This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Author: Hondo

  • Efrem Zimbalist Jr. Passes

    Efrem Zimbalist Jr., star of 77 Sunset Strip and The FBI, has died.  He was 95.

    Zimbalist was the son of famous musical parents, and initially studied music.  However, he later turned to theater, films, and television, becoming most famous for the latter.

    Zimbalist served as an infantryman in World War II.  He was a recipient of the Purple Heart.

    Fox News has a good obit on the man.  It’s worth reading.

    Rest in peace, Mr. Zimbalist.  Thanks for doing your duty when your country called – and for the memories.

  • A Small Part of Why We Do What We Do at TAH

    We all know that the myth of the “messed up Vietnam vet” is a persistent one, at least as applied to Vietnam vets in general.  Despite clear evidence to the contrary it persists to this day.  IMO it’s the genesis of the recent media efforts to demonize more modern vets due to PTSD.

    The term “myth” is absolutely apropos.  Truth be told, a tiny fraction of vets did come back from Vietnam with serious issues; this has been the case in every war in history.  But the vast majority came back and got on with their lives successfully.  Despite the media’s portrayal of Vietnam era vets as “messed up losers” Vietnam veterans – those who actually served in-theater – as a group are actually more successful and well-adjusted than their non-vet peers.

    During the 1960s and 1970s the music industry bought into that media myth.  It persisted into the 1980s as well.  Hell, even Springsteen made mucho dinero off of the myth with “Born in the USA”.  It’s perhaps the quintessential ode to the myth.

    Regardless, the Vietnam veterans simply continued with their lives.  In general they became, and stayed, well-adjusted and successful.  They simply kept their mouths shut and tended to business – just as their fathers and uncles from World War II and Korea had done.

    But they also knew that they’d gotten a raw deal from a very influential segment of society.  As a group, they were portrayed as brutes and losers; in reality, they were anything but.  And no one seemed willing to defend them.

    That freaking hurt.  So they simply suffered their bad days in silence, and kept on keeping on.

    But in the mid-1980s things changed a bit.  The music industry began to alter its perspective.  (I wonder if the POTUS at the time might have had anything to do with that, albeit indirectly?) And a few tunes that IMO captured the reality of the Vietnam veteran were released.

    One of those songs in particular IMO captured their post-war experience.  No, it’s NOT “Born In the USA”; that POS of a tune did nothing but reinforce the media myth.  The tune I’m speaking about IMO gave voice to the real Vietnam vet’s frustration – the guy who came home, got on with his life, and put things behind him.  Mostly.

    It wasn’t a plea for help, or a “woe is me” story.  It was a simple statement of fact, and of disappointment – and a well-deserved accusation of ingratitude aimed at much of US society.

    It damn sure opened my eyes.  I think the first time I heard it was when it dawned on me how badly our Vietnam vets got the shaft after they came home.

    Why do I say “ingratitude”?  Because that’s exactly it was – from US society in general.  Vietnam vets got treated damn shabbily because many people didn’t support that conflict.  So they shunned the people who were sent there.

    Soldiers don’t choose the wars we’re sent to fight.  Rather, we go where we’re ordered, and fight – and sometimes die – because the nation sent us.  All that we ask is that we get treated fairly afterwards.

    The Vietnam generation didn’t want a hero’s welcome.  But they sure as hell didn’t deserve to be spit on and called “baby killers”, either – or portrayed like a bunch of losers or ticking time bombs by the press.

    Vietnam vets didn’t complain much at all about getting screwed over.  But they sure as hell remembered.  And after Desert Storm, they were instrumental in making sure it didn’t happen again.

    IMO, we’re seeing much the same today.  The media is once again resurrecting the specter of the “messed up vet” – this time due to PTSD – and using it to portray all vets as “messed up losers” because a few have been badly affected by their war experiences.

    . . .

    Here’s the tune that opened my eyes.  No video accompanying this one.  IMO, none is needed.

     

    I’m a bit too young to have served in Vietnam.  But I grew up near a major military installation – one that had a huge role in the Vietnam War.  I grew up during Vietnam. I knew a number of people who served there in-country.

    To a man, they were neither “losers” nor “babykillers”.  They were damn fine men.  Those who are still alive today still are.

    They got treated shabbily as hell afterwards by US society in general and by the media in particular.  And that’s a damn shame, bordering on the criminal.

    Again?  Oh hell no. We got this one, elder brothers-in-arms.

    Never again.

  • Yet Another Returns

    DPMO has announced the identification of another US MIA from Korea.

    CPL William N. Bonner, Medical Company, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 31 May 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 22 April 2014. He will be buried with full military honors during the summer of 2014, in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.  A specific date has not been announced.

    Welcome home, my elder brother-in-arms.  Rest in peace.

    . . .

    Over 73,600 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,640 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia.  If you are a relative of one of the individuals listed here (World War II – critical need), listed here (Korea), or listed here (Southeast Asia) – please consider reading this link to see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.

    If you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample, please submit one.   By submitting a mtDNA sample, you may be able to help identify US remains that have been recovered and repatriated but not yet positively identified.

    Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all in the service of this nation.

  • Left Hand, Meet . . . the Other Left Hand

    Recently, the Department of the Interior announced it was granting “green energy” producers operating wind farms 30-year permits to kill eagles.  In essence, it was a recognition of the fact that such “green energy” programs are not free of significant detrimental environmental effects despite the claims to the contrary.

    The permits are likely essential.  There’s really no good way to keep birds from flying into such wind farms.  For this form of “green energy” to be viable the companies operating wind farms need legal protection.

    So, all is good, right?  Um, well . . . not exactly.

    It seems that an environmental group – the American Bird Conservancy – takes exception to this new rule.  They’ve announced their intent to file a Federal lawsuit over this new rule.  They’re alleging it’s a violation of three major environmental laws:  the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.

    I think this one is gonna be fun to watch.  (smile)

  • “My dad went to go dance with mom.”

    This past Tuesday, a World War II Navy vet – Donald Buska, of Billings, MT – passed away.  He was 86.

    Buska died suddenly, but his end was not completely unexpected.  Besides his age, he’d been in hospice care since mid February.

    This normally would not be noteworthy.   We’re rapidly losing the few remaining vets of World War II due to age.

    However, Buska’s passing was indeed noteworthy.  And it was noteworthy for more than simply the fact that he was a veteran of World War II.

    Buska knew he was not long for this earth.  But he had one remaining dream:  he wanted to visit Washington and see the World War II Monument before he passed.

    On Sunday and Monday, he did so.  He did so as a guest of Big Sky Honor Flight of Montana.  His son Jeff accompanied him.

    Buska and his son visited DC for two days.  Mail call was held on arrival – where he and other participants received many letters of support from friends and acquaintances, coordinated by the Honor Flight program.  He indeed saw the Monument – as well as the Changing of the Guard at Arlington.  He reconnected with an old poker buddy.  On return, he and the other vets received the proverbial hero’s welcome.

    He stayed up until around midnight Monday night, reading the mail call letters with his family.  He’d had a thoroughly wonderful trip.

    And at 4:15AM on Tuesday morning, he died.

    The Billings Gazette has an excellent story on Mr. Buska’s trip that gives more details.  It’s worthwhile reading.   But if you choose to read it, maybe have a tissue ready.

    And in case anyone’s wondering:  the title of this article is a remark made by his son Jeff after his father’s passing (Buska’s wife had predeceased him).  IMO, the young man got it exactly right.

    . . .

    When our time comes, may each of us be so lucky as to have that kind of exit from this earth.  Kudos to Big Sky Honor Flight of Montana for making it so for Mr. Buska.

    Rest in peace, my elder brother-in-arms. Take some time to look up old buddies, and catch up on things.  Enjoy seeing those old friends.

    And enjoy dancing with your wife once again, too.

  • Just Call Him “Cool Hand Jon”

    That would be SSG(P) Jon King, at Fort Sill, OK.  He’s a vet of both Iraq and Afghanistan.  He’s now assigned to C Company, 434th Field Artillery Detachment.

    Why call him that, you ask?  Let’s just say the story involves a live grenade, a grenade range, a raw trainee, a potentially deadly error – and about 4 seconds to save a life at the risk of his own.  Details are in this Army Times article.

    Read the article if you want to understand why IMO “Cool Hand” is apropos.  I think you will afterwards.

    SSG(P) King received the interim award of an ARCOM for his actions on 14 April 2014.  However, he’s also being considered for the Soldiers Medal.  From what I read, sounds to me like this one should be the proverbial “no brainer”.

    Well done, SSG(P) King.  Damn well done.

  • I’m Guessing This Guy’s Favorite Song is “American Idiot” . . .

    . . . because it apparently describes him perfectly.  And no, I’m not talking about anyone we’ve featured here at TAH before.

    I’m talking about this guy at Yahoo News – who says we should make voting legally mandatory.

    I’m not joking.  Seriously.

    Before you laugh:  Austrailia apparently already does that.  And it’s no more farfetched than being taxed for breathing.  IMO, in direct contravention of the Constitutional prohibition on per-capita taxation ObamaCare does exactly that; and the SCOTUS – in what is IMO a truly boneheaded opinion authored by it’s current Chief Justice – has said that’s OK.

    Mandatory voting.  Sounds like a wonderfully   Soviet    Progressive concept, doesn’t it?

  • Yea, Verily, I Say Unto Thee . . .

    . . . the Millenia is at hand.  The signs have appeared.

    Wanna guess who’s calling for the POTUS’s impeachment now?  Go ahead – guess.

    Now, tell the truth:  did you guess Ralph Nader?

    You should have.   Seriously

    Just another example of the “stopped clock principle”, I guess.  Nader is a leftist idiot and a Progressive loon of the first magnitude.  The linked article makes that quite clear.

    But it’s still great to read about Nader calling for the POTUS’s impeachment.  (smile)