[July 10, 2019] Recently we rightly celebrated D-Day, the Allied invasion of France that began 75 years ago in June 1944. But it was a year earlier, with the invasion of Sicily that the real battle for Europe began. On this date, July 10, 1943, the first elements of American and British troops landed on the southern coast… Read More »
[July 4, 2019] I like cake. I like it so much that my wife decided to get me a special 4th of July cake decorated to look like a U.S. flag. This is just one of those eternal symbols of my life here on Earth. Another is I’m a patriot. Like so many hundreds of men and women… Read More »
[July 3, 2019] Tomorrow is the 4th of July and a special time for all Americans. As a tribute to the many that fought for our freedoms, from the U.S. Revolutionary War to present, I’m providing a short story about WWII veteran Staff Sergeant Bernard Friedenberg. I’m fortunate to live in a part of the country that acknowledges… Read More »
[July 1, 2019] Yesterday, I was watching the movie, To Hell and Back (1955) when I remembered that I’d not written a “Hero” blog post in a long time. The movie, starring Audie Murphy (playing himself) has been one of my favorites since I can remember.1 “I’ll tell you what bravery really is. Bravery is just determination to… Read More »
[June 16, 2019] If you’re Pilipino, you probably know about the Battle of Bud Bagsak (part of the Moro Rebellion, June 1913). Almost no one else has heard of the battle; certainly not in U.S. military circles. This final battle was the end of the resistance in the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). It was weird that I had not… Read More »
[June 14, 2019] Today is Flag Day in the United States. As a military veteran, the date is important to me because it symbolizes what is good about our country, our history, and its free people. That may seem like an old-fashioned sentiment but it is exactly what it takes to maintain support for a strong military and… Read More »
[June 10, 2019] Last year while visiting Arlington National Cemetery, I came upon a group of U.S. Marines who had taken a knee next to the grave of their Company Commander who had been killed in battle. They were showing their respect for the man who had saved them in 2004 at the Second Battle of Fallujah. To… Read More »
[June 8, 2019] There’s an old but common piece of advice for leaders; praise in public, punish in private. For me (I was always a bit slower at picking up good habits) it meant that when we give someone a reward, it should be done where others can see it. But if we want to punish someone for… Read More »
[June 6, 2019] Most of the people alive today in the world were born after the year 1995. To them, the Longest Day, D-Day, must seem like ancient history. Arguably the most important date of the 20th Century for all living people, most folks don’t even understand its direct impact on their lives and the freedoms they enjoy.… Read More »
[June 5, 2019] The thumbnail to this article shows General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, speaking with paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division before their jump into France on this date, June 5, 1944. The day before D-Day, originally planned for this date but delayed due to poor weather, the great juggernaut of more than 1.5 million… Read More »