Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Showing posts with label America. Show all posts
Sunday, July 4, 2010
A Veteran's Nightly Tribute to the Fallen
Watch CBS News Videos OnlineOn a strip of sand at the southern tip of New Jersey, there's a flagpole where 89-year-old Marvin Hume gathers a group each night.
"Every day I do the service, it's just as important to me as the day before and right on back," Marvin tells CBS News national correspondent Jim Axelrod.
Every veteran's casket is draped in a flag. Each night, here on Sunset Beach, one of those casket flags is raised in honor of a different service member.
Marvin's flag ceremony draws a big audience.
"I get hundreds," he says. "There's so many people there you can't see the ocean. God Bless America"
He's booked every night -- through this summer and next summer as well -- by families wanting to honor their heroes.
This all started when Marvin bought the property from a man who'd been raising and lowering the flag each night. He asked Marvin to continue. Marvin, a Navy vet, said sure, thinking about some buddies he lost in World War II
"I just happen to be in the right place - simple as that," Marvin says.
Hume kept his promise - and then some. He's been conducting this sunset ceremony on this beach seven days a week - from Memorial Day until mid-October - for the last 38 years.
That adds up to nearly 6,000 ceremonies.
On this night, June McKenna's father-in-law George McKenna, another WWII Navy vet, was being remembered.
June was there. No surprise; she's there every night - even when she doesn't know the vet.
"It's always emotional," June says. "Sometimes the flags have bullet holes in them. By the grace of God we're all here because of their sacrifice."
As for Marvin, he says it never gets routine for him.
"You go out there and there's no two alike," he says.
How long will he continue to do this?
"Til I drop, sure," Marvin says. "That's what keeps me alive."
And that's what keeps alive the memory of those who served - reminding us all that the Fourth of July is more than just a long summer's weekend.
VIA: CBSeveningnews
Sunday, June 6, 2010
D-DAY- 66 Years Ago
The D-Day invasion of World War II, codenamed Operation Overlord, began on June 6, 1944. The assault was originally planned for June 5th. However, due to poor weather General Dwight Eisenhower decided to move the date of the invasion to the 6th. It was among the largest amphibious assaults ever attempted. Franklin D. Roosevelt, was President of the United States of America.
"Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle hardened. He will fight savagely"
~~~General Dwight Eisenhower - 6th June 1944 ~~~
D-Day
June 6, 1944
"This operation is not being planned with any alternatives. This operation is planned as a victory, and that's the way it's going to be. We're going down there, and we're throwing everything we have into it, and we're going to make it a success."
~~~General Dwight D. Eisenhower~~~
To "Mr. Mac"- I have not forgotten anything you told me about this great country. I cherish your war stories on those long summer evenings rocking on your porch.
Monday, May 31, 2010
National Moment of Rememberance
To unite the country in remembrance, Congress officially established the National Moment of Remembrance in 2000. And as has been done in the past, in observance of this National Moment, Major League Baseball games will stop, Amtrak trains will blow their whistles and the National Grocers Association and Food Marketing Institute will have customers and staff pause in more than 30,000 stores throughout our country.
We must ensure that their lives, their deaths and the memory of their sacrifice will never be forgotten. So let us stop for a moment at 3:00 (local time) tomorrow and commit to live honoring America's fallen every day that we breathe the fresh air of freedom in our land of hope and promise.
Carmella LaSpada, Executive Director,
White House Commision On Rememberance
Monday, November 23, 2009
Most Dangerous Cities 2009
No. 1: Camden, N.J.
Rankings in CrimeAssault: 6
Murder: 1
Rape: 8
Motor Vehicle Theft: 8
Robbery: 1
Burglary: 41
(A "murder" rank of "4" would mean it has the 4th worst murder rate. Rankings are out of 393 cities or up to 402 cities, depending on the statistics available in each category. Nine cities that did not have published statistics in all six individual crime categories were not considered in the overall rankings.)
Next: No. 2 Most Dangerous City
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Holiday Mail for Heroes makes it easy
For the third consecutive year, the Red Cross and Pitney Bowes are joining forces to send seasonal cheer to soldiers, veterans and their families during the holiday season through the Holiday Mail for Heroes program.
Holiday Mail for Heroes makes it easy for all of us to say "Thanks!" and "We're thinking of you!" to these brave Americans, particularly to the millions of soldiers, like my brother-in-law Chris (aka "Sgt. McHottie") and his team, the ODA 7315, who will be overseas and away from our families during the holidays.
Here's how it works:
1. Between now and the cut-off date of Monday, December 7th, you send a card to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456
2. Pitney Bowes screens the cards to make sure they're safe (no hazardous materials) and forwards them to participating Red Cross chapters nationwide.
3. The Red Cross sorts and reviews the cards, and distributes them to service members, their families and veterans
It's so easy you could fit it in with your errands today!
They do have some basic rules:
- Sign all cards.
- Address them to "Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran."
- There's a limit of 15 cards per person or 50 for a school class or business group.
- Please bundle groups of cards in single, large envelopes.
- Send letters.
- Include personal information such as home or email addresses.
- Use glitter because it can aggravate the wounds of hurt soldiers.
- Include inserts of any kind -- they'll be removed in the screening process.
According to the Red Cross, there are over 1.4 million men and women serving in the U.S. armed forces, and over 24 million veterans. This is the perfect way to thank them, and their families, for serving their country, with a holiday greeting!
VIA
Monday, November 16, 2009
No American President Ever Bowed to a Foreign Leader — Until Now
President Obama created a new presidential precedent when he bowed to the Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko Saturday.
No president of the United States in the more than 230 years since the country was founded in 1776 had ever bowed to a member of royalty. That was until Barack Obama’s presidency.
In April, President Obama bowed to the Saudi king during the G-20 meeting. At the time, Obama’s deferential bow was somewhat obscured, and the White House insisted that the president simply had leaned forward to shake the king’s hand.
But the president's recent demonstration of royal deference to the Japanese emperor and empress suggests his earlier action was no aberration.
What should we make of this? Is it trivial to worry about what on its face could easily be interpreted as nothing more than a polite gesture by our president to respect the culture of a country?
America was founded on republican virtues — small “r,” that is. Like the French Republic, our nation does not recognize royalty or social rank, especially from officials of the republic.
The conduct of our president when he deals with foreign leaders is a serious matter. After all, he represents the American people and our Constitution.
Indeed, when President Obama bows before a foreign leader, the whole country bows with him.
It is difficult to grasp what President Obama’s motives are for bowing to foreign royalty (it would be nice if a reporter asked his press secretary Robert Gibbs why he does it).
But Obama’s motives do not really matter when we consider his behavior.
What matters is how the rest of the world will interpret his actions. When it comes to bowing before foreign leaders, there is a fine line between showing politeness and servility, between respect and weakness
Continued HERE
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Remembering Our Veterans
Today is Veteran's Day.It is a day chosen to celebrate and give thanks to those brave men and
women that sacrifice their lives so that we may live freely in this great country known as the
United States of America. It will be a day of celebrations, flag waving, parades, patriotic music,
along with hand shaking and pats on the back.
Even if you have no celebrations to attened today be sure to thank a soldier. Most families today
have at least one member in their family that has served our nation. And if not, make it a point
as you travel through your busy day to see just how many veterans you do know. A veteran
could be your mailman, your preacher, a teacher, coworker, or just the guy next door. Take a
moment to thank them for sacrificing their lives so that all of us can sleep safely at night and
rise in the moring to go about our ways freely.
Take time to call a veteran on the phone and thank them. Take time out of your busy day
to listen. Listen to their stories. By listening and learning from them we can understand
and appreciate more fully and deeply what they did and why. Don't let any of the ones you know
think for a second you are not grateful.
Please don't forget to display your yellow ribbons and bows. If yours is currently faded and
frayed replace it. It is just a small symbol to show these great American's we care and they
are not forgotten. And by all means fly that great American flag!
Send a soldier a letter or postcard. Go to this website http://www.anysoldier.com/. This site gives any
information needed for mailing anything from letters to packages. Another website is
http://www.soldiersangels.com/. Here you can find so many wonderful things you or your family or organization can
do for those in the armed forces.
Get a group together to crochet or quilt a warm blanket/lap cover for any of our soldiers. They need
our help now more than ever. They need to know that we care!
Thankyou Gary, Cousin Greg, Todd, Patrick, Ronnie, Don, Mr. Hawkins,
Cousin Bobby, Larry and a very special thankyou to POW Lt. Col. Carlyle (Smitty) Harris and all others for caring enough to serve, fight and defend our wonderful country.
Proud to be an American
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