4/29/2005
Honor Roll
Seven soldiers awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses
FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - Maj. Michael Lewis remembers the "overwhelming responsibility" he had in getting his soldiers in and out missions alive during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"We were under enemy fire," said Lewis, an MH-47E helicopter pilot who has been with the 160th for nine years. "There was damage to several of our aircraft, but no was injured."
Lewis, 39, of Eugene, Ore., and six other soldiers with the 2nd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) were presented Thursday with a Distinguished Flying Cross during a ceremony at Fort Campbell.
In addition to Lewis, other soldiers receiving Distinguished Flying Crosses were the following:
- Maj. Thomas R. Drew, 41, of Clarksville, Tenn., an MH-60L helicopter pilot and air mission commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 2, 2003.
- Chief Warrant Officer 4 Steven A. Lapping, 39, of Laurel, Md., an AH-6 helicopter pilot during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 2, 2003.
- Chief Warrant Officer 4 John Nailor, 38, Mechanicsburg, Pa., an MH-47E helicopter pilot during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 7, 2003.
- 1st Sgt. John Wade, 34, of Logan, W.Va., an MH-47E flight engineer during Operation Enduring Freedom on Oct. 19, 2001.
- Staff Sgt. Matthew W. Hubbard, 33, of Butler, Mo., an MH-60L crew chief and gunner during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 2, 2003.
- Staff Sgt. Jayson R. Sorensen, 26, of Seeley Lake, Mont., an MH-47E crew chief and machine gunner during Operation Iraqi Freedom on April 7, 2003.
...
Also, the Fort Campbell-based 2nd Battalion received the Valorous Unit Award for actions during Operation Enduring Freedom from Oct. 4, 2001, to March 5, 2002, in Afghanistan, leading to the ouster of the Taliban and al-Qaida forces.
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4/28/2005
I Love It
Christine Gregoire is now being referred to as "Former Attorney General."
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OBE
Yesterday my wife received the first letter I sent her after she left. It was mailed last Friday.
Amazing how fast things can change.
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Ma Deuce's Diary-28 April 2005
Marine describes ‘ruthless’ November battle in Falluja
MOUNT OLIVE TWP – After the bloody, month-long battle had ended to rout suspected insurgents from the Iraqi town of Falluja last November, Marine Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Juhls stood up in his tank and saw an Iraqi resident embracing his sons.
For the next two hours, Juhls and the Iraqi talked and when it was over, the Marine was grateful.
"He knew I was doing something to help him and there was no doubt that he would do the same for me," said Juhls.
...
When the fighting had ended, the Marines tossed out Beanie Babies, bottles of water and food to the children and other residents.
"The civilians in Falluja are great people," said Juhls.
Juhls said he is convinced the U.S. policy is right and that democracy will grow in Iraq.
"You can"t build democracy in four months," he said. "As long as the people are willing, it will happen."
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4/27/2005
Stand Down the Extra Angels
The extra guardian angels detailed to help cover SPC HL can stand down and resume their PTSD recovery program. (Assuming, of course, that Bill doesn't start flying again.)
SPC HL will be returning home in the hear future. And our family will be expanding to full fire team size around Christmas time.
Thanks to all of you for your prayers and support.
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Ma Deuce's Diary-27 April 2005
Villagers will honor flier they hid during WWII
Skimming above the French countryside at nearly 300 mph, 2nd Lt. Bob Couture spent the afternoon of June 7, 1944 - the day after D-Day - hunting and strafing German army convoys until anti-aircraft fire knocked his P-51 Mustang fighter out of the sky.
Marine from Tonganoxie returns from Iraq
"I don't want to sound corny," Lance Cpl. Tyler Wise said, "but the 9-11 thing really stuck in my craw. I didn't do anything right away ... went to K-State for a year ... had a good job at Federal Express....But I thought joining the Marine Corps was what a lot of red-blooded Americans might want to do."
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4/25/2005
Another Downside to SPC HL Being Mobilized
There's nobody home during the day to take delivery if I want to order another C&R gun. If I want to get one (and I have the time)I have to drive all the way out to the UPS shipping center at the airport.
This is going to cut back on my C&R buying quite a bit.
Of course, that'll make it easier to save up to get that XCR.
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Good News from Iraq
Via Instapundit, we find this interesting thread at StrategyPage. Dig in a couple of pages, and you find this bit:
To most Iraqis, the Iraqi police and soldiers are now seen as the good guys, and the terrorists as the bad guys. The Americans are a bunch of foreigners who help out the good guys and give out candy to the kids.
And, Arthur Chrenkoff has his biweekly update.
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PSA: Attention Pierce County Gunnies
Positions on firearms group open to residents of unincorporated area
Pierce County is accepting applications to fill four citizen positions on the newly created Firearms Advisory Commission.
Commission members make recommendations to the County Council and County Executive John Ladenburg on numerous issues, including petitions regarding the creation, dissolution or change of areas where the discharge of firearms is restricted or prohibited.
The open positions on the commission will represent unincorporated Pierce County, so applicants must live within unincorporated areas.
Ladenburg will make appointments to the commission, subject to confirmation by the council. Applications are available at the county executive’s office in the County-City Building, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 737 or from the Department of Planning and Land Services, 2401 S. 35th Street.
Applications must be submitted to the executive’s office, 930 Tacoma Ave. S., Room 737, Tacoma, WA, 98402, by April 29.
For more information, call Toni Fairbanks of the Department of Planning and Land Services, 253-798-7156.
Given that a favorite, and under-reported tactic of the GFWs is to restrict places available to shoot them, it's important to get pro-gun folks on this panel. I know there's at least one range in what I think is unincorporated Pierce County, and we wouldn't want it to get shut down.
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