Misery...the Spark Of Joy

Chapter 17: OBedeOne

"O Lord," I muttered, my voice cracking and dry, writhing in pain, the fire from the shingles burning, searing my flesh, exposing every nerve to a pain so severe I thought it could not ever be worse.
I was wrong. My eye felt like the receiving end of a blowtorch. FIRE!

I kept looking in the mirror to see if my face was melting. It sure felt like it was.
And the itching...that damned itching! Maddening! I was losing my mind! I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs, but I would not. Not while I was conscious.
Sometimes I would awake to find myself screaming, for in the dream world it was worse. It was war, and I was alone...practically powerless.

The enemy, demonic, satanic, tortured me, seemingly at will. All types of horrors I could never imagine attacked me from every front...relentlessly, with no relief in sight.

"My God!" I pleaded. Then would come the temptation to curse Him. "Never!" I protested.

But He can stop all of this in the twinkling of an eye.

Shut up! This is my fault! I thought. I...deserve this. I and I alone sinned...

What kind of God allows this kind of suffering?

Damn you! I thought. Get the f*ck away from me you bastard! In the name of Jesus I command you! I prayed.

The silky voice ceased, immediately.

"Th...thank you...Father," I whispered.

But the pain remained. Fire! I tried to stop myself from scratching, but I couldn't help myself. And yet, the scratching made it worse.

I suffered and endured, in silence.
I. Will. Not. Scream. I ground my teeth and steeled myself...for the upteenth time.
I. Will. Not!

I looked at the clock in my hospital room. Only five minutes had passed. Time had slowed down. It was as if time had partnered with this evil fire and itching.

Evil, the fire, sought to break me.

No! I thought. Never!

But time wasn't on my side. How can I fight time? I wondered. Time is just a concept, a measure. How can it slow down? That's...impossible.
Impossible or not, time did, indeed, slow down.

"O God!" I said, "please...forgive me. Again. I'm so sorry." I concluded, clutching the scapular of the archangel Michael I was wearing.

Of course, I knew God had forgiven me, but I still could not forgive myself. I was ridden with guilt, and fire was it's manifestation.

"Do you deny the power of the blood of Christ?" A Voice asked.

Wha? No! Of course not! I thought.

"Then you must believe you are forgiven." The Voice replied.

I do believe. I thought. Didn't I? Did I really believe?

"Self flaggelation will not help you. Your efforts to punish your self is wasted and will come to naught," the Voice said with Authority.

Hot tears streamed from my eyes as I felt a Love I could never fully describe envelope me.

Aye. Aye! I was forgiven! And that was that!

And still, the fire, the itching from hell returned, worse still.

"Thank you Father," I said, smiling, and then...laughing.

I'm going insane. Mad. I'm a lunatic. This is crazy. I'm crazy.

For some reason I found these thoughts hilarious, and I found myself laughing, hysterically. Histerically. There was a method to the mystery of this madness.
A higher purpose. Again...laughter.

"Ow!" I said, laughing. Even the pain, hurtful as it always is, was funny.

The ferocity of the fire burned hotter, and the itching still worse.

How is this possible? I wondered, stunned by the massive assault of pain.
What was the limit? The highest extent of this pain? Would I pass out?

That's it! Pain was distracting me. "Ha ha ha!" I laughed. This too, was very funny!

Now the pain was getting frustrated...angrier, hatefull...malevolent! I sensed...murder! I laughed!

Evil doesn't like to be laughed at, I thought, but it wasn't my thought.

"Death hates to be laughed at," the Voice said, tinged with an insiders knowledge of the deepest humore. "and so does evil."

I was beginning to realize this amazing and liberating Truth. Humore. That was my greatest weapon...my sword to be used to dispatch these demo0ns that were tormenting me.

It wasn't a frivolous humor, but a serious humore! A humore full of Life, and far more, 'cause Life can't be contained!

Life! Can't! Be! Contained! That's brilliant! I thought, in awe at this great revelation.

And still...the pain redoubled it's efforts!

I grimaced under this onslaught. "God!" I cried. I was on the verge of passing out, as everything started...fading...into darkness. A darkness so black...so all-consuming.

Hope began to fade...

Then an amzing thing happened. I don't know if I was awake or dreaming. A bright, intense light grew above me and took form. It was an Angel! An ArchAngel! Michael!

He was a giant, with strong, pure white wings protruding from his back. He was wearing a gleaming armor immaculately designed, and before him he wielded a massive broad sword, cutting through the dark beings attacking me!
He was so brilliantly bright he hurt my eyes to behold! And he emitted righteousness and the authority of God Himself!
Never had I witnessed such a ferocious intensity of Justice!

Those demons shrieked in terror, trying desperately to escape as Michael easily dispatched them. Finally, sleep, a sweet sleep gently enveloped me, and I felt a Peace I couldn't comprehend, let alone explain.

I awoke, hours later to fire, itching fire, and pain. But it had lost it's power over me. It had lost it's intensity. Hope! Burned within me, and this burning didn't bring pain, but rather...release, liberation, freedom.

For two weeks I waned towards death and waxed back to Life. The odds of death, I later was told by my doctor, was 50%, and higher for the loss of my eyesight in the eye riddled with shingles, but I beat the odds...Lived...and saw.

It brought to mind an old saying: "now I see," said the blind man, picking up a hammer, and saw.

The eternal pain had ended. It wasn't eternal, as I had thought.
I was...alive!

"Thank you, Lord," I said, a feeling of gratefullness at the greatfullness overwhelming me within' and without.

"You're the miracle man," my doc said, smiling, on the day of my discharge.

He knew. He believed in God. And his joy brought even more joy to me.

"It was touch and go there, for awhile," he said. "But you know, I never doubted you would come through this. Never quit fighting, Ben!"

"Thanks, Doc! I That's great advice! I give credit to God! Without Him...I wouldn't be here."

Doc smiled, and nodded.

The years flowed past, and the shingles returned two more times, but never as bad as the first.

Then it happened. I was talking to my youngest daughter, who was a Senior in high school.
We were parked in the Safeway parking lot, and I was trying to pass on some wisdom I had learned to her.

Something was wrong. I was getting increasingly difficult to talk, and my words couldn't keep up with my mind.
I began to stutter...a lot. My speech became slurred. The more I concentrated the worse it got.
I could see the concern on my daughters face. She knew something was wrong but she didn't know what.
Neither did I.

In mid sentence my voice caught, and a very weird moaning came out of my mouth as I tried to speak.
Everything went black, and I felt like I was suffocating. My body began to jerk around uncontrollably. Fear gripped me! No, terror! I had lost control of my body and my mind!

This is it, I thought. I'm dying, and I couldn't even say "help." I didn't even have time to say a prayer before I lost conciousness.
I felt bad for my daughter who would no doubt be upset.

...

Now This We Can Do!

"The Wizard will help us! If we can just make it past the flyin', butt-ugly monkeys! Now where did our guide, Mr. Scatter scurry off to?"

My good friend, Jim, wrote this amazingly well thought out energy plan to his Representative and Senators, and I'm gonna do the same. You'll know why after you read it!

Any politician that says we can't do this might as well admit they are merely obstructing any solutions to our energy problems (that many of them created or at least made worse) and don't give a fig about the folks that hafta live with the reality of a budget.

Many Leftists and some Conservatives and others can yell at the top of their lungs that they WANT cheap alternative energy NOW (along with a vast, dependable and renewable supply along with a cheap delivery system and cheap vehicles designed to use it that everyone can afford), but anyone with a lick of sense, and who isn't camped out at Camp Conspiracy (but I repeat myself) knows that Reality doesn't give a crap about all this WISHIN' n' HOLLERIN' and STOMPIN' of FEET goin' on!

And all this talk about an Energy Manhattan-like Project is just plain nuts. For one thing, we never had to worry about affordable A-bombs for everyone with a cheap delivery system to boot.
And politicians at that time weren't tryin' to prevent real solutions either. There's plenty more wrong with that boneheaded "Manhattan" analogy, but I hardly need to state the obvious.

Anyway, this is the most concise and well written energy plan that I have read, and I have read a lot! And, it's Realistically doable!

Thanks, Jim! And now, without further ado:

Dear Representative Larsen,

I am writing to you about the energy problem this country faces because I believe the problem is entirely self inflicted. I also believe that wrong-headed Congressional policy has played a large part in this issue.

So, I'm writing to make some suggestions that I think could help you as we work to solve this problem. These come from just an average citizen who has tried to inform himself about the issues. If much smarter people than I got to work on them they might have even better ideas. The government has access to smart people. I hope you will use them.

As I see it the problem can be broken down into three areas. The first and most immediate is providing fuel for transportation in this country. Without adequate supplies of fuel (gasoline, diesel, ethanol, biodiesel, jet fuel), prices will increase to the point where our economy and even our military will be crippled and produce far below their potential. A crippled economy provides less of everything that allows Americans to enjoy their present high standard of living.

The transportation problem can be broken down into three divisions, Immediate action (now to 3 years), Intermediate action (3years - 10 years), and long term (10 years - 50 years).

What can be done immediately (now to 3 years) to help alleviate soaring fuel prices?
1. Investigate the oil commodities market to see if, in fact, there is any chicanery going on there. There are rumors of this. It seems that steps should be taken to dispel the rumors or verify them. If there is chicanery and oil prices are artificially inflated, steps can be taken to stop the chicanery. This would reduce prices immediately.

2. Announce that the Federal Government will release 1/3 of the strategic oil reserve in daily amounts that would tilt the supply demand equation slightly into surplus supply.

3. Eliminate the tariff on Brazilian ethanol. This would bring much more ethanol into the system at reasonable prices. In addition, pass legislation requiring all autos in this country to have flex fuel engines. (Cost - about $100/car.)

4. Authorize new refinery capacity or additional capacity for old refineries bypassing the onerous permitting and environmental roadblocks to such action. The refinery capacity in this country needs to be increased by at least 20% as quickly as possible.

5. Implement a policy of aggressive exploration for oil in this country.This would mean opening up for drilling the Intercontinental shelf areas off both coasts and the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Enact strict measures to make the drilling and production facilities environmentally safe. Open up not only ANWR, but also the Naval Petroleum Reserve that is west of Prudhoe Bay in northern Alaska.

6. Allow large pilot programs for developing our oil shale reserves in the Green River Shale of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming. Encourage development of coal to liquid projects near large coal deposits. These coal based liquids can provide fuel for diesel trucks and jet engines, two of our biggest users of transportation fuels.

7. Encourage telecommuting, 4 day (10 hour/day) work weeks, video-conferencing, and other such fuel saving ideas that can save workers both money and fuel. A lot seems to be happening here already.

8. Brazil has just found two huge oil fields in their offshore area. Now would be a good time to provide expertise and incentives to get that oil in the pipeline with the U. S. as a major customer.

What can be done in the intermediate term. (3 - 10 years.)?
1. It takes about ten years for the truck and auto fleet in this country to become more efficient overall. Give tax incentives to people to buy more fuel efficient cars during this entire period.

2. Push forward aggressively in reforming the Air Traffic Control System in the U.S. This neanderthal, inefficient system costs the airlines and their passengers much wasted fuel and time every day. Consider privatizing the Air Traffic Control System to accomplish the goal.

3. Give the auto makers incentives to produce more fuel efficient cars. High mpg diesel engines may well be the way forward over the intermediate term. The technology is available, easy to implement, and cheaper than hybrids or all electric cars.

4. This is when opening up the offshore and Alaskan areas will begin to pay off. Oil from that exploration and drilling will come to market allowing us to import much less oil.

5. The work started on ethanol and bio-diesel 3 years ago will start paying off.

What can be done in the long term (10 - 50 years.)
1. Provide incentives for research on clean new fuels for transportation. Electric and hydrogen power now seem to be the leaders, but they must first be made practical and available at a price that won't destroy the economy. Any such new mode of transportation power would take 25 - 50 years to implement, so it is for the long term.

2. It is at this point that our efforts to utilize coal-liquids and oil shale will come to fruition. While the U.S. will be shifting to other energy for transportation, many nations will still be dependent on oil based products. We could then become an exporter of petroleum.

3. We mustn't lose sight of the fact that we will continue to need oil/petroleum based products to produce plastics, medicines, fertilizer, and fabrics. We also must recognize that fuel for our aircraft will be petroleum based much longer than for trucks/autos.

The second part of our energy problem relates to the energy to provide plentiful supplies of electricity. At present our electricity is produced by hydro-electric power, coal-fired plants, natural gas fired plants, nuclear plants, wind generators, tidal generators, solar panel arrays, and geothermal heat. It is estimated that we will need to double our electric generating capacity in the next fifty years. Maybe more than that if electric cars become practical.

1. We are going full speed ahead on solar, tidal, wind, and geothermal. Unfortunately, at best those sources probably will not produce more than 20% of our total electricity needs. Natural gas is limited and is more valuable at present as a source for heating buildings. Coal produces most of our electricity, but is dirty. The one alternative that is clean and abundant is nuclear. This country needs to get cracking on building nuclear power plants now. They take time to build and we will need a lot of them over the next 50 years. The U.S. Navy has been using nuclear power in their ships for 50 years with no major accidents. The new pebble bed nuclear units are simpler, safer, and more efficient than old technology.

2. There are still many places in the U.S. where small hydro-electric plants could be installed. The Swiss have put in small plants all over their country. Wherever there is water running downhill, hydroelectric can be made to work. This should be encouraged. Once a plant is built the cost to produce clean electricity is quite small.

3. There may be other clean energy sources for electricity and research for those new sources should be ongoing.

The third part of the energy equation relates to heating our buildings. Much has already been done in this area. Improved building codes, better windows, tighter sealing, heavier insulation, more efficient furnaces and water heaters are all part of the mix. We have come a long way in conservation, but there is still more that can be done. However, sealing up houses too tightly is unhealthy for the occupants. So there is an upper limit to gains in that area. In the Northeast many houses are still heated with heating oil. Natural gas is presently cleaner and more efficient for home heating. Oil heat should be phased out and replaced by natural gas wherever possible. It seems to me that geo-thermal heat pumps are the building heating systems of the future. (5 - 50 years) They are much, much more efficient than a regular heat pump. Work needs to be done to make them easier and less disruptive to install (their coils have to be below ground or underwater) as well as priced comparably to a natural gas furnace (Presently about 2-3 times as expensive).

I hope you will look at these ideas and realize that our present problem is the result of not utilizing the resources we have here in this country while relying on buying them from other countries, some of whom do not have our best interests at heart.

Sincerely yours,
JimmyJ.

You Damn Right You Will!

After some terse negotiatons (Raccoon style), Triwest has waved the white flag, and Patti is covered again, no thanks to our Democratic politicians.
I was just about ready to call all the TV news stations when Triwest promptly decided to do the right thing, urged on with a little Raccoon persuasion.

I'm still not happy with their current policy, and I intend to continue writing Congress and asking them to change this idiocy which is dishonorable to say the least.
If our Representatives continue to ignore this valid request, for Triwest (a contractor hired to serve Veterans and their Dependents) to give Veterans and their Dependents written notice and warnings should they be unfortunate enough to miss a payment they received no bill for, then I fully intend to pursue this matter with any news organization that will listen.
Because Veterans and their families don't deserve this kind of treatment...not for the service they gave for their country.
And include Dependents in that service, for they sacrifice a lot so that we Vet's could do our duty.
In fact, I often thought it was much harder on my family (particularly my wife) than it ever was on me when I served.

Thank you for all your prayers and for your concern and help. You guys are good friends indeed!

Now...hopefully, I can finally return to writin' stories. I'm kinda wonderin' how the story ends myself... and begins... :^)

Socialized Idiocy Warning

I'm one ANGRY Raccoon right now!!!

You know, the following is a prime example of one of many problems that socialized healthcare brings.
This warning is primarily for Veterans and their family's, but it could very well happen to anyone if you happen to be stuck with a government "solution" to your healthcare.

Like Gagdad Bob, Thomas sowell, dennis, prager, etc., always say:
When the government does something for you, they do something to you. And 99% of the time that "solution" will end up being a major problem.

Here's a short explanation in a letter I sent to our State Representatives in a letter I sent to my friend Jim, 'cause he knows a lot of Veterans and they need to be warned.

Hi Jim!
How are you doin'? I hope all is well.

Patti and I are having serious problems with Triwest. Here's a short rundown from a letter I sent to our State Representatives:

Dear Sir,
Hi, how are you?
I'm a retired Navy veteran with 100% disability, and I live at the address listed above with my wife, Patti.
Recently, we received a letter from Triwest Healthcare Alliance stating that my wife would no longer be covered.
Apparently, unbeknownst to us, we missed a payment, but we didn't know we did because Triwest never sent a bill or a warning asking for payment.

When my wife called them, they told her that she should've checked out Tricare's website for that information.
My wife, who has diabetis and many other health problems tried to explain that things were hectic here, since the flood last December.
She also explained that we had no idea that all transactions were done through a website.
She also offered to pay to get our account up to date but was told she couldn't do that and was going to be dropped for at least a year from Triwest's coverage.
She was also told she could fax a letter of grievance and that she would get a reply in eight to 12 weeks.
How do I get my wife healthcare between now and then? And if Triwest chooses not to cover my wife, what then?

I believe this entire problem was handled wrongly by Triwest, for they really ought to notify military dependents when a payment is due or late, instead of putting the onus on us to check their website that we knew nothing about.
Triwest shouldn't have this power to arbitrarily drop veteran families from their coverage without any written warning.
What about other families that don't have a computer, or who also don't know about their website? Or if a computer gets broken?
This is ridiculous.

I would really appreciate it if you would do what you can to remedy this situation, and ensure it doesn't happen to other military and veteran families.
We are still paying a lot of money due to the flood damage we received, and we can't afford to pay even more for medical care my wife should be getting from Triwest.
Thank you, Sir, in advance for doing what you can.
V/R,
Benjamin A. Conrad USN (Ret)

Hopefully, I'll get a reply soon, but I know this can take several weeks. I'm thinkin' about contacting the News stations, and our local paper as well.
I know you know a lot of Veterans, so feel free to foreward this to them as a warning. Triwest isn't nearly as good as when our healthcare was operated by the military or even Champus.

Do you happen to know anyone in the news business there in Seattle? If you do, please pass this info on to them as well. I'm gonna doo all I can to ensure this doesn't happen to anyone else, and,
hopefully, to get my wife the care she needs.
I really appreciate anything you can do Jim. At the very least we can warn folks.

Take care and God bless!
V/R,
Ben

A little background:
Back in the day, we didn't have contractors handling our military health care, which includes our dependents.
The system wasn't perfect (there were long wait's for example) but it was a helluva lot better than it is now. And far less expensive. In fact, I only recall having to pay for hospital stays for my wife, which was around twenty bucks a night.

Now, we pay a lot more, to triwest, a civilian contractor, and to any civilian doc's and hospitals that they short change. And I'm talkin' several thousand dollars worth for us (emergency care and specialists that Madigan Army Medical Center doesn't have enough of). Same with some of Patti's meds.
Thankfully, they take payments.

To make matters worse, Triwest has a cap. If we go over that cap we are responsible for anything above that cap...the FULL amount.

So much for the "free" health care we were promised.
Fortunately, because I'm 100% disabled, I pay nothing for my VA healthcare, but other Veterans aren't so lucky if their disability is considered to low, and they have to pay for their medicine.

Personally, I'm outraged at this! Now, I'm not bein' envious here, but when our President pledges 13 billion dollars to Africa, to AIDS "prevention" programs that DON'T WORK! These AIDS "programs" are all big SCAMS!

We throw our tax dollars away for programs that are proven not to work, be it Africa, Haiti, the UN, etc, etc., and Politician scoundrels use our tax money for a frickin' Woodstock Museum, then yeah! I'm gonna get pissed!

Mister President, Congress (state and federal), and American voters...the next time you decide to throw our tax dollars away, or vote for someone that does, just ask yourself this (and hopefully, a lot more questions); are you taking care of Veterans? Do you really support the Troops? Then please get on the phone, or write you're Congress Representitives, and tell 'em that they are shirking their responsibility.

They made a promise to the guys and gals who have and are puttin' their lives on the line for America, and to their families...AND THEY AREN"T KEEPIN' IT!!!

If anyone reading this is considering voting for Obama so you can get "free" healthcare, I can gaurantee you, that "looniversal system" will be hundreds of times worse than the one we Veterans use!!! That is, if we or our Dependents don't get arbitrarily disenrolled.

Sorry about the rant, wbut I love my wife, and I'm gonna contact anyone that will listen to right this wrong.
And I'm gonna warn every Veteran I know.
Damn it! Veterans and their Dependents shouldn't have to contend with this BS!

I also recommend to everyone, to take advantage of the health savings plans (tax free!) if you have the means, and to buy as much insurance as you can afford while you're young n' healthy, 'cause once you get older, and it happens fast, and you begin to have health problems (God forbid!), it's too late.
Don't think the government will take care of you.

Remember, recently, an oregon woman using Medicaid, the Oregon state insurance for the poor, couldn't get coverage for a new drug to fight her cancer.
In other words, Oregon refused to pay for it. But, they did offer to pay for EUTHANASIA!!! WTF? Yeah, there's the end result of socialized healthcare.

The "evil" Pharmaceutical company that created the new medicine donated some to that lady, and hopefully, it'll work for her.

Better a fightin' chance than euthanasia, the G-d damned "death with dignity."
Excuse me, but there ain't no frickin' "dignity" in State assisted suicide!
No thanks, I'll die fightin' WITH all that pain, because you know what? That means somethin' if you got the right attitude. Dyin' fightin' to live IS DIGNIFIED.

Well, I could write all day on this stuff, and I'm sure more than one of my readers will disagree with at least some of my views, but please try to understand I'm speakin' generally, here. I know it's much more complex than what I'm talkin' about, and I'm NOT judgin' anyone who decides to take their own life.
But I am against the State doin' it, 'cause they will, eventually, abuse that authority and power.

Okay, I've gotten off topic here, sorta, but I hope y'all think about what I said, and if you know any Veterans, warn them, please. I don't want this happenin' to anyone else.

Thanks!

MythAdventures Will Resong Soon...

Enveloped by darkness, assailed from every direction, down...but not out!
Come and get some!

Sailor's Oath

"I am a United States Sailor, and a Warrior first. I fight under the Red, White and Blue of my Fathers and descend from the line of Jones, Decatur and Perry.
In my ears rings: I have not yet begun to fight and Don’t give up the ship!
And in my veins flows Fire and Gunpowder.

I will master my profession and demand that my fellow Sailors master theirs. I will follow when led, and lead when able. I will place nothing above the welfare of my fellow Sailors, save my Mission, and no matter what my ship, squadron, station or watch, I will help deliver Defeat to the Enemy.

With Honor in my deeds, Courage in my heart, and Commitment in my hands, I will do my duty until Victory is in hand and Liberty is secure."

Surrender is not an option.

By the Grace of Providence...I do so swear!

Thanks to my shipmate Jim for finding that Beautiful Oath!
And thank you, my friends, fellow Raccoons, Shipmates, welcome visitors, Patriots all, for standing by me and givin' me a helping hand! I Am humbled by your generosity and genuine cooncern.

You give me yet another Good reason to never give up, and to realize my purpose!
That photo at the top is more than just symbolic, and it say's it better than I can say! Ha ha!
I gno when you look at that photo you will see what aye sea.

Happy Birthday QP!!!

I hope you have the bestest Birthday ever!!! Overflowin' with happyness n' Joy!!!
I really appreciate you...so let me tell you why:


I wanna follow in your footsteps!




When I'm feelin' blue or just stuck in a rut, you cheer me on n' cheer me up!




You always have such great poetry and you teach me how to pray!




And you teach me how to relax n' slack!


Just like Bob slacks!




You're always willing to give the new kits a helping hand!



You gno what to do when I'm stumped!



And because you gno how to hug like the sister I never had!!!

I love you, QP!!! Never stop bein' you!!! :^)

Men of Valor, the Super Fortress, and Venus Ramey! UPDATE!

Awhile back, reader Matt, who read my post about Miss America Venus Ramey, wrote me an e-mail. He had a request. He wondered if I could colorize a photo of his Grandfather, who was a member of a crew attached to the 301st BG Flying Fortresses during World War Two.
Matt wanted to paint the photo on the side of his motorcycle, in honor of his Grandfather.
He also asked if I could get any info about the 301st BG.

Well, I can't do photo enhancements, but I knew someone who could. I wrote Robin and Julie, askin' if they knew how to colorize old B & W photos, but Robin was the only one who received the photo. It didn't show up on Julie's e-mail.
Anyway, Robin was more than happy to give it a go, and he looked foreward to the challenge.

Meanwhile, I searched for more info on the 301st BG and I found their website, maintained by surviving Veterans of the 301st BG (link below).


Who wouldn't want Venus's portrait on the nose of their bomber? She's a doll! And she was the first redheaded Miss America. Va va voom!
And she's brave, too! Shooting out the tires of thieves and taking them into custody until the police arrived! Venus Ramey is a Miss America we can all be proud of!

The 301st Bombardment Group Heavy




Robin did a spectacular job, and Matt (and his friend, Michael) liked it! There weren't too many pixels to work with, but that didn't stop Robin! Bravo Zulu, Robin!
Matt's Grandfather is the man in the lower left corner of the photo.



The following is many photos of the flying fortress, including some inside shots.















Can you imagine flying over enemy territory, getting shot at from anti-aircraft guns on the ground and the Luftwaffe in the air? Many men didn't make it back home.



























Thanks men! Thanks for fightin' the evil Nazi's, protecting America and our Allies, and securing our Liberty! Thanks for riskin' life and limb for generations of Americans you would never know. You guys are Heroes and you won't be forgotten.

I hope in some small way this honors Matt's Grandfather and the men of Valor that served with him.
Courage, Valor, Bravery, Nerves of Steel, Committment, Loyalty, Defenders of Liberty, are just a few of the words that describe these Heroes fightin' on the side of Good!!! God bless them, and God bless America!!!

Jim gives an outstanding report of the Reality of World War Two and how it affected Americans. More than that Jim shows, what it means to be a Patriot!!!
An example we would all do well to emulate!

"I was a teen during WWII and I guess that's one reason why it has been so hard for me to understand the anti-war movement in Vietnam and again today.

There were a few people who griped and weren't really "on board," but they were less than 5%. We saved paper, metal of all kinds, even tinfoil. We saved fat, string, and ate meat only twice a week unless we got lucky hunting. Powdered milk was easier to get than fresh. Most people tilled little "Victory Gardens," growing anything that worked in their climate. Rabbit, squirrel, and deer hunting was serious food gathering. Gas was rationed, tires were rationed, meat was rationed, silk stockings were very rare, and lots of other things were in short supply. We had war bond drives at school where we would bring our dimes and the whole school would buy a $20 bond.

After dinner at night the family would cluster around the radio to hear the latest news about how the war was going. In 1942 the news was mostly bad. In 1943 the tide began to turn and we knew we were going to win, but it would take a few more years. It felt like the whole country was pulling together for something worth sacrificing for. And it was!

Hollywood was behind the war effort and produced plenty of feel good movies about the heroism of our armed forces. John Wayne, Errol Flynn, and others who were too old or physically unable to serve made war movie after war movie. Bob Hope started the custom of entertaining the troops at his expense every Christmas.

My uncle, 1st Lt. Larry Goreski, was a Navigator-Bombardier on a B-17. His airplane was shot down on their 12th mission over Germany. None of his crew survived.

A fellow from my hometown was a waist gunner on the B-17. He managed to survive 25 missions. He told me he was always cold (They flew at 25,000 feet and higher) and always scared. But he managed to shoot down a few German fighters with his 50 caliber machine gun. He was only 23 years old when the war ended. He was so happy to be home and be alive, he always had a huge smile on his face and never complained about anything. What a heroic example he was.

With those examples for me I knew that if war came, and I was able, I had to go. And come it did. When Korea started I was a college student and was deferred until graduation. Then it was off to war for me. Didn't fire a shot in anger in Korea, but my turn eventually came in Nam.

I hate war, but this country is worth defending. Too many people today just don't get it."