day without thinking of a man I consider one of the true heroes of our time, Rick Rescorla



and without thinking of the first attack as a foreshadowing of what was to come in 2001, which Mr. Rescorla predicted.



Six people lost their lives in the first attack. To their families and friends.....we have not forgotten their loss, and we hold you in our hearts and prayers just as we hold the families and friends of all those who were lost in 2001.



We will not forget.

Wednesday Hero

Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig


It is hard to know whether Monday was a very bad day or a very good day for Lance Cpl. Andrew Koenig.

On the one hand, he was shot in the head. On the other, the bullet bounced off him.

In one of those rare battlefield miracles, an insurgent sniper hit Lance Cpl. Koenig dead on in the front of his helmet, and he walked away from it with a smile on his face.

"I don't think I could be any luckier than this," Lance Cpl. Koenig said two hours after the shooting.

You can read the rest of Lance Cpl. Koenig's story here.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.

A Poem for a Vietnam Veteran Nurse, written by my daughter

In October of 2006, I posted on my original version of this blog

For My Aunt, A Thank You to an Army Nurse Corps Vietnam Veteran


Several weeks ago, my daughter told us she needed to write a 'commissioned' work of poetry as an assignment for her English class.
The 'commission' I gave her was to write a poem for my aunt Lynn about her service in Vietnam.

Here is the poem April wrote for her great-aunt Lynn:

Vietnam

From August 1967
To August 1968
My nursing skills brought me
To the war of Vietnam

Located on the coast
Near the village of Phu Hiep
I worked to mend
The wounded that came in

It was the 91st Evac
With concrete slabs and tin
Constructing our little houses
For us to live this war in

To be silly, and give some cheer
I acquired some paint
To make my room walls
An ugly shade of pink

Choppers come overhead
Bring with it many injured
Some won't survive
and some reach us already dead

The Napalm wounds hurt more
Than just those hit
Because then those burned
Come to our burn unit

A nurse can't be on that ward
For more than one day
Because our emotional toll
Would be one so great

To our burn tank, they'd be soaped up
Doped up on medication
To help with the pain of their skin
Being peeled off

But there were little things
that were rewarding to us
One of those rewards
Was a child named Bao

He looked six months
But was really two
Someone from a village
Brought him, because he was ill

He was malnourished,he wouldn't eat
An infection in his mouth
Hydrogen peroxide
was the simple cure

He stayed with us for months
And started being able to eat
His infection was gone
And he was growing strong

Then one day we stood him up
And he began to move his feet
He was walking on his own
That moment was rewarding for me

One emotional, tiring year
And then I got to come home
I prayed as the plane took off
To get back safe

It took three extra days
To get back into the States
But my frustration left me
When I saw my husband at the plane gate

I don't speak of it much
Except the stories that get a laugh
Because not many people
Understand the stories that are bad

They ask "How'd you like it?"
A ridiculous question
With all the things I saw
Who could like things like that?

Most people don't understand
What it was like being over there
Burn tanks, working on the wounded
And all the emotional parts of war

However, if I had to
I'd do it all again
For that one year of my life
That I was in the War in Vietnam

Remembering those who served on the USS Pamanset in WW II

In June of 2006, I posted (on the first incarnation of this blog)

Some of My Family History, Grandad in WW II

about my grandfather, Donald McNulty's, service aboard the USS Pamanset in WW II.

Today, I received in the mail an article about one of his shipmates

Carbon Hill Veteran Honors Lost Shipmates

Thank you, Mr. Johnson, for remembering all those who served aboard the USS Pamanset.
------------------

Mr. Johnson sent me a picture he had of my Grandad aboard the Pamanset, after I had posted about my Grandad's service, and my mother also sent me the picture of the ship that she had inherited from Grandad, I posted those pictures Here in 2008.

Wednesday Hero

Capt. Ferris W. Butler


Capt. Ferris W. Butler, former platoon leader with D Company, 214th Infantry Regiment, 10th Mountain, 2nd Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Drum, N.Y., talks to the Soldiers at Morale, Welfare and Recreation east Feb. 5 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Butler, a Port Tobacco, Mass., native, participated in Operation Proper Exit, which brings Veterans who were injured in Iraq back to the country to revisit the area and share their stories.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.

We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.