[June 1, 2024] I recently came across an article written by Dick Conoboy and I was taken by his respect for a good friend. The article, titled “Lewis, I Hardly Knew Ye,” is worth reading in its entirety. His friend is Lewis B. Puller, Jr. and if that name is familiar, it should be. Lewis was a Vietnam… Read More »
[May 29, 2024] People don’t learn much from history, which is unfortunate. My Dad was right about that and was correct in saying that we are much closer to historical events than we might imagine; we are all a step closer to history. I was blessed with family stories of the past, and I was surprised by what… Read More »
[May 28, 2024] After years of work, a small group of dedicated volunteers will unveil and dedicate a WWII Memorial in Atlantic City, NJ, on 6 June at Noon. If you are available, I recommend you attend. Get there early. The memorial is inspired by and based on the likeness of SSG Bernie Friedenberg. I wrote about the… Read More »
[May 26, 2024] Back by popular demand are some essential tips to make sure you don’t embarrass yourself while you observe Memorial Day. If you are young or haven’t had much interaction with Veterans, you might not have been “educated” on the proper ways to handle yourself. Let’s observe Memorial Day and not embarrass ourselves. [May 30, 2021]… Read More »
[May 23, 2024] It was my only dime. I was standing at the checkout counter at the Bastrop Piggly Wiggly Grocery store with my Mom. And there it was, a March of Dimes card with slots where a dime could be placed, the money used for funding polio research. I was looking forward to getting my first candy… Read More »
[May 19, 2024] We were on the ground, punching each other, yelling, grabbing, cussing, and rolling around in the dirt as we had just argued over something neither of us could remember. And the reason we fought was not as important as the fact we could fight and still remain friends despite bloody noses and bruises. Thinking for… Read More »
[May 18, 2024] When we experience hardship or suffering, an old idiom informs us to “Have the patience of Job.” True enough, I never got the whole meaning, but I better understood it during my time in combat. So, what is this story that had such an effect on me as an Army Officer? Here is the story… Read More »
[May 17, 2024] The U.S. Navy has always led our Armed Forces in the “woke” ideology that has infected so many respected institutions. And now the wokeness is in full display at the U.S. Naval College earlier this week. The world today is increasingly a dangerous place and becoming more so, with the Middle East, Russia’s invasion, and… Read More »
[May 14, 2024] I reported to my county’s Courthouse as a potential jury member in a civil trial this past Monday. Of course, I am prohibited from discussing the matter. Still, for those regularly reading my blog, you know that this experience will provide an unintended look into the lives of ordinary people, those same ones who make… Read More »
[May 13, 2024] “We love having you at our house, Little Big Man.” We called him Granddaddy; he was Bigmama’s husband. He was a short but strong man, forgiving of my misbehavior, forthrightly religious, a good storyteller, skilled with his hands, able to fall asleep in his office chair, and intense but compassionate. He was a man who… Read More »