[ALOHA RONNIE]

...In his Keynote Speach to us Saturday Night JACK SMITH had 3 points to make:

...First, JACK related how reports of his impending demise from Pancreatic Cancer were greatly exaggerated as he intends to beat it. He feels good after 8 weeks of Radiation/Chemo Therapy and I have to say that I've never seen him look better.

...Second, JACK related the horror of his being wounded 4 times while fighting at Landing Zone Albany in the IA DRANG Valley of November 1965, reading in part from his Saturday Evening Post Article you've posted a link to here.

...Thirdly, JACK shared what he saw in a now Communist Vietnam when he went back to the IA DRANG Valley of the Mid-1990's with JOE GALLOWAY and now retired Lt. Gen. HAL G. MOORE. This trip is chronicalled in an ABC News "DAY ONE" TV Special. What he saw there was a North and a South Vietnam that is poorer and in worse shape then when he first left it in November 1965.

...After JACK was finished with his riveting speech now retired General of the Army SHINSIKI stood to shake his hand. I was then blessed to give my "Thank You" to him as he went on to his chair. With that "Thank You" came JACK's sigh of satisfying relief at being so well received.

T'was all in GOD's Plan, perhaps..?

[Patangeles]

Freedom is not free. Thanks to all our veterans, we enjoy all the freedoms we do today.

[onyx]

You were soldiers once and young. My heart went with you and I was young. You did our generation proud and your sacrifices were all too many in number. I've loved you guys all of my life, ever since I was young.

[onyx]

I know you were there with Ronnie and the guys.

[risk]

Rick Rescorla is on a stamp!?

Ronnie, we can't let politicians snatch victory from our brave defenders ever again. Aren't we in dire risk of that today with the war on terror? What can we do to help?

President Bush has described to the National Endowment for Democracy exactly what he intends for us to do. His plan is clear, it is humane, and it respects all peoples. I accept this plan and I think all people who love freedom should study and agree to it, as well. I worried that President Bush wasn't fighting the war as ambitiously it should be earlier. But now I believe he and his cabinet are making the right choices. He simply must be given a mandate by Americans: liberty once again needs defenders as selfless and brave as you and Rick Rescorla (who died saving his coworkers in the WTC on 9/11) were at Ia Drang in 1965.

Thank you.