An Understatement

Lately, I have been making daily rounds for someone to an “assisted living center”. At the elevator, I met an old man, hunched over with his walker, on his way to the dining room for dinner.

He was wearing a hat – 101st Airborne – Purple Heart – combat wounded.

I’m thinking – wow.

Screaming Eagles.

Band of Brothers.

The following short conversation ensued, with deference to Lex:

YHC = Your Humble Correspondent

YHC: – “Thank you for your service”.

101st: (seeing my Army Air Defense Artillery Hat) – “Thank you for your service”.

YHC: – (Thinking some have given more than others in their service) –  “I’ll bet the Germany you saw was a bit different from the Germany I saw in the early 70s”

101st: “Yeah, in 1944 they really didn’t want us around”.

 

Sailing Zatara II

Since I first discovered this on YouTube (thanks to xbradtc who mentioned it), I have watched several episodes every night. If you are interested in the adventures of a Dallas family who decided to buy a 55′ sail boat in Florida and sail around the world with their 4 children, you can go with them vicariously and see the world.

While I am now watching Episode 56, what prompted me to post this is my amazement  at how much influence one can have in the world with a very minimal investment in technology.

The Marburg Files

Wallis Simpson, The Duke of Windsor and Hitler, circa 1937

I have from time to time mentioned my love of history, and my fascination with how many cataclysmic changes can occur from the smallest of events.

I’ve also expressed my disdain with screenwriters and producers who play fast and loose with historical truth, and change history in their screenplays. Unless, of course, the viewer recognizes it as a complete fiction.

I have mentioned how much I liked the Netflix-produced movie The Highwaymen – about the 2 retired Texas Rangers who found Bonnie and Clyde. I also learned subsequently to posting this that after the 1967 version with Warren Beatty was released, the widow of one of the Rangers, Frank Hamer, sued Warner Brothers and settled out of court for defamation for their fictional portrayal of her late husband.

The Netflix version had it right.

To Fly and Fight

I just finished reading the memoirs of Col. Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, and have to say it was an enjoyable read. It was akin to sitting in a room with him talking about his life.

From putting you into a P-51 cockpit and fighting for your life with a German Me-109 pilot, to being in an F-105 over Vietnam…to a Pentagon desk (and he tells you why some of the military procurements are so expensive…to flight testing at Edwards AFB, you are there with him.

He tells you what it was like to be shipped overseas and on your first combat mission (do five and stay alive!).

It was a great read, and a book I will keep.

It is available on Amazon .

El Paso Part II

I’ve been trying to decide how to write this the last few days. The battle lines were set years ago, and the same arguments keep coming back.

Today, some of my early experiences with firearms seems so foreign and other-worldly.

Some public schools even taught firearms safety.

What’s really the issue?

In a move that seems at least to me to be common sense, President Trump plans to deny issuing “Green Cards” (permission for US residence) to legal immigrants who use, or seem likely to use, social programs such as Medicade, Food Stamps, or housing assistance once here.

But these are politically contentious times.

Sailing Zatara

Yesterday in the Lex Facebook group, xbradtc recommended this series on YouTube. A self-made man, who created a successful business decided (with his family’s agreement) to sell their Dallas house and business, and buy a 55′ sailboat in Florida to sail around the world.

Keith (the husband) didn’t propose this with some pie-in-the-sky plan but devotes the early episodes to his methodical approach in learning sailing and re-outfitting the boat.

He’s a commercial pilot, having flown a Beech King Air and Bell Jet Ranger. He is thorough in his approach to starting this new adventure.

I’m already to episode 9 and I am hooked.

Hat’s off to that family for having the adventuresome spirit to cast aside everything for a dream.

Their website is here.

They have 180+ episodes (which go from 5 minutes on up), and the first one is here.

H/T to xbradtc.

El Paso Part 1

It’s funny how with age some of the smallest things in life one can still remember, like a photograph. My very first memory of El Paso was upon hearing Reveille , looking out my barracks window and seeing nothing but an ocean of sand. The day before, I had finished basic training at Ft Ord, along the coast of the Monterey Peninsula, and the Drill Sgt had us all in formation as he was giving out assignments with the Army post we’d be going to for advanced training. .

Guys were getting infantry, signal corps, and when it came time for him to call my name, “Brandt! Ft Bliss, Texas – Air Defense! ”

I’m thinking (to myself of course) – say what?