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

Category: Blue Skies

  • General Robert W. Cone passes

    General Robert W. Cone passes

    Robert W. Cone

    Bobo sends us the sad news that General Robert W. Cone has passed at the age of 59. Cone was the commander of Fort Hood when a jihadist gunned down 45 of his troops in 2009. From the New Hampshire Union Leader;

    In March 2014, Cone retired as commander of U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, which oversees training, recruitment and new equipment integration for the Army.

    As commander of III Corps, Cone deployed to Iraq to serve as deputy commanding general for operations, the second highest-ranking military officer in Iraq, said Shaheen, a New Hampshire Democrat.

    Cone was responsible for operations throughout the country, including the development and training of Iraqi Security Forces.

    “In his nearly 35-year military career, Gen. Cone rose through the ranks of the U.S. Army to become a distinguished four-star general and he leaves behind a legacy of hard work, grit and dedication to our Armed Forces,” [U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen] said.

    “Gen. Cone devoted his life to preserving freedom at home and abroad, serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, Qatar, Kuwait and Germany, and his distinguished career has made New Hampshire proud. My thoughts are with Gen. Cone’s family — the Granite State mourns your loss and we are grateful for your family’s service to this country.”

    Try as I might, I can’t find the cause of his passing.

  • Dabney Montgomery passes

    Dabney Montgomery passes

    Dabney Montgomery

    Tom L. sends us a link to the sad news that Dabney Montgomery, a ground crew member of the Tuskegee Airmen fighter squadron has passed at the tender age of 93.

    His wife, Amelia Montgomery, said he died of natural causes Saturday morning at a Manhattan hospice care facility. He had lived in Harlem until he entered the facility Aug. 25.

    Montgomery was born in in Selma, Alabama, in 1923 and was inducted into the armed forces in 1943.

    […]

    Montgomery remained active until his final weeks, frequently visiting schools to talk to children about his experiences growing up in Alabama, serving in the war and marching for civil rights.

    “He just loved motivating young people to be somebody,” Amelia Montgomery said. “That was his joy.”

  • GEN John W. Vessey Passes

    GEN John W. Vessey, US Army (Ret), has died.  He was 94.

    Vessey was the 10th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, serving in that capacity from 1982-1985.  As CJCS, he oversaw the peak of the Reagan military revival.  US success in both Gulf Wars can be traced to changes in the US military made or begun during that period.

    Vessey enlisted in the MN ARNG in 1939.  He served in World War II in both North Africa and Italy.  He received a battlefield commission at Anzio in 1944, having previously served as a company First Sergeant.  After World War II, Vessey chose to make the Army his career.

    As a commissioned officer, Vessey held multiple commands.  He commanded 2/77th FA during the Battle of Suoi Tre and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during that battle (his unit was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation).  His later commands included the 3rd Armored Division’s DIVARTY, the 4th Infantry Division, and Eighth US Army in Korea.

    In the last assignment, Vessey had the distinction of being one of the few people able to prevent that “wonderfully competent” POTUS, Jimmuh-the-Clueless, from doing something monumentally stupid.  Vessey is reputed to have convinced Carter to delay, then finally cancel his plan to withdraw US combat forces from Korea.  Doing this is believed to have caused Vessey to be bypassed for Chief of Staff of the Army in mid-1979 (he was named Vice-Chief instead and the newly-promoted GEN Edward C. Meyer was appointed by Carter as Chief-of-Staff).

    Vessey retired in 1985.  At the time of his retirement he had served in uniform for 46 years.

    Post-retirement, Vessey served under two Presidents as special emissary to Vietnam.  His primary focus in both assignments was accounting for US personnel still missing in Southeast Asia.

    Rest in peace, General.  The nation is better off today due to your service.

     

    (The current Wiipedia article on GEN Vessey was also used as a source in preparing the above.)

  • David Huddleston passes

    David Huddleston passes

    David Huddleston

    David sends us the sad news that David Huddleston has passed at the tender age of 85. He’s famous for his role as the mayor in the iconic western comedy Blazing Saddles and as The Big Lebowski.

    Huddleston, like many of his generation was also a veteran – he was an aircraft mechanic in the newly-created US Air Force.

  • Body of Airman Missing in Italy Recovered

    For  a number of days SSgt. Halex Hale, USAF, has been missing.  Unfortunately, his whereabouts are now known.

    Per Italian authorities, SSgt. Hale’s body has been recovered from a river near Sacile, Italy.  He is believed to have drowned.

    Hale had been missing since attending a cookout roughly 10 days ago.  He left the cookout – leaving behind his car, credit cards, and cell phone – to walk to a friend’s house nearby.  He was not seen again alive.

    Hale had approximately 6 years service in the USAF, including a tour in Afghanistan.

    Rest in peace, Staff Sergeant.  May God comfort your surviving friends and family.

  • Senior Military Iran Embassy Hostage Passes

    Fox News reports that Col. Thomas E. Schaefer, USAF (Ret), has passed. He was 85.

    Col. Schaefer was the senior US military officer taken prisoner by Iran during their act of war against the United States on 4 November 1979 – the seizure of the US Embassy. He was at the time performing attache duty at the US Embassy.

    As the senior military officer captured, Schaefer was singled out for harsh treatment. He was held in solitary confinement for 150 of the 444 days he was held prisoner, and was subject to extensive interrogation by his Iranian captors.

    Schaefer passed away in hospice care in Scottsdale, AZ, of congestive heart failure. He was 85.

    Godspeed, Colonel. May you have been in heaven a half hour before the devil knew you were gone.

  • Coronado Turns Out to Honor SOC Keating

    Last week, Coronado turned out to honor SOC Charles Keating IV.  Twice.

    The first was on Thursday.  On that day, in excess of 1,000 turned out for a memorial ceremony for SOC Keating.  At that ceremony he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.  He was also posthumously promoted to Chief Petty Officer.

    The second occurred on Friday.   Over 3,000 lined 6th Street for his funeral procession.  The profession took SOC Keating’s remains to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, where he was interred in a private ceremony.

    Rest in peace, brother-in-arms.  You did your duty, and you did it well.

    And thank you, citizens of Coronado.

  • SEAL Killed In Iraq Identified

    SEAL Killed In Iraq Identified

    SO1 Charles Humphrey Keating IV

    The identity of the SEAL KIA in Iraq yesterday has been released.  He was SO1 Charles Humphrey Keating IV, based at Naval Amphibious Base Coronado.  He was a native of Arizona.

    SO1 Keating was reportedly part of a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) sent to rescue a small group of US advisors to the Kurdish Peshmerga when they and their Kurdish allies were attacked by numerically superior Daesh forces.  While performing that mission, he was killed in ground combat, most probably by AK-47 fire, IVO the town of Tel Asku, Iraq.

    He was 31 years old.

    If the name rings a bell, yes:  his grandfather was indeed that Charles Keating Jr.  However, regardless of his grandfather’s history of financial malfeasance the younger Keating appears to have been a decent  guy.

    Rest in peace, brother-in-arms.  May God comfort your surviving family, friends, and professional colleagues.

    No combat troops in Iraq, eh?  Yeah.  Right.