USO Canteen FReeper Style FReeper FRiday....VetVetDoug's Cousin....October 18,2002

FRiends of the USO Canteen FReeper Style and Snow Bunny

[Snow Bunny]

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The USO Canteen FReeper Style
Delivering a Touch of Home

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A Touch of Home

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This is how I think of the USO Canteen 
Freeper Style. It is like a cottage down a road,
a place where a weary veteran can spend the night. 

Since it opened, it is magical how so many
Freepers who post here, feel it too. 
It has been so dear how the Freepers
kept making it a cottage - a home-type of 
place that had a huge living room
for them to visit in and a dance floor, 
a library, etc. 

Many Veterans have written to me, 
saying that the Canteen is like home
to them for the first time since they 
served. 

This is your Canteen -
a respite from our busy 
and sometimes troubling world. 
Make yourself at home.

Snow Bunny

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If you know a Veteran, someone in your family, 
friend of the family, neighbor, who served their  
country, take a brief moment of your day to thank 
them. 

Thank them for the sacrifice they made
for the better good of their country.

We at Free Republic, and the USO Canteen FReeper 
Style, are thankful for every service member 
in our military, who has served our great nation.

So, to the men and women who answered the call,
in both times of war and peace, thank you.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields. 

John McCrae 

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The USO Canteen Honors FReepers
who have served, or are now serving their country.

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You may have a loved one who has served in the past.
We at the FReeper USO Canteen would like to honor each and every one.

March 10,1945....50 B-29’s crashed
burning four square miles in the heart of Tokyo

At the same time hearts were torn apart
in homes throughout America.Where
loved ones of the 11 men on each of
those 50 planes waited and prayed in
vain for the “ safety of the boys’.

It has been over 50 years ago since
the low-flying raid took place.

Among those who died in the raid was.......
2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean
873rd AAF Bomber Squadron.....co-pilot

Along with others of his squadron,
he was stationed on Saipan in the
South Pacific during the final weeks
awaiting the orders to strike.

He was smiling and sun-backed in the
photographs he had sent home to the
family.

He wore his cap at the jaunty angle
and his rakish mustache was
representative of the same bravado
in attitude affected by hundreds
of other young American men
of the Clark Gable era.

Dean like many others was anxious
to get into the heat of the battle. He
graduated from Corinth High School
in 1937 when the turmoil which
turned to WW11 was beginning to build.

After two years at Union University
in Jackson, Tenn. He made the decision
to join the U.S.Army Air Force. He
went in as a mechanic.

“I remember he was so excited, yet
so worried he would not be accepted.
It was his weight, he was so small. He
was afraid his weight would keep him
from passing the physical”, recalled
his sister, Fadra Dean Dodd.

“He was so funny in his desperation.
He ate several pounds of bananas just
before going for his physical,” she
smiled in remembering this fun
loving brother.

Whatever the reason- perhaps it was the
trick with the bananas,Dean passed the
physical, and was accepted then sent to
Canute Field, Illinoins.

Shortly after WW11 broke out, Dean
began flight training, stationed at
Selma, Ala.

He received his wings in Moultrie, Ga.

“ In the fall of 1943, he was in B-29 training
at Salina, Kan. I went up there to spend a
week with him. I remember how guarded
they kept the B-29’s on the base. They
wouldn’t let me, or any other authorized
personnel get within a half mile of one.”
His sister added.

In early 1944 Dean married in a beautiful
ceremony in the base chapel.

During the summer as he passed his
27th birthday in July, he spent his
additional training in Hobbs,N.M.

He spent Christmas stateside but it was
shortly afterwards he was sent to the
Island of Saipan and into the heat of
the battle.Other members of the same
group were scattered throughout
neighboring islands and air strips.

“ His squadron was involved in raids over
Nagasaki and other key cities.Then on the
night of March 10th ,the B-29’s from the
Islands of Saipan, Guam and Tinian,
rendezvoused for the raid over Tokyo.”
Mrs. Dodd recalled.

This was the first time the B-29’s had
gone in as low as 4,000 feet.

“It has been explained to me that being a
nighttime raid, it was necessary to go in
this low.”, she explained.

Dean’s plane was hit and crashed into the
side of the mountain. The air-ship was not
found until after the war was over.

The men were identified by their dog tags
or dental records. Their bodies were taken
to a mausoleum in the Philippines.

In the fall of 1945, the family had the
young man’s body brought back to
Corinth for burial there.

Since the losses were so great
they never went in that low again.

On that night though.......
they burned four square miles in the heart of Tokyo

We salute the memory of 2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hi John! Good to see you.

[bluesagewoman]

Dean Dodd was one who paid the ultimate price for us. His family has our prayers. These small biographies you do help make sure none are ever forgotten. Dean will be on my mind all day as I go out from my home and enjoy my life. He puts a face and a story onto what would otherwise seem like a vague or unnoticed concept of what it really means to be free. Thanks for your work, and thanks to Vet Dog's family.

[ladtx]

Morning All. If any of you north Texans (Plano area) haven't looked outside yet, you're missing one of the most beautiful sunrises I seen a a long time.

[ladtx]

I seen a a long time.

So pretty made me stutter.

[Mudboy Slim]

"I'm having computer problems -- but I should have 'em all taken care of by Monday."

Git a new 'puter, bro...MUD

[SAMWolf]

2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean



Thank you for your service - Rest in Peace

[SAMWolf]

Thanks aomagrat. The only USS Wasps I was aware of were the carriers.

[SAMWolf]

A group of U.S. soldiers rest as a cloud of dust of destroyed ammunition found in the village of Tit rises, southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites), Thursday, Oct. 17, 2002. Soldiers conducted search and seizure missions which covered several villages of Paktika province. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

U.S. soldiers hold their position as local residents watch them in the village of Tit, southeastern Afghanistan (news - web sites), Thursday, Oct. 17, 2002. Soldiers conducted search and seizure missions at objective Hood, which consisted of several villages of Paktika province. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)

[herewego]

Ya'll have a great day- see ya later!

[KneelBeforeZod]

Does anyone know of websites, organizations etc for/about US servicemen who served in Taiwan? Thanks.

[deadhead]

God Bless 2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean

[JustAmy]

Two blondes were in a parking lot trying to unlock the door of their Mercedes with a coat hanger. They tried and tried to get the door open, but they just couldn't! The blonde with the coat hanger stopped for a moment to catch her breath. The other blonde said anxiously, "Hurry up! It's starting to rain and the top is down."

Best I could do so early in the morning!

[Johnny Gage]

2nd Lt. Claude Taylor Dean
March 10,1945
Job well done, Rest in Peace.

VetVetDoug: Thank you for sharing the story of your cousin.

It's open season on Tali-banny Turkeys - Let's Roll

[SAMWolf]

Try this:

<===Mash This

[SAMWolf]

An icon of the U.S. Air Force; a remarkably creative tactician; and one of the Cold War's fiercest warriors; General Curtis LeMay led a colorful if extremely controversial career. From early on he argued that, "if you are going to use military force, then you ought to use overwhelming military force. Use too much and deliberately use too much... You'll save lives, not only your own, but the enemy's too." His men called him "Iron Ass" because he demanded so much of them. But because of his own physical courage and his military rigor most of them respected him immensely.

In the last months of the Second World War, LeMay took command of the main air effort against Japan, turning around its tactics. Instead of the established U.S. policy of daylight, precision bombing, he ripped out the armaments on 325 B-29s and loaded each plane with firebomb clusters. On March 10, 1945 he ordered the bombers out at 5 - 9,000 feet over Tokyo.

The devastation wrought that first night was catastrophic: the raid incinerated more than 16 square miles of the city, killing 100,000 people. According to the official Air Force history of the Second World War, "No other air attack of the war, either in Japan or Europe, was so destructive of life and property." For months LeMay's bombers went out night after night, relentlessly keeping up their fire-bombing campaign, so that by the end of the war, flames had totally or partially consumed 63 Japanese cities, killing half a million people and leaving eight million homeless.

Asked later about the morality of the campaign, LeMay replied: "Killing Japanese didn't bother me very much at that time... I suppose if I had lost the war, I would have been tried as a war criminal.... Every soldier thinks something of the moral aspects of what he is doing. But all war is immoral and if you let that bother you, you're not a good soldier."

LeMay was convinced that the United States had been forced into the war in 1941 because the country was weak and unprepared. He recognized that the development of new long-range bombers meant that for the first time the continental United States would be vulnerable. And he believed the way to prevent an attack was to build a incredibly powerful, well-armed and well-trained Air Force.

[SAMWolf]

Click the link to view the 873rd Squadron Patch

SQUADRON INSIGNIA:

Designed originally for the 676th in Great Bend in December, 1943, it was immediately popular, but in the rapid change of events that followed it was lost in the shuffle and did not turn up again until the arrival of the 873rd. It survived a number of signia contests and in July, of 1944 was adopted officially as the Squadron Insignia of the 873rd Bombardment Squadron.

Created to symbolize the immense size, yet graceful ease of the SUPERFORT, the elephant was chosen to typify size. His attitude, cocksure and easy going,symbolized the attitude of the men of the Squadron. The position of the hand dropping the bomb denoted ease and accuracy in ability to destroy the target, while the bomb became the symbol of destruction ... the cloud symbolized the altitude, while the little elephant's position of recline depicted the ease and grace of the immense 29 in flight. The red circle carried out the color scheme of the national colors. while the seven white stars on top and the three on the bottom designate the last two numerals of the Squadron number.

[HiJinx]

"But all war is immoral and if you let that bother you, you're not a good soldier".

LeMay was convinced that the United States had been forced into the war in 1941 because the country was weak and unprepared...meant that for the first time the continental United States...vulnerable...the way to prevent an attack...incredibly powerful, well-armed and well-trained Air Force.

I wonder if President Reagan studied General LeMay?

[tomkow6]

What do you get when you take the circumference of your jack-o-lantern and divide it by its diameter?

Pumpkin Pi



What did the policeman say when a black widow spider ran down his back?


"You're under a vest!"

[Mudboy Slim]

"Black's DAWG!!"
(To be sung to Led Zeppelin's "Black Dog")

Hey, Slick Willie, yer a TREAS'NOUS FOOL!!
Gon' make Bill sweat...Slick's Mudboy's Tool!!
Medyuh's VILE, way they ignore Left's stink...
Gon' make Slick burn, gon' make Left sting.
Hey, Slick Willie, didja think you'd git away?!!
Boy, yer such a trip...still, Prison's yer Fate!!

Oh yeah, oh yeah ah, ah, ah~ah.
Oh yeah, oh yeah ah, ah, ah~ah.

Right's gotta roll...we shan't stand still,
Once Justice starts...next, we'll git Bill!!
"If ya do the crimes", Ashcroft said,
"We'll catch you, 'cuz Truth ain't dead!!"

Ah-ah. Ah-ah. Ah-ah.
Ah-ah. Ah-ah. Ah-ah. Ahhh__.

Heh Terry, "PUNK" McAuliffe...Slick's petty "lady".
Lib'rals, watch US do it now!!
Slick Willie, yer a Traitor, you Evil Rapist,
Fear yer Fate...Right's Rollin' Now!!

Folks, won't take too long 'fore Slick finds out
What FReepers mean by "Take Slick Out!!"
Takes my money, scratched my car,
Started tellin' MUD's FRiends, Slim's just gone too far!!
Yes, I know, Right must be Bold...
RATS' red-necked Lib'rals ain't got no soul.

Oh yeah, oh yeah hah, ah, hah~ah.
Oh yeah, oh yeah hah, ah, hah~ah.
Oh yeah, oh yeah hah, ah, hah~ah.
Oh yeah, oh yeah hah, ah, yeah.

All I ask for...all I pray,
Dubyuh's Rollin' Justice gon' come Slick's way!!
Need no Lib'rals...no Feds to hold my hand,
Git Left outta my Life, make me a happy man!!

Ah-ah. Ah-ah. Ah-ah.
Ah-ah. Ah-ah. Ah-ah. Ahhh__.

Ohhh ye-ah.
Justice makes US do it now.
Yeah-yeah. Yeah-yeah. Yeah-yeah.
FReepers shake 'em do it now.
Babe! Babe!
Wooh, keep doin' it babe.

[ Busted. ] Hey.
[ Busted. ] Hey.
[ Busted. ] Hey.
[ Busted. ] Hey.

[ Busted. ] Hey~yeah.
[ Busted. ] Hey~yeah.
[ Busted. ] Hey~yeah. Oooh~yeah.

Oooh~ahh. [( Well done. )]

Justice makes US do it now.
FReedom lets US do it now.

Work in progress...Mudboy Slim

[blackie]

USO Canteen FReeper Style FReeper FRiday....VetVetDoug's Cousin...Bump !!

Let's Roll !!

The RATS Are In Disarray...Eradicate The Rodents !!

Fire Democrats, Hire Republicans !!

GWB Is The Man !!

Snuff Saddam, NOW !!

Death To all Tyrant's !!

The Second Amendment...
America's Original Homeland Security !!

Freedom Is Worth Fighting For !!

Molon Labe !!