Sad Flag

My US Flag was sad this morning. I found it lying in the bushes where it fell when it jumped off of my outside wall mount.

I have a T-Shirt that says: "You can't fix stupid, not even with duct tape!"

I had to reassure my flag that all is …

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Veteran's Day, 2020

Back in June, 1969, I took an oath, twice! The first time while standing on the Virginia Tech drillfield in my Corps of Cadets uniform with several hundred fellow cadets who were being commissioned as offices in the military branches that day. General William Westmoreland, the Army Chief of Staff …

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Dancing at the USO

We went dancing over Labor Day weekend. The event was a USO dance themed after those held during WWII. We had a "Big Band", and the event was held in Fredricksburg, Texas at the Hanger Hotel and Convention Center. Of course a hotel with a name like that has to …

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The Faces of War

With thanks to Christine Mickiewicz, the daughter of Ed Ochen, Andy Tarapchak's co-pilot on the B-26 they flew into combat over Germany back during WWII, I finally have some faces to put with the names of these brave men from my parent's generation.

From time to time, I tried to …

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Memorial Day

This is a day to remember those who gave everything to preserve the freedom we all get to enjoy. Those we lost cannot share in this day. It is our duty to enjoy it for them, and thank them for what they gave for us.

We owe a lot to …

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Courtesy and Heroism

I ran into this quote while looking into the term "courtesy", and had to chuckle:

"One day a man gave up his seat on a bus to a lady. She fainted. On recovering, she thanked him. Then he fainted." (Michael A. Guido)

I am sorry to see that common courtesy …

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Veteran's Day: Andy's Story

Andy's Pilot Photo

As many of you probably know by reading some on my blogs, my second dad was Andy Tarapchak, who served this nation as a bomber pilot during WWII. Sadly, he died last year, living in a nursing home with many other vets from that great war.

After he died, his …

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Veteran’s Day

I wore my U.S. Air Force (retired) shirt today, and had several folks around school thank me for my service. That has not happened before, and it was kind of nice to hear.

But my service is nothing compared to that of those who came well before me. My …

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My Flag

Do you own a flag? I mean do you own a U.S. Flag? I have one flying in front of my house. It is my way of saying I am proud of my country. It is also a sign of respect for the country that I feel the need …

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American Heroes

This last week I got to spend four days hanging out with some of America’s greatest. I was with a group of over 30 Shuttle Astronauts, and about five who flew on the Apollo (most to the moon), and a few who flew on the Gemini Capsule. One of …

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