For all of you who reside in this land of comparative peace and freedom, just thought I’d let you know that twas on the 19th of March 1952 that this fearless soldier, all 135 pounds of him, embarked from the port of Seattle. His mission? Why save the world for democracy, what did you expect. I’ll never forget the feeling of wondering how in heck I got into this predicament. Hey, I joined the army ’cause I was hungry, not to go fight someone! However, Uncle Sam saw the wisdom of sending me off, and even provided me a sendoff with a full Army Band. The stirring march they played (to bolster my courage I presume) was a then current popular tune entitled “So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You!!” However, once I got used to the idea of possible combat, I enjoyed the 14 days (except for the first two which I spent hanging over the rail) aboard the USNS Marine Phoenix. And that’s this week’s exciting episode from The Life of This Day.
Other than that, started going back to the Y after a lay-off of 8 or 9 months. Not too bably out of shape. I’d been trying to walk a couple of miles on a regular basis, but found that my foot was giving me trouble so thought the arobic equipment at the Y would be a better form of excercise. Greenville Chorale has started rehearsals for it’s April 22 concert. Real tough (for me) stuff including Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, in Hebrew< and Tres Cantus Laudendi, by Mack Wilberg, in Latin. I think, if we behave ourselves, they'll let us try English next year.
OK, now I typed all this (and my one finger is sore) so let’s see if we can get it on the Blop page of all Blog Pages.
4 thoughts on “The Land of the Free”
Comments are closed.
If my history lessons are correct, I believe that we were not invaded – NOT ONCE – by anyone while you were saving democracy for us all (even if we were not yet twinkles in your eye). Thanks, Dad! 🙂
Dad,
It was also in March (of 1976) that I swore to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United State” with the US Navy. I was supposed to be enlisting in the Navy’s “Cachet” program whereby I would enlist but, don’t actually show up for training until I graduated from high school. Or that’s what I thought.
Unfortunately, either I swore the wrong oath or somebody had me in the wrong line because, as soon as I took that oath they wanted me to go get on a train and head for Chicago! (I, of course, wanted to go home…and finish high school).
After a little wrangling, and a delightful one-sided conversation with a frustrated Petty Officer; done with the flowing, effortless prose of a true military man: (“YOU STUPID @!#$@%^$! SON OF A !@#~%%% WHAT THE !@#$%!! DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING….etc, etc, etc”) I was allowed to return to my home and show up a few months later.
No songs, no band, no boat, no water, no combat. I guess that explains why I never get a card on Veteran’s Day….
Uh….March 26, 1997
Following an anonymous tip, police enter a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, an exclusive suburb of San Diego, California, and discover 39 victims of a mass suicide. The deceased–21 women and 18 men of varying ages–were all found lying peaceably in matching dark clothes and Nike sneakers and had no noticeable signs of blood or trauma. It was later revealed that the men and women were members of the “Heaven’s Gate” religious cult, whose leaders preached that suicide would allow them to leave their bodily “containers” and enter an alien spacecraft hidden behind the Hale-Bopp comet.
Stardate: 2315
Ships Log. While patrolling in Quadrant 7 of the Hymeria Constellation, the Enterprise comes under attack by Klingons. One nacelle is damaged and there is only Warp 1 capacity. Suddenly, Scotty thinks he’s a River Dancer. Will the madness stop?