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

Author: Hondo

  • Who Can It Be Now?

    Thru the “majik” of the Internet, I ran across some youthful photos of . . . well, that’s the problem. The link went down before I could read the bio info.

    So, folks – we need your help. Who might these two photos be at age 15 or so? Does anyone know them?

    No, neither of them is me. I didn’t comb my hair in a pompadour when I was that age, and still don’t.

    And I’m pretty sure neither is a youthful Colin Hay from Men at Work, either. (smile)

    Remember, please keep it clean. At least mostly. (smile)

  • Another Purple Heart Returned

    During World War II, Raymond Ferrer served in the US Army. He served in the European Theater.

    During the Battle of the Bulge, Ferrer was wounded. He was awarded the Purple Heart.

    He returned home after the war. Eventually, he apparently passed away.

    At some point in time – exactly when is unknown, even to his family – Ferrer’s Purple Heart medal was lost. It ended up in a Connecticut pawn shop.

    I’m sure longtime readers can see where this is heading. Yeah, you’re right. Enter CPT Zachary Fike and Purple Hearts Reunited.

    The Ferrer’s Purple Heart has now been returned to Mr. Ferrer’s descendants – specifically, to his grandson. He in turn plans to pass it along to his son in the future.

    I don’t often plug nonprofits. But if you have a spare coin or two and want to donate to a worthy and military-related cause, maybe you should look at Purple Hearts Reunited. IMO you could certainly do worse.

    Well done, CPT Fike. Damn well done.

  • I Knew There Was A Good Reason They Were So Popular!

    Wondering what I’m talking about? Well, perhaps this headline will explain it.

    Grilled cheese lovers have more sex, study says

    Hmm. Soup and a sandwich for dinner tonight sounds pretty good . . . . (smile)

  • Yeah, This REALLY Makes Sense

    We’ve all heard that Purple Hearts were finally authorized for those at Fort Hood gunned down by that turncoat terrorist, Hassan Nidal.  So, that means they’re recognized as having been injured in combat, and will receive all the “bennies” due them – right?

    Perhaps.  But then again, maybe not – as shown by the case of then-SSG Shawn Manning.

    Manning applied for retroactive combat-related benefits associated with his Purple Heart.  He was shot by Nidal multiple times, and still has two bullets in his body.

    On 6 April, the Army sent Manning a letter in response to his application.  They rejected his application for combat-related benefits on technical grounds.  The linked article gives the details.

    Yeah, that makes perfect sense.  And in case you’re wondering:  yeah, that last sentence was indeed 100% pure sarcasm.

    C’mon, DA.  This decision is so obviously, ludicrously wrong that it’s not even funny.  You need to fix this error pronto.

    Are you listening, Mr. McHugh?  Mr. Carter?  Hello?

  • “If At First You Don’t Succeed, . . .

    . . . try, try again”. We’ve all heard that old proverb. But it seems that one guy really took it to heart.

    Sixteen years ago, Larry Hewett (who at the time used the name Larry Duncan) and an accomplice robbed a bank in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. They initially got away, but later were caught. Hewett was tried, convicted, and sentenced to 70 months in prison.

    Hewett did his time.  But as you might guess, he was hardly “rehabilitated” to become a productive member of society.

    Yesterday a Federal grand jury indicted Hewett for being the gunman in another, more recent bank robbery – one that occurred last November. He’s also facing Federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    Would you believe me if I told you that it was the same bank he’d robbed 16 years ago?  Well . . . yeah, it was.

    I’m not joking.

  • Oh Boy. Here We Go Again.

    Headline conveys the essence; the linked article gives more details. I’m guessing the guy can kiss that recent promotion goodbye, though.

    Secret Service supervisor put on leave after assault allegation

    Looks to me like the new Secret Service chief certainly has his work cut out for him playing clean-up.

    But there’s also an old proverb: “A fish rots from the head.”  After his recent stunt with Congress following the last high-profile incident, one has to wonder if perhaps the Secret Service’s new boss might be part of the problem instead.

  • Boston Marathon Bomber: Guilty on All Counts

    Good to see this. This article from AP has more details.

    Now let’s just hope the jury follows through properly during the sentencing phase.

  • Fifteen More Are Home

    My apologies for the delay in this article. A couple of months ago, the organization which formerly announced the identification of US MIAs – the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, or DPMO – was assimilated into the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). It’s taken me a while to learn my way around the new agency’s website.

    In the interim, DPAA has identified and accounted for the following 15 formerly-missing US military personnel.

    From World War II

    • 2nd Lt Harry B. McGuire, 718th Squadron, 449th Bomber Group, 15th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 30 January 1944 in Italy. He was accounted for on 10 March 2015.

    • 2nd Lt Edward F. Barker, Headquarters Squadron, 8th Air Service Group, U.S. Army Air Forces, was lost on 30 September 1944 in Papua New Guinea. He was accounted for on 4 March 2015.

    • 2nd Lt Alvin Beethe, 393rd Fighter Squadron, 367th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 26 November 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on 28 January 2015.

    • 2nd Lt Stephen V. Biezis, 575th Bombardment Squadron, 391st Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces, was lost on 23 December 1944 in Germany. He was accounted for on 3 February 2015.

    • 2nd Lt John W. Herb, 1st Air Division, 359th Fighter Group,368th Fighter Squadron, US Army Air Forces, was lost on 13 April 1945 in Germany. He was accounted for on 19 February 2015.

    From Korea

    • SFC Donald R. Strum, Company C, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 4 November 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 13 January 2015.

    • As Jonn noted earlier today, CPL Lindsey C. Lockett, Medical Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 503rd Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 1 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 26 January 2015.

    • SGT Floyd J. R. Jackson, Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division , US Army, was lost on 12 December 1950 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 27 January 2015.

    • SGT Arnold V. Andring, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 8th Army, US Army, was lost on 4 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 28 January 2015.

    • PFC John R. Bowers, Company L, 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 14 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 20 February 2015.

    • SGT Wallace J. Dawson, Company L. 3rd Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division, US Army, was lost on 14 February 1951 in South Korea. He was accounted for on 7 March 2015.

    • PFC Lotchie J.R. Jones, Company B, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 28 February 1951 in North Korea. He was accounted for on 26 February 2015.

    From Southeast Asia

    • CMSgt Edwin E. Morgan, 6252nd Combat Support Group, US Air Force, was lost on 13 March 1966 in Laos. He was accounted for on 4 March 2015.

    • SSG Bunyan D. Price Jr.,2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 May 1970 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 25 February 2015.

    • SGT Rodney L. Griffin, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, US Army, was lost on 2 May 1970 in Vietnam. He was accounted for on 30 March 2015.

    You’re no longer missing, my elder brothers-in-arms.  Our apologies that it took so long.

    Rest in peace.  You’re home now.

    . . .

    Over 73,000 US personnel remain unaccounted for from World War II; over 7,800 US personnel remain unaccounted for from the Korean War; and over 1,600 remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA).  Comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from recovered remains against mtDNA from a matrilineal descendant can assist in making a positive ID for unidentified remains that have already been recovered, or which may be recovered in the future.

    Regrettably, I’ve not yet found current POC information or instructions for submitting a mtDNA sample on DPAA’s web site (what I’ve found there seems to be outdated). When I do find the current instructions, I’ll post a link to that information.

    In the interim:  if you have a missing relative from World War II, Korea, or SEA, please consider contacting DPAA and see if you qualify to submit a mtDNA sample.  If you qualify, please consider submitting such a sample.  By doing so you just might help identify the remains of a US service member who’s been repatriated but not yet been identified.  Or you may help to identify remains to be recovered in the future.

    Everybody deserves a proper burial.  That’s especially true for those who gave their all while serving this nation.