Appreciation For UK

[The Mom]

Just want to let you know that the average citizen is aware of the danger to which you have exposed yourselves by supporting the US. This morning in Chapel our organist played a medley of patriotic UK songs in your honor.

 

[markymark]

Thanks for that Marica. I for one would never hesitate in supporting the USA, regardless of what has happened. I think it is a sign of the respect both nations have for each other, the way we stand shoulder to shoulder on many issues. The fact we are prepared to do so in a time of conflict merely reflects our feelings towards you guys, both individually, with people on these boards, but also as a nation.

 

[Ariel]

I think that we would all agree that the U.S. has no greater friend than England. The first country to stand beside us when we needed you the most. That's something that can never be forgotten and will always be appreciated.

 

[Tramp]

(Please don't read this if your not interested in war stories)
(Please help me get up on the soap box)

My admiration for the Brits has been expressed proudly on these message boards...and I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.

During WW2, my dad was shot down over the Ploesti Oil Fields in Rumania and, soon thereafter, became a POW. When I was a young boy, I remember him telling me that there was a small group of tough British soldiers that parachuted into the camp and eliminated the guards quite efficiently, freeing the POWs...yet history has never recorded this...the Russians got all the credit for freeing the POW camp, apparently a 1940s version of political correctness.

None of this meant anything to me until I joined the USMC Special Forces...(now known as USMC Recon) and was sent to Weisbaden, Germany for training. I met a dozen soldiers there, some of which were American Green Berets and British SAS soldiers. I was a pretty tough kid, but these guys kicked my soundly day in and day out until they taught me enuf skills to defend myself. History made a complete circle for me when I realized that this was the British combat group that freed my dad a quarter century earlier in the heartland of the Nazi strongholds. This was the inspiration I needed to carry out some of the orders I was about to receive.

On this day, a month after "evil" visited death upon the innocent citizens of our country, the Special Forces from the US and Britain are, once again, being dropped among the enemy to do the dirty work of eliminating a scourge from the earth that threatens our children's freedom as the Nazi's did last century. Some of our soldiers may not return to their families and damn the person who ever forgets what has been sacrificed and is not grateful for it.

May God be with every soldier who has been ordered into combat this day to protect our way of life, our freedom, our children.
God bless the United Kingdom....
and God Bless the United States of America... "united" together in battle again, determined not to fail.....and we won't.
I would gladly fight side by side with the Brits.

(help me down off my soap box, please)

 

[Beauty and the]

I will help you down but only if I can do it by holding your hand.

Once again Tramp you have managed to convey so eliqently the feelings of so many.
It is men like you who have allowed freedom to remain for so long and who will continue to fight for justice and peace.:king:

 

[mej]

There was a Firefighters service in St Paul's cathedral today, which was covered on the national news. Representatives from all over the UK attended in memory of their US colleagues. They read the "Fireman's Prayer" which had lines to the effect of ...
... and if you should choose to take my life
watch over my children and my wife

That is only a rough paraphrase of the actual words. I was crying to much to remeber them exactly.

 

[Lance]

I agree, the UK have always been a great help.

I want to thank the UK, along with Canada and Australia for standing right with us in attacking Al Quadia and the Taliban. The UK have some balls standing with us, unlike some other countries that want to remain neutral from this. I think the UK really understands that this is not America's problem, but it is the World's problem.

All I got to say is, the UK and America are lucky their are guys like Tony Blair!!!! Everytime I see him, I have to applaud him, he's exactly the type of ally we need. There should be more like him!

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by mej
They read the "Fireman's Prayer" which had lines to the effect of ...
... and if you should choose to take my life
watch over my children and my wife

That is only a rough paraphrase of the actual words. I was crying to much to remeber them exactly.

Hiya Mej...
I watched that memorial also.....very, very sad.
there was a very moving ceremony at the Pentagon yesterday which brought tears to this old soldier's eyes...damn, I'm proud of this country.

Here's a sobering thought for those whose memories of September 11th might be fading already:
...on 9/11/01, approx 10,000 children lost one or both parents in the attacks on the US....this weighs unbearably heavy on my heart...what is the price tag for this loss of innocence?

 

[markymark]

Originally posted by Lance
I agree, the UK have always been a great help.

I want to thank the UK, along with Canada and Australia for standing right with us in attacking Al Quadia and the Taliban. The UK have some balls standing with us, unlike some other countries that want to remain neutral from this. I think the UK really understands that this is not America's problem, but it is the World's problem.

All I got to say is, the UK and America are lucky their are guys like Tony Blair!!!! Everytime I see him, I have to applaud him, he's exactly the type of ally we need. There should be more like him!

Thanks Lance!

I have to say I think Tony Blair has been absolutely wonderful through all of this.

And Beauty...I agree, there aint no one who can use words like what how Tramp can :veryconfu

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by Tramp


Hiya Mej...
I watched that memorial also.....very, very sad.
there was a very moving ceremony at the Pentagon yesterday which brought tears to this old soldier's eyes...damn, I'm proud of this country.

Here's a sobering thought for those whose memories of September 11th might be fading already:
...on 9/11/01, approx 10,000 children lost one or both parents in the attacks on the US....this weighs unbearably heavy on my heart...what is the price tag for this loss of innocence?

If its any consolation Tramp hopefully these children will get some good support from their families and community and they will be able grow up well adjusted. I know thats what my mother received when my father was killed in Vin Long 1968 (114th Helicopter Assault Pilot). She was 21 and I was 6 months old. I was too young really to remeber much but my mother received alot of help and support from our family and community. Yes she was devistated and it took a long time to heal but that help made things just that much easier. Lets hope these families are going to get that kind of help and support. Judging by this country's respone I believe they will!!

 

[Tramp]

Originally posted by Rooster

my father was killed in Vin Long 1968 (114th Helicopter Assault Pilot).

I salute your dad...the chopper pilots are among the bravest...and many of us owe our lives to these courageous men.
(ok....I promise...last story)
a short story for you that demonstrates just what your dad and others like him were made of:
one of my first assignments in Nam was to penetrate deep into Cambodia on a mission of strategic reconnaissance and interdiction of armaments being transported to a SAM site.
After our team took care of business, we deployed our markers so the Huey could extract us. As the chopper approached....it came under heavy automatic small arms fire and we figured we were dead as the pilot pulled up and left us in the middle of a clearing with smoke marking our exact location...all of a sudden, the Huey appeared over a tree line with its twin cannons blazing and virtually eliminated the threat on our lives. The extraction took just seconds and as we pulled up and away from the area, the ground below us lit up like a fireball, the result of a Tomcat dropping napalm on enemy positions reported by our chopper pilot. We all shook the pilot's hand and saluted him when we arrived back at the base only to learn a week or so later that he was killed while transporting 105 howitzers to a forward position.
These were extremely brave guys. I am humbled to have served with him...You should be PROUD.

 

[Rooster]

Originally posted by Tramp



These were extremely brave guys. I am humbled to have served with him...You should be PROUD.

Thanks Tramp. I am Proud. He was a gunship pilot. The "Huey Hog"(3purple hearts,7Oak leafs,Dist Flying Cross, Bronze star) Let me say this to you Tramp. I spent many years Studying, reading and speaking to vets like yourself in an effort to understand what the times were like , politics were like and what my father was involed in.(I won't kid myself and assume I will ever truly understand) I give you and all the vets of that era a hearty thanks. Things were not so clearly defined like they are now and you still went and did your duty bravely. Tramp you and others like you are why we are the country we are. Thank you. I'm glad to here your feeling better.

PS
Instead of retireing my mother now works as a counsler helping homeless and strugling Vets get back on their feet, trained and employment.