Show your appreciation to the Veterans!

This is kind of last-minute as I’ve worked at helping our fellow Veterans and their families in need by way of collecting donations for Buddy Poppies at the local Fred Meyer.  I’ve done this for the last two weekends and on Veteran’s Day I will also be attending the Ceremony at the Veteran’s Gateway at the Washington Country Fairgrounds to further help my VFW Post #2666.  I hope many of you will be there to see the VFW Color Guard in action; it takes place again on November 11th at 11:00 AM.

For those of you unable to attend, but you’ll still be out and about, Give Thanks to all the Veterans you meet this day.  They will appreciate your thanks and support!  To those of you who plan on staying at home to watch the games, take a break at half-time and go out and Thank a few yourself!  The Veterans gave of themselves in time, lives and their health for you, it is the least you can do for them.

To my brothers in uniform, whether now or sometime in the past I can only say this to them all . . . THANK YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS!!  And you will always be in my thoughts forever for your sacrifice and love of country!

Bless All of You and may you be in His favor always.

SparkChaser4

Captain Larry James Hanley has come home!

Captain Larry James Hanley, a MIA Vietnam Vet has come home!  I would like to welcome home another brother from “across the pond”.  He’s originally an US Air Force Jet Engine Mechanic from Walla Walla, Washington.

For some more background on the man, see the webpage here at the Union-Bulletin.com website.  For more information on his posthumous promotion to Major and of his funeral, please see the webpage here, also at the Union-Bulletin.com website.

It warms my heart every time I hear of another “brother-in-arms” coming home to finally receive the long-awaited peaceful rest he so rightly deserves.  May the good Lord receive him unto his fold and watch over him until once again he is reunited with his family in the hereafter.

Welcome home my Brother,

SparkChaser4

Another “Brother” home from Vietnam

From Military.Com – Jul 03, 2013

Soldier Killed in Vietnam War Copter Crash Buried

A Vietnam War soldier missing since his helicopter was shot down in 1970, was identified
and laid to rest Tuesday at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dozens of family members gathered in Section 60 to watch a horse-drawn caisson deliver the remains of
Army Spc. John L. Burgess in a casket draped with the American flag.

 

Find the rest of the article at their website located HERE.

Welcome home, my brother!  You’ve done us proud!

SparkChaser4

Memorial Day Wish

Hi everyone, I’ve been rather busy around the house working on many projects including collecting donations for my local Veteran’s of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post in Hillsboro, Oregon by way of Poppies.  As one of many Veterans, I had to stop long enough to make this heartfelt wish.

To all my brother Veterans whether you are still active, retired or simply an honorably discharged Veteran like myself; I want to wish you my deepest thanks and blessings to all that have chosen to serve this country when she needed us the most.  And to those of our brothers who never returned, may you be at peace and may the good Lord watch over and keep you until once again we are all reunited by his side.

For this last group I must say this, that they indeed are what are called true heroes and as quoted from the Holy Bible:

“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”  —John 15:13

Blessed be our warriors and heroes . . .

SparkChaser4

Sorry, I’ve been missing!

It was on Labor Day that I found I wasn’t feeling quite right. Well I was not only light-headed and slightly disoriented, but was having a screaming migraine headache.  So bad that it required me to cover my eyes to block out the light when I went outside for the trip to the Emergency Clinic.  Once there they covered my eyes with cool, damp cloths.  Then the shaking started.  I couldn’t control it no matter how hard I tried.

After calling in help to try to figure out what was happening to me, they all decided that I needed to go to the Emergency Room at the hospital for proper treatment.  I did after a quick glimpse from under the cloth noticed that I had two Ambulance staff there as well as two Firemen Paramedics, two Firemen, two doctors, three nurses, one intern and my wife!  So they loaded me up in the Ambulance and we were on the way with me blindfolded again.

Being a Vietnam vet, I wanted to go to the V.A.’s Emergency Room at their hospital.  Then I heard them tell my wife that I probably wouldn’t make it that far!!  Say what!  They told my wife that I was having cardiac troubles and needed care right away!  Then they asked me and I said, “Let’s go to the closer community hospital then.”  So we changed direction and I found myself in the local hospital’s emergency room soon after.

So after multiple doctors and nurses, a chest x-ray,  a Cat-scan, blood draws, injected meds and other such goings-on, they all made a decision and I was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillation.  So my heart goes thuh-thump alright, but every so often it decides to go much faster.  So now its been about three weeks and they are still trying to decide what the medicines are that they will prescribe for the condition.

The V.A. system isn’t known for its lightening speed but they get the job done and by the way, did I mention that my doctor has left the V.A.?  So I need not only new meds, but a new doctor as well.  Though I have to admit, the V.A. has been pretty good to me up till now and I’m sure that they will continue to give good service into the future.  Meanwhile it’s hurry-up and wait.  That sure do sound familiar. . . . .

SparkChaser4

Sack Lunches

On June 7th of this year, my sister sent me an email with this letter attached thinking I might be interested in it.  She was right.  It brought back some memories of my trip “over the pond” and back from Asia.  Some good memories and some not so good.  My reply to her regarding this email follows after “Sack Lunches”. 

Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight.  “I’m glad I have a good book to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,” I thought. Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. I decided to start a conversation.

“Where are you headed?” I asked the soldier seated nearest to me. “Petawawa. We’ll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we’re being deployed to Afghanistan.”

After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached the east, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time…   As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch. “No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn’t be worth five bucks. I’ll wait till we get to base.” His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I walked to the back of the plane and handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill.  “Take a lunch to all those soldiers.”

She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, as she thanked me. “My son was a soldier in Iraq ; it’s almost like you are doing it for him.” Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated. She stopped at my seat and asked, “Which do you like best – beef or chicken?”

“Chicken,” I replied, wondering why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a minute later with a dinner plate from first class. “This is your thanks.”

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane, heading for the rest room. A man stopped me. “I saw what you did. I want to be part of it. Here, take this.” He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand and said, “I want to shake your hand.” Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I stood and took the Captain’s hand.

With a booming voice he said, “I was a soldier and I was a military pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an act of kindness I never forgot.” I was embarrassed when applause was heard from all of the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand, wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my belongings and started to deplane. Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to
them and handed them seventy-five dollars. “It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich. God Bless You.”

Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their fellow travelers.

As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country. I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little…

A veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America for an amount of up to and including my life.”
That is Honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer understand it.

And here’s my reply:

This was common I heard later on, but earlier it was a rarity. When I flew to Asia, the airlines bought the soldiers on the full airplane each a cold soda. It was on the return trip “across the pond” and toward home that the aircrew bought each of us an alcoholic drink of our choice as a “Welcome Home” and for returning safely stateside once more. This time it wasn’t the airlines, it was the actual crew! And during the flight, each crew member left the cockpit to come back and shake the hand of each and every one of us on the plane! Then they lined up at the hatch and shook all our hands again while wishing us “Good Luck” as we deplaned.

The stewardesses also couldn’t do enough for us during the flight home. Blankets, pillows, hot towels, cold towels, plenty of snacks, I even saw a few that were crying out of happiness for making it home alive and one stewardess that was holding a soldier like a mother does her child, comforting him through his emotional release. Very emotional trip home for all of us. Little did we know the “greeting” that awaited us after touchdown. Even forewarned by the base personnel, we didn’t expect such a showing of hatred toward us. It’s past now and to be forgotten. Maybe, someday.

Love, Denny.

a.k.a.

SparkChaser4

Another “Brother” comes home

This article originated on Military.Com here.  (Check the Military.Com website for further comments about our returning Captain.)   We welcome another “Brother” home at last!  Welcome Capt. Campbell, you’ve long since earned your rest. 

The remains of a U.S. pilot missing since the Vietnam War were identified as those of Capt. Clyde W. Campbell of Texas, the Defense Department said Wednesday.  The department’s POW/Missing Personnel Office said in a release Campbell’s remains would be returned to his family. He is to be buried with full military honors Thursday in Arlington National Cemetery.  The Air Force pilot, who was from Longview, Texas, was flying an A-1J Skyraider that crashed March 1, 1969, while carrying out a close air-support mission in Houaphan province in Laos.

Peace be upon him in the name of our Lord Almighty.

SparkChaser4

It’s finally here!

Yes it’s finally out!  J.D. Kinman’s new book, “Above Reproach” and it’s an attention grabber to say the least!  Thanks to Mr. Kinman’s generosity, I received an early e-book version of it and I can honestly state that it had my attention to the final surprise ending!  And now you too can pick up a copy of his book.  You can find it at Amazon.com at this LINK HERE.  I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

SparkChaser4

National Moment of Remembrance

On this Memorial day show your appreciation for your freedoms earned by the blood of your Veterans.  Check the link below and don’t forget to set your alarm for 3:00 PM, May 28th, 2012!

Link: http://www.usba.com/remembermemorialday/

Bless all the Soldiers that have served or are serving this nation. You have done well, my brothers!

SparkChaser4

Pro-Pot Group Criticized Over Use of VFW Name & POW Flag

How many other brothers-in-arms were mad enough to spit nails? Weren’t it enough to p__s off the pope? Not only for devaluing the Veteran’s Of Foreign Wars Organization for what it has done for our Veterans, but for the earned respect for the POW-MIA Flag that many of our citizens show honor to daily.  To be treated as such!  Degraded just to promote drugs and there use. The article is from Military.Com and the first article HERE raised such a ruckus with the populace that they decided to back off a bit.  The second story from the same website tells us about that located HERE.  So what do you all think about this?

SparkChaser4