BILL O’REILLY INTERVIEW WITH FOUNDER OF OATHKEEPERS

A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS

‘Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
in a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney with presents to give,
and to see just who in this little house lived.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No Stockings by mantle, just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

With medals and badges, awards of all kinds,
A sobering thought came through my mind.

For this house was different, it was dark and dreary,
The home of a soldier, I could now see clearly.

The soldier lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in this one bedroom home.

The face was so gentle, the room in such disorder,
Not how I picture a United States Soldier.

Was this the hero of whom I’d just read?
Curled up on a poncho, the floor for a bed?

I realized the families that I saw this night,
owed their lives to these soldiers who were willing to fight.

Soon round the world, the children would play,
and grownups would celebrate a bright Christmas day.

They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year,
because of the soldiers, like the one lying here.

I couldn’t help wondering how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye,
I dropped to one knee and started to cry.

The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice,
“Santa don’t cry, for this life is my choice”.

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more,
My life is my God, my country, my corps.”

The soldier rolled over and drifted to sleep,
I couldn’t control it, I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,
as we both shivered from the cold night’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave, on that cold, dark night,
this guardian of honor, so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over, with a voice soft and pure,
whispered, “Carry on Santa…., It’s Christmas Day…., All is secure.

One look at my watch, and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend…. and to all a Good Night.

~ Author Unknown *~

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Posted in America, Christ, Christmas, Our troops in Afghanistan, Our troops in Iraq, U. S. Army, U. S. Coast guard, U. S. Marines, U. s. Air Force, Uncategorized, Veterans, defense, freedom, liberty, military, religios holidays | No Comments »

Defense.gov News Article: Face of Defense: Soldier Seeks to Reclaim Boxing Title

Defense.gov News Article: Face of Defense: Soldier Seeks to Reclaim Boxing Title.

a thanksgiving card for our fighting men and women

XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL
If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com, you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and send it to a service person who is currently serving in   Iraq . You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to a member of the armed services..  
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!!  It is FREE and only takes a second.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our service men and women received a bunch of these?   Whether you are for or against the war, our soldiers need to know we are behind them.
This takes just 10 seconds and it’s a wonderful way to say thank you.   Please take the time, and then pass it on to others.  We can never say enough thank you’s.

 

FOUNDER OF OATH KEEPERS

Stewart is the founder and Director of Oath Keepers. He served as a U.S. Army paratrooper until disabled in a rough terrain parachuting accident during a night jump. He is a former firearms instructor and former member of Rep. Ron Paul’s DC staff. Stewart graduated from Yale Law School in 2004, where his paper “Solving the Puzzle of Enemy Combatant Status” won Yale’s Miller prize for best paper on the Bill of Rights. He assisted teaching U.S. military history at Yale, was a Yale Research Scholar, and is writing a book on the dangers of applying the laws of war to the American people. He is a staff attorney with Jefferson Legal Foundation and has assisted in constitutional litigation in state and federal courts. Stewart currently writes the monthly Enemy at the Gates column for S.W.A.T. Magazine, and has written for The Warrior, the journal of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College; for http://www.moreliberty.org; and for JPFO. Stewart has appeared on several radio shows, was invited to speak at Stanford University on unlawful enemy combatant status, and teaches classes on the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

His personal blog is here and has loads of info:
http://stewart-rhodes.blogspot.com/

Fighting Soldiers From The Sky

Fighting Soldiers From The Sky.

Perot helps honor Special Operator

Perot helps honor Special Operator.

D-DAY AMERICAN PARATROOPERS

Image via Wikipedia

Aces High celebrates D-Day American paratroopers

Sainte-Mère-Église, Normandy, France

30th MAY – 7th JUNE 2009

To help commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day Aces High be exhibiting at Airborne Museum, Sainte-Mère-Église.  If you are visiting Normandy to take part in the celebrations, be sure to visit their display at the Airborne Museum in this historic location where US paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions landed during the early hours of D-Day.

Also, in commemoration of the 65th Anniversay of D-Day and to honour the men of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions, Aces High have released a new print by Richard Taylor.  Entitled “Ste Mère-Église”, Richard’s detailed new drawing depicts the link-up between paratroops of the 82nd and a Sherman Firefly tank of an unidentified armoured unit.  Also depicted is the famous parachute of one of the 82nd troopers who got caught on the church steeple.

BAND OF BROTHERS at the UK Gallery

20th & 21st JUNE

In 1942, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment was created at Camp Toccoa, Georgia, to train an elite Airborne Regiment who would bravely jump behind enemy lines as part of the Allied invasion of occupied Europe. During the early hours of D-Day 6th June 1944 these paratroopers spearheaded the attack on Normandy, with Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division playing a vital role in this advance. Fighting throughout Normandy, Easy Company were then assigned to Holland to support the British forces in Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden. Several months later the entire 101st Airborne Division fought in freezing conditions in Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge before finally advancing to Berchtesgaden to capture Hitler’s Eagles Nest.

Aces High UK will be joined for a special event on the 20th and 21st of June by the following veterans of Easy Company, 101st Airborne Division:

Corporal HERB ‘Jr’ SUERTH – 18 year old Herb Suerth enlisted as a volunteer for the Reserve Engineer Corps in November 1942, but after a change of heart in 1944 he was assigned to 101st Airborne Division, beginning the parachute school training in August that year. After final combat training in Holland, Herb was trucked into Bastogne in December 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, also fighting in Foy. In January 1945 Herb was wounded by the artillery fire and his legs were severely injured but ultimately saved. As a result of these injuries Herb was shipped back to the US during April 1945.

Sergeant AMOS ‘Buck’ TAYLOR – Having worked in a factory making Sherman Tanks, Buck aided the war effort even further by becoming a Paratrooper and enlisted in July 1942 before being assigned to 3rd Platoon upon his arrival at Toccoa. When jumping into Europe on D-Day he was 2nd Squad Leader but having scattered on the jump, it was not until several days later that he joined up with the rest of the company, just prior to the attack on Carentan during which he was made 3rd Platoon Sergeant. At the Battle of the Bulge, when advancing from Bastogne to Foy, Buck was badly injured when shot in the leg which saw the end of his war spending 11months in hospital.

Colonel ED SHAMES – Enlisting in September 1942 at the age of 19, Ed Shames was to become one of the most respected officers in the 101st Airborne Division. A stickler for detail, he always got the job done, and brought his men home. Originally assigned to I Company in the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment he was transferred to Headquarters Company receiving a battlefield commission during the taking of Carentan in Normandy. He joined Easy Company in July 1944 as a 2nd Lieutenant prior to
Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge.

Sergeant PAUL ROGERS – Aged 24, Paul Rogers volunteered to be a Paratrooper in 1942 and soon found himself at Toccoa training under Colonel Sink. When jumping into Europe on D-Day, Paul lost most of his equipment, including his rifle, and his parachute snagged on trees from which he had to cut himself loose; he later found out he had landed eight miles from the intended drop zone. With the 3rd Battalion he fought throughout Normandy but was injured when jumping into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden and subsequently spent four weeks in hospital. Upon rejoining the platoon he stayed with them all the way through to Hitler’s Eagles Nest in Berchtesgaden.

For further details, visit the Aces High website:  www.aceshigh-uk.com

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COL. DAVID HACKWORTH’S DECORATIONS AND SERVICE MEDALS

Image via Wikipedia

Individual Decorations & Service Medals:

• Distinguished Service Cross (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Silver Star (with nine Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Distinguished Flying Cross
• Bronze Star Medal (with “V” Device & seven Oak Leaf Clusters)(Seven of the awards for heroism)
• Purple Heart (with seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Air Medal (with “V” Device & Numeral 34)(One for heroism and 33 for aerial achievement)
• Army Commendation Medal (w/ “V” Device & 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Good Conduct Medal
• World War II Victory Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal (with Germany and Japan Clasps)
• National Defense Service Medal (with one Bronze Service Star)
• Korean Service Medal (with Service Stars for eight campaigns)
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Vietnam Service Medal (2 Silver Service Stars = 10 campaigns)
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal

Unit Awards:

• Presidential Unit Citation
• Valorous Unit Award (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Meritorious Unit Commendation

Badges & Tabs:

• Combat Infantryman Badge (w/ one Star; representing 2 awards)
• Master Parachutist Badge
• Army General Staff Identification Badge

Foreign Awards:

• United Nations Service Medal (Korea)
• Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960)
• Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Gold Stars)
• Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Silver Stars)
• Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal (1st Class)
• Vietnam Staff Service Medal (1st Class)
• Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order, 2d Class
• Vietnam Parachutist Badge (Master Level)
• Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
• Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
• Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with three Palm oak leaf clusters)
• Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class Unit Citation (with one Palm oak leaf cluster)

World War II Merchant Marine Awards:

• Pacific War Zone Bar
• Victory Medal
  

Note: As per a Department of the Army audit conducted by COL Pam Mitchell, Chief Personnel ServiceSupport Division on May 6 1999.