Semper FI

On April 22 of this year Marine Cpl. Jonathan T. Yale 21, of Burkeville, Va.; assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.; and Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment were killed in action as they refused to leave their post and continued to fire upon a suicide bombing truck containing 2000 pounds of high explosives bearing down on their check point while conducting combat operations in Balad, Iraq. Their heroic stand has been recognized, Maj. Gen. John Kelly who personally conducted the investigation into this event has recommended that the pair be awarded posthumsaly the Navy Cross for their heroic stand that day.

From The LA Times online

Some Iraqis told him they were incredulous that the two Marines had not fled.
When Marine technicians restored a damaged security camera, the images were undeniable.
While Iraqi police fled, Haerter and Yale had never flinched and never stopped firing as the Mercedes truck -- the same model used in the Beirut bombing -- sped directly toward them.

Without their steadfastness, the truck would probably have penetrated the compound before it exploded, and 50 or more Marines and Iraqis would have been killed. The incident happened in just six seconds"No time to talk it over; no time to call the lieutenant; no time to think about their own lives or even the American and Iraqi lives they were protecting," Kelly said. "More than enough time, however, to do their duty. They never hesitated or tried to escape."

Kelly nominated the two for the Navy Cross, the second-highest award for combat bravery for Marines and sailors. Even by the standards expected of Marine "grunts," their bravery was exceptional, Kelly said.

Their bravery in the face of the enemy goes to show what fine young men we have serving in the Marin Corps and our armed forces. God Bless them and their families.

Harrier Down

A USMC AV-8B Harrier crashed on final approach to Cherry Point MCAS this afternoon. The pilot who has not been identified pending notification of next of kin was killed in the crash. This was the third Harrier lost this year but the first fatality.
(Photo USMC)

Raiders Win!

The Oakland Raiders stunned many experts and fans like myself by scoring 17 unanswered points in the second half and sending Tampa Bay down to defeat and out of the playoffs. Michael Bush who is essentially a rookie after rehabbing all of last year from his broken leg suffered as a senior at U of L rocked the Buccaneer defense for 177 yards on 27 carries with two TD’s. Bush is an outstanding back who has speed and at 6 ft 1 inch and 245 one huge load for any defensive to bring down. I could not understand why he was not playing more with the ongoing injuries to McFadden and Fargas but maybe next year we can use him more and dump Fargas.
Same with interim coach Tom Cable, I thought he did a good job and should be given the head coaches job full time and let him finish what he has started. Shoot he even looks like what a Raider coach is supposed to look like,
The sweetest part of the game was at the end when Tampa Bay’s fans booed them off the field. What did they expect dropping 4 in a row in December.

Pic Of The Day

"Fighters are fun but bombers make policy"

(Photo's USAF)

Christ Is Born

Merry Christmas Everyone.

Apollo 8, 40th Anniversary

Sunday marked the Forty-year anniversary of the historic launch of Apollo 8 around the moon mission. The first manned Saturn 5 mission launched from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space at 0751 AM on 21 Dec 1968. The crew, Frank Borman, Commander, James Lovell Command Module Pilot and William Anders Lunar Module pilot rode for three days in their command module towards their historic intercept with the moon. The insertion into lunar orbit occurred on Christmas Eve and the crew became the first humans to see the far side of the moon, later that evening the crew home broadcast was highlighted as they read passages from Genesis. One of the most famous NASA photo earthrise was taken during this mission. Apollo 8 proved the major hardware of the program was capable of getting a crew to the moon. Subsequent missions of Apollo 9 and 10 tested the Lunar module and paved the way for Apollo 11 historic landing in July of 1969.

I look back on those days when I was a young man and I can remember the excitement of a launch and all of the TV coverage. My friends and I knew whom all the astronauts were and were always talking about NASA. I still enjoy the shuttle lift offs but the magic is no longer there. Hopefully NASA can get back to were they were during the heydays of Apollo and can create that excitement in little kids again and inspire a new generation to reach for the stars.
(Photo's, NASA)

737 Down In Denver

A magnificent job by the Denver Fire Department ARFF crews prevented what could have been a major loss of life after a Continental Airlines 737-500 crashed during take off on Sunday. The 737 departed the runway approximately 2000 feet into its takeoff roll sheared one of it landing gear and an engine and came to rest on fire near a drainage ditch. Quick response by the cabin crew in evacuating the passenger and rapid arrival by the DFD ARFF crew prevented what could have been a major tragedy. The NTSB is on site gather evidence to try and find out what happened to this aircraft to make it depart the runway.

Steele Soft On 2nd, Bad Choice For RNC Chair

While Steel is articulate and had an NRA endorsement the questions he answered from the Washington Post in 2006 tells me he is just another RINO who probably does not know an AR from a howitzer.


Steele on Gun Control via the Arsenal
Michael Steele was endorsed by the NRA in 2006 in his race for the U.S. Senate.

Dave Kopel opined in 2006 that a win by Michael Steele would have been "a great pick up for the Second Amendment"

Via the Washington Post (2006):
Q: Your views on gun control?

A: My views are pretty much in line with [NRA-backed Gov. Robert Ehrlich]. I grew up under some of the strictest gun control laws in the country. I loved the moment [anti-gun activist] Carl Rowan got caught [with a gun]. That summed it up for me. Summed it up for me...

It's not the law-abiding citizen. It's not the person who used it as a hobby. There's an underground market for guns. Despite the laws, streets are flooded with them...

Q: Should people have access to buy assault weapons or any gun that they want?

A: Well, I mean you draw the line. I mean, what do you need an assault weapon for? I mean, if going hunting, I think that's a little overkill or whatever, but the reality of it is, I think it's important for a society, a community to draw the lines as we've drawn in a number of other constitutional areas, but I don't think that that means that you go to a total ban for those who want to use guns for skeet shooting and hobbying and hunting and things like that.

Click the title to go to the Arsenal,

Shok Valley, 4/8/2008

Video footage from the engagement of Detachment Alpha 3336, 3rd Special Forces Group. This is the battle that 10 of the Green Berets where awarded Silver Stars for bravery under fire.

Remember Global Warming?

I wonder if the Goracle has seen these shots'? They are from Ft Irwin early today and the Las Vegas Strip; Global warming, all is lost so sayeth the Goracle and his cap and trade scheme.

(Vegas photo John Gurzinski, Ft Irwin photo Swiggumsmum)

Malmedy

Today is the 64th Anniversary of the massacre of prisoners from Battery B, 285th Field Artillery Observation Battalion POWs by 1st SS Panzer at Malmedy Belgium. This incident occurred during the second day of the Battle of the Bulge. Eventually 72 bodies were were discovered and 43 survivors managed to find refuge and made it back to Allied lines, some with the help of Belgian civilians.

After Germanys, surrender more than 70 people were tried by tribunal. The Court pronounced 43 death sentences, (none of which was carried out), and 22 life sentences. Eight other men were sentenced to shorter prison sentences.

Pic Of The Day

An F-15E Strike Eagle on Combat Air Patrol in Afghanistan.
(U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon)

First C-5M Super Galaxy

Lockheed Martin has delivered the first of the upgraded C-5M Super Galaxy. This is a the result of a two-phase modernization effort of existing C-5B’s. The first and ongoing phase is the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP), which provides a state-of-the art glass cockpit and a digital backbone to support the RERP modifications. Forty-three C-5 aircraft have completed the AMP modifications. RERP is the second phase, which adds new GE CF6-80C2 commercial engines and 70 other enhancements or replacements of major components and subsystems.

(Photo Lockheed Martin)

Obama: Don't stock up on guns

The soon to be President Elect made the statement Sunday, he also said

“I believe in common-sense gun safety laws, and I believe in the second amendment," Obama said at a news conference. "Lawful gun owners have nothing to fear. I said that throughout the campaign. I haven't indicated anything different during the transition. I think people can take me at my word."

I think I’ll take him at his voting record as a Illinois Representative, were time after time he voted for the most extreme guns laws to include, gun and ammunition bans, and 500% tax on ammo.

The left always wants to take the guns out of law-abiding citizens hands as opposed to throwing away the key on criminals who use guns while committing crimes.
I know why, a disarmed populace is nothing but sheep to an all-powerful government, after all those with the guns make the rules. History has shown us that time and time again one of the first things leftist dictators have done over the years is disarm the populace. Thank god that the founding fathers knew that tyranny had no limits and gave us the means with the second amendment to preserve freedom.

The strongest reason for people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government." -- (Thomas Jefferson)

""The great object is that every man be armed . . . Everyone who is able may have a gun." (Patrick Henry, in the Virginia Convention on the ratification of the Constitution.)

"The advantage of being armed . . . the Americans possess over the people of all other nations . . . Notwithstanding the military establishments in the several Kingdoms of Europe, which are carried as far as the public resources will bear, the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." (James Madison, author of the Bill of Rights, in his Federalist Paper No. 46.)

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." (Second Amendment to the Constitution.)
Sales of firearms and ammunition have gone through the roof locally. Getting and AR clone or many types of high-end pistols is difficult, as you must wait 3-4 weeks in some cases. I did my part and purchased a few odds and ends and I will continue to purchase ammo when I get a chance. The funny thing is that the politicians have noticed this and this is what caused Obama to make these statements.

Pearl Harbor Day

Today Is Day That Will Live In Infamy

Royal Marines

Bootnecks from 42 Commando RM operating in Afghanistan
(Pic British MOD)

F-15 Music Video

A decent F-15 music video, Stills set to heavy metal

F-15 Fighter Jet Music Video - More free videos are here

Pic Of The Day

On a lighter note a great pic of the day, The Concord lifting off from JFK,how I miss this magnificent aircraft

Back From A Break

Well I’m back from a week off which was great, shoot I did not even watch the news or read a newspaper. That’s what made today’s Obama announcements of his staff so funny.
Clinton Secretary of State, enough said on her total lack of international experience, and in her speech today another reference to global warming. These leftist will do what ever it takes even using junk science to get their carbon cap and trade tax going, after all green is the new red. Then we have Gen Jim Jones a questionable choice at best for NSA in a war against Islamic terror, Eric Holder who under no circumstance s be confirmed as AG after his action during the Clinton administration pardon mill and lest we forget Gov Napolitano as Homeland Security, exactly how is this open borders advocate is qualified expect for the fact that she was a vigorous supporter of the one? Finally Susan Rice at the U.N. the women who failed in the Clinton years to get Bin Laden when we had the chance.

This whole team seams like Clinton lite 3, the only person seemingly qualified for the task at hand is Secretary of Defense Gates who has agreed to stay on for at least another year.. Hope and change, we can only hope that this dynamic team does not totally screw us up and lead us to another 9/11 disaster.