A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....02-11-03...Duty, Honor, Country....

Ladtx; Billie | Ladtx

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

<

TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett.
MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick,Leroy S Mort, Mark17.
BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam,
dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony
BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang

TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx
MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law
BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68.
MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797
BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 1A: TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

GROUP 2A: TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

GROUP 3A: TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

GROUP 4A: TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

Duty, Honor, Country....

The Tradition of the American Soldier by ladtx

In my bookcase resides an old book that has served me well over its 37 years. It is a Funk and Wagnalls dictionary. Like me, its cover is worn, dented and frayed around the edges. I rely on it because it won't give me a single PC tainted definition. I inherited it from the company commander of 2d Warrant Officer Candidate Company Fort Wolters, Texas.

I arrived at Fort Wolters in the fall of 1970 after a tour in the Republic of South Vietnam and became a Training, Advising and Counseling (TAC) Officer at the U.S. Army Primary Helicopter School. Since then, that dictionary has traveled with me wherever I have gone. My kids used it throughout their school years. It has become a tradition around our home. I recently opened it again to define that word. It reads:

• Tradition: 1) The knowledge, doctrines, customs, practices, etc., transmitted from generation to generation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shortly, the American soldier will be taking the field again. At this writing they are in the midst of packing duffel bags, doing preventive maintenance on equipment, kissing wives and children, and embracing parents. Things have not changed in the 227 years since the founding of our republic. The pain of leaving loved ones pierces the heart of today's soldier as deeply now as it did then. The fear of the possibility of never seeing a husband, wife, child, mother or father again haunts every soldier who has ever boarded a plane, train, ship or truck and headed off to war.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The one great sustaining principle that provides support for our fighting men are their traditions. At first they are taught and mechanically learned from DI's, drill sergeants and TAC Officers. They are learned and recalled through rote until they gradually begin to sink in. Eventually, over time, soldier, sailor, marine or airman finally begins to live the tradition. Suddenly, on one shining day, comes the realization that they are the tradition, they have become part of it. They became part of it while they were enduring the rain with their platoon at the rifle range at Fort Benning, or freezing in the snow with a buddy during SERE training in the dead of winter. They became a part of it while fighting the sand and heat with a tank crew at the National Training Center in the Mojave Desert. The traditions of our armed forces aren't a learned set of idealized platitudes or rituals even though they may have begun that way. It is a way of life that firmly defines each soldier. They have learned their duty is to themselves, their unit and their nation.

This sense of duty, honor and country is the wellspring of their courage, the foundation of their "dauntless spirit of resolution". It is that which makes the American soldier unique in the world. It was the American soldier who faced the freezing cold of Valley Forge, watched the White House burn in 1812, and absorbed the annihilation of his battalion at Antietam. He watched as a B-17 fell out of formation and plunged toward the earth with no parachutes seen. It was this same soldier who would march out of that winter spent in Pennsylvania to victory at Yorktown. He chased the British out of New Orleans and listened quietly to the tune "Dixie" ordered by the President to be played by an Army band in Richmond after the surrender at Appomattox. The American GI was there when the victims of the Holocaust were released from Auschwitz and Dachau, gave his last box of C-rations to a kid in the Mekong delta, and forced Iraqi oppressors from Kuwait.

The tradition of the American soldier is one of courage, resolution, and compassion. He does not go to war to bring another under his heel, as some would believe. He does not go to war gleefully or with any thought of what he may gain. He is there because of his traditions, his duty, his honor and his country. He is there to protect what so many others in the long line that preceded him protected. He is there to protect liberty. ~ ladtx

Ladtx flew UH-1's in Vietnam, OH-58's in Germany, and the CH-47 Chinook in Korea and Texas. He served 20 years in the United States Army. He retired as a Chief Warrant Officer (CW4). Click on his photo, left, to read more about him, and his family. Two of his three sons have recently been deployed: one in the USAF and the other USAR. They are in our prayers.

Thank you, ladtx, for sharing with us your thoughts and words in this very moving essay. I'd like to take this time to welcome you on behalf of the other hostesses and our readers as a regular, twice-a-month contributor. I know everyone will be looking forward to seeing more of you again; for months, your daily tributes to your fellow Vietnam helicopter pilots lost during that war reminded us every day just how precious our freedom is.
~ Billie

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almighty and merciful God, to whom the light and the darkness are both alike, and without whom nothing befalls your children; strengthen those who serve our nation and traditions to meet all their challenges with steadfast and undaunted hearts; help them to go their way bravely whether it be rough or smooth, and when the mists hide your face, help them to carry on till the clouds are
               dispersed by the sun of your unchanging love.

Amen

Thank you, WVNan, for the beautiful prayer.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 02-10-03 OhioWFan

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me an FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Billie]

[Billie]

Good morning, FReeper FRiends. Plase welcome Ladtx as the Finest's newest contributor. He will be writing for us twice-a-month. I know you will find his essay today as moving as I did, and look forward to many more.

[GailA]

Good Morning ALL. Lovely tribute. I'll be out most of the morning..Rocky is getting a hair cut this morning, then a trip to the doggie store :-)

Coffee's on

[ru4liberty]

'Mornin', Miss Billie. Unfortunately, there's no link to Ladtx's pic above. :( Perhaps have this thread pulled and fix it?

[GailA]

[ST.LOUIE1]

Good morning, BillieBlue. : )

Beautifully done!!!!!!

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Billie.

[Billie]

Am sorry - the link didn't work - I added the photo and info at the last minute and see in the thread that I goofed on the command. Click on ladtx' photo above to visit our thread featuring him.

[ST.LOUIE1]

Wonderful essay, Lad.

Thank you for you service to our country.

God bless your sons.

[ru4liberty]

Billie, thanks!

This is a beautiful thread. I am so proud to be an American when I read it. Thank you, Ladtx. You'll never know the depths of my gratitude.

[Billie]

Morning, just in time for breakfast here! (I haven't eaten yet.)

So today is Rocky's day - first the barber shop (I'd say beauty shop, but that's just for the girl dogs) and then shopping. :)

[Joe Brower]

[Billie]

Morning, ru. I noticed that, too, and corrected it in a post. I just got in a hurry and didn't notice I'd left a letter out of the command to make the link. I'll do it in my tag line, too. :)

[Billie]

Well, thank you! And aren't you the early bird! Morning, wolfie!

[ST.LOUIE1]

Morning, Gail!

Thanks, for breakfast. : )

Love your graphic in post #5.

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody !! Happy Tuesday !

45 degrees as I post this. Goin' fer 67 today...

Have a cup while you FReep !

For those who prefer hot chocolate.....

[MeekOneGOP]

Left wing fragment could be key discovery -
Columbia investigators sort pieces of the puzzle

[ST.LOUIE1]

Well, thank you! And aren't you the early bird! Morning, wolfie!

Yep, early worm gets the Bluebird. : )

Hi, doll!

[MeekOneGOP]

Just another example that when the media refers to anything "Left Wing", you can bet it involves an aircraft...

[FreeTheHostages]

They are in our prayers.

Thank you, Ladtx.