I found this fantastic video, produced by The Warrior Song Project and decided today was the perfect time to share it. The song is available thru iTunes at a cost of .99 cents. All profits go to the Armed Forces Relief Trust. Spread the word.
Happy Veterans Day
Our friend, Cathy, sent in this story about Darrell "Shifty" Powers. It's written by baseball great, Roberto Clemente. Photo from The American Standard.
Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.
I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.
Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.
Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . " at which point my heart skipped.
At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.
I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem." I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.
I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes. And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.
I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.
He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.
Shifty died on June 17 after fighting cancer.
There was no parade.
No big event in Staples Center.
No wall to wall back to back 24x7 news coverage.
No weeping fans on television.
Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.
Rest in peace, Shifty.
"A nation without heroes is nothing."
Roberto Clemente
"The brave die never, thought they sleep in dust: Their courage nevers a thousand men."
- Minot J. Savage
Got an email from Dana Lamberson last night. Dana is the widow of Sgt. 1st Class Randall Lamberson. I wrote a post about Rand in May of 2007 and have had the honor of being in Dana's "loop" ever since. No further explanation is necessary; just read her email below.
Thank you and Many Blessings - DK
|
Dana Lamberson here, let me just say, THANK YOU to ALL that will lend a helping hand to my friend's family. From my heart to yours, thank you for all that you will be able to do for my friend and their children:
This is a true story of a dear friend of mine and Rand's. Kevin Orth served with Rand during Desert Storm. Kevin and the Soldiers of LRS (Long Range Surveillence, and those we don't speak of...), have been by my side ever since the Death of Rand. I know I can make one phone call to the LRS Guys today and they will assist me with whatever, whenever, however. I know that I can make that same phone call to you as well, and you will assist me in the same manner, and I'm greatly appreciative.
I'm calling upon all my brothers and sisters that I've met along my life's pathways to help a Fallen fellow LRS Soldier, and his family in their time of mourning and uncertainty. Knowing he served his four year term during the Desert Storm years, he was a Soldier through and through. He transitioned comfortably into the Civilian world, never relinquishing his ties to his Brothers n Arms. Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier.
Please pass along his obituary to as many people as you possibly can, and make a donation to the Orth Family Children's Fund at the US Bank listed in his Obituary. The family is in dire straits (financially), any donations made to the Fund is greatly appreciated and will help with the burial as well as with the Children.
I've been assisting as best as I can through phone conversations with the Spouse that he has left behind, Tasha, as well as his four children, Jocelyn, Hunter, Logan, Macy.
Keeping in mind that it is the Holiday Season, every little bit helps for the Orth Family in time of mourning and need. Once again, sharing is caring, and if you can think of anyone that could be of assistance to the Orth Family, please let us know. Anything and Everything that any one of you can do to assist the family and their Children is most greatly appreciated. Thank you for your most precious time, and remember to embrace life's precious moments which time and God are so gracious to give each one of us-
Everso humbled, Dana Lamberson
Funds Address: US Bank
Orth Family Fund c/o Tanna Paterno US Bank
6940 Mission Road
Prairie Village, KS 66208
Kansas City Star Obituary:
| ||||||
What Is A Veteran?
Some veterans bear visible signs of their service: a missing limb, a jagged scar, a certain look in the eye. Others may carry the evidence inside them: a pin holding a bone together, a piece of shrapnel in the leg - or perhaps another sort of inner steel: the soul's ally forged in the refinery of adversity. Except for parades, however, the men and women who have kept America safe wear no badge or emblem. You can't tell a vet just by looking. What is a vet?
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personelle carriers didn't run out of fuel.
He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquiste bravery near the 38th parallel.
She - or he - is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in DaNang.
He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.
He is the Quantico drill instructor that has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
He is the parade riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetary must forever preserve the memory of all the anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being, a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs. He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkenss, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
So remember, each time you see someone who has served our country, just lean over and say Thank You. That's all most people need, and in most cases it will mean more than any medals they could have been awarded or were awarded.
Author Unknown
Special thanks to our good friend, Cathy Flowers, for this wonderful post.
Cpl. Kory Wiens and his partner, Cooper
Cpl. Kory Wiens and his specialized search dog, Cooper, were killed by a homemade bomb earlier this month while on patrol in Iraq. Wiens was assigned to the 94th Mine Dog Detachment, 5th Engineer Battalion, 1st Engineer Brigade. The Army honored both Cpl. Wiens and Cooper at their memorial service, July 13th.
I received this email from a friend today, who is a nurse:
It is with great sadness that I inform you that the first military nurse has been killed in the war in Iraq. Army Captain Maria I. Ortiz died last week in Baghdad of wounds inflicted by a mortar attack. Before deploying to Iraq last year, Captain Ortiz was assigned to Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland where she served as the Chief Nurse of General Medicine at the Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic. At the time of her death, Maria was assigned to the 28th Combat Support Hospital, part of the Army's 3rd Medical Command working in Iraq. She is to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in a special ceremony honoring her service.
Please keep Captain Ortiz and her family in your thoughts and prayers.
Very Respectfully
Colonel John Murray
President, Federal Nurses Association
Yesterday, I ran a video introducing Kaziah Hancock. I've been swamped with emails about this woman. So, I'm posting her link here:Kaziah — Project Compassion
There are now 5 more artists, along with Kaziah, providing this unique service for the families of fallen soldiers. If you'd like to contribute to the cause, there's an address provided. Make sure you visit the Gallery while you're there.
One more thing: Grab a Project Compassion badge here: Project Compassion Soldier Fund and help spread the word!
