The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Sammy L. Davis, MOH - July 11th, 2004

[snippy_about_it]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


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U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

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Sergeant Sammy L. Davis



Medal of Honor Recipient, Vietnam

U.S. Army Battery C, 2nd Battalion,
4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division

By Peter Collier

Sammy Davis took some ribbing in the Army because he shared a name with the famous entertainer. Much later, long after his military days were over, he would again gain some acclaim among his old comrades, this time as the "real" Forrest Gump.



Davis enlisted in the Army directly out of high school in 1965. Volunteering for the artillery because his father had been an artilleryman in World War II, he was assigned to the 4th Artillery. Soon after completing training, he asked to be sent to Vietnam.

Early on November 18, 1967, his unit of eleven guns and forty-two men was helicoptered into an area west of Cai Lay to set up a forward fire-support base-Firebase Cudgel-for American infantrymen operating in the area. Shortly after midnight the next morning, Private First Class Davis's Battery C came under heavy mortar attack. Almost simultaneously, an estimated fifteen hundred Vietcong soldiers launched an intense ground assault, failing to overrun the Americans only because a river separated the two forces.

Davis's squad was operating a 105 mm howitzer that fired eighteen thousand beehive darts in each shell. When he saw how close the enemy had come, Davis took over a machine gun and provided covering fire for his gun crew. But an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit on the howitzer, knocking the crew from the weapon and blowing Davis sideways into a foxhole. Convinced that the heavily outnumbered Americans couldn't survive the attack, he decided to fire off at least one round from the damaged artillery piece before being overrun.

He struggled to his feet, rammed a shell into the gun, and fired point-blank at the Vietcong who were advancing five deep directly in front of the weapon; the beehive round cut them down. An enemy mortar round exploded nearby, knocking Davis to the ground, but he got up and kept firing the howitzer. When there were no more rounds left, he fired a white phosphorus shell, and then the last round he had- a "propaganda shell" filled with leaflets.



At this point, he heard yelling from the other side of the river and realized that GIs had been cut off there. Despite the fact that he didn't know how to swim, he got in the water and paddled across on an air mattress from the American camp; other GIs followed him. Scrambling up the bank, he found three wounded soldiers, one of them suffering from a head wound that looked fatal.

He gave them all morphine and provided covering fire as another GI helped the most gravely wounded soldier across the river, then pulled the other two through the water on the air mattress to the fire base. He eventually made his way to an American howitzer crew and resumed the fight. Sometime before dawn, he was seriously wounded in the back and buttocks by friendly fire.

While he was in the hospital, Davis heard that he was to be sent home. He petitioned General William Westmoreland to be allowed to stay with his unit. Permission was granted, although Davis was still so hobbled by his wounds that he was taken off the line and made a cook.



On November 19, 1968, exactly one year and one day after the nightlong firefight at Cai Lay, Davis received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon Johnson. Years later, footage of LBJ putting the medal around Davis's neck appeared in the movie Forrest Gump (with Tom Hanks's head substituted for Davis's), and Gump's fictional Medal of Honor citation was loosely based on Davis's real one.

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FReeper Foxhole Armed Services Links

[snippy_about_it]

Medal of Honor Citation



DAVIS, SAMMY L.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Battery C, 2d Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: West of Cai Lay, Republic of Vietnam, 18 November 1967. Entered service at: Indianapolis, Ind. Born: 1 November 1946, Dayton, Ohio.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Davis (then Pfc.) distinguished himself during the early morning hours while serving as a cannoneer with Battery C, at a remote fire support base. At approximately 0200 hours, the fire support base was under heavy enemy mortar attack. Simultaneously, an estimated reinforced Viet Cong battalion launched a fierce ground assault upon the fire support base. The attacking enemy drove to within 25 meters of the friendly positions. Only a river separated the Viet Cong from the fire support base.

Detecting a nearby enemy position, Sgt. Davis seized a machinegun and provided covering fire for his guncrew, as they attempted to bring direct artillery fire on the enemy. Despite his efforts, an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit upon the artillery piece. The resultant blast hurled the guncrew from their weapon and blew Sgt. Davis into a foxhole. He struggled to his feet and returned to the howitzer, which was burning furiously. Ignoring repeated warnings to seek cover, Sgt. Davis rammed a shell into the gun. Disregarding a withering hail of enemy fire directed against his position, he aimed and fired the howitzer which rolled backward, knocking Sgt. Davis violently to the ground.

Undaunted, he returned to the weapon to fire again when an enemy mortar round exploded within 20 meters of his position, injuring him painfully. Nevertheless, Sgt. Davis loaded the artillery piece, aimed and fired. Again he was knocked down by the recoil. In complete disregard for his safety, Sgt. Davis loaded and fired 3 more shells into the enemy. Disregarding his extensive injuries and his inability to swim, Sgt. Davis picked up an air mattress and struck out across the deep river to rescue 3 wounded comrades on the far side.

Upon reaching the 3 wounded men, he stood upright and fired into the dense vegetation to prevent the Viet Cong from advancing. While the most seriously wounded soldier was helped across the river, Sgt. Davis protected the 2 remaining casualties until he could pull them across the river to the fire support base. Though suffering from painful wounds, he refused medical attention, joining another howitzer crew which fired at the large Viet Cong force until it broke contact and fled. Sgt. Davis' extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

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Today's Educational Sources and suggestions for further reading:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/sammydavis/frame.htm
www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,MoH_Sammy_Davis,00.html
www.17thartilleryregiment.org/medalofhonor.htm www.homeofheroes.com/sammydavis/images/
www.sunvalleyonline.com/news/opinion.asp?ID_Opinion=30

[snippy_about_it]

..............


George W. Bush Inauguration - Medal Of Honor and Veteran's Events Photo Gallery

Excerpt from Sun Valley online news

Retired army Sergeant First Class Sammy L. Davis earned the coveted Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1967.



Generals, even Presidents, traditionally salute Medal of Honor recipients when they see them, as these men are so revered. Both of these very special men wanted to give me direct quotes specifically for this editorial concerning John F. Kerry.

Lee Mize said, “What he (John Kerry) did to our Vietnam veterans, throwing his medals over the fence, his testifying before Congress (in 1971), and hanging around with Jane Fonda. Then, never regretting his made-up lies and his testimony, that is a real shame. It is equally disgusting the way he put down our National Guard and our Reserves. He certainly is a two-faced individual.”

Sammy Davis, the second MOH recipient I spoke with, said of Kerry, “He has done great disservice to every Vietnam veteran by his actions after he came home from Vietnam. He was in a position of power and could have implemented positive changes for veterans and active duty military personnel during the past 18 years, but he chose not to do so.”

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Visit Sammy L. Davis' Website here.

[snippy_about_it]

FALL IN to the FReeper Foxhole!



Good Sunday Morning Everyone



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[SAMWolf]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Sammy L Davis and hearing him speak on a few occasions. Very interesting man and a good speaker.

[snippy_about_it]

Veterans for Constitution Restoration is a non-profit, non-partisan educational and grassroots activist organization.

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Actively seeking volunteers to provide this valuable service to Veterans and their families.

Thanks to quietolong for providing this link.

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Iraq Homecoming Tips

~ Thanks to our Veterans still serving, at home and abroad. ~ Freepmail to Ragtime Cowgirl | 2/09/04 | FRiend in the USAF

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UPDATED THROUGH APRIL 2004



The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul

Click on Hagar for
"The FReeper Foxhole Compiled List of Daily Threads"

[snippy_about_it]

I've had the pleasure of meeting Sammy L Davis and hearing him speak on a few occasions. Very interesting man and a good speaker.

Thanks Sam, it was you mentioning him that led me to profile him.

[SAMWolf]

You're welcome, Snippy. That's what partners are for. ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

Good night partner.

[radu]

Good morning everyone!

To all our military men and women, past and present, and to our allies who stand with us,
THANK YOU!

[E.G.C.]

Good morning, Snippy and everyone at the Freeper Foxhole.

[GailA]

Good morning, I'm back off vacation, where I was bug bit, and FR deprived. Had a good time though.

[alfa6]

Greetings, Benedections, Hallucinations and Salavations

It is a wonderfull Sunday Morning, a fine day lads and lassies for a little Bobcat work and scaffold building.

Breakfast looks mighty fine there Gail, that and a cup of the Mayors coffee and I will be able to operate at warp 3 all day.

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[The Mayor]

July 11, 2004

The Tree

Read: Matthew 27:27-35

[Jesus] bore our sins in His own body on the tree. —1 Peter 2:24

Bible In One Year: Psalms 1-3; Acts 17:1-15

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The corkscrew willow tree stood vigil over our backyard for more than 20 years. It shaded all four of our children as they played in the yard, and it provided shelter for the neighborhood squirrels. But when springtime came and the tree didn’t awaken from its winter slumber, it was time to bring it down.

Every day for a week I worked on that tree — first to fell it and then to chop two decades of growth into manageable pieces. It gave me a lot of time to think about trees.

I thought about the first tree — the one on which hung the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve just couldn’t resist (Genesis 3:6). God used that tree to test their loyalty and trust. Then there’s the tree in Psalm 1 that reminds us of the fruitfulness of godly living. And in Proverbs 3:18, wisdom is personified as a tree of life.

But it is a transplanted tree that is most important — the crude cross of Calvary that was hewn from a sturdy tree. There our Savior hung between heaven and earth to bear every sin of every generation on His shoulders. It stands above all trees as a symbol of love, sacrifice, and salvation.

At Calvary, God’s only Son suffered a horrible death on a cross. That’s the tree of life for us. —Dave Branon

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain. —Bennard

The cross of Christ reveals man’s sin at its worst and God’s love at its best.

[Samwise]

Good thread about a good man, snippy. I hope you realize the retraint I am exercizing by not making a joke about Sammy Davis and Forrest Gump.

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning everyone!

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning, radu. Lovely graphic, thank you.

[Valin]

On This Day In History


Birthdates which occurred on July 11:
1274 Robert the Bruce Scotland, King (1328-1329)
1558 Robert Greene Elizabethan dramatist (Friar Bacon)
1754 Thomas Bowdler famous prude, bowdlerized Shakespeare
1767 John Quincy Adams Braintree, Mass, 6th Pres (D) (1825-1829)
1825 Edward Henry Hobson, Brig General (Union volunteers), died in 1901
1838 John Wanamaker merchant (Wanamakers Dept Store)
1841 William Paul Roberts, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1910
1897 - Blind Lemon Jefferson,Blues musician
1899 E.B. White writer (Charlotte's Web, Elements of Style)
1915 Colin Purdie Kelly US, 1st US air hero during WW II
1915 Yul Brynner(Taidje Khan) Sakhalin Is Japan, actor (King & I)
1922 Gene Evans Hollbrook Az, actor (My Friend Flicka, Matt Helm, Alamo)
1931 Tab Hunter actor (Damn Yankees, Lust in the Dust, Battle Cry)
1931 Thurston Harris Indianapolis, vocalist (Little Bitty Pretty One)
1945 Deborah Harry singer (Blondie) actress (Videodrome, Hairspray)
1947 Jeff Hanna rock vocalist (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band-Mr Bojangles)
1950 Bonnie Pointer singer (Pointer Sisters)
1953 Leon Spinks US, heavyweight boxing champ (1978, Olympic-gold-1976)
1987 Matej Gaspar, Yugoslavia, 5,000,000,000th person (UN)

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Deaths which occurred on July 11:
0155 Pius I, bishop of Rome (approx 140-155)/saint/martyr, dies
1174 Amalrik I, [Morri], French King of Jerusalem, dies
1593 Giuseppe Arcimboldo 1st surrealist painter, dies (birth date unkn)
1804 Alex Hamilton killed by VP Aaron Burr in pistol duel near Weehawken
1806 James Smith, Irish/US attorney/signer (Decl of Ind), dies at 87
1909 Simon Newcomb celestial mechanics authority, dies
1937 George Gershwin composer (American in Paris), dies at 38
1965 Ray Collins actor (Halls of Ivy, Perry Mason), dies at 75
1971 John W Campbell, US, sci-fi writer/a founder of the genre (Space Beyond), dies at 61
1989 Sir Laurence Olivier acting great, dies at 82

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Reported: MISSING in ACTION
1966 SHATTUCK LEWIS W.---VAN COUVER WA.
[02/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1966 WILKINS GEORGE H.---GOLDSBORO NC.
[REMAINS RETURNED 10/30/96]
1972 CRODY KENNETH L.---GRIFFITH IN.
1972 HENDRIX JERRY W.---WICHITA KS.
1972 LESESNE HENRY D.---FLORENCE SC.
[03/29/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1972 MASTERSON FREDERICK J.---OAKLAND CA.
03/29/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1972 RANDALL ROBERT I.---NEPTUNE NJ.
[03/29/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]

POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.

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On this day...
1376 English "Good Parliament" meets
1533 Pope Clement VII excommunicated England's King Henry VIII
1740 Jews are expelled from Little Russia by order of Czarina Anne
1781 Thomas Hutchins designated Geographer of the US

1798 US Marine Corps created by an act of Congress
(happy birthday jarheads, drop and give me 50)

1804 VP Aaron Burr kills Alex Hamilton in a pistol duel near Weehawken
1812 US invades Canada (Detroit frontier)
1818 Keats writes "In the Cottage Where Burns Was Born," "Lines Written in the Highlands," & "The Gadfly"
1859 Charles Dickens' "A Tale Of Two Cities" is published
1861 Battle of Laurel Mountain VA-Gen Morris forces retreat of rebels
1861 Battle of Rich Mountain, VA - Rosecrans forces rebels to surrender
1862 Lincoln appoints General Halleck general-in-chief
1864 Confederate forces led by Gen J Early begin invasion of Wash DC
1868 J C Watson discovers asteroid #100 Hekate
1888 118ø F (48ø C), Bennett, Colorado (state record)
1888 Pennsylvania's Monongehela River rises 32' after 24 hour rainfall
1892 US Patent Office says J W Swan, rather than Thomas Edison, invented the electric light carbon for the incandescent lamp
1895 Auguste and Louis Lumiere show film for scientists
1895 Charles E Duryea patents a gas-driven automobile
1901 L Carnera discovers asteroid #472 Roma
1905 Black intellectuals & activists organize Niagara movement
1916 1st federal grant-in-aid for state roads enacted
1921 Mongolia gains independence from China (National Day)
1934 FDR became 1st pres to travel through Panama Canal
1941 Vichy-French planes bomb Tel Aviv
1943 7th day of battle at Kursk
1943 Counter attack by Hermann Goering Armour division in Sicily
1952 Gen Eisenhower nominated as Republican presidential candidate (I Like Ike)
1954 1st White Citizens Council organizes in Indianola, Miss
1955 Congress authorizes all US currency to say "In God We Trust"
1955 New USAF Academy dedicated at Lowry AFB in Colo with 300 cadets
1960 Ivory Coast, Dahomey, Upper Volta & Niger declare independence
1962 1st transatlantic TV transmission via satellite (Telstar I)
1962 Cosmonaut Micolaev set then record longest space flight - 4 days
1962 Fred Baldasare is 1st to swim English Channel underwater (scuba)
1967 Longest All Star Game, NL beats AL 2-1 (15 inn) (Anaheim Stadium, Cal)
1969 Rolling Stones release "Honky Tonk Woman"
1971 Chilean parliament nationalizes US copper mines
1974 House Judiciary Committee releases evidence on Watergate inquiry
1975 Chinese archeologists discover a 3-acre burial site with 6,000 clay statues of warriors dating as early as 221 BC
1975 L Chernykh discovers asteroid #2489 Suvorov
1977 Medal of Freedom awarded posthumously to Rev Martin Luther King Jr
1979 US Skylab enters atmosphere over Australia & disintegrates
1981 Neva Rockefeller is 1st woman ordered to pay her husband alimony
1985 Astros' Nolan Ryan, 1st to strike out 4000 (Mets' Danny Heep)
1985 Refurbished Columbia moves overland from Palmdale to Dryden
1986 Mary Beth Whitehead christens surrogate Baby M, Sara
1988 Mike Tyson hires Donald Trump as an advisor
1989 President Ronald Reagan sportscasts the All Star Game
1990 NYC police arrest "Dartman" (stabbed over 50 women with darts)
1991 Total solar eclipse is seen in Hawaii
1995 US establishes diplomatic relations with Vietnam

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Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"

Appleton Cheshire, England : Bawming the Thorn Day
Dahomey, Ivory Coast, Niger, Upper Volta : Independence Day (1960)
Mongolia : National Day (1921)
North Belgium : Flemish Day
South Africa : Family Day (Monday)
Swaziland : Reed Dance Day (Monday)
US : National Ice Cream Day
Vegetarian Food Day
Captive Nations Week Begins
National Eye Exam Month

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Religious Observances
Orthodox : Feast of St Olga, 1st Russian saint the Orthodox Church
RC : Commemoration of St Pius I, 10th pope (141-55), martyr
Ang, Luth, RC : Mem of St Benedict of Nursia, abbot of Monte Cassino

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Religious History
1533 Clement VII excommunicated Henry VIII for divorcing Catherine of Aragon, andafterward marrying Anne Boleyn. Two years later, Henry broke with Rome and established theAnglican communion as the national religion of England.
1656 Ann Austin and Mary Fisher became the first Quakers to arrive in America Ä andwere promptly arrested. Five weeks later, they were deported back to England.
1952 American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot wrote in his journal: 'Teach me, LordJesus,... not to be hungering for the "strange and peculiar" when the common, ordinary, andregular, rightly taken, will suffice to feed and satisfy the soul.'
1955 American Presbyterian missionary Francis Schaeffer observed in a letter: 'No priceis too high to have a free conscience before God.'
1967 The Vatican reported that Albania had closed its last Roman Catholic church.(Albania is a tiny Balkan country with an area only the size of Maryland.

Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.

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Thought for the day :
"He was a bold man that first ate an oyster."

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Things To Do If You Ever Became An Evil Overlord...

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The World's Shortest Books...
The Amish Phone Book

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Dumb Laws...
Hialeah Florida:
Ambling and strolling is a misdemeanor.

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Top Ten Things That sound Dirty In Golf..But Aren't...
2. Nice stroke, but your follow through has a lot to be desired.

[Valin]

"The silver Star and two Purple Hearts"

Did you know that John Kerrey got a Bronze Star a Silver Star AND THREE Purple Hearts! He's my HEro!

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Radu. You drying out back there yet?

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C. We had a beautiful sunset last night and a beautiful sunrise this morning. Looks like it'll be a good day.

[SAMWolf]

Morning GailA. Welcome back.

I don't know what's worse, the bug bites or being FR deprived.

[SAMWolf]

Morning alfa6.

Switch the Mayors coffee for Darksheare's cup of doom brew and you'll hit warp 6 or 7.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Mayor. One of the best things I like about Oregon is the trees.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Samwise. What? You don't think we could take a joke?

[SAMWolf]

Morning Feather.

[SAMWolf]

Things To Do If You Ever Became An Evil Overlord...

Hey! It's blank today! :-(

[SAMWolf]

Did you know that John Kerrey got a Bronze Star a Silver Star AND THREE Purple Hearts! He's my HEro!

That's why Kerry is running for President and Davis isn't, Davis is just a atrocity committing slacker and Kerry is a decorated war hero. < /sarcasm>

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning radu. Nice to see your graphic in the Foxhole this morning.

[Valin]

Things To Do If You Ever Became An Evil Overlord...

Treat any beast which you control through magic or technology with respect and kindness. Thus if the control is ever broken, it will not immediately come after you for revenge.

COFFEE MORE COFFEE!

[snippy_about_it]

bug bit, and FR deprived..

Yikes. It's always good to come back home isn't it. Otherwise I hope your vacation was restful at least.

Thanks for the Sunday breakfast.

[snippy_about_it]

I hope you realize the retraint I am exercizing...

Oh c'mon Samwise, share. LOL.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning alfa6, enjoy your day outside.

[snippy_about_it]

Thank you and good morning Mayor.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning feather.

[Diver Dave]

Mornin' SAM, Snippy. Another GREAT presentation at the Foxhole.

A pic from our Support Our Troops rally yesterday. Rallies have been held ever Saturday since Mar 03 at one of the busiest intersections down here in Modesto. We had a veteran from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines present yesterday. Nice day in the sun.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Valin.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Dave, nice flag presentation. Thanks for being out there for us, again. ;-)

[Professional Engineer]

Good morning ladies. Flag-o-gram.

The Easton flag, which dates from the War of 1812, displays the stars, stripes, and colors of the official United States flag in a unique configuration.
Easton Public Library, Easton, Pennsylvania

[Soaring Feather]

Good morning PE! Oh nice Flag today. Thank You.

[Valin]

So far...but you never know when THEY will strike!

Back later.

Be nice...try it you might like it...I mean it doesn't work for me but it might for you.

[Professional Engineer]

Holy cow! Nice account Snippy. It's neat to see some of these guys live to receive their honors.

[The Mayor]

Hi, I just got home from Church and am running out the door again.
The Vietnam rolling wall is in Kenmore ant the closing ceremony is at 2PM.
I want to take some pics and post them for Military Monday..

[Professional Engineer]

1915 Yul Brynner(Taidje Khan) Sakhalin Is Japan, actor (King & I)

[SAMWolf]

COFFEE MORE COFFEE!

Say when.

[SAMWolf]

Morning DD. Like the way you have all the flags set up.

[SAMWolf]

Morning PE. Now there's a flag I've never seen, one of the reasons your the Foxhole's Official vexillologist. :-)

[SAMWolf]

It's been a while since the Rolling Wall has come through a town near me. :-) One of these days I'll get to see the real Wall.

[SAMWolf]

Good flick. I own that one.

[snippy_about_it]

Report in upon your return. :-)

[snippy_about_it]

Neat. Now that's different. Good find. You are a professional aren't you. PE and PV. ;-)