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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Posted on 02/15/2003 12:00:57 AM PST by SAMWolf
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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. We hope to provide an ongoing source of information about issues and problems that are specific to Veterans and resources that are available to Veterans and their families. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support.  To list previous Foxhole Threads or to add The Foxhole to your sidebar Click on the Logo
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 Today the FReeper Foxhole invites you to visit the home of the skeptical, irrascible, doubting, iconoclastic Captain Critical, aka Captain Barb, whose pontificating will try to amuse, bemuse, irritate and generally annoy anyone bold enough to stay long enough to read the random ramblings of a self appointed distaff critic of anything and everything from new age to old age, from god to goddesses, and from here to infinity. And who will continue to remind you that women are veterans too! Civil War Women The War of 1812 and Spanish American War World War One Women World War Two Women  They Also Served -WASP, Spec. Svcs. Post WWII and Korea Women Women in Vietnam Women in Grenada and Panama Women in Desert Storm  Somalia, Bosnia and More Operation Desert Fox The Military Academies Women in the National Guard They Gave Their Lives  Women Prisoners of War Famous Women in Arlington National Cemetery Gender Integrated Training Women Who Were Spies Military Women Pilots  Myths, Fallacies and Urban Legends 21st Century Combat  Click on the graphic to visit Captain Barbara A. Wilson's, USAF (Ret) Site If you want to know anything about women in the Military, this site is the best I've ever seen
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There is no stereotype for heroism, no prediction of behavior under stress, and no formula for courage. Women and men perform incredible acts of bravery when presented with dangerous situations - it is an individual thing - not one about male or female strength or ability.
During World War Two Ellen Ainsworth, a 24-year-old Army nurse from Glenwood City, Wisconsin, performed heroically during the Battle of Anzio in Italy. Lieutenant Ainsworth was on duty in a hospital ward near the Anzio beachhead. In an enemy artillery bombardment, a shell hit the hospital. Despite the severe damage to the hospital, the Wisconsin nurse calmly moved her patients to safety. She was wounded in the attack and died six days later. Gender had nothing to do with it.
In Vietnam in 1970 when SP5 Karen L. Offutt,** WAC, U.S. Army, risked her life to rescue Vietnamese adults and children from burning structures, without regard for her personal safety, she didn't stop to think about her gender.
1989- ASM3 Kelly Mogk was the first female rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard and was the only woman, at that time, to graduate from the Navy Rescue Swimmer School in Pensacola. On January 3, 1989 during her first rescue case as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Aviation Survivalman Third Class Mogk, played the key part in the rescue and life saving of a downed Air National Guard jet pilot who had ejected from an F-4 over the Pacific Ocean during a training exercise. She was awarded the Air Medal and congratulated in person by then President George Bush. Admiral Paul Yost, Jr., Commandant of the Coast Guard, cited Mogk's courageous feat as one of the most deserving of a place in any account of the outstanding rescue achievements during the Coast Guard's 200-year history.
This was the first actual mission of the first woman to qualify as a rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard or any other branch of the Armed Services. Her aircraft commander for the mission, Lieutenant Commander Peterson, was quoted at the time that in his 12 years of flying rescues missions, the conditions were worse than any he had seen for putting a rescue swimmer down to render assistance to an individual in distress. Even upon departure from Air Station Astoria, OR, it was understood that the rescue swimmer would most likely need to enter the water to assist the ejected pilot. The sea state was sixteen-foot waves with a six-foot, wind driven chop, and a temperature of fifty-six degrees. The pilot was severely hypothermic and near death with extensive, life threatening injuries from ejecting at a speed of 600 miles per hour. Because of his injuries and hypothermia, he could not communicate with his rescuer. To complicate matters, the pilot was ensnarled in the shrouds of his parachute. Mogk had to dive under repeatedly to free the shrouds from the disabled pilot. She put her own life at risk when she removed her gloves in order to expedite the removal of the shrouds, exposing herself to hypothermic affects of the water seeping into her wet suit.
After she freed the pilot for hook recovery up to the helicopter, Kelly was left alone in the rough, cold sea to wait for a backup helicopter to pick her up, so that the recovery helicopter could quickly get the recovered pilot to medical treatment facilities. Consequently, Mogk had to fight the quick acting effects of hypothermia until the backup helicopter picked her up. After recovery, she collapsed from the affects of hypothermia and physical injuries incurred in the rescue. Because of her courageous example, ASM3 Mogk immensely enhanced the reputation of the Coast Guard rescue swimmer program.
Source: DEOMI
1991 - Operation Desert Storm - a first-hand account:
During the course of Operation Desert Shield/Storm, I served with the 20th. Sp. Ops. Sq. During that time I had the distinct honor of flying with 1st. Lt. Margaret "[Peg]" Biddle, of the same squadron. Little can be said of the 'bravado' of this lady! At one point, I was wounded by shards of Plexiglas from ground fire! Without a second of hesitation, Peg took the controls and declared an emergency! I passed out from a head wound from a piece of Plexiglas that had pierced the left side of my flight helmet.æ I was told by my Flight Engineer, T/Sgt. Ernest "[Smitty]" Smith that Lt. Biddle had stopped the bleeding somehow, while flying the HH-53! She saved my life according to two nurses.
Before I was transported to Germany, and eventually State side, I called her to my bedside. She reported, and I told to sit down. First off I thanked her on behalf of my ten year old daughter, and myself, for saving my life! She told me that I had taught her how to place the 'cyclic stick' between your legs to temporarily free up a hand. She told me she did as I had taught her. Nothing more!
I have since recovered fully, and in 1994, had the distinct honor of pinning the Silver Star on her for bravery in the 1991 'Gulf' incident! Women in combat? I'm a 'lobbying,' 'staunch ally' of 'reform' for the same!
Most sincerely, Colonel Paul "[PJ]" Stoms, Ph.D., USAFR., (ret.) 20th. Special Operations Squadron
While on duty on Aug. 21st 1999, Sgt. 1st Class Jeanne M. Balcombe's quick thinking and selfless response safeguarded and protected others at the Troop Medical Clinic at Camp Red Cloud, Korea. She placed herself in harm's way between three soldiers and an armed gunman. Sergeant Balcombe gave her life. She didn't stop to worry about gender.
In October 2000 on board the USS Cole Navy women acted without regard to their gender. HM3 Tayinikia Campbell, 24, was working with Seaman Eben Sanchez in Cole's sick bay when the explosion hit the ship. Sick Bay filled with smoke and they rushed out. Campbell immediately set up an improvised triage area in the cramped passageway, worked frantically to provide medical care to the wounded under the dim lighting of the battle lanterns and still found time to coach other sailors to help in tending the wounded.
GSM1(SW) Margaret Lopez was working in Cole's oil lab when the blast hit. With burns covering her body, she helped save a shipmate, then escaped through the hole in the side of the ship into the waters of the Port of Aden.
GM2 Jennifer Long manned a 50 caliber machine gun onboard USS Cole during the attack on the ship.
The ship's chief engineer, Lieutenant Commander Deborah Courtney, worked around the clock for nearly four days to reverse flooding and isolate exposed electrical cables that threatened to turn thousands of gallons of fuel into a blazing inferno.
Women have been saving lives for centuries, in many fields - firefighters, police officers, medics, and the military - yet the media still focuses on heroes - not heroines. In times of crisis women will act equally as brave - and heroines will emerge - for heroism knows no gender.
| 'Today, over 200,000 women serve in the armed forces, comprising more than14 percent of the total force. About 80 percent of the jobs and more than 90 percent of the career fields are open to women. Sadly women still face barriers. This should not be. Nor should it be a religious, political, gender based, protective, feminist, emotional, rhetorical issue. The pure and simple point is that all jobs should be open to women and men - if and only if - the women and men are qualified, capable, competent, and able to perform them! Nothing more, nothing less.' -- Captain Barbara A. Wilson, USAF (Ret). |
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To be removed from this list, send me a blank FReepmail with "REMOVE" in the subject line. Thanks, Jen
Got this by email.
A sign at a business establishment in Philadelphia, PA:
"WE WOULD RATHER DO BUSINESS
WITH 1000 AL QAEDA TERRORISTS
THAN WITH A SINGLE AMERICAN"
This sign was prominently displayed in the window of a business in Philadelphia. You are probably outraged at the thought of such an inflammatory statement. One would think that anti-hate groups from all across the country would be marching on this business... And that the National Guard might have to be called to keep the angry crowds back.
But, perhaps in these stressful times one might be tempted to let the proprietors simply make their statement . . . We are a society who holds Freedom of Speech as perhaps our greatest liberty .
And after all, it is just a sign.
You may ask what kind of business would dare post such a sign?
keep scrolling
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Answer: A Funeral Home
Is it that gutsy tanker Sergeant?
Is it that skilled pilot Captain?
No...It's the ballplayer who shows up late, insults the fans, does steroids, grandstands, and rakes in the BIG $$$.
Yeah, that's a real American role model! </sarcasm>
I do greatly admire anyone who serves or has served our great country in the Armed Forces!
Hear, hear!
Unnhhh!!!
American Lib'rals, stay away from me-ee!
Socialist Left, Big Brother...let me be-ee!
Don't come a'pimpin' the Federal Whore,
Don't want you to regulate no more!
I got more important things to do...
Than waste my time hatin' life with you!
"Now Lib'ral," I said, "Stay away-ay!!
DemonRAT jackA$$, listen what I say-ay-ay!!"
American Lib'rals, get away from me-ee!
Enviro-Whackos...Algore huggin' tree-ees...
Don't come a'bitchin' around my store...
Ain't gonna fund your Programs no more...
Public Ed can stupidify,
But Rush's Right don't believe their LIES!
"NOW WOMYN," I said, "Go away-ay!
Femi-nazis, listen what I say-ay-ay-ay!!"
American Lib'ral, said get away-ay!
Hell'ry Rodham, listen what I say-ay!
Don't come a'stealin' the bread from my chores...
Ain't gonna fund your "art" no more...
We don't need your welfare schemes...
We don't need your class enmity!
Left-Wing Press ignores Bill's lies...
The Right Shall Justly Convict Slick's SPIES!!
Slick Willie, time for you to flee-eee!!
American Sheeple...when will you see?!!
GO!! Gotta hound away, gotta pound away, don't take no more!
We're gonna nail ya, Lib'rals! We'll RE-IMPEACH ya, Clinton!
Bye-bye-eye, Bye-bye-eye, Bye-bye-eye, Bye-bye-eye!
You're no good, B.C.! We're not fooled by you!!
Gotta look Slick right in the eye,
Tell'im what he's gotta do,
"Ya know ya gotta leave...ya know ya gotta go!"
Slick's IN CHAINS by Christmas Eve, or how 'bout tomorrow?!
Slick, yer gonna SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEAL!!!!!
Goodbye, President Clinton...Goodbye, you Socialist twits!!
Mudboy Slim
BTW...To ALL who attended the FReeper/Judicial Watch Rally-- Thanks for showing me a great time...I've never met a finer group of patriots in my life, and I spent 18 years as a Navy Brat amongst some of the finest fighting men and women this great country has ever produced. We're RIGHT...and the Long Arm of Justice Shall Ultimately put an end to Slick Willie's TREASONOUS Reign!!
I GARE-RON-FReepin'-TEE IT!!!
Please let me know about any future FReeper events at the White House...I'll be there with bells on!!
EaglesUp...MUD
1 Posted on 07/25/1999 20:06:19 PDT by Mudboy Slim (here.til.we're.done!)
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