Message sent to Gina McKay
In Honor of Veterans · 11/11/2007 
Regardless if we agree on the wars or not, please, let's give the Veterans the respect they deserve. They have given themselves to try to assure freedom for all. May God bless the Veterans, and their families! Feel free to add your tribute to Veterans, below.
My husband is a Veteran,
My grandfather was a Veteran,
Two of my uncles were Veterans,
My husband's father was a Veteran,
So was HIS father.
Many of my dearest friends are Veterans.
Posted: Nov 11, 2007
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Posted: Nov 11, 2007
Thank you Gina...I as well have a story to Thank the Veterens and am a Vet myself!!
This poem is from an 8th grader--Thought I would share!
To those on the front lines, we salute you,
As you march onward to war, onward to unknown territory.
Marching to battle where you may not return.
So carry on, weary soldier, carry on.
As you fight to protect our American homestead,
Fighting to protect our freedom, our families,
Fighting to protect our way of life, our country that we call home.
So carry on, weary soldier, carry on.
While you are away don't forget.
Don't forget your family, your friends.
Don't forget the symbol of freedom that is the U.S.A.
Don't forget why you march to war or why you fight.
Don't forget where your heart lies
And don't forget to carry on, weary soldier, carry on.
Because we will not forget you.
We will not forget your work or dedication.
We will not forget that you march for us, that you fight for us.
We will not forget that you defend our home so we may be free.
Most of all we will not forget that you carry on for us.
So carry on, weary soldier, carry on.
Posted: Nov 11, 2007
Thank you for your tribute, Lenae, and thank you for serving to keep us free.
Posted: Nov 11, 2007
My Dad was a veteran in WW II. He was very proud to serve. His last wish was to have a plaque on his tombstone, commemorating his service. I am so proud of him!
Yes, thank you so much, Lenae!
Posted: Nov 12, 2007
In Honor of Clyde McKee, Japanese Prisoner of War
Japanese Prisoner of War in Yokohama ยท November 1942
Clyde McKee - Japanese Prisoner of War - #736
Since Japan had mobilized an enormous military force to carry out its plans for expansion in the Pacific, their industrial complex was suffering. There was not enough manpower remaining in Japan to sustain production. It was decided to use passenger and cargo ships, which had taken troops and supplies to the warfront, to bring prisoners of war to Japan. These ships made numerous trips from the Philippines and Formosa to Japan. Their human cargo was packed tightly into the empty holds. Food and water were in short supply and sanitation facilities were inadequate for the number of prisoners onboard. Men who died during the journey were ordered thrown overboard. These ships were known as 'hellships' for they truly were hell for those on board. Clyde McKee was thrown in on top of the dead and dying on one of these hellships and was transported to Yokohama, Japan.
Once arriving in Yokohama, Clyde lived in the Yokohama prisoner of war camp and was forced into slave labor in the Mitsubishi shipyards welding and shipfitting. They were grouped into squads with ten men per squad. They were issued rice rations, at one ration per squad for each man who worked. The men who were too ill to work were not allowed to eat. Clyde said that men fought over the roaches. When asked why, he replied, "protein".
While in Yokohama, the men never knew from day to day if they would live to see another day. They could not do anything without approval from their captors. The Japanese interrogaters would ask the prisoners questions, but it seemed they never had the right answers. Unless a man answered exactly what they wanted to hear, the man was punished by being beaten, tortured, or worst of all, they would take away his food ration for indefinite periods.
Once when the men were being punished by the Japanese guards, they were forced outside at 2:00 AM in 20 degree weather and forced to stand at attention, because the guards suspected that someone was doing something against their rules. They would not divulge what rule had been broken, but said they would keep them at attention until somebody admitted that they had broken a rule. After an hour or so went by, they started beating on any prisoners that they felt were not in a rigid attention position. After three and a half hours of this punishment, the men were released and ordered to dress and get ready to go to the shipyards for their daily work routine.
Daily they were marched, four abreast, along the city streets from their camp to the Mitsubishi Shipyards. They were being paraded as trophies of the Japanese army. On the way, the Japanese children would torment the prisoners, throwing rocks at them and prodding them with their pointed rifle sticks which they used in their military training programs. Most of the men did not really blame the children, because the adults and the guards were the ones urging them on and laughing at the mens' misfortune.
B-29's started bombing the shipyards while Clyde was there. One night six planes came in bombing a little too close. The Japanese shot them down. That day they lined the prisoners of war up to watch them kill the pilots.
Clyde said that while working at the Mitsubishi Shipyards, he welded as many bad spots into the ships as he could and made a lot of tools disappear into the bottom of Tokyo Bay.
Just before they were sent up north to work in the Kosaka copper mines, the Japanese guards lined the prisoners up and told them they had to dig their own grave and then they were going to shoot them. The prisoners dug the long trench thinking this was definitely the end. For some reason unknown to Clyde, they did not carry out those orders.
The name Mitsubishi still rankled Clyde years later. He worked slave labor for Mitsubishi so when they started sending their cars over and selling them in America, it rubbed him the wrong way.
Note: Thousands of American ex-POWs who were forced into slave labor by Japanese companies during WWII have been seeking just compensation for their injuries for many years. These ex-POWs, all now in their 80s and 90s, survived months of forced labor, beatings and starvation in Japanese-owned mines, factories, and shipyards after being captured while on duty, mostly in the Philippines. Their Japanese "employers" included such multi-billion dollar companies as Mitsubishi Corp., Mitsui & Co. Ltd., Nippon Steel Co., and Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Ltd. These Japanese companies never paid them for their labor.
Posted: Nov 12, 2007
God bless our Veterans! we owe them so much thanks and compassion!!
Posted: Nov 14, 2007
My Dad was a Veteran and so was my Father In Law. My husband served during the Gulf war as well.
Thanks for the nice tribute Gina.
Posted: Nov 15, 2007
That is so awesome! I feel like such a slug for not celebrating that day. I guess I am so wrapped up in being a mom that I sometimes forget about other important things!
Posted: Nov 15, 2007
Dana, one of the reasons I remember when Veteran's Day comes around, and to recognize it, is because my husband is a Veteran, and so was his father. Being a military wife taught me a little bit of the kind of sacrifice those in the Military
make. And my husband never had to go to combat. I greatly respect the ones who serve in such a selfless way.
Being a mom certainly is demanding, and rewarding! How many children do you have? I know they are wonderful. Blessings! :)
Posted: Nov 18, 2007
Tip: Keep inconveniences in perspective.
Author: Unknown
This past week I was on a four and a half hour, non-stop flight from Seattle, Washington, to Atlanta, Georgia.
In all my years of traveling, I have learned that each time a plane has the opportunity to stop, there is potential for unexpected challenges. Flight delays, weather and airline crews can create unanticipated challenges on any trip. Therefore, I always try to fly non-stop between my destinations.
About an hour into this particular flight, the Captain's voice rang over the intercom. He asked if there was a physician or nurse on the plane. If so, he asked them to identify themselves by ringing the flight attendant call button beside their seat.
I listened carefully but heard no one ring their bell. I immediately began to wonder what was happening.
In a few minutes the Captain informed us that there was a medical emergency on board and asked again if there was a physician or a nurse who could help.
When there was no response, we were told that we were going to make an emergency stop in Denver, Colorado. He apologized but told us that there would be a medical emergency team waiting to meet us at the gate and
that we would probably only be delayed by about thirty minutes.
Though it was necessary, we knew we would all be inconvenienced by the extra stop. About half an hour later, we landed and the medical crew immediately came on board. However, everything took longer than had previously been expected. An elderly gentleman, about 85 years old, had suddenly taken ill. It was not clear whether he had experienced a stroke or heart attack.
Even after the gentleman was carried off of the plane, we still sat there for quite a while. The original "short" stop turned into about an hour and a half.
When we finally pushed back from the gate and were in the air, the pilot apologized profusely for the unavoidable delay. He said that since the stop had taken longer than expected, those passengers who needed to make connections in Atlanta would miss their flights but would automatically be booked on the next flight out.
You could almost hear the moans and groans throughout the airplane of everyone who was being inconvenienced by the unexpected stop.
Then the pilot did one of the classiest things I have personally ever seen or heard anyone do. He spoke into the intercom and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I thought you might be interested in one bit of information. The elderly gentleman who was taken off the plane was a Marine in WWII.
I am holding in my hand a copy of the Congressional Medal of Honor that was awarded to him and signed by President Harry Truman in 1945." The pilot went on to say, "I realize that we have all been inconvenienced today. However, in light of the fact that this gentleman was a war hero and was inconvenienced for four years of his life in order that we might experience the freedoms that we enjoy today, I thought you all should know that."
Immediately the airplane was filled with applause. Everyone was cheering and so pleased to know that the gentleman had been cared for in a way that was fitting and appropriate. As we continued to fly, I thought to myself, "Isn't that interesting? We were concerned that we were inconvenienced for a couple of hours and yet, this gentleman's entire life was interrupted and inconvenienced for over four years while he went and fought in a war to protect the freedoms and values that we love and hold dear
in this country today."
I breathed a prayer for the gentleman and asked God to bless him for all he had done to help us understand what freedom is all about.
"History does not entrust the care of freedom to the weak or
timid." - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Minorities.....We need to show more sympathy for these people.
* They travel miles in the heat.
* They risk their lives crossing a border.
* They don't get paid enough wages.
* They do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do.
* They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language.
* They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day every day.
I'm not talking about Illegal Aliens; I'm talking about our Troops!
Doesn't it seem strange that many Democrats and some Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don't support our troops and are now threatening to defund them?