'The Christmas They Never Had'

                                  (Photo from 2008 Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery)

It's Friday, time for a reminder about 'The Christmas They Never Had'  which is the mission this year of Worcester Wreath Company and Wreaths Across America to lay 330,000+ wreaths to cover all the graves of our country's fallen heroes in Arlington.

'Pershing's Last Patriot'

World War I veteran Frank Buckles will turn 110 years old on Feb. 1

If you haven't visited the website about the film about him, and his hopes for a national WW I memorial, it's worth checking out

Pershing's Last Patriot

The 'Definitive Online Holocaust archive'

Yesterday was the International Holocaust Remembrance Day, and from this story, Yad Vashem, in partnership with Google, released over 138,000 images archived online.
The story about this is here 138,000 Holocaust-related photos now online, powered by Google and Picasa

 and the archive is here  Yad Vashem Photo Archive

We must never forget.

Wednesday Hero

Cpl. Jason A. Karella
20 years old from Anchorage, Alaska
2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force
October 9, 2008


Cpl. Jason A. Karella died supporting combat operations in the Farah province of Afghanistan when the Humvee he was riding in rolled over. He had given up his, as his Father described "best seat in the armored Humvee" to the turret gunner who wasn't feeling well that day.

"My son was proud of what he stood for," said his father, Kevin. "He had a fiancee named Beth and he said to me, 'Dad, I don't have to worry about Beth getting blown up in a market over there because we're keeping them busy here.'"

Karella grew up in a strong military family, with his father a former chief warrant officer in the Army, and his brother Josh also having served in Iraq.

Marines recognized Karella for his incredible strength, which he used to carry large amounts of ammunition with him in the battlefield. They referred to him as "the walking ammo supply point" and "the walking arsenal." Well-respected among his peers, he was awaiting a promotion to Sergeant at the time of his death.

This page has a nice background piece on Cpl. Karell.

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.

Two More Heroes Lost

Via Right-Wing & Right Minded, we sadly lost two more Heroes from the 'Greatest Generation' last week

Ed Mauser, one of the 'Band of Brothers' from Easy Company

and Barney Hajiro, Medal of Honor recipient, who had been a featured Wednesday Hero post not long ago.

Godspeed,Gentlemen, and Thank You for your service to our country. Your family and friends are in our prayers.

Awesome blog..Turning Tragedy into a Love Story

Via Blackfive  I went over and visited this blog

Turning Tragedy into a Love Story-Patrick & Jessica

which is a blog by the fiancee (now wife) of SSG. Patrick Zeigler about his ongoing  recovery from 4 gunshot wounds to the head during the Ft. Hood shootings on Nov.5th, 2009, and also about how the shootings changed their lives forever. I have sat riveted here reading through the blog...Jessica writes honestly and emotionally about their journey, and there are parts that break your heart to read...but the overall message you walk away with is a message of hope, and it's a privilege to be able  to read this.

"The Christmas They Never Had"

                                          (2008 Wreath Laying in Arlington National Cemetery)

Posting another picture from the 2008 wreath laying event we attended in 2008, to remind everyone of the Wreaths Across America project for 2011, to cover all 330,000+ graves of our fallen in Arlington National Cemetery . To read more about this  click HERE

A "Virtual PTSD Experience"

This is interesting, the DOD announced yesterday
Interactive Simulation Launched to Provide Information on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

You can check out "Psychological Health Island" at the T2 Virtual PTSD Experience

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested & Written By Beth


Maj. Dick Winters
92 years old from Hershey, Pennsylvania
Company E, 506th Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
January 21, 1918 – January 2, 2011


Maj. Richard "Dick" Winters passed away a couple of weeks ago and Beth has written a wonderful piece honoring his service and his life.

Some of the awards Maj. Winters was honored with for his service: Distinguished Service Cross, Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation with one Oak Leaf Cluster, American Defense Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 3 service stars and arrow device, World War II Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Croix de guerre with palm, French Liberation Medal, Oorlogskruis with palm, Belgian WWII Service Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge with 2 combat stars and the Medal of the City of Eindhoven

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.

"The Christmas They Never Had"

                                          (Arlington Cemetery 2008 wreath-laying)

This year (2011) will be the 20th anniversary of wreaths going to Arlington National Cemetery from the Worcester Wreath Company,
and if you check out the Wreaths Across America website  you will see that they have permission to lay wreaths on  All 330,000+ graves this year

This will of course be a Huge undertaking....so the time to start spreading the word about this is Now.

Please go by the website, read more about this theme of "The Christmas They Never Had" and what Wreaths Across America hopes to do this year.....and then pass the word along, please!

I know in 2008 my husband and I went to Arlington to participate in the wreath laying there, and it was an unbelievable event to be a part of.  I think that year there were only about 10,000 wreaths?  so I can only dimly imagine what it would look like to have the entire cemetery covered......but I feel certain it would be beautiful!

Soldiers Angels Web Surfing

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

'Wrapping up' coverage of Angels and the recent holiday season,
the TimesNews online writes about PA Angels
Team contributes year-round support to veterans

and New York Soldiers' Angels has a post up about
Long Island Angels and Dollar Tree Stores


Coming up...Soldiers Angels Louisiana is gearing up for
Operation Overseas Mardi Gras 2011


Tennessee Soldiers Angels posts about the
New Angel Sewing Project

and check out a related post on The Quilt Show's Daily Blog
Teen Creates for Pillow Project

and with over 1,000 soldiers waiting for 'adoption', it was nice to see some new, and 'new-to-me' Angels blogging about adopting..

Grace Lines posts  Another Way to Give

Cat's Litterbox  is on the Letter Writing Team, but encourages others to also consider checking out 'adopting' in her post here

and from the Channahon-Minooka Patch in IL comes this great story about military wives joining Soldiers Angels and 'adopting'  Putting a Smile on a Soldier's Face

Lastly, New York Soldiers' Angels has
Cookies!-- Calling All Girl Scouts

That's the surf!


(For more Soldiers Angels news? you can also always check out the main Soldiers Angels website here )

Wednesday Hero

Seaman Leah King


Ship's Serviceman Seaman Leah King brushes off excess hair after cutting a Sailor's hair inside the barbershop aboard the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Carl Vinson and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17 are on a deployment to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility.

Information And Photo Were Found On And Copied From Navy.mil

Photo courtesy Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis K. Mendoza


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.

Farewell, to Major Dick Winters

News just out that Major Dick Winters passed away in early January.

from PennLive  Dick Winters, who inspired 'Band of Brothers,' remembered as an American hero

Godspeed, Sir. My condolences to his family and friends, and the 'Band of Brothers' who served with him.

Four Virginia Band Members also participating in the US Army All American Bowl Marching Band

And Congratulations! also to the 4 Virginians participating in the US Army All American Bowl  in the Marching Band

Alexandria Foster of Williamsburg, Jonathan Hilgendorf of Bristol, Matthew Knopp of Lynchburg,
and Patrick Smith of King George.  Kudos to all of you! hope you have a wonderful time!

Both a Local and State Player in the US Army All American Bowl :)

Just realized (haven't been paying attention, apparently,lol) that we have both a Local player, Landon Turner
and also a player from Richmond, Curtis Grant , playing in tomorrow's
US Army All American Bowl

Best of luck to these young men! and also to all the other young men participating!!

The Veteran's History Project at the Library of Congress

Hat Tip to Milblogging.com for posting this one

The Veteran's History Project 

Please pass this on to any Veteran's you know!

Vets For Freedom Exec.Director Deploying

Vets for Freedom Executive Director Pete Hegseth is deploying to Afghanistan, and if you would like to sign up to receive email updates while he is deployed, you can do so at
http://www.petehegseth.com/

Our thoughts and prayers will be with Pete and all those deploying with him, and with his family and friends back home while he's deployed.


(and make sure to  check out The Unknown Soldiers blog over at VFF!)

Wednesday Hero

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Kathi


Jordan Brown

An 11-year-old from Lebanon County in Pennsylvania, Jordan Brown has long been fascinated by World War II and one old soldier in particular -- Dick Winters, the Easy Company commander made famous by the HBO mini-series "Band of Brothers."

Mr. Winters, a Lancaster native who lives in Hershey, is 92 and has Parkinson's disease.

But a statue of him is going up in France, and Jordan has taken it upon himself to raise money for it by selling $1 rubber wristbands in the tradition of Lance Armstrong's yellow "Live Strong" bracelets.

You can read the rest of the 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. 

Godspeed,to God's Will

Aunty Brat had the update on Dec.28, sadly
God's Will: Flying High

His family and friends are in our prayers.

Tostitos,the USO and the Connect to Home Bowl

Back in Dec. I linked to a post from Airman Mom

and now, for the rest of the story :)




too,too cool!