Author: Zero Ponsdorf

Jonn and I had a disagreement some months ago…. Turns out he was right, in large part.

BUT,  Jonn is not the reason I’ve been scarce here.

I need to share this –  because it has been consuming my on-line time.

There is a FB group that is my new home.

Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club

Look it up if you happen to care about old Navy guys.

 

 

 

 

45 years ago today a thing happened.  Three MEN left Earth with goal of climbing to the moon.  As many did,  I watched them begin their climb safely from in front of a TV here on Earth.

A few days later I also watched them put bootprints on The Moon.  I was in awe, as were many.  I also relished their safe return.

The other Moon missions came and went with less fanfare.  BUT we had done it! YES!  WE had done it as a country as well.

Some time later I had the pleasure of working with some that had supported those missions from Hawaii.  We were gearing up for The first Space Shuttle launch.  They had only been able to listen over the NASA loop back then,  and had never seen a launch in real time.  Mainland TV was delayed until later.

Later we newbies asked about how they felt. They swung the dish ON the moon to look at some experiments still there…  And said WE helped to do that.

Now we depend on The Russians to carry warm bodies into orbit, etc.

History may be repeating itself… Yet again?

There IS this:

There are few here who haven’t heard about Agent Orange.  This post may highlight a new aspect for some.

However, there IS a sort of sidebar to the primary discussion. It has to do with the “Blue Water Navy”  operating in The Gulf of Tonkin.

There is a growing body of evidence that we were exposed by simply drinking distilled water and showering in the same when our saltwater intakes sucked up the run-off from shore.

I won’t bore you folks with the studies and press clippings about Congressional Bills pending here. But after decades the pendulum is swinging. Considering the current state of of the DVA and the congress inability to do much useful my hopes ain’t high for a resolution, BUT the clamor is growing.

 

 

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
George Santayana, The Life of Reason, Volume 1, 1905

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Many years ago we did our duty, came home, and watched as Saigon fell. Some were still there.

History seems to be repeating itself yet again.

In Iraq cities are falling not unlike they did back then. Most recent updates suggest that Baghdad is next.

Small positive thing. The folks that went into Iraq didn’t get spit at/on when they came home.  The rest remains to be seen.

Two or three times a year some of us older folks get a bit tangled up in memories (or memories of memories). Late April and much of May are my primary dates.

Late April because my pop was declared KIA in Korea on April 25, 1951.

Early May because I was discharged from the Navy after spending over a year around Vietnam, on May 9, 1969.

And then there is Memorial Day. The advertisements for sales and off topic events are difficult to avoid.

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Dunno if Jarheads celebrate birthdays, but I do.