War Journal - Oct. 4, 1944

4-Oct
Wednesday
Rained all last night & today. All my equipment is wet - no fire - and no place to dry ourselves. The next crack about how easy the AC has it will cause me to become violent! We pitched pyramid tents this afternoon. The six of us swiped a prefabricated latrine to use the walls for flooring in our tent. It will take several days to finish it.

War Journal - Oct. 3, 1944

3-Oct
Tuesday
Another mission took off today but with the same results as yesterday. Edwards, Pappas & I are on alert to go out tomorrow on a mission. They are meeting a few fighters now and that is bad! Edwards & I acquired another tent today so now we have one each. Rained intermittently all day. We are still restricted to the local area - so money is useless and I have no French money. There is no place to convert British money yet. Had our first meat today - pork chops - and they tasted better than steak. Our big tents should be here soon. The new is wearing off these pup tents and it is pretty aggravating. It has turned colder and is pretty hard to keep warm. Germans in civilian clothes are reported near here - shot a Frenchman last night - so we carry side arms and are suspicious of every one. The Frenchmen are very friendly to us. There is a great deal of confusion because so few understand each other. You should see me with the sign language method - everything from crying to standing on my head! The food situation is pretty bad - that is why we aren't allowed to leave the field.

War Journal - Oct. 2, 1944

2-Oct
Monday
The first mission was run from here today but weather prevented dropping bombs because our troops were so near the target. Finished up the officer's mess today but it will probably fall down tonight. There are some German planes & equipment left here but I have not had time to go see them yet. Water is still very scarce. Received four letters & a package of films today - first mail in France! We are allowed to write letters again now but do not have time during the day & can't see at night. All our crew sat around the fire tonight & talked about what we like to eat & do best back home. Guess we have been gone long enough to begin missing all that stuff. You should hear them tell about what each Mother cooks best!

War Journal - Oct. 1, 1944

1-Oct
Sunday
It rained on us last night but wasn't too bad. France is made up of very soft soil that readily turns to mud. We have plenty here from the small rain last night. Food & equipment is trickling in - in small quantities. Worked all day on a shack for the officer's mess - All our meals & kitchen is in the open now - rain or shine.

War Journal - Sept. 30, 1944

30-Sep
Saturday
All water is haul in here from one of the towns or England by plane. Our food is C & K Rations. Worked on a detail all day building mess kit rinse for KP's. We are camping out under extreme field conditions! Part of the advanced echelon of equipment, truck & supplies came in today - also ground crews. There are no bombs or gasoline here yet so no missions yet. Everyone is working to rebuild the field now. Cut my first head of hair today. Since we have had & will have no chance to go to a barber, I cut the co-pilots and bombadier's hair & the co-pilot cut mine. It was his first time too - & I'm scalped! I did a fair job considering all I had was scissors so the rest of the crew wants me to cut theirs. Had my shave & bath tonight from half a helmet of water. We only have one canteen of water to last the six of us until sometime tomorrow for drinking. We are 70Km from Paris so may get to go there soon. Sleeping on the ground is a little uncomfortable now but will get used to it soon.

A Time to Live, A Time to Die

A time to live, a time to die.

Can death be peaceful? I believe that it can.
Is there a fear of death? Yes, there is.

When we watch a birth, we consider the event as being a miracle.
When we observe a death, could that also be a miracle taking place?
Are the first breath and the last opposite ends of the same event?

What is the fear related to death?
I believe that it is the uncertainty of an unknown.
If we can gain a confidence in the certainty of a known, will the fear disappear?
I believe that the answer is, yes.
As we gain a confidence in the eternal life that follows the earthly life, the level of fear diminishes.

At a birth, the body is delivered from the womb.
At a death, the soul is delivered from the body.
The physical life of the body is a phase we pass through. It is not the goal or the “end”.
Death is the end of body-life.
Death is not the end of soul-life.
If we are in a realm of transition, in this life, what are we transitioning to?
What is the goal? What is the “end”?
Both have the same answer – eternal life.

This life on Earth is a period of passing through.
Our attention should be focused on the next life – eternal life – the goal and the “end”.
The “end” will ultimately become the beginning of forever.

The question evolves into where will the final life, that never ends, take place?
The answer lies in the temporary life…the testing ground.

The observance of a death of a body and the departing of a soul is a very spiritual occurrence.
There is a feeling of the hand of God at work.
You witness a permanent event, an instantaneous transition, the ultimate salvation of a soul.

A death has to be one of the most intimate occasions you can witness.
It has equal ranking with witnessing a human birth.
You have the honor of being present to the working of a miracle.
Things will never be the same, again.

To a Christian, death has no sting.
The approach of death should not be the rise of fear.
A Christ centered mindset and life delivers us from the realm of fear and torment.

Death is not a state necessitating a state of panic.
Death is not the end of the final chapter.
It is the opening of the doorway to eternity.
That is not to be feared.
Across the threshold are wide open arms.
Above the arms are love filled eyes.
Around the Light are celebrating angels.

No more darkness. No more pain. No more loneliness. No more fear.
Eternal Light from the Unending Love in Ever-present Glory.

Why should I be afraid?

A time to live…forever;
A time, without time, to never die.

Mike Foil, September 2009



To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. Ecc. 3:1-4

War Journal - Sept. 29, 1944

29-Sep
Friday
Took off at 7:30 this morning & flew to France today. Altitude of about 500' all the way so was able to see plenty. From the air it resembled England great deal except not as crowded. Our field is named Beauvaistille - 3Km from the town of Beauvais which is a fair size town. We are restricted until further notice to the field though. Good food & water is very scarce here. We moved into this field 28 days after it was cleared of Germans - & they did a total job of demolition. Absolutely nothing is usable. We had to clear an area of under brush to put our pup tents in the only trees on the field. These French like the Americans a great deal but not the English. A bicycle is worth 10,000 Francs & a package of cigarettes 100 Francs.

War Journal - Sept. 28, 1944

28-Sep
Thursday
Was on KP today - plenty work! All our equipment was put aboard ship today so we can leave early in the morning.

War Journal - Sept. 26, 1944

26-Sep
Tuesday
Went to field near Dunmow tonight to see Murphy - Fenety & crew - Not allowed to write or mail any more letters until we are settled in France. Rumor has it we will leave tomorrow.

War Journal - Sept. 24, 1944

24-Sep
Sunday
Extremely bad weather today - The only warm place was in bed so I did not get up until 5:00 PM - Read all day.

War Journal - Sept. 23, 1944

23-Sep
Saturday
Made my first combat mission today. Flew over parts of Belguim, France and Germany. Our target was marshaling yards at Dusseldorf, Germany. Was not able to drop bombs because of clouds and we lost formation. Came home alone. It is terrible uncomfortable in turrets with all the equipment - - I got air sick today too - second time! As a whole it was not too bad but I was plenty nervous at times especially alone over Germany.

Garbage Can - Mucho Garbargo

My page of notes of garbage is getting full so I decided it was time to unload a can full on the rest of you:

BO wants the Pentagon to study deep cuts in our nuclear weapons arsenal. This goes right along with the cancellation of the missile defence shield for Europe. After all, the World is at peace and all mankind is in love with each other and there is no chance that could go sour in our lifetimes or that of our grandchildren.

BO is studying a potential bailout for newspapers. Since we all know that when you take money from the government, there are strings attached. With many of these newspapers having trouble because they have ceased from doing impartial journalism and have become cheerleaders for the liberal agenda, why wouldn't they be willing to enter an agreement with BO where they would owe favors?

BO's diversity czar has stated that the "fairness doctrine" is not enough. We also need tough rules to enforce fairness.

BO made the Sunday morning TV programs (five of them) this past weekend. He is obsessed with being in front of the camera. The week before he was on six of the Sunday programs. He seems to have a need to make a "major" speech on a daily basis. It is all about BO! What does this mean? It could be a sign of insecurity and the need to be continually propped up and praised. It could be an indication of his god-complex, where he believes that all is needed is for him to say something to show support in order for us to then know how to think and feel.

When BO was asked about defunding ACORN, he claimed to not be aware that ACORN is receiving Federal funds. All I can say to this is; LIAR, LIAR, UNDER-ROOS ON FIRE!

This morning, BO made another major speech (the first in several hours since it was the middle of the night), this time to the UN. He told them that the right rules will unleash our best scientists to solve global climate change. "Right rules" means more government control over all of our lives and more taxes to pay for their agenda.

Tucson schools have initiated race-based discipline. Teachers are not to discipline minority students more often or at a higher rate than for white kids. They have formed an "equity team" to review and enforce equality discipline in the schools.

This Friday, in Washington D.C., there will be an organized day of prayer. This time, it will be a Muslim day of prayer with the "call to prayer" being broadcast across the Capital grounds. The Muslim lawyer who organized the event (a former defender of Muslims accused of terror attacks in the US) was encouraged to do so based on pro-Muslim statements by our new President.

The Navajo nation claims that their religious and cultural survival is at stake. Sounds serious. What could be the catastrophe causing such a warning? The Snow Bowl ski run in Flagstaff won approval to use treated waste water in snow-making machines. How is it that this could cause the end to their religious and cultural survival? It seems that treated water is better than untreated water. As I have been on those same mountains, I have never observed a sign prohibiting taking a leak on the side of a tree. If that would not bring their nation to its knees, how could cleaned-up water do that?

ACORN has been in the news, in a non-favorable light. Their response: "We will not be intimidated. We will continue working for poor people!" We can all rest easy, now.

War Journal - Sept. 22, 1944

22-Sep
Friday
Things have been quite-rainy-foggy for the past two days. Buzz bombs are coming more frequent every night. We are still on alert and will make our first mission as soon as the weather permits. We are all packed and prepared to move to France - it will be near Paris - Part of the field is leaving tonight. I made Buck Sgt. on the 14th this month. I was Pvt. & Cpl. exactly 7 months to the day each.

War Journal - Sept. 20, 1944

20-Sep
Wednesday
Had a mission called off twice today after we were already in the plane. Suppose to bomb Siegfred Line in Holland. Had practice run for shipping to France tonight also. Probably be leaving for France pretty soon. Buzz bombs coming over every night lately. One almost blew me out of bed last night before I woke up. They started early tonight - several has came over already. Got Earl's field last night on the phone but he was out. "We are destined not to meet!"

War Journal - Sept. 18, 1944

18-Sep
Monday
Went to school all day in the Gunnery Dept. The afternoon consisted of shooting skeet. Our entire field is alerted to move to France - so we may go just any day.

FAT Tax

What would we do without Big Brother looking over our shoulders making sure we are doing everything right, in their opinion?

Is the Government really concerned about the physical health of each and every one of us or is there an ulterior motive behind much of what they do?

They are considering a one cent per ounce tax on soft drinks. They claim that it is a motivation method to get us to do what is good for us. How is it that when they work to make us better, they are the ones who benefit financially from the process? Just a coincidence, I guess.

Beware of Bath Time Photos

A law suit was filed today in Arizona. The parents of two small children are filing suit against the State and Walmart. Just over a year ago, these parents submitted a photo memory stick for processing at Walmart. The memory included over 140 vacation photos, eight of which were photos taken of their small children during bath time.

When the photos were processed, the employee turned them over to the manager, who called the police, who called Arizona CPS, who removed the children from the home.

From all accounts, the photos were typical of photos many parents take of their little kids in such a situation. The police investigated and determined that the photos were not child porn and were regular bath time photos.

CPS kept the kids out of the home for a month before having to give them back. CPS then filed the paperwork with the Attorney General's office to remove the kids from the home, again. The parents had to hire an attorney to help them fight the State. Even though no one declared the photos to be porn and acknowledgement was given that they were typical of what many parents take, CPS pursued the case. It took nine months (until last May) when a judge ruled that CPS could not take the kids away from the parents.

Neutral Switzerland

As my mind wonders from one thing to another, it landed on a something that is either a dilemma or a great hoax played on the rest of the world.

As many of you are aware, the country of Switzerland has a reputation of remaining neutral during times of war. This was true in WWII. So, I wondered, why is this so? Is it that they do not want to fight or are unable to fight? Do they have and military? I do not remember ever seeing anything about a Swiss military. If they have one, why would they not use it to fight for what is right? So, I would have to assume that they do not fight in wars because they do not have a military.

So, what is this about: a Swiss Army Knife? I believe it is a hoax. The Swiss have no army! So, who came up with the name of this knife? It looks like a good boy scout knife, why didn't they call it that? All these years, we have believed that this little knife is the weapon of choice for the mighty Swiss Army. If you carry one of these (Ron), you might want your money back. You have been duped!

Just to be fair, let's assume that maybe there is a Swiss Army. They must be an embarrassment to the Swiss nation. First of all, their government refuses to ever let them fight. Second of all, everyone knows they would lose as they entered battle with the great Swiss Army Knife. Have they never heard that you don't take a knife to a gun fight?

An afterthought, which one of the numerous Swiss Army Knives is the real one?

A Hole In My Heart

Today is the funeral for Sandee's mother. As, I am sure you understand, the recent past has been very difficult and painful for Sandee and her family. As her mother's mental and physical health deteriorated over the past couple years, she became more dependent upon external help for daily needs. Tara, Sandee's sister from Dallas, came several times to help for a week at a time. This would give Sandee somewhat of a physical and emotional break. But, for the most part, Sandee's dad and Sandee cared for her mother on a daily basis.

Sandee and her mother were very close and she has very fond memories that now become even more special and valuable. Recently, Sandee told me that her mom was the only "constant" throughout her life. Right now, she does not know how she will make it without her mother around. She tells me that, "I have a hole in my heart."

My nature is to try to fix things. This is not something I can fix. I can hold her, wipe away her tears and try to comfort her the best that I can. I will take her away for a few days for a break, but I cannot heal the hole in her heart.

I believe that God gave me an illustration for her. A couple days ago, as she was telling me how much it hurts, all of a sudden I had a thought that I wanted to share with her. It took her by the hand and led her outside and down into the front yard where I had planted some aspen trees a couple years ago.

This past spring, elk ate some of the leaves and chewed off some of the bark from the trunk of one of the trees. In one spot, the bark is missing half way around the tree. Aspen trees send nourishment from the roots to the tree through the bark. If an elk eats all the way around the trunk, it is called "girdling", and it will kill the tree. On this tree, there is a large hole in the bark, the tree still lives, but it is damaged. The edges of the hole are jagged and have not changed much in the past few months.

On the next tree, there is another hole in the bark. This hole was from damage done to the tree at some time prior to me getting the tree and it has been in the healing process for several years. Though you can tell that the hole began as fairly large, it is now much smaller. The edges are smooth and have been growing back towards the center as the hole is being healed. The tree will never fully recover from the damage done and the evidence of the hole will always be there, but it is getting better and the healing is progressing.

I showed this to Sandee and told her that the fresh hole is like the hole in her heart. It is raw, jagged, damaged, and it hurts a lot. Gradually, it will begin to heal. It will loose some of the painful, jagged edges and the size of the hole will grow smaller. It will begin to feel better, with a lot of time, but it will never go away, completely. There will always be sign of the hole and some pain will always exist, but, it is survivable. Your heart has not been girdled and it will recover.

War Journal - Sept. 17, 1944

17-Sep
Sunday
Was put on alert today instead of getting a pass as expected. Was briefed to bomb Metz near Siegfrid Line but bad weather prevented taking off. The sky was black for about 2 hours at noon with C-47's and gliders going to Holland. Two of the gliders crashed near here so in the afternoon we flew the men from them back to their original base. I saw well over 2,000 planes today headed for Germany. Flew a training navigation mission at night. The nights here are so black you cannot see the horizon.

War Journal - Sept. 16, 1944

16-Sep
Saturday
It is rumored today that we will ferry planes and equipment to the new air field in France instead of flying any combat missions for the present. Borst went to Stone today to pick up our A-3 baggage left there. Had my first experience with Robot bombs last night. Three came over here - one exploding near enough to shake our barracks considerably. I was too sleepy to get up to see them or go to the bomb shelter. I have a 2-day pass beginning tomorrow - am going to hunt Earl if possible.

War Journal - Sept. 15, 1944

15-Sep
Friday
Went to a couple lectures today - drew parachutes and other needed equipment. Apparently we will sleep in pup-tents in France. Earl is only a few miles from here but so far I haven't been able to get him.

War Journal - Sept. 14, 1944

14-Sep
Thursday
Arrived London about 0700 hours. Our new field is about 30 miles from London. It was necessary to change trains three times and finally arrive by truck in this last 30 miles - each man dragging his big B-4 bag along. My crew is assigned to the 450th Bomb. Sqdn. in the 322nd Bomb. Gp. Our new C.O. told us first thing not to unpack as we would move to a new field in France in about one week. Our crew will be broken up for the first few missions and sent with experienced men. There is a lot that can't be learned in schools. Probably get our first mission in about two days. Our sqdn. bombed the Siegfred line today - the first to do so. There is no more tension here concerning combat - than there was at L.C. concerning training flights. I really find it hard to realize that we are in the war - big league now and that our targets will shoot back at us.

War Journal - Sept. 13, 1944

13-Sep
Wednesday
Arrived Liverpool, England at 0600 hours today. Due to very crowded and unpleasant conditions sleep was impossible almost. Developed a slight touch of stomach poison of some kind so balance of trip was an eternity. Breakfast today was our last meal until noon tomorrow. We sat aboard ship until 1800 hours waiting for debarking orders. At 22:00 we boarded train for London - it was a long, hard, crowded night.

War Journal - Sept. 12, 1944

12-Sep
Tuesday
Left Toome, Ireland to go to Braintree, England (322nd Bomb. Gp). Rode from field to Toome by truck - Toome to Belfast by train - boarded troopship in Belfast about 15:00 hours - left harbor about dark.

War Supplement - 9/12/1944

Headlines and stories from this date: Sunbery Daily Item newspaper

Two-Way Invasion of Germany Near as Yanks Outflank Siegfried Line and Reds Attack Border Fortress

Air war gains in scope; Nazi losses mount

Allied attack on Philippines enters 3rd day

Nazis preparing Argentina bases for war

FDR and Churchill, meeting in Quebec, plan unified Pacific action

and; "Audacity Marks Historic Yank Invasion of Germany" This article tells about the first U.S. armed forces now being within the German border and how, on this day, U.S. tanks rolled across the border.

There is an ad for a new movie coming out - "Two Girls and a Sailor" with Gracie Allen, Jimmy Durante, Van Johnson and June Allyson.

On an inside page is a heading: "Polio eases off, no cases since Friday" This is a Tuesday.


San Francisco Chronicle newspaper has the following headlines:

Mighty U.S. Carrier Fleet Batters Philippines; 52 Jap Ships Sunk; Yanks Five Miles Into Germany!

The front page has the famous photo of a B-26, over France, that shows one engine being blown off by flak and the engine falling away from the plane.

Page 2 - Seven Die for Second Plot Against Hitler. Seven more were tried and hung, following the earlier execution of several others, for the failed attempt to assassinate Hitler.

There is a chart for the mileage to Berlin from each of the war fronts. (For some reason, it appears that Berlin was the center of attention.)

WWII Cursade Against Pinups

LIFE Magazine - September 11, 1944:

The cover photo is of hundreds of German soldiers being marched after being captured. The Allies have captured over 200,000 German prisoners in France, so far.

The magazine reprints three pages from a weekly newsletter done by Major Roy D. Craft, in France. Major Craft is on a crusade against other publications having pinup art on their pages. He writes these three newsletters to explain his position and demonstrate exactly what he is talking about:

There is an article with several photos about Paris being free.

9/11 We will NEVER forget...

Flag recovered at Ground Zero, NYC
Raising the USA flag at Ground Zero

The American Flag on the Pentagon

The Pentagon

U. S. A. U. S. A. U. S. A. U. S. A. U. S. A.

Today in History

Today - 9/11 - will always be remembered in our history. Eight years ago, the unexpected and unbelievable events will be forever etched in our memories. That day gives this generation a glimpse into what the last generation experienced with 12/7/1941. You will probably never forget where you were and how you first heard of the attack. If you were able to watch the events unfold, live on TV, which I imagine applies to most of us, you may have felt a helpless feeling of shock and disbelief. As it became evident that this was no accident but that the U.S. was under attack, some of those emotions may have transitioned into anger.

While we were sitting there watching and listening to the news as one thing after another took place, you had to wonder; who, how much more, how close to where we are, how many died, what do we do?

For some reason, the last generation's "Remember Pearl Harbor" determination, has not resulted in the same reverence for this event in this generation. We have those in our own country who think we need to move on, to focus on positive things, to make this a day of service, etc. Our media, for the most part, refuses to replay the scenes as a way of a memorial.

It is now PC to not talk about 9/11, unless you are discussing it from a pro-Muslim perspective. How can we be more sensitive to the feelings of the innocent Muslims within our borders and make them feel more comfortable.

Well, from my perspective, it is not about them! My thoughts, on this day, are not about sympathy for Muslims. If you want sympathy, direct it toward the families who lost loved ones in NYC, PA, and DC. Be thankful that we have not suffered similar attacks on our soil since that day. Appreciate the military for fighting the enemy on our behalf.

I do not need the media to show the images, I recorded them myself. I will never forget the horror of that day. I cannot imagine being in or at the Twin Towers as they evaporated and the utter fear that gripped them to their core. I can only hope that I would have helped in the sky over PA, at the same time knowing that this would be my last task. I cannot imagine what was in the minds at the Pentagon as, all of a sudden, part of the building exploded into a ball of fire and flames and fumes raced down the hallways. Or, as the Capital and White House were evacuated, what they were thinking as they ran and ran to get away.

From a future position, I remember Pearl Harbor and I will always remember 9/11. God bless them and their families on this day of remembrance and every other day.

NEVER FORGET!

War Supplement - 9/11/1944

U.S. troops reach German border at Trier.

Newspaper Headlines:
Allies Free Luxembourg, Enter Holland
Churchill and FDR meet in Quebec - "Victory is everywhere." Churchill said as he and the President shook hands.
1,000 U.S. Bombers Hit Nazi Industrial Targets
Yanks Blast Japs 5th Day in Row
Est Prussia Forts Smashed by Russians
Fifth Reaches Gothic Line Near Florence
French Reach Dijon Suburbs
Shelling of Aachen Reported - Nazi city declared under heavy fire.
Allies Gain Steadily on Siegfried Line - Nazis Pushed Back into The Wall - Nazi casualties reach 700,000.

War Journal - Sept. 11, 1944

11-Sep
Monday
Had a nice flight this morning - Nice view of all Ireland - made a few pictures from the air too. We were notified this afternoon that we were leaving tomorrow - my crew being assigned to the 322nd B.G. at Braintree, England. We go by boat and train from here. This entire field is closing now so we are all stuck with our bicycles. I am going to try to carry mine with me.

Is BO Special?

I have twice again been reminded this week of a character trait of our dear BO. He truly believes that he is Special. Not special because he is President of the United States, nor because he is the first black President; but just plain Special.

He shows us this side of him on a fairly frequent basis - almost everyday. In the campaign, one of the slogans he would use was, "We are the one we have been waiting for!" We all know that when he said "We are" he meant "I am".

You can see it by his constant obsession of needing to be in front of a camera, on a microphone, behind a podium, using a teleprompter, traveling from town to town in order to make another speech to another adoring crowd. You can hear it in his condescending voice as he speaks to us - the American citizens - as if he were our father and we were ignorant. (Remember how his blunder became an opportunity for him to tell us he was going to use the situation as a "teachable moment".) His arrogance is plastered across his smug face as he looks down his nose at the general public.

He lies so much that they are coming out of both sides of his face at the same time. He believes that because it is he who says something, that we should just believe it and not question or debate with facts. He believes that we are too dumb to recognize that he is playing us like immature children - pitting one side against another, fear tactics, etc.

This week, we have twice had the opportunity to see his highness at work. First, with the speech to the students in our public schools. Second, in the speech to the joint session of Congress, last night.

In the first, what did he actually have to say that was anything new or really uplifting? He told them that he had a hard time when he was little. He told them to study hard. He reminded them that they should be washing their hands often. (Yes, he really took the time to say that!) Why did he take the time to make this speech when all he had to say were vague generalities? Because, he believes he is Special. He believes that by him saying to these kids the very same thing they have heard from every teacher they have ever had and from their parents, numerous times, it will mean more and be taken to heart. BO saying to wash your hands will get all of their grungy hands washed six times a day. To him, his spoken word is magical - all powerful - awe-inspiring. His very presence produces hope.

In the second, was anything said that was new or earth-shattering? The speech was a combination of statements that he had spoken numerous times since the debate on health care began. He kept telling us about his plan and what it would and would not do. Did he really believe that none of us would realize that he does not have a plan, that every statement about his plan was a bold-faced lie? He was not saying that he wants to see these features in a plan, he said that they were in his plan - the non-existent one. He could not have been referring to the main plan in the House because his claims are not consistent with that plan. At this time, it is the only plan available for any of us to see and read.

BO has a god-complex! It was only a few weeks ago that he told a religious gathering that he had partnered with God in matters of life and death. He honestly believes he is on a higher level than the rest of us. He truly believes that when he speaks, even the trees and wind stop to listen.

War Journal - Sept. 10, 1944

Dad and Aunt Elizabeth in McNary, AZ before he went off to war.

10-Sep
Sunday
Got back at noon today. Was supposed to fly this afternoon but the ship wasn't capable of flying so we got the afternoon off. Slept awhile, made a few pictures and am going to write letters tonight. Received 14 letters in last three days.

My Plan...

If you listened to BO's speech tonight about health care and his desire to push something through Congress, very soon, you may have noticed these two words used over and over, "My plan..."

Tonight was not the first time BO claimed to have a plan. He has been doing it all along in this debate. But, he has yet to show anyone his plan. Since Congress presently has four different plans being considered and at least one more on the way, we cannot assume that his plan is the one being debated in Congress. So, which is his plan? Where is his plan? What is his plan? Although he claims to have a plan, when asked details about part of the plan (a few weeks ago), he claimed to have not read the plan and could not be specific about the details.

I just wrote the White House a message asking for a copy of the President's Health Care plan. I asked to see the details of the plan that BO keeps referring to but no one has seen. As soon as I get my copy, I will let all of you know.

Mr. President, stop blowing smoke! Either produce this "plan" of yours or be quiet about it. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot keep promoting this plan that does not exist and that has no details and expect all of us to fall in love with it. Your little period of messiahhood is over. We do not swoon over every word that falls out of both sides of your face. Man-up!

iCan't Control

Just wondering, will Washington D.C. be in better hands if the Republicans take back control over one or both houses of Congress? Let's assume that the iCan'ts can win enough seats in the House of Representatives in the 2010 election and gain control of that portion of Government. What differences will there be?

There will be a new Speaker of the House and it will not be Pelosi. That has to be a better change. The cRats would no longer control the White House and both Houses of Congress. That has to be a better change. Just maybe, there would be a little "checks and balances" in play. The House of Representatives is the place where all spending bills are supposed to originate, per the Constitution. That should make a difference.

But, how much will actually change? If you remember, the iCan'ts were not a whole lot better than the cRats over the past few sessions of Congress. The cooperation between President Bush and Congress resulted in too much legislation that looked like Liberals demanded it, wrote it, promoted it, voted for it, passed it and signed it into law. If you remember, even when the iCan'ts controlled the White House and both Houses of Congress, not much got done that would make a Conservative proud.

We added the prescription drug program to Medicare. This is one of the largest social programs ever for our Government. We added "No Child Left Behind", which was something Bush wanted and was proud of signing. What it did was add more levels of Big Brother oversight in local schools. Whenever Washington offers you money, there are strings attached and they will assume some level of control over you. The President and many Republicans pushed very hard for "Comprehensive Immigration Reform". Only a strong opposition from you and I stopped a massive amnesty program and adding millions of illegals to legal status on welfare programs. During this time of iCan't control, spending was outrageous and pork projects were the norm. We had the minority cRats demanding shared power on committees - and we gave it to them. Why? Because we want to be nice and get along. We want to "reach across the aisle", to be "bi-partisan". We want to have the media like us and write good things about us.

What did we get? We had an eight year opportunity that we squandered. We could have accomplished so much but ended up with so little. We were afraid to stand up for Conservative principles - at least until it was time to run for re-election. Then, everyone seems to be a Conservative.

There is no doubt about it, the Republicans are better at dealing with our national defense and military power. But, even with a majority of iCan'ts in the House, we still have major stink (BO) in the White House, as Commander-in-Chief.

So, with a Republican landslide in November of 2010, for gaining control of the House, what will it get us? Right now, a lot of crap is being passed and proposed and pushed. We should be able to slow some of that down and maybe stop some of it. But, the real problem is with the iCan'ts that gain that control and power. If they are retreads of the past, worn-out politicians, we have not gained much. If they are dominated and/or controlled by "Moderate Republicans", we will not have gained much.

In order for there to be a change in Washington, there has to be a sweep of the House. We need to clean them all out and start over with strong Conservatives. Being a Republican is not enough. We have had enough of the likes of John McCain being a buddy with the Liberals. We have to put in place some new faces and voices that are not looking to be buddies with the Left, are not wanting to share the control with the Left, are not wanting to look good in the left-wing media, and are not afraid to stand up and insist on the principles this country was founded upon.

If we do not get Conservatives, we will not see much improvement!

War Journal - Sept. 9, 1944

9-Sep
Saturday
We flew in the morning again - but it was a pleasant ride with no mishaps. Received another 24-hour pass from noon Saturday to noon Sunday. Went to Belfast expecting a big time but it turned out to be pretty dry. Did manage for a good steak though so the trip wasn't wasted.

War Supplement - 9/9/1944

Dewey (R), in his campaign for President, told a crowd that the US can no longer isolate herself from the rest of the World. He proposed the establishment of a world organization in which all nations may share as sovereign equals, to deal with future threats to the peace.

Allies trap 250,000 German soldiers in southeast Europe (Greece and Yugoslavia). The Belgium city of Liege has been taken and the U.S. First Army pushed to within 18 miles of Germany.

The Russians swarmed into Bulgaria and take Varna. Armies crossed the Danube River.

Yanks control the sky in South Philippines.

War Journal - Sept. 8, 1944

8-Sep
Friday
We came back here, arriving just in time to fly. That flight proved to be as near as I have ever come to crashing. The plane would not leave the runway - dong IAS of 170. We dragged our landing gear through trees on the edge of the field. The rest of the afternoon was an eternity. Received word from Earl Friday, also. He gave me his telephone number so we could communicate. It took his letter 17 days to reach me. I waited four hours for the call to go through Friday night - then after saying little more than hello the line was cut - and that was all. We are still as apart as ever. Rumor has it we are going to England in a couple of days so I will try again then.

Am I a Radical?

I can read in the lack of any responses to my political postings that some of you believe that I am a radical. Well, you right absolutely correct. I am a radical and am proud of it.

BO and the Left has proclaimed me and others like me as being radicals. Moderates and the undecideds, who do not know which way to believe would consider me a radical. Even some strong iCan'ts consider people like me to be on the fringe and to be ignored.

Therein lies the problem. That is why the iCan'ts are not iCans. They are trying too hard to reach across the aisle and be bipartisan. Each time they do, they show weakness to the cRats.

Yes, I am a radical. I am passionate about what I believe and what I want America to be. I gladly take the same stand and wear with honor the same labels as some others who we consider to be great Americans. From my perspective, I have the same passion and beliefs and desires for this country that our Founding Fathers had. I am passionate about freedom and liberty. I am radical against those who desire to take that away from us. I will fight for the right to have my children and grandchildren enjoy a free nation.

I want tomorrow's America to be what was envisioned in 1776.

Were it not for radicals, we would be paying England a tax on our bottles of green tea. We would be protesting to be able to send a representative to Parliament. We would have a Queen Mother. We would already be socialist and have a government run health care system.

As John McCain would say, "My friends"... But sorry to say, he would not finish it in the right way. I say, my friends and family, you better speak up now. You better speak up loud and strong. You better be radical while you can because if we are silent and watch it happen, those opportunities will be lost forever in the great land.

The People Have a Voice

When you continue to poke a sleeping giant with a sharp stick; eventually, he will wake up. When that happens, he will be angry and he will not calm right back down again.

The cRats have awakened a sleeping giant and he is us! WE are the ones we have been waiting for! Our voices rising up in unity have created the opposition to the "perfect storm" that the Liberals have been riding.

The liberal, radical cRats have had complete control in DC since BO took office. They have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time and they finally got it. All the plants are aligned, except one. It appeared, just weeks ago, that there was no stopping them from implementing every part of their agenda on the fly-over people. They control both houses of Congress with filibuster-proof majorities. They can override a veto, but know they will not have to since they also control the White House. They are on the verge of dominating the Supreme Court as the scale of justice is teetering.

It appears, that for decades, the Left has been planning on just such an occasion as they now enjoy. No one has the votes to stop anything they want and the President is pushing for even more liberal bills than he is getting. Wow, the Perfect Storm! They hit the ground running and did not slow down during the first six months. The more radical, the better - just keep things moving at a breakneck pace. Introduce one radical bill after another, do it in such a manner that it is overwhelming to not only the opposition in DC but also the public. Use 1,000+ page bills with hundreds of amendments that are not available for review more than hours before required votes. Let no one who may oppose have time to read and know what they are voting on. Before that one is done, have the next one ready to follow through on it's heels. As the Left has said, a crisis is an opportunity to get legislation passed that otherwise would have a difficult time.

Their runaway train appeared to have clear tracks and enough steam to take it through the next few years. By the time it came to a stop the damage would be done and would not be able to be undone. They would have a socialist America!

Well, not so fast! The one planet that was out of alignment was the sleeping giant of the American people. BO had his honeymoon and used a sharp stick to get what he wanted. Not much response as we recognize that elections have consequences. But as we got poked a few more times, we started to whimper and stir. The Left thought that was funny and mocked us. Well, when we rolled over and found the cRats spitting in our faces, we came to life.

Back in June and July, we organized and attended Tea Parties as a way of showing disapproval for the way we were being treated and displeasure over what our government was doing to us. These Tea Parties were very successful and made each of us feel that we are not alone in how upset we feel. With that momentum, our dear Congresspersons came home for the August recess and started having townhall meetings. They were shocked. We were awake and we were not happy. The more meetings they had the louder and stronger and more united our voice became. Now, all of a sudden, the people are a force to be reckoned with - we have voice and we have power!

We are watching BO have his first taste of not getting everything he wants. As expected, when the spoiled child is first told NO, he throws a fit. But, we as adults are not fazed and we stand our ground. We said NO and we mean it. For once, he has to rethink his strategy and do not be fooled, he has not given up, but is coming around our left flank. He still has every intention on getting his own way and having everything he wants, but he will have to be more deceptive about the steps getting there.

We not only have put up a barrier to socializing the best health care system in the world, but we are also having an effect in his czars. This last Saturday, in the middle of the night, on a Labor Day weekend; the announcement was made that czar Van Jones was resigning. This is a victory for the Right. This radical extremist was exposed and the heat become too intense.

WARNING! We cannot think that we have won. We have not won anything, yet. We have just put a player in the game that has the potential to make a difference in the final score. In 2010, we need to put a new, first string on the field.

BO will get a lot of his agenda. But, now that we have risen up and are claiming some power, we can weaken the extent of the radical control, we can cause some to be postponed (which may mean that they die a quiet death) and we can get some of this crap stopped. None of that will happen if we get over-confident and claim a premature victory. We have to keep the pressure on everyone in Washington. We cannot afford to take a break. The more that they do not get passed this year, the chance of it never passing improves. Even the radicals do not want to be voting on much of this next year as they run for re-election.

Pressure with a loud and united voice will have some positive outcome.

Remember, they were at war with us but we were not at war with them! Well, that is changing!

War Supplement - 8/14 through 9/8/1944

1944-
8/14 - David Foil arrives in England.
8/15 - Operation Dragoon begins (Allied invasion of Southern France). Hitler states that this is the worst day of his life.
8/16 - German army begins a withdrawal from Southern France.
8/18 - Allieds fly 3,057 sorties against Falaise pocket in Southern France.
8/19 - French Resistance starts uprising in Paris.
8/20 - deGaulle returns to France.
8/25 - Paris is liberated. deGaulle retuns to Paris.
8/26 - Allied troops cross Seine and move east.
8/27 - RAF and more than 1,000 U.S. B-17s and B-24s attack in the first large-scale, daylight action over Germany.

9/1 - Patten takes Verdun.
9/3 - Brussels is liberated. National day of prayer is called in Britain for the 5th anniversary of the outbreak of the war. So far, the British causalities are reported as: 242,995 killed; 80,603 missing; 311,500 wounded; 290,381 captured.
9/4 - Antwerp is liberated.
9/6 - Victory in the "Battle of London" is proclaimed as V1 rockets are no longer being fired from France.
9/8 - V2 rockets hit London and Paris from Holland.

War Supplement - 1943 thru August 13, 1944

Some of the events preceding Dad's arrival in Europe in August of 1944:

1943-
7/9,10 - Allies land in Sicily.
7/25,26 - Mussolini arrested - Italian government collapses.
9/8 - Surrender of Italy is announced. (Italians, not Germans surrendering to Allies)
9/9 - Allies land at Salerno and Taranto, Italy.
9/12 - Germans rescue Mussolini.
10/13 - Italy declares war on Germany.

1944-
1/6 - Russians advance to Poland.
1/22 - Allies land at Anzio.
1/27 - Leningrad relieved after 900 day siege.
3/4 - First major daylight raid on Berlin.
3/18 - British drop 3,000 tons of bombs on Hamburg, Germany.
5/25 - Germans withdraw from Anzio.
6/5 - Allies enter Rome.
6/6 - D-Day at Normandy, France.
6/13 - First German V1 rocket attack on Britain.
7/3 - Battle of Hedgerows in France.
7/18 - U.S. troops reach St. Lo, France.
7/20 - German attempt to assassinate Hitler fails.
7/24 - Soviet troops liberate first concentration camp at Majdanek.
7/25 - 2,500 USAAF aircraft drop 4,150 tons of bombs on German and American positions at St. Lo, which kill 601 Americans.
8/1 - U.S. Marines capture Tinian Island.
8/2 - Churchill announces that after seven weeks of non-stop V1 rocket attacks (when 5,340 rockets were launched), 4,735 have been killed; 14,000 injured; 17,000 homes destroyed.
8/4 - First British jet fighter was successfully used. Anne Frank and her family were arrested and sent to Auschwitz. The purge of the German army was announced, following the attempt on Hitler's life.
8/6 - Last Jewish ghetto in Poland is closed with 60,000 Jews sent to Auschwitz.
8/7 - Germans begin major counter-attack in France.
8/10 - Japanese resistance ends on Guam.

War Journal - Sept. 7, 1944

7-Sep
Thursday
Last day of ground school. Everyone received a 24-hour pass from noon Thursday until noon Friday. I went to Belfast with Pappas. Got my watch fixed in the afternoon, went to a show (Madam Curie) and at night went to a dance at the Ulster Hall. Had a very good time and took care of a nice little Irish girl. Made a date with her for Saturday night.

Horseshoes and Grenades

Those two words are tied together by one common term, and it is not "throw". Well, I guess there are two common terms but throw is not the one I want to talk about.

"Almost", a six-letter word that implies something that did not, but maybe it could have or should have happened. Previously, I wrote about regrets. "Almost" falls into the same category of sad concepts.

Did you almost help (love) your neighbor? Did you almost give a simple word of encouragement to the heartbroken? Did you almost feed the hungry and care for the needy? Did you almost share Jesus with the lost soul sitting next to you at work?

"Almost" implies that something just about happened but did not. It also carries the implication that it is now too late for it to happen in some cases. Again, back to regrets, I believe one of the saddest situations is when someone has to use the word "almost" at a funeral. The "close-call" that will never happen, now. I almost went to visit them to see if there was anything they needed.

How about an "almost" that is more personal, something that comes even closer to home. The husband that almost told his lonely wife that he really does love her. The grieving parent that almost took the keys away from their child who had been drinking. It can be any of those situations that almost happened but missed by just a little bit. I came that close to apologizing, but did not.

How about with the Lord? Pilate almost released Jesus. The rich, young ruler almost followed Jesus. How about the man who almost gave up his secret sin. The dad who almost led his family in the ways of God. The wife who almost resisted flirting with the co-worker. Are you "that close" to following the leading of the Holy Spirit in your life? Will you have the faith to almost see a miracle? Will you stand before the Judgement and plead that you almost followed Jesus?

"Almost" is a good descriptive word for "lukewarm". We all know what God says about the lukewarm. Don't almost stand up for what is right. Don't almost be a loving and supporting husband and dad. God gave you a life. Take that life and make it stand for something good. Make a difference in the life of someone. Get to the end and have no regrets. Give of yourself for the sake of others. Put others before yourself. Follow Jesus and His example of humility and giving. Never let yourself be in the position of having to say, "I came this close" to doing something that you knew was right. Do today, what will make you smile tomorrow. Position yourself to hear "well done my good and faithful servant".

Do you see what that guy is doing? I almost did that!

War Journal - Sept. 1-6, 1944

1-Sep
Friday
Yesterday was payday again! I received about 20 pounds or $81.00. Cabled home $100.00 today and also sent Birthday greetings to Dad. Papas & I had our pictures made on the 29th. Today Edwards & I - then the three of us had some more made all near the sign post. Received letters from home yesterday - three of them. Lately I have a sweet tooth since there is no candy to be had. Yesterday a pound of good chocolates were given away with each bond - so I bought a bond to get the candy. There is a lot of good music tonight - and I feel more lonesome than at any time since getting in the Army I believe. Guess it will all be the same tomorrow. We are having classes in the French & German language now.
4-Sep
Monday
It has rained steady for three days and is pretty cold. All I do is go to school, play cards & write letters. The weather was too bad to go to Belfast Saturday night. It is rumored we may move to France the last of this week. Wednesday, Thursday of this week we make some training flights here. The ships are old straight B-26's. Should be fun! Everyone here feels like dancing every time they hear the news. The allies entered Belgium today. I say a prayer each night that it will continue (the war) to a quick climax all over the world.
6-Sep
Wednesday
School here is drawing to a close - today being the last day. Went out to the lake near here today to practice ditching procedure. Six of us paddled around in a life raft for awhile. Still haven't received any mail. Yesterday morning it was raining hard so I rolled over and went back to sleep - and said to heck with school! As it turned out about 200 others did the same - so there was results! Our Major decided we should march ten miles last night to get used to the rain. When time came to leave it was raining so hard the flight surgeon had it called off. Boy, we missed that only by the skin of our teeth. That was good sleep though! Tomorrow we fly again.

War Journal - August 1944

1-Aug
Tuesday
Test hopped ship first thing for 45 minutes and it was OK. Went back to Presque Isle, picked up RO-BN-G and flew to Goose Bay, Labrador. Arrived there 1645 hours GMT. With the exception of this field this is wild virgin country and is really beautiful - - from the air. We are being briefed tonight & if weather permits we leave tomorrow morning for Greenland I believe. Right now the weather is pretty bad. We opened our sealed orders today (outside continental limits of U.S.) and found we are going to Ninth AF - Headquarters London, England. This is my first time outside U.S.
2-Aug
Wednesday
Flew from Goose Bay to BW-1 on Greenland in four hours eleven minutes. There was plenty icebergs & bad weather on route. Greenland is one, big, rugged rock with plenty lakes & inlets from the sea. Saw my first submarine today. BW-1 is a desolate outpost and must be pretty rugged for the ones stationed here. WO's say bad weather is on the way so we may be here a considerable time. They do not clear our ships unless weather is perfect for flying.
3-Aug
Thursday
Slept late and spent the day reading, sleeping and looking over the place. For a remote, secret outpost such as this is, it has an amazing number of conveniences. We buy cans of all types of fruit juices in the PX to have in the barracks every morning for breakfast. Cigarettes sold by the carton for 50 cents. Everything is either free or very cheap.
4-Aug
Friday
Got up early to give the ship an inspection and clean it up a little. The eats here are much better than we had in camps in the states. After the noon meal Jack, Jim, four RAF boys and myself climbed a mountain near here to see where a waterfall came from. It took all afternoon to get up and down. We found a fair size lake up there that is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. It was crystal clear even at 15 feet depth. It is fed from snow further up so is ice cold. One RAF lad and I got up nerve enough to go in swimming but could not endure it more than two minutes. A huge glacier can be seen about seven miles up the canyon from here and if we do not leave tomorrow several of us intend to hike up there. A recent rumor says the weather is clear now so we may leave tomorrow.
5-Aug
Saturday
Could not go up to the glacier today because of an accident yesterday. No one is allowed out of camp today. Slept until noon, worked on plane this afternoon and saw "Going My Way" tonight at the show. There is no word about leaving yet so guess Iceland is still closed in.
6-Aug
Sunday
Very quiet day - slept, read and went to a show. This is an easy life but we are all getting restless. It has been two weeks since I have heard any actual war news. I would like to know what is going on and where!
7-Aug
Monday
Very bad weather today - It is cool enough to snow in my opinion. Read, played cards, & went to a show today. If we don't get out of here soon, the winter season is gong to catch us here!
8-Aug
Tuesday
Same as yesterday - If this keeps up I think I will get fat before very long.
Aug 9-10
Wed/Thurs
Sleeping so much in daylight has begun to hurt my conscious! There is about four hours between sunset & Sunrise.
11-Aug
Friday
Got up early & flew from BW-1, Greenland to Meeks, Iceland. Iceland was a big disappointment to me. - Just one big desolate rock bed of lava. There is a cold wind from the North blowing about 40 MPH - we are all wearing parka suits - and freezing. There are practically no accommodations and the food is the worst yet. At BW-1 we had the best food I have had in the Army.
12-Aug
Saturday
Worked on plane all morning in a small gale - fresh off an iceberg. (By the way, there were some beautiful ice bergs & glaciers around & on Greenland to see on the way out.) Finished our repairs by noon but did not get gasoline in time to leave today as planned. Will leave first thing in the morning for Scotland. Run into several fellows I have known here. Went to the show tonight & wrote a letter home. Did not get a chance to buy any Icelandic money to send home.
13-Aug
Sunday
Got up at sun up this morning (2 AM) and got ready to leave. Flew from here to Pestwick Field, Scotland in four hours exactly. There is nine hours difference between here and home. Landed in Scotland just after noon and was suppose to leave immediately for Southern England some where but due to some mix up we are staying at Pestwick tonight & going to England in the morning. Scotland is rolling hills and mountains covered with sows and farms. This field is nearly all civilian buildings converted. The barracks and streets are winding around under a thick cover of trees that defies sunlight to penetrate. We are all having a great deal of difficulty today trying to buy things and get our money converted into British money. I can't tell if I am being gyped or not. We have been on the road over three weeks now and I am just about out of clean clothes. Tomorrow will be our last flight in this ship. We will leave it at a modification center for a later crew and pick up one ready for combat there. Our flying time from Hunter Field, GA to here was 24 hrs and 20 mins. Heard a couple days ago that Ed Murphy and his crew were lost somewhere along the way. Hope they turn up somewhere along the way all safe.
14-Aug
Monday
Woke up early in our strange and new surroundings. The food, accommodations and conditions in general won't let you forget a war is going now. Sit around the ship until middle afternoon. We flew from Pestwick to Burtonwood, England (one hour flight). Things are much nicer here at Burtonwood. We told our ship goodbye today and we get another one when we go to combat in about one month. Tomorrow we go by truck to a place 40 miles from here. From the rumors we stay there five days for processing then go to North Ireland for ten days. After that we are sent back here to the Replacement Depot and assigned to an outfit, a new ship and combat. Course there is no way of knowing how much time well lapse between each move but things move pretty fast at this late stage of the game. Haven't had a chance to really see the place but even from a distance I can tell it isn't anything to compare with home. Guess we are pretty much spoiled! This place is located about half way between Liverpool and Manchester. Got all my money changed to British money today. What a headache! I can't successfully buy a coke yet! And it is too big for my wallet, too.
15-Aug
Tuesday
Went from Bruce Hall to Beady Hall (about 60 miles) by truck. Beady Hall is near the towns of Stone, Hanley and Peover. Present information says we will be here from two to then days. Spent the afternoon washing up all the clothes I dirtied on the trip over. Was on a baggage detail about five hours tonight, then went to midnight chow. There are flashes on the horizon that are suppose to be buzz-bombs but I am a little skeptical at this distance. This place enforces rigid discipline and after the past six months it is going to be pretty hard to take at first. It seems we are reverting back to the basic training days. - Also we have KP tomorrow but even then it will be a good day - we expect to get our first mail then. It has been a long time since I received a letter!
16-Aug
Wednesday
Had a busy day for a change. In the morning there was lectures on several topics of current interest to us in our new country. After that I washed some more clothes and repacked. In the afternoon there were more lectures and a test in the gas chamber with our new mask & equipment. In most people's opinion gas is likely to be used soon over here. Also this was a momentos day for all of us mail hungry G.I.'s. I received eight letters, some coming in only twelve days. The past few hours were spent pleasantly reading the mail, the next few will be spent answering them. Just made a list - there are 25 people I owe a letters now. - My fan mail! Just announced in here that my crew is on K.P. tomorrow. After these past six months of freedom this stuff is a better dose. Guess it really doesn't hurt me - much!
17-Aug
Thursday
Was on KP - all day - slipped off long enough to get a hair trim. The top is getting long enough to comb but is thinner than ever. Went to bed at 7:00PM and slept solid until 8:00AM, Friday.
18-Aug
Friday
Spent the morning on detail cleaning officers barracks. Shipping orders came at noon for us to leave tomorrow morning - supposedly for North Ireland for ten day schooling. We are taking clothing to last three weeks and the rest of our baggage is being shipped somewhere else, where we will get it at the end of the three weeks. Wrote letters during the night.
19-Aug
Saturday
Left by bus to go to North Ireland at 07:30 hours. Boarded a train at Stone, changed trains at Stake and left the train at Warreneton. Went by truck to Bruce Hall where we ate and then proceeded to Burtonwood Field where we hoarded C-47's to fly to Ireland. Got there at 18:00 hours. Apparently this place is about like Lake Charles was so I am sure we will like it. We have caught up with all the guys we knew at L.C. that was ahead of us. This camp is dispersed over about a four mile area so everyone rides a bicycle. I am going to buy one tomorrow if I can. Saw some guys today that I knew at Las Vegas. This camp is near the little town of Toome on the North shore of the lake in the middle of Northern Ireland. The civilians here are really robbing us in the prices of bicycles.
20-Aug
Sunday
Have had a pleasant day. Slept until 11:00 hours, got up, ate and then went shopping for a bicycle. I bought one for nine pound ($36.35). It is second hand, very small tires and about equal to our Victory bikes. These Irish are getting rich off us Soldiers. Had several lectures this afternoon - more than 50% of the milk here has T.B. - there is a great deal of political and religious unrest in this country so we are given precautions about what to do and say - also most of the population have no morals and plenty V.D. which is causing the Army here a great deal of concern. Went to a show tonight and then wrote a letter home. From here we all go direct to our combat units - some of us will go directly to France from here. Each barracks here has a loud speaker which is hooked to one central radio set for the AFN (Army Forces Network in the E.T.O.) Station. All the best programs from home, plenty news and music - it is most enjoyable as I had begun to miss that stuff. The only draw back to this post is that it is more than a mile to the latrine and washroom - otherwise it is ideal. The seats on these bicycles are tiny and hard - and I am sore tonight!
21-Aug
Monday
Slept late - Went to a meeting in the gym. This field is over crowded for school right now so we have to wait a few days to start school. Got my ration card and bought what I could. The cokes here taste like plain flat carbonated water - not good at all! Late in the afternoon Pappas and I rode our bikes out into the country side around here and to the little town of Toomebridge near here. Saw a beautiful old Irish church sitting up in the hills. Got a glass of wine in a pub to see what the place was like - bought four ladies handkerchiefs in an Irish linen shop in one little village. Got back here in time to go to the second show.
22-Aug
Tuesday
Slept late again - went to another meeting. We start school Friday morning. From noon tomorrow to noon Thursday I have a pass to go to Belfast. As near as is possible in the Army, we were assured today that we would be sent direct to France as a permanent station. Might see some real action! Had a physical, dental & PW pictures this afternoon. Tonight Lt. Mayhand, and all my crew except pilot rode our bikes to a couple of the near local towns. Made a couple of pictures along the way.
23-Aug
Wednesday
Spent a fairly quiet day today. Trip to Belfast was postponed until tomorrow. Received 14 letters today - and they were welcome. Wrote letters at night.
Aug 24-25
Thur-Friday
Left at noon to go to Belfast via train from Toome (1 1/2 hours). It is a very interesting city and about like a foreign city has been pictured to us over there. Most all pictures shown here are American. At night Pappas and I went to the dance at the Red Cross. The girls are not so pretty but they are friendly & dance good! We slept at ARC for 2s. Got up, ate, looked over some bombed out districts and caught the train back. This afternoon was spent sleeping and preparing for starting school tomorrow. No mail yesterday or today.
29-Aug
Tuesday
The past few days have been uneventful. School has amounted to eight hours solid lecture every day. The days are long and tiresome. Ate supper Sunday night at an Irish farmhouse near hear. They fed me a fair steak, fried eggs, toast and tea for four schillings. As a variety it was awfully good. We had planned to go to a town near here named Ballymena tonight but the weather is unfavorable. I finished reading "Treasure Island" tonight. Got a letter from Sid and home yesterday. I don't like v-mail - is is more like receiving a postcard. Undoubtedly we will move directly to France from hear. We are studying the German & French language.

War Journal - July 1944

One of my goals with this blog, is to pass on to others in the family some of the stories and history that have helped get each of us to where we are now. I will begin posting Dad's war journal entries on the dates he recorded each. In order to catch up from the beginning of the journal to the present date, I will give multiple dates in single postings. Once I catch up, I will attempt to post same date entries from the last half of 1944 and through the end of the journal in 1945.

David A. Foil, Jr. - Journal Entries

CREW: 18 - Duane R. Borst, Pilot 0-705003;
18 - Eugene G. Cowart, Co-Pilot 0-715723;
18 - William M. Kiel, Bomb-Nav. 0-712165;
38 - David A. Foil, Engineer-Gunner 19129357;
38 - James B. Pappas, Radio-Gunner 15131812;
38 - Jack D. Edwards, Tail-Gunner 19183951

18-Jul-1944
Tuesday
Left L. C. LA on train at 2200 to go to Savannah, GA (Hunter Field) which is staging area for 3rd A.C.
20-Jul
Thursday
Arrived at Hunter Field at 1800
21-Jul
Friday
Was processed and issued all new equipment
22-Jul
Saturday
Received brand new B-26-G and test flew it
23-Jul
Sunday
Flew from Hunter Field, GA to Dow Field, Bangor, Maine. Passed over Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York and all major cities along east coast. Saw Washington Monument & Statue of Liberty for first time. Form 1 time was 6 hours 30 minutes. Night of 23rd was processed at Dow Field which is POE for us. Next stop will be outside U.S.
24-Jul
Monday
Serviced and repaired ship and stood guard duty over it during day. Am standing guard duty first half night. Probably will leave here tomorrow if weather is favorable.
25-Jul
Tuesday
Unfavorable weather prevented us from leaving here today. Rested, slept & went to a show.
26-Jul
Wednesday
Unfavorable weather prevented leaving again today - Hope we leave tomorrow. Believe next stop will be Goose Bay, Labrador. This Maine climate is nice - reminds me of top of mountain between McNary & Springerville in summer.
27-Jul
Thursday
Very cloudy and slow drizzle of rain has grounded all operations again today. There is no way of knowing how long we may be here if this weather keeps up.
28-Jul
Friday
An abundance of rain & fog today - Pappas, Edwards & I made plexiglass pistol grips for our 45's.
29-Jul
Saturday
Bad weather continues - slept, played cards & went to the show.
30-Jul
Sunday
Bad weather worse! Worked on ship, wrote letters & went to show.
31-Jul
Monday
Left Dow Field for Goose Bay, Labrador - About one hour out both engines started cutting out alternately - We prepared to bail out but was able by God's care to land at Presque Isle, Maine for emergency. That ground sure looked good! Worked on engine all afternoon.

Neutered Liberals

Do you believe that it is possible to effectively neuter the Liberals prior to the consummation of the rape of America?

As the public learns more and more about the motives and plans that our Government is feverishly working on and trying to implement as fast as possible, there are more stepping forward with a loud voice and demanding that this runaway train be derailed.

Almost on a daily basis, the cRats are adding another outrageous idea to the long list already pushed through and in the pipeline. BO is appearing on a daily basis to promote his agenda. He is adding a czar at the rate of one per week. He is pushing major pieces of legislation on multiple fronts at the same time.

I believe that they feel that the window for radically changing America is relatively small and they want everything done in a very short time frame. We are talking about extensive changes to our laws, very expensive new programs, historically high deficits and debt, and the greatest transfer of power from the people to the government in the history of our nation. These include: the massive stimulus bill (now they are talking about passing another one), cap and trade (the legislation that would penalize and fine for carbon dioxide emissions - yes, the gas that we humans breath out and that plants use to survive), Obamacare (the government takeover of the best health care system in the world to change it to be like the failing systems in other Socialist countries), comprehensive immigration reform (amnesty for illegal aliens), tax increases (letting the Bush tax cuts expire and adding more taxes), gun control (beginning with registration and limiting purchases and transfers along with adding high taxes on ammo), the fairness doctrine (silencing talk radio in order to limit the Conservative voice in America), plus all the pork projects added to each piece of legislation that passes.

The czars come from the most left-wing radicals in the country. They include people who do not believe that a small child is a human, yet; who believe that none of us should be able to have a gun; who are pro-illegal immigration, pro abortion, pro high taxes; and one of the newest is of the group known as "truthers". They and he believe that Bush and his administration set up and caused the explosions in the twin towers on 9/11.

This Liberal government is wanting to prosecute those who went beyond offering terrorist prisoners tea and cookies in order to gain valuable information that helped save lives and stop attacks. At the same time, they are setting some of the terrorist prisoners free. Others will soon be transferred to prisons in the US. When that happens, they will gain Constitutional rights and not only have us paying for their attorneys but will have access to our court system, possibility of bail, and even the chance of being found not guilty due to classified information not being able to be released in a court of law. They could be set free onto our streets because they were not read their "rights" when captured on the battlefield.

The cRats are chasing down the intended victims and they have cruel intentions on their minds. They have shown that they cannot be trusted in the public arena. With a continuous and great pressure on them from the public, some of this can be stopped. Let's send them all home with a cone around their heads.

Lincoln's Duel

"The Saturday Evening Post", 11/30/1861 -

The above newspaper (yes, it was a newspaper back at that time) ran a story that they had picked up from the "Chicago Press". It concerns a story about a series of events involving Abe Lincoln around 30 years prior to this paper. This was when Lincoln was still in Springfield, Illinois. Evidently, Abe was attracted to the same woman as General Shields.

The story implies that Lincoln went around the state singing a song that had something to do with this lady. For some reason, General Shields took offense. It sounds like Abe, once he saw how jealous the General was about this situation, did it even more.

Shields challenged Mr. Lincoln and he accepted. Associates of both met to discuss the rules of the challenge. The place was to be "Bloody Island", in the middle of the Mississippi River, near St. Louis. This was a popular spot for the settlement of such matters at that time. The date was set and it was the choice of Lincoln as to what weapons would be used. He selected long cavalry swords with the rules for each man to be on opposite sides of an erected rail barrier that would be four and a half feet high. All blows were to be exchanged over this barrier with each having liberty to approach or withdraw from the rail barrier.

These terms were rejected by Shields, but when Lincoln refused to accept any other rules, the General accepted rather than not have his fight. Then, all parties went to Bloody Island to have the confrontation. At this point, friends interfered and the fight was canceled. Abe told his friends, at a later time, that he placed great reliance on the rail fence.

BO to Speak to All Students

The President has sent the word and the word shall be obeyed! He WILL speak to all the students of our schools next week. It is mandatory that all schools show the speech in all classrooms. This has never been done. The Left says it is historic. The Right questions the motive and recognizes the opportunity for crossing the line from encouraging students to do well and study hard, to some form of indoctrination.

One sad thing is that we have come to this point where many of the parents of these students do not believe that they can trust the President of the United States to not cross that line. BO is recognized as not being trustworthy or honest.

Maybe there is a reason that no other President has ever tried this tactic. Maybe it is not that no one ever thought of the idea or thought that they could pull off such an event. Maybe the predecessors recognized that this is not appropriate.

Should the President have the right to talk directly with our children? That may be just fine, as long as it is in the presence of the parents. This could be done, just like 2,487 of his other speeches, where the speech is on TV, it interrupts prime time programming and the parents can sit down with the eager, little sponges; and listen together. This could be like family night at the movies, only better since BO is the main feature. Then, after the speech, the opportunity is there for the parents to discuss, directly with their children, what the President said and how the parents feel about any message he tried to get across to their children.

Instead, the US Department of Education has sent out instructions for all teachers and districts as to how the event is to be set-up, observed, and followed-up.

The AZ Superintendent of Schools, Tom Horn, has indicated that he has concern for some issues raised by the instructions. He stated that they want each class to be in a worshipful type of attitude. The teacher is to ask the students, "How can you help the President?" Prior to the speech, the teacher is to ask the students, "How will he inspire us?" The instructions tell the teachers to write "notable quotes" on the blackboard. The instructions appear to be politically charged.

All of this leads me to realize, this is a teachable moment. It is an opportunity for all parents to make sure that their children know that BO stinks.