"Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician." --General George S. Patton, Jr.
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
D-DAY + 68 YEARS--"THE STORY TO END ALL STORIES WAS D-DAY"
All things worth having come at a price. Freedom is certainly worth having and the Allied Nations paid dearly for it sixty-eight years ago.
Take a moment to consider the scene pictured above.
Many of the GIs you see wading through the water didn't live but a few moments after that picture was taken. All of them had to be sick with fear; their minds racing with thoughts of loved ones back home and of the job ahead of them.
Everything we have and hold dear today was bought and paid for by the brave GIs in that picture. Think about it.
The Radio Patriot remembers D-Day and the sacrifice of The Bedford Boys.
Remembering the 40th anniversary of D-Day--Ronald Reagan:
BOCKSCAR, LITTLE BOY, AND NAGASAKI + 66 YEARS (reposted from last year)
NAGASAKI--before and after.
If not for a couple last minute changes, I would be writing about a B-29 Superfortress named The Great Artiste and the city of Kokura, Japan. Instead, it's the B-29 Bockscar and the city of Nagasaki that we remember as the site of the second wartime nuclear detonation, effectively ending WWII.
Few remember or think about Bockscar and its crew. After all, it's just the one mission that ended WWII. You will see scant postings about it on the internet. MSM and cable outlets, virtually zero mention. Of course any coverage in the MSM will depend on whether the White House issues a statement of apology.
This is a proud day in the history of the United States of America. Read about the events of this day. Post about it. But never apologize.(link has news report of ceremony held Monday in Nagasaki. No U.S. reps attended due to "schedule conflicts.")
GENERAL GEORGE S. PATTON, JR. 11 NOV 1885--21 DEC 1945
65 years ago, America's Greatest WWII General died. George S. Patton, Jr didn't die on the field of battle, but instead as the result of injuries sustained in a freak automobile accident near Mannheim, Germany, on December 9, 1945. Patton survived two world wars.
General Patton was being treated for a severe neck injury at the 130th Station Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, when he died on December 21, 1945. He was buried three days later, December 24, 1945, in the American Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg.
1975: my army unit, the 7th MP Company, Ft. Ord, was given the task of guarding his son's jeep during war games at Fort Irwin, Ca--Major General George S. Patton IV, 2nd Armored Division. The first time I got a look at his jeep, one thing stood out: it had seat belts. Years later I would understand why he had them installed.
Patton's most famous speech, the one given the day before D-Day, "Somewhere in England," was recorded by a soldier who wrote it down as the General spoke--no audio ever existed. The speech George C. Scott gave at the the beginning of the movie "Patton" wasn't even close to the actual speech--it had to be sanitized and shortened. Patton used profanity on a liberal basis. The soldier included notes of the events that day, beginning with Patton arriving in his car. A must read. (scroll down to part II)
**After filming the original Patton movie in 1970, another Patton movie was produced in 1986. "The Last Days of Patton". This made-for-tv movie also starred George C. Scott in the role of Patton. The movie begins with Patton's automobile accident and hospital stay. The director then uses flashbacks (from Patton's perspective) to cover Patton's entire life. This movie is every bit as good as the original.
"Politicians are the lowest form of life on earth. Liberal Democrats are the lowest form of politician."--Patton
HISTORY: GENERAL PATTON HOSPITALIZED AFTER ACCIDENT
General George S. Patton, Jr. had his orders to come home from the European Theater, but first he planned to do a little hunting. During the trip in his official car, his party was involved in a head-on collision, seriously injuring Patton.
Bernard Schwartz became the actor known to all of us as Tony Curtis because of Cary Grant. Curtis (signalman Schwartz) was a WWII Navy veteran and was present in Tokyo Bay during Japan's formal surrender on the deck of the USS Missouri. Using a pair of binoculars, Curtis watched the ceremony from his sub. Thank you for your service, Mr. Curtis.RIP.
Today, as your president puts his stamp of approval on the Mosque at Ground Zero--our modern-day version of Pearl Harbor--the rest of America is paying tribute to those who were willing to stand up against evil, to call it out, to destroy it. VJ DAY, August 14, 1945--home movies from Honolulu.
Rudy in North Carolina sent this story to me, and I thought it was worthy of passing on to you. In some ways, this story reminds me of the Tea Party Express--surrounded, outnumbered and being shot at constantly. The last week or so is a prime example of such attacks.
In '43, Old "666" was on a "mapping mission" in the South Pacific. The crew soon found itself in a situation that no other B-17 bomber crew would've survived, let alone completed their mission. But they did both. This wasn't an ordinary crew, either--they were called "misfits," "screw ups," and "castoffs." No one wanted them. So they banded together to form their own bomber crew--Old "666" was the name of their bomber, taken from the tail number.
When this crew went "wheels up" on their mission, they were just a bunch of "screw ups," but when they returned, the entire crew was awarded medals, two of which were Medals of Honor.
The following video re-creation is very good. But to really get a feel for their little slice of hell that day, here's the story in full.
B-25 Pacific Princess and 16 other B-25's attend the 68th Doolittle Reunion on April 27, 2010. B-25J 'Pacific Princess' and crew participates in the largest gathering of B-25's since WWII for the 68th Doolittle RaidersReunion held April 17th & 18th, 2010 at USAF Museum, Wright Field Dayton OH. 17 B-25's formed up for a fly-over the Doolittle Memorial ceremony. 8 Doolittle Raiders of the original 79 remain, 4 were able to attend the 2010 event. The oldest airman present was 94 years old and the youngest 88. Air to Air shots filmed from the tail gunner seat of 'Pacific Princess' ship # 2 in the 17 ship formation by VictoryGirl.com. The group of planes stayed at the Champaign Airport in Urbana , Ohio, 12 miles away.
STAR OF "ROCKFORD PEACHES," DOTTIE KAMENSHEK DIES AT 84
When WWII broke out and the men overseas, professional baseball was put on hold. That is, until The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was formed. It's said that fans first showed up to see the skirts, but when the girls proved they could really play, the fans came in droves to see a good game. Dorothy "Dottie" Kamenshek was a star player with the Rockford Peaches, setting many records during her years of play: "Spurred by the personal philosophy that 'anything less than my best is failure,' she was known to jump three or four feet in the air and to even do the splits to snag the ball at first base as a player for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. "The left-handed first baseman and lead-off hitter for the Rockford (Ill.) Peaches was one of the brightest stars of the league, which was founded in 1943 during World War II. "'She was the greatest ballplayer in our league,' said Pepper Paire Davis, a catcher and 10-year veteran in the league who remained friends with Kamenshek. 'She was one of the few ballplayers in our league who hit .300, which is like hitting .400 in the majors.' "Davis, who served as a technical advisor on "A League of Their Own," the 1992 movie about the league, said the character played by Geena Davis 'was symbolically named Dottie as the best ballplayer in the league, and that was after Dottie Kamenshek.'"
While our men were overseas fighting for our freedoms, gals like Dottie were taking Americans' minds off the pressures of life here at home by entertaining them with a good baseball game, if only for a few hours each afternoon. Go Peaches!! Dorothy "Dottie" Kamenshek--RIP
Is it me or did the MSM pass on this story? If not for my patriot brother Vic in Arizona, I wouldn't have known about the passing of this great lady.
"After Audie died, they all became her boys. Every last one of them.
Any soldier or Marine who walked into the Sepulveda VA hospital and care center in the last 35 years got the VIP treatment from Pam Murphy.
The widow of Audie Murphy – the most decorated soldier in World War II – would walk the hallways with her clipboard in hand making sure her boys got to see a specialist or doctor — STAT. If they didn't, watch out."
On December 21, 1945, General George S. Patton Jr died. For a man who survived two World Wars, the manner in which he died was quite unusual and unexpected: an automobile accident.
I'm sure General Patton had a more glorious ending in mind, but you get the hand life deals you. And even Patton knew life's Dealer wasn't under his command. So, following orders, he left us 64 years ago today. His job, his duty, was done.
Since the days of the Great World Wars, times have changed. Wars have changed. Generals have changed. However, there's one thing that hasn't changed over the years: service members being away from family and friends during tours of duty. Just like his men, Patton was away from his family for very long stretches.
As the war in Europe came to a close, Patton had the opportunity for a brief respite from his duties in Germany. His first stop would be Boston, where he would spend some much needed time with his family. After Boston, Patton was off on a whirlwind War Bond tour that would take him cross-country to Los Angeles.
This trip back to the states would be Patton's last. Time Magazine chronicled Patton's final visit, and what a visit it was:
TIME--June 18, 1945
HEROES: 24 STAR GENERAL New England had rarely seen anything like it. But, after all, the world has rarely seen anything like General George Smith Patton Jr. Last week, when he came home from the wars, 750,000 people jammed the 20-mile parade route into downtown Boston waiting to see and cheer the conquering hero. Georgie Patton did not disappoint them.
He stepped down onto U.S. soil agleam with 24 stars, variously placed, all glittering: four on his shiny steel helmet, four on each shoulder loop, four on each collar tab, and four on the black butt of the automatic pistol at his hip. On the side of his helmet was the painted insigne of the armored divisions; on the front, below the stars, was the Third Army's "A"—which, in photographs, looked like a fifth star. On his chest was a quintuple corsage of campaign ribbons; on his left sleeve, five overseas bars and four wound chevrons. He wore two rings on his left hand, one on his right.
As he hurried to embrace his wife, it was apparent that he had grown old as well as famous in battle. His hair was white, his face lined. But he was still erect and turkey-cock as ever.
There He Is! As the crowds roared their applause, he stood stiffly erect in a Fire-Department touring car, bowing, saluting, holding his helmet over his heart. At Lexington, where the world-heard shot was fired in 1775, citizens had raised a banner: "WELCOME GEORGE BLOOD 'N' GUTS PATTON. NICE GOING!" At Cambridge City Hall the car drove beneath arched Fire-Department ladders. Handed a gavel .made from the Washington Elm, Georgie Patton promised, "I'll cherish it forever."
The triumphal procession moved through downtown Boston, finally reached the Charles River Esplanade, where 30,000 people roared themselves hoarse as Governor Maurice J. Tobin compared General Patton to Washington, Sheridan, Grant, Forrest and Stonewall Jackson.
That night, at a state dinner in Boston's Copley-Plaza Hotel, the General surreptitiously flipped an olive pit at his two married daughters, blew kisses, beamed happily at his wife. But as he rose to speak —still wearing his pistol—tears rolled down his cheeks and his high, thin voice grew almost inaudible. He sat down after less than five minutes, put a big handkerchief to his face. Then he lighted a big cigar.
Said his son, West Point Cadet George Smith Patton IV: "Same old Pop."
A Poet, Too. As "Pop," he went off to Hamilton, Mass., to spend the night with his family. But the triumphal tour had just begun. Next day, after an eleven-and-a-half-hour plane flight, he arrived in Denver. Happily profane, he rattled off a stream of characteristic Pattonisms. Sample: he classed himself a "better poet than general." As his plane rolled into its takeoff, Los Angeles bound, he found his hotel key in his pocket, chucked it out, yelling to those on the ground to return it.
Los Angeles outdid the earlier receptions. But a crowd fully as big as Boston's turned out to cheer California's Patton and Co-Hero Jimmy Doolittle. That night, 100,000 crowded into the Coliseum for a mammoth reception engineered by Hollywood Producer Mervyn Le Roy.
The Hollywoodian effects included 600-million-candlepower floodlights, a tank battle, assorted movie stars. A gargantuan U.S. flag stretched from one side of the stadium to the other. Georgie Patton was equal to the occasion. While the vast crowd roared, he stood on a speaker's stand with red-white-&-blue streamers flowing down before him. He wept, swore, roared for defeat of the Jap. Los Angelenos, who had wondered whether he could outshine Hollywood, called it a tie.
***
Six months later, General Patton would be gone. By his request, he was buried next to his men in the American Cemetery at Hamm, Luxembourg. Newsreel from his funeral:
Today, General Patton's grandson--George Patton Waters--keeps alive the memory of his grandfather and the thousands who fought under his command:
I have an on-going tribute to General Patton that I post each year at this time. People are always adding new pictures and videos of Patton to the internet, so I do my best to include the new items each year. This tribute has a multitude of links that you will find of interest. It's a work-in-progress.
I do my best to pay tribute to our hereos. It's our responsibility, our duty, to do so. Men such as Master Sgt C. J. Grisham live by this code--THEY HAVE NAMES. I thank C. J. for his selfless efforts and for his service to our country.
The greatest entertainer of all, in my mind, was Bob Hope. Not only was he funny, he took care of our fighting men and women while they were in harm's way. Hope took many stars with him while touring for the troops. Frances Langford was one of those stars. She took the stage with Hope and made sure our troops got a little happiness while they were away from home.
Obit: Langford regarded her experience entertaining the troops as, "the greatest thing in my life."
All things worth having come at a price. Freedom is certainly worth having and the Allied Nations paid dearly for it sixty-eight years ago.
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