USO Canteen FReeper Style ....High Flight .... October 30,2002

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.

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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 

High Flight

High Flight was composed by
Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr.,
an American serving with the
Royal Canadian Air Force.

He was born in Shanghai, China
in 1922, the son of missionary
parents, Reverend and Mrs. John
Gillespie Magee; his father was an
American and his mother was
originally a British citizen.

He came to the U.S. in 1939
and earned a scholarship to Yale,
but in September 1940 he enlisted
in the RCAF and was graduated as
a pilot. He was sent to England for
combat duty in July 1941.

In August or September 1941,
Pilot Officer Magee composed
High Flight

He then sent a copy to his parents.
Several months later, on
December 11, 1941 his Spitfire
collided with another plane over
England and Magee, only 19 years
of age, crashed to his death.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc

His remains are buried in the
churchyard cemetery at Scopwick, Lincolnshire.

The poem, High Flight, has over
the years become a mantra to pilots.
It is a tribute to, and in memory of
pilots of all generations.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high unsurpassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941

[Snow Bunny]

. . . Tribute To HEROES . While the dogtag is used to provide information on an individual serviceman, I also believe that the chain which holds them represents a connection to all servicemen, no matter where you served, how you served or when you served. . The Minuteman in 1776 has a connection to the soldier fighting in Afghanistan today. That connection is every individual who has ever served in the United States Military. Each of us represents a link in the chain that connects that Minuteman of over 200 years ago to the soldier in Afghanistan today. SAMWolf . . Tribute to Vietnam Veterans Please click on picture. . The great intangible of America's wars beyond logistics, beyond strategy, beyond wonder weapons and Generals, is the spiritual force of its fighting men and women - and that is the force that the USO so serves. . Free Republic....Click for Donations . Partners . .To Jim Robinson, Founder of FRee Republic and Navy Veteran Thank you, from all those who frequent the FReeper Canteen .

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are,God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

[Snow Bunny]

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Click on Beamer to go to thread for details of the USO Canteen FReeper Style
Business Card and How To's

[Snow Bunny]

Poor is the nation that has no heroes.
Shameful is the one that, having heroes - Forgets them!
from a monument on the Davis Bridge Battlefield, Bolivar,Tn.

We support our Canadian troops, our friends fighting the enemy with us.
Operation APOLLO is Canada's military contribution to the international campaign against terrorism.

Sergeant Kory Fisher of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group

[Snow Bunny]

 

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you for your wonderful support of the USO Canteen FReeper Style, the troops and their families.
Thank you Veterans.

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

Operation APOLLO is Canada's military contribution to the international campaign against terrorism

Afghanistan Members of 3 Batallion Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Battle Group (3 PPCLI BG) hone their skills with the C-9 machine gun on the Tarnac Farm training range near Kandahar, Afghanistan. 3 PPCLI BG is in Afghanistan as part of Operation Apollo, Canada'a military contribution to the international campaign against terrorism. Photo: MCpl. Brian Walsh Canadian Forces Combat Camera

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

Click on photo to go to thread regarding Ted Maher

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Bunny.

[leadpenny]

Just a little equal time from, and for, the "Rotorheads" in the crowd.

Low Flight

Oh, I have lifted vertically from the ground
And humbly joined the sky while wings
swept round.

Forward I've flown, while closely hugging earth
Beneath the clouds, and done a hundred things
you would not dare do:

Autoed, hoisted and beeped while challenging
death.
Hovering there I've fought the shifting winds
around

And forced my balking craft through fearful
turbulent air

Down amongst the low awaiting fog -
I've stayed above the sea
Through skill - where never goat
nor even C-130 flew

And while with silent humble stance,
I've listened to the men who fly
on high.

I've lowered my head and taken their abuse
And somewhere God looked at me
and smiled.

~Author Unknown

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Aeronaut, good to see you my friend.
I hope your weather there is beautiful today for flying.

Snow Bunny (((( hug))))

[E.G.C.]

MONACO, FREE TED MAHER NOW!!!!!!

[Snow Bunny]

Hi , so great to see you Leadpenny! ( big smile)
I LOVE your poem! Of course you know I am a HUGE fan of choppers.They and their pilots are very near and dear to my heart.
Thank you my dear friend for being here
and the marvelous poem!
Snow Bunny....................................Snow Bunny

[Aeronaut]

I hope your weather there is beautiful today for flying.

I had to cancel a trip today due to snow and freezing drizzle. Its OK, though. I need the time to recover from the illness caused by the "Wellstone memorial" political rally. (Gov, Jesse and Trent Lott actually walked out on it, it was so bad.)