Tim Hetherington ~ A Life of Images

Tim Hetherington

1970 - April 20, 2011

Photojournalist, Cinematographer

When the news came on Tuesday, April 20, that Tim Hetherington had been killed in Misrata, Libya, my thoughts turned immediately to my friend who was his friend.... this was personal.  I never met Tim.  But, I felt I knew him through her.  This is the first piece she wrote that morning:  Tim Hetherington, Killed.  

She has also shared some funny stories!  It seems that Tim was puzzled by our pancake houses and eating breakfast at night - he ordered a hamburger from a place that probably made the worst hamburger ever!  In honor of Tim, next time you are stopping for breakfast at night, have a hamburger and think of Tim!

The military community came to think of Tim as their own -- he wrote the book Infidel and directed the movie Restrepo.  He lived beside our warriors and told their stories.  In a way, we all felt we knew him, even though we didn't.

Tim covered the globe - covered the most difficult and dramatic events of war and human suffering.  He captured in moving photographs and film the stories of man.  At age 41, his voice was stopped in the bloody madness that is Libya.  He left a family and a fiancee.  He left people grieving who loved him and people who had never met him.

You can visit his web site.  You can read any number of articles if you Google his name.  You can read his books.  You can watch his films.  But, never again, will Tim shine light on the world in the magical way that led us to believe that we knew him and that he had let us glimpse into a world we might otherwise never see.

I leave you with his latest work - Diary.

Diary (2010) from Tim Hetherington on Vimeo.

                 

Chris Hondros ~ A Remarkable Life

Chris Hondros

March 14, 1970 - April 20, 2011

Photojournalist

Killed in Libya

I knew of Chris Hondros not by name, but by his images.  As I went through his work on his site today, I saw so many photos that I remember.  His vision had meaning.  There are photos from Kosovo, Nigeria, Cuba, Afghanistan, Iraq --- photos that were beamed into my life on television and in hard copy in newspapers and magazines.  And, of course, there are the photos of Liberia and the child warriors fighting there.  And, there are the very special pictures from the Marine 4th LAR in Afghanistan.

With the news of Chris' death, I revisited the photographs and the history.  I read stories about him that I never knew.  The photo of the exuberant Liberian at war that became so famous led to the story of Chris' return to Liberia, finding the soldier and helping him to get an education.  You can see the picture and read the story in Chris' own words.... Me and Joseph Duo.

A year ago when the Marine 4th LAR was in Afghanistan he sent these remarkable images back.
I knew family members who caught a moment of the lives of their loved ones in his pictures.

This was a man with an eye that gave us images that told more about the event than words ever could.

I encourage you to visit his web page.  How little we would know of the world if it were not for men like Chris Hondros.  Thank you for all you gave to the world, Chris.  You touched lives of people like me that you never knew.

And, finally, a story of Chris coming home - take tissue to read this one.

Photojournalist Chris Hondros Wounded in Libya

The brilliant photojournalist, Chris Hondros, has been reported critically injured in Misrata, Libya.
Earlier reports listed him as killed.  The fog of war leaves much speculation.

A year ago, he was photographing the Marines 4th LAR in Afghanistan.

http://inform.com/world/tribal-elders-pray-rural-helmand-province-2188706p

He has covered Libya, Egypt, Iraq, Liberia, The West Bank, Kashmir, Cuba, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Angola, Macedonia/Albania, Kosovo.....   http://www.chrishondros.com/images.htm

Chris has provided a vision of the worst conflicts in modern history.  My prayers are with him and his family and his friends at this time.

Update:

As was reported and then retracted, Chris was killed today in Misrata, Libya.

Getty Images has confirmed his death.

May you walk with God, Chris.  And, my personal gratitude for your time with the 4th LAR - I will never forget the day you posted the picture of my friend's son. 

Captain Coulson Cares for Pets Left Behind in Egypt

Photo credit courtesy Captain Eric Coulson

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 14, 2011) -- On Jan. 25, citizens of Egypt began protesting against the government of then-President Hosni Mubarak. By Feb. 1, the U.S. Department of State had ordered the departure of dependants and all non-emergency U.S. government personnel and their families from Egypt.

But not all "members" of the families departed -- the four-legged ones stayed behind.

"A lot of people had pets that they really didn't have a good plan for being taken care of in the event of evacuation," said Capt. Eric Coulson, office of military cooperation at the U.S. embassy in Egypt. He's part of a team that manages nearly $1.3 billion in annual aid to the Egyptian military. "And the vets and the kennels here were kind of overwhelmed."

Coulson's wife Karen left Egypt -- but he and the couple's two dogs, Molly and Sayeret, stayed behind. Coulson and a fellow Soldier at the embassy, Maj. Alavora Roa, teamed up to take care of those pets that were left behind when their owners departed the country.

"We sort of organized an emergency kennel for all the people who didn't have a place to put their animals while they were being evacuated," he said. "We sort of reached out to people we knew had animals."

In all, Coulson and Roa found themselves running an impromptu pet hotel for about 20 animals, scattered among the deserted apartments of their coworkers who had evacuated. The two checked in on the apartments of their coworkers and also stopped in to feed the animals and take them for a walk.

One coworker, Coulson said, had a fairly large roof available on his apartment, and they kept several animals there.

"We consolidated them at the apartment of one of the other persons involved in this -- he has a large roof and we put them on the roof with some shelter -- with large water bowls and large food bowls and we took turns taking them out."

Coulson said the local Purina distributor in Cairo had made a generous donation of supplies to keep the officer's kennel operating.

"Most of the people who were leaving told us where to pick up dog food," he said. "The local Purina dealer did give us a couple hundred pounds of dog food, as well as cat litter and cat food. Between what people had and a generous donation from the Purina dealer here in Cairo, we've been able to take care of the animals at minimal expense."

Now, several of the pet owners have come back to Egypt, Coulson said, and some of the pets have been shipped back to where their owners are -- so the number of pets he's looking after will continue to dwindle, he said, till eventually he'll be left with just his two dogs Molly and Sayeret.

Coulson's pet boarding days will eventually be a distant memory, but the events in Egypt will stay fresh for a while, he said. The speed with which recent events happened was thrilling, he said.

"It went from probably about 10 miles an hour to 60 miles an hour in just a matter of days," he said, adding "it was absolutely interesting to watch. To be in the middle of history."

And the recent events weren't the first time he's been struck by historical change in Egypt. He was just 13 when Anwar Sadat was assassinated -- old enough to be able to gauge the impact and significance of what had happened.

"That was sort of one of my first big memory of things in the news -- of what we had as far as 'wall-to-wall coverage' back in 1981," he said. "I remember being riveted by the TV."

And the most recent changes in Egypt mean there's two things he'll remember for a long, long time.

"The two transitions of power in Egyptian history that have taken place in my life are really sort of important memories to me," he said.

http://www.army.mil/-news/2011/03/14/53237-captain-cares-for-pets-left-behind-in-egypt/

Eric became a blogger friend when his unit was in Iraq and he wrote the amazing blog "Badgers Forward"  ~~~~  Since that time, I am also honored to call his wife, Karen, a friend.  Their adventure in Egypt gave me an insight into a country I have never visited, as well as a personal connection to the living history of the revolution in Egypt.  Who would have ever thought about the horror of having to abandon your beloved pets?  Fortunately, Eric was there for these animals.

Remembering James Craig

Remembering my friend - Three years gone

************************************************

Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

-Psalm 144:1

This is my friend, James. We 'adopted' James after he received a Christmas card from us in 2005 and wrote to thank us for it. We wrote and sent packages through out that year of his deployment. James sent long and fascinating emails. He was a character with a spirit as loud as it was kind. He was devoutly Christian and not afraid or hesitant to talk about it. At his mid-term leave in Fall 2006, James met the love of his life, Natalie. They married in July 2007. And, now, James is walking with God. Please feel free to join me in my wandering memories of James. I want you to know this wonderful young man who just gave his life for our country, for us.

When James recently returned for his third deployment to Iraq, he sent this email from Kuwait:

"Please write to me and pray for me. I would love to get letters and updates from all of you. I look forward to 2010 when I will finally be out of the Army and can carry on a regular life and can be a bigger part of your lives. You are all loved by me very much, that's why you are getting an email. I hope this letter finds you all in happiness and Christmas cheer."


James, 27, was killed on January 28, 2008, in Mosul, Iraq, along with four other soldiers when the unit encountered an IED, followed by an ambush from a nearby Mosque. They were members of the 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Also killed were (click on their names to read their stories):

Staff Sergeant Gary W Jeffries, 37, Roscoe, Texas

Specialist Evan A Marshall, 21, of Athens, Georgia

Private First Class Brandon A Meyer, 20, of Orange, California

Private Joshua R Young, 21, of Riddle, Oregon


James served with the following units:

C Company 1/17 Infantry, Ft Wainwright, Alaska, Infantryman - Grenedier/Rifleman, 172nd ~ 1 Dec 00 - 10 Apr 02

HHC 1/17 Infantry, Ft Wainwright, Alaska, Sniper/Scout, 172nd ~ 11 Apr 02 - 18 Sept 03
B Company 1/8 Infantry, Ft. Carson, Colorado, Infantry Team Leader, 4th Infantry Division ~
19 Sep 03 - 28 January 2008


James loved being a soldier and wrote about that frequently.

James attended Cusick Jr/Sr High School in Cusick, Washington from 1992 - 1996, and the Academic Magnet High School in North Charleston, South Carolina where he graduated in 2000. He was involved in Football and Wrestling, excelled in English and Creative Writing and was member of the National Honor Society.

James called the northwest his home - specifically the area outside of Spokane - growing up 'riding horses and going camping.' He looked forward to eventually settling down somewhere in Washington. He was close to his family and spoke of his parents with great love and pride, and of his sisters and aunts, uncles and cousins. His DOD announcement and press reports list Hollywood, California and South Carolina as his home, but he considered the Spokane, Washington area his home.

I was touched by his love for his soldiers. He would send names of those he didn't think were getting enough (or any) mail and have me find people to write to them.



During his second deployment, James received a medal for some of the action he saw. Of couse, this went along with the "I got shot - don't tell my parents" email! Fortunately, the ammunition cartridge below took the brunt of the shooting!


There was also profound sadness on the 2nd deployment. James has this listed under 'Heroes' on his My Space page : Real American Heroes SPC Grant Dampier and SSG Marion Flint are the biggest heroes I have ever met who died in combat on 15 May 2006. I miss you and I will never forget you. See you on the flip side brudda' You can read their story here.

There are so many things about James that I admired. He was 'loud' and funny and articulate and sweet - even calling himself 'Sweet Soldier' - and brave and tough. He was a devout Christian and more comfortable with telling people he was than anyone I ever knew - he had a enviable, easy comfort with this faith. It would be so easy to write and write about James, but let me share some portions of his letters - his long and articulate letters.

"...I am very much looking forward to this war being over. However, I fully support everything that is going on over here ever since I saw first hand what the real situation was. Our media doesn't portray the truth of this operation or the necessity to the people here. The need freedom and desperately cry out for someone to help them. ... I know one thing, God wants me here."

"The war here is stating to come to an end. It will be a slow transition period where the responsibility of the battle space is handed over to the growing Iraqi Army. It all depends on the Iraqis if we are able to leave them with it safely."

"...it is a tale of my wonderful journey where I made memories I will never forget and stood up for something that I believe in...that sweet taste of freedom when the day is done and the knowledge that I have done something to ensure the positive future of my loved ones. And, you should know that it comforts me the most that what I do protects wonderful people like you."

"I just got back from my R&R around the 15th (september 2006). I spent a lot of time with family, wne on a couple of adventures, and met a very special Christian womand named Natalie who I have begun a relationship with...just wait until you meet her. I have included some pictures in this letter."

"I know the Bible says not to be anxious, but it is so difficult not to be when we only have a few weeks left of this deployment and I have met a wonderful Christian woman... Natalie. She is the kind of woman that God would want me to have, so we are going to take things slowley and keep our relationship pure. I am very excited about her."

James and Natalie were married in July 2007!!! It was a joy to watch their love grow and mature.

When I think of James, I always see that brilliant smile. I think of the love he had for life, for the Army, for his fellow soldiers, for his family, for his beloved Natalie, and for his friends. Dear James, you will be missed by so many people. You have touched so many lives. Many will have a difficult time going forward without you. I know God will provide comfort to them. The world will be a little less without the brightness that you brought. Farewell, my friend, and walk with God.

The Patriot Guard Riders will be at the funeral and memorial events Which will take place on the 9th in the Spokane area at the .at Fourth Memorial Church, 2000 N. Standard St., Spokane

News Reports on James:

http://www.spokesmanreview.com/tools/story_breakingnews_pf.asp?ID=13439

http://www.reporternews.com/news/2008/jan/31/roscoes-slain-soldier-remembered/

December 7 ~ Remembering Pearl Harbor

December Seventh, 1941

Sixty-nine years ago, December 7, 1941, the United States was rocked by the radio announcements that told of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. Many historical and remembrance pieces will be written today: stories of history, stories of personal experience - though those will be fewer each year, stories of the reaction in the United States, Japan, the world, even a conspiracy theory or two. I am re-posting my remembrances.

Pearl Harbor Day. A Day That Will Live in Infamy.

What I always will remember is growing up in the shadow of Pearl Harbor - the ever present reminder of how ugly war was. There was nothing noble or gleeful about the awful day. I grew up with the stories of those who were there, stories of people I knew, stories of people who lived through it. As I get older, I can 'see' and 'hear' the stories come alive.

Each Sunday before Pearl Harbor Day, Puna would take us to the Arizona Memorial. Armed with the leis we had strung from the plumeria blossoms on our tree, the family went together. It used to be rather low-key to visit there, and once you got there, quite unusual to have anyone else at the Memorial. There wasn't a Visitor's Center yet. There was no evidence of the Park Service then. Just a guy at the dock that grabbed the little shuttle boat, tied it up and helped you off.

We would walk through the Memorial - our steps echoing in the cavern of the Memorial. Halfway through, we would stop and look at the ship resting beneath us, still leaking oil into the lapping sea, and carrying it ever away, like the spirit was still escaping the doomed craft. We would toss our leis into the water. Eventually, we would end at the Memorial wall, carved with all of the names of the men who died on the Arizona, most of whom were still entombed within.

Puna, this large mountain of a man, would clasp his hands behind him, dip his head in prayer, then focus on the wall and in a hauntingly beautiful, tenor voice would chant the names of the fallen. His voice would echo in the chamber. A more beautiful prayer I have never heard. Once, I looked at his face and saw the tears streaming down, but his voice never wavered. His eyes seemed to be closed, yet he never missed a name.

When the chanting was finished, we would walk back to the overlook on the ship and Puna would tell us about that Sunday morning. He spoke of the noise and the fear and the chaos. He spoke of curfews and rationing. He spoke of the increased military presence on the island. He spoke of the sorrow. And, he spoke of the fear of another attack. Then, he would talk about the uniting and the supporting and the belief in America.

Always, he finished with a warning. America will never be safe from people wanting to take away what we have. They will always want to destroy us, to conquer us, to marginalize us. If you don't believe me, come here and look - open your eyes and look - at what can happen, and will again.

I believe I only saw Puna serious twice a year - Pearl Harbor Day and Memorial Day. On those days, he spoke of bravery and heroism and patriotism. The rest of the year you could depend upon those laughing eyes and the aroma of his pipe. The parents are gone now, but the stories and the emotions remain. I am so grateful for what they shared and what they taught.

I'd like to say that I absorbed it all then, but I didn't. When we used to hike into the mountains and came across some of the crashed Japanese planes, mostly pirated shells, I still didn't get it. When December Seventh was marked at school by people telling their personal experiences, I didn't get it. Oh, I heard it all. I believed it all. I just didn't get it.

It wasn't until I was older and watched the world and global politics that I saw it, that I truly understood the lesson he was trying to teach all those years ago. On September Eleventh, one of the first thoughts I had was of standing in the Arizona Memorial with Puna and hearing his words.

I hope Americans have the resolve to fight for our country as we did in 1941, but I fear for us, now, more than ever.

This is my annual post on Pearl Harbor.

SSG Sal Giunta ~ Medal of Honor

SSG Sal Giunta

On November 16, 2010, Staff Sergeant Sal Giunta of the 173rd Airborne will become the first living Medal of Honor recipient since the Vietnam War. His actions occurred in Afghanistan's Korengal Valley duiring the deployment chronicled in the movie "Restrepo." This fourteen-minute video tells his story.

And, the man he rescued that day - SGT Joshua C Brennan - click here to read his story.

Later, SSG Giunta's citation will be posted on the

Official Website of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. 

The Marine Who Captured My Heart ~~~ Cpl Aaron Mankin

Click Play. This will be one of the most inspiring six minutes you may ever spend.

I remember that sleepless night in May 2005 -- I was sitting at the computer and an email came in from a favorite Marine I was supporting.  It said, simply, "Can you pray for one of my men?  He's bad.  Really, really bad.  We don't know if he will make it."


Of course, I prayed.  I began knitting a prayer afghan - each stitch a wish, each row a prayer.  Eventually, my friend would deliver it to Aaron at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Over the days and weeks and months and years, I learned more about Aaron Mankin.  I heard about the pain of his unit in Iraq while they packed up his stuff to send it home and waited for news.  I heard about the emails with his family.  We prayed.  We all prayed.  Today, I keep his picture where I see it every day, reminding me that my struggles may truly be small.  I've never met Aaron.  But, I follow his progress, and I still pray for him.  This combat correspondent captured my heart.

Today is the 235th Marine Corps Birthday.  Today, in honor of the Marines and Aaron and so very many men and women like Aaron, please remember them.  Please remember them with gratitude.

Thank you USMC --- Happy Birthday!

Happy Halloween!

74 Fallen Marines Remembered

A trumpet player in the Combat Center’s Band plays taps over the 74 memorial crosses during Regimental Combat Team 7’s memorial ceremony Oct. 15 at Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field. RCT-7 was deployed to Afghanistan

from Oct. 24, 2009 to Sept. 28, 2010.

Seventy-four military crosses line Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field during a memorial ceremony for Regimental Combat Team 7 Oct. 15. The total fallen consisted of 70 Marines, three sailors and one British civilian reporter.

“The only way that any of these men would have died in vain 

is if we give up in the effort that is currently succeeding in Afghanistan”

RCT-7 remembers 74 fallen brothers 

By Lance Cpl Sarah Anderson, 

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twenty Nine Palms, 10/25/2010  

 

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif.   — Rows of military crosses solemnly lined Lance Cpl. Torrey L. Gray Field Oct. 15 during a memorial ceremony dedicated to the 74 men lost during to Regimental Combat Team 7’s recent deployment to Afghanistan. From October 24, 2009 to September 28, 2010, units attached to RCT-7 lost 70 Marines, three sailors, and one British journalist to the war overseas.

Seventy-three helmets were placed on 73 rifles while 73 dog tags hung over 73 new boots. There was a single white cross in the midst of them all, with a British flag placed beside it, a quiet reminder the United States is not alone in this war.

“The battlefield cross – its purpose, to show honor and respect for the fallen at the battle sight,” stated a narrator of the service. “Today its immediate need is to show respect for the fallen among the still living members of the unit.”

Regimental Commander Col. Randy P. Newman rose and spoke of the honor these 74 men showed on the battlefield.

“We pay tribute today to what these men gave, lives cut short but not unfulfilled,” Newman said. “Each man gave their lives in a noble effort to give back to the people of Afghanistan so they can determine their future and to increase the security of our own nation.”

As he spoke, the 74 crosses behind him held a reminder for every Marine in attendance of what it means to fight alongside one another to complete the Corps’ mission.

“Once the first drop of blood was shed by a Marine in Afghanistan, we became committed to remaining there for however long our nation desires there,” Newman said.

“Our Corps will remain there and will fight because that is what we do. They went on to the battlefield with the full understanding that we were 100 percent committed to what we were there for.

“The only way that any of these men would have died in vain is if we give up in the effort that is currently succeeding in Afghanistan,” Newman said.

Valour-IT 2010

Once again, it is time to ask people to donate to ValourIT

The program that provides computers with voice to text software and GPS locators to our wounded warriors.  These devices enable them to communicate and to regain a sense of freedom.

Over the years, I have written several pieces about ValourIT - archive

For a friendly competition between branches, you can donate or sign up at the links below

Marine Team

For more info on Team Marine - click here

Air Force Team

For more info on Team Air Force - click here

Navy Team

For more info on Team Navy - click here

Army Team

 For more info on Team Army - click here

*******************************************
See the competitive standings - here 

USS Cole (DDG 67) ~ 10 years ago

Ten years ago on October 12, a refueling stop in the port of Aden, Yemen, turned into a terrorist attack on the USS Cole.  The attack killed 17 sailors and wounded 39.  In this act of terrorism against the United States by the minions of Osama bin Laden, we were thrust ever farther into the War against Terrorism.

A tenth anniversary post from the USS Cole's commander, CDR Kirk S Lippold:
http://blog.usni.org/2010/10/11/uss-cole-ddg-67-a-guest-post-from-cdr-kirk-s-lippold-usn-ret/

 Attack on the USS Cole left 17 sailors dead and 39 wounded

Electronics Technician Chief Petty Officer

Richard Costelow

Morrisville, Pennsylvania

Signalman Seaman Recruit

Cherone Louis Gunn,

Rex, Georgia

Seaman

James Rodrick McDaniels,

Norfolk, Virginia

Seaman Recruit

Lakiba Nicole Palmer,

San Diego, California

Operations Specialist Second Class

Timothy Lamont Saunders,

Ringgold, Virginia

Ensign

Andrew Triplett,

Macon, Mississippi

Seaman Apprentice

Craig Bryan Wibberley,

Williamsport, Maryland

Hull Maintenance Technician Third Class

Kenneth Eugene Clodfelter,

Mechanicsville, Virginia

Mess Management Specialist Seaman

Lakeina Monique Francis,

Woodleaf, North Carolina

Information Systems Technician Seaman

Timothy Lee Gauna,

Rice, Texas

Engineman Second Class

Marc Ian Nieto,

Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin

Electronics Warfare Technician Second Class

Ronald Scott Owens,

Vero Beach, Florida

Engineman Fireman

Joshua Langdon Parlett,

Churchville, Maryland

Fireman Apprentice

Patrick Howard Roy,

Keedysville, Maryland

Electronics Warfare Technician First Class

Kevin Shawn Rux,

Portland, North Dakota

Mess Management Specialist Third Class

Ronchester Mananga Santiago,

Kingsville, Texas

Firecontrolman

Gary Graham Swenchonis, Jr.,

Rockport, Texas

May we ever remember them.......

 Bringing the USS Cole home

USS Cole Memorial - Norfolk

The 17 granite slabs around the monoliths are in remembrance of the 17 who were murdered that day.

The Memorial sits at the berthing area for the USS Cole.

The families still wait for a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery and for the justice they deserve.

Obama Administration drops charges against Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, 

the alleged mastermind behind the USS Cole bombing and other terrorist attacks,

in February 2009.

The Pentagon ~ Lost on September Eleventh

The Pentagon Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery
The Pentagon is directly behind the trees.

Pentagon Lost Victims List

Click on underlined names to read tributes

Names in Italics are members of American Airlines Flight 77

Paul W. Ambrose

Spc. Craig S. Amundson, Army

Petty Officer Melissa Rose Barnes, Navy

Master Sgt. Max J. Beilke, Army, Retired

Yeneneh Betru

Petty Officer Kris Romeo Bishundat, Navy

Carrie R. Blagburn

Col. Canfield D. Boone, Army National Guard

Mary Jane Booth

Donna M. Bowen

Allen P. Boyle

Bernard C. Brown II

Petty Officer Christopher L. Burford, Navy

Capt. Charles F. Burlingame III, Naval Reserve, Retired

Petty Officer Daniel M. Caballero, Navy

Sgt. Jose O. Calderon-Olmedo, Army

Suzanne M. Calley

Angelene C. Carter

Sharon A. Carver

William E. Caswell

Sgt. 1st Class John J. Chada, Army, Retired

Rosa Maria Chapa

David M. Charlebois

Sara M. Clark

Julian T. Cooper

Asia S. Cottom

Lt. Cmdr. Eric A. Cranford, Navy

Ada M. Davis

James D. Debeuneure

Capt. Gerald F. DeConto, Navy

Rodney Dickens

Lt. Col. Jerry D. Dickerson, Army

Eddie A. Dillard

Petty Officer Johnnie Doctor Jr., Navy

Capt. Robert E. Dolan Jr., Navy

Cmdr. William H. Donovan, Navy

Lt. Cmdr. Charles A. Droz III, Navy, Retired

Cmdr. Patrick Dunn, Navy

Petty Officer Edward T. Earhart, Navy

Barbara G. Edwards

Lt. Cmdr. Robert R. Elseth, Naval Reserve

Charles S. Falkenberg

Dana Falkenberg

Zoe Falkenberg

Petty Officer Jamie L. Fallon, Navy

J. Joseph Ferguson

Amelia V. Fields

Gerald P. Fisher

Darlene E. Flagg

Rear Adm. Wilson F. Flagg, Naval Reserve, Retired

Petty Officer Matthew M. Flocco, Navy

Sandra N. Foster

1st Lt. Richard P. Gabriel, Marine Corps, Retired

Capt. Lawrence D. Getzfred, Navy

Cortez Ghee

Brenda C. Gibson

Col. Ronald F. Golinski, Army, Retired

Ian J. Gray

Diane Hale-McKinzy

Stanley R. Hall

Carolyn B. Halmon

Michele M. Heidenberger

Sheila M.S. Hein

Petty Officer Ronald J. Hemenway, Navy

Maj. Wallace Cole Hogan Jr., Army

Staff Sgt. Jimmie I. Holley, Army, Retired

Angela M. Houtz

Brady Kay Howell

Peggie M. Hurt

Lt. Col. Stephen N. Hyland Jr., Army

Lt. Col. Robert J. Hymel, Air Force, Retired

Sgt. Maj. Lacey B. Ivory, Army

Bryan C. Jack

Steven D. Jacoby

Lt. Col. Dennis M. Johnson, Army

Judith L. Jones

Ann C. Judge

Brenda Kegler

Chandler R. Keller

Yvonne E. Kennedy

Norma Cruz Khan

Karen Ann Kincaid

Lt. Michael S. Lamana, Navy

David W. Laychak

Dong Chul Lee

Jennifer Lewis

Kenneth E. Lewis

Samantha L. Lightbourn-Allen

Maj. Stephen V. Long, Army

James T. Lynch Jr.

Terence M. Lynch

Petty Officer Nehamon Lyons IV, Navy

Shelley A. Marshall

Teresa M. Martin

Ada L. Mason-Acker

Lt. Col. Dean E. Mattson, Army

Lt. Gen. Timothy J. Maude, Army

Robert J. Maxwell

Renée A. May

Molly L. McKenzie

Dora Marie Menchaca

Patricia E. Mickley

Maj. Ronald D. Milam, Army

Gerard P. Moran Jr.

Odessa V. Morris

Petty Officer Brian A. Moss, Navy

Teddington H. Moy

Lt. Cmdr. Patrick J. Murphy, Naval Reserve

Christopher C. Newton

Khang Ngoc Nguyen

Petty Officer Michael A. Noeth, Navy

Barbara K. Olson

Ruben S. Ornedo

Diana B. Padro

Lt. Jonas M. Panik, Naval Reserve

Maj. Clifford L. Patterson Jr., Army

Robert Penninger

Robert R. Ploger III

Zandra F. Ploger

Lt. Darin H. Pontell, Naval Reserve

Scott Powell

Capt. Jack D. Punches, Navy, Retired

Petty Officer Joseph J. Pycior Jr., Navy

Lisa J. Raines

Deborah A. Ramsaur

Rhonda Sue Rasmussen

Petty Officer Marsha D. Ratchford, Navy

Martha M. Reszke

Todd H. Reuben

Cecelia E. (Lawson) Richard

Edward V. Rowenhorst

Judy Rowlett

Sgt. Maj. Robert E. Russell, Army, Retired

Chief Warrant Officer William R. Ruth, Army National Guard

Charles E. Sabin Sr.

Marjorie C. Salamone

John P. Sammartino

Col. David M. Scales, Army

Cmdr. Robert A. Schlegel, Navy

Janice M. Scott

Lt. Col. Michael L. Selves, Army, Retired

Marian H. Serva

Cmdr. Dan F. Shanower, Navy

Antionette M. Sherman

Diane M. Simmons

George W. Simmons

Donald D. Simmons

Cheryle D. Sincock

Petty Officer Gregg H. Smallwood, Navy

Lt. Col. Gary F. Smith, Army, Retired

Mari-Rae Sopper

Robert Speisman

Patricia J. Statz

Edna L. Stephens

Norma Lang Steuerle

Sgt. Maj. Larry L. Strickland, Army

Hilda E. Taylor

Lt. Col. Kip P. Taylor, Army

Leonard E. Taylor

Sandra C. Taylor

Sandra D. Teague

Lt. Col. Karl W. Teepe, Army, Retired

Sgt. Tamara C. Thurman, Army

Lt. Cmdr. Otis V. Tolbert, Navy

Staff Sgt. Willie Q. Troy, Army, Retired

Lt. Cmdr. Ronald J. Vauk, Naval Reserve

Lt. Col. Karen J. Wagner, Army

Meta L. (Fuller) Waller

Spc. Chin Sun Pak Wells, Army

Staff Sgt. Maudlyn A. White, Army

Sandra L. White

Leslie A Whittington

Ernest M. Willcher

Lt. Cmdr. David L. Williams, Navy

Maj. Dwayne Williams, Army

Chief Petty Officer Marvin Roger Woods, Navy, Retired

Capt. John D. Yamnicky Sr., Navy, Retired

Vicki Yancey

Petty Officer Kevin W. Yokum, Navy

Chief Petty Officer Donald M. Young, Navy

Edmond G. Young Jr.

Lisa L. Young

Shuyin Yang

Yuguang Zheng

I would encourage you to click the following link for more September Eleventh posts:
http://gazingattheflag.blogspot.com/search/label/9%2F11

Marvin Roger Woods ~ I Remember

Marvin Roger Woods

Retired US Navy, Chief Radio Man and Civilian Pentagon Employee

January 6, 1944 - September 11, 2001 - The Pentagon

Marvin Roger Woods was devoted to the Navy and his country throughout his life.  He retired from the US Navy after 22 years on active duty, took a six week vacation, went back to work for next 18 years as a civilian communications manager for the Navy.  He had been stationed at the Pentagon since the mid-1990's and had an office in the newly renovated section of the building - the section hit by Flight 77.  He is buried in Section 64 in the shadow of the Pentagon with many others who were killed that day.

He liked to hunt and fish and to work in his woodshop behind his home.

He was married to Betty Woods for 30 years.  Woods -- known as "Roger" to friends and family -- grew up in Owendale, Michigan. He served a tour in Vietnam, then met his wife in October 1971 while on leave. Three months later, they were married, and together they went off to his next assignment, in Puerto Rico. Like many military families, Woods, his wife and their three children traveled from city to city, port to port.

The post is part of Project 2996.

Major Ronald Dutrell Milam ~ I Remember

Major Ronald Dutrell Milam

August 11, 1968 - September 11, 2001 - The Pentagon

Major Ronald Dutrell Milam, son of Tommie and Effie Milam of Muskogee, Oklahoma, husband of Jacqueline Link Milam, who is Captain in the Air Force, and father of daughter Myejoi Olivia Link and his son Ronald Dutrell Milam, Jr, who was born after his death, was killed in the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. He rests in Section 64 of Arlington National Cemetery, in the shadow of the Pentagon and with those who perished with him that day.

Ronald graduated from Muskogee High School and Eastern New Mexico University. He earned his Bachelors degree and was a member of the Greyhound basketball team. He also participated in ROTC and was commissioned through that program. His alma mater has set up a scholarship in his name.


Later in life, he became passionate about golf. His father told the Washington Post, "He really did love golf. That was his true passion—after his wife, Jacqueline, and daughter, Myejoi. [A son, Ron Jr., was born posthumously.] He came home to Tulsa on leave at one point, and he purchased this custom set of clubs. He just couldn’t put them down. Even when he went on business trips, he’d always have his clubs with him.”




Ronald was the military assistant to one of the deputy assistant secretaries of the Army. A meeting that morning took him to the area of the Pentagon hit by Flight 77.



Jacqueline and Ronald met while on deployment in Korea - she with the Air Force and he with the Army. Their assignments kept them apart, but they stayed in touch and were married January 15, 2000. They had started their family with a daughter, Myejoi, and had just learned that the new baby was going to be a boy - the son who will never meet his father.

This post is part of Project 2996

 

SPC Craig Scott Amundson ~ I Remember

SPC Craig Scott Amundson

United States Army

August 21, 1973 - September 11, 2001 - The Pentagon

Craig is listed second on this side of the Arlington Cemetery Memorial

- near where the Pentagon casualties are buried in Section 64, in the shadow of the Pentagon.

SPC Craig Scott Amundson, United States Army, was killed in the attack on the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.  Craig is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in the shadow of the Pentagon and with the others who gave their lives there.

On a beautiful late summer morning, Scott went to work at his job in the Pentagon.  He was a Graphic Artist assigned to the Army's Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel.   Scott said good-bye that morning at his Fort Belvoir, Virginia home to his wife, Amber Flury Amundson and their children, Charlotte and Elliot.

Craig was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and raised in Anamosa, Iowa.  He graduated fro Anamosa High School in 1992.  He played on the football team and was active in the film/media department.  He attended the University of Iowa in Iowa City and received his Bachelor in Arts in Film Studies.  He had his own graphics design company called SockoDesign.  He had just joined the Military Career Transition Program at Old Dominion University and had begun work towards becoming an elementary school teacher.

His parents, Orland and Karen Amundson, own a pharmacy in Hartville, Missouri - a town of 700.  Craig designed a web site for Star Pharmacy.  

He came from a close knit family.  His easy smile made him at home in many places.

Craig's Arlington Page is here:  http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/csamundson.htm

This post is part of  Project 2996

Christian Bagge - Going Home At Last

You may remember this great picture of Christian Bagge running with President Bush. Christian lost both legs in and IED attack in Iraq on June 3, 2005. At the time, he had been married to Melissa for three months. Finally, they are coming back home to Oregon with their two children. They are coming home to a new adaptive home built by Homes for Our Troops.

Read about Christian and Melissa's journey here

And, read about what Homes For Our Troops are doing for the Bagge's here

Thank you to a great organization Homes For Our Troops

Stephen Hopkins ~ Founder and Patriot

Stephen Hopkins
1707 - 1785

Representative of Rhode Island to the Continental Congress
Signer of the Declaration of Independence

Stephen Hopkins, like so many of the founders, was a self-educated man who served his community and his nation in any way possible. He served in many positions locally, in the Rhode Island Colonial Assemby, was elected as the Governor of Rhode Island nine times, was the first Chancellor of the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (now known as Brown University), a member of the Continental Congress and the person who put together the first American Navy.

He was a early critic of Britian and advocate for Independence. He freed his slaves and tried to prohibit slavery from the colonies. In 1774, he introduced a bill that prohibited the importation of slaves into the colony of Rhode Island, and this became one of the first anti-slavery laws in the new United States.

A sufferer of cerebral palsey, his signature appeared trembling when he signed the Declaration of Independence. "My hand trembles, my heart does not," he said at the signing.

Stephen Hopkins House

His home in Providence, Rhode Island still stands and is on the National Register of Historic Places and is owned by the The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America.

Signers of the Declaration of Independence

The Signers of the Declaration of Independence

Massachusetts:

John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas M'Kean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carrol

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Thomas Lynch, Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Click on the links to read their stories.