My father died in a hospice in Northridge, California, not on the battlefield. But when he died he was living on the fringe, with not much to his name and no real way to make money as his health began to decline. What he did have, however, was the best health insurance money could buy, thanks to the military.
My uncle was one of the last remaining survivors of Pearl Harbor, a true American hero. If you lived through that, you’d know what an attack by a foreign enemy really looks like, and it doesn’t look like a riot at the Capitol. .
Someday, generations of Americans who have been lied to will understand the difference.
The day before my father died, we watched It’s a Wonderful Life together, a movie that is a tribute to great dads.
Happy Veterans Day to all of those who served. Thank you.
Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for your service.
Sasha, what a wonderful tribute to your Dad, your Uncle and all of our Vets. We used to kid around at my house that my dad Joe was the original GI Joe - he survived the Battle of Anzio then joined the march to Rome; after VE Day, he crossed North Africa by troop train and was shipped to the Pacific - luckily the War ended by the time he arrived in Iwo Jima. He earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze
Star for his service. He never whined about lost time or regretted his service - he just did what was expected to be done. I thank God for him and all others who saved us from a truly terrible fate. I thank God for all of our Vets who have served to keep us all out of harms way.
In remembrance of my dear friend Jim McGee, recipient of two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star for heroic service in Vietnam, the war of our generation. Jim passed away July 12, 2023. He bore the scars of that war, both physical and mental, to the very end. There has never been a finer man. Thank you Sasha for beautifully capturing the sense of admiration and obligation that we owe these men and women.
I will share a couple of anecdotes a veteran of the campaign across France in WWII shared with me. An older gentleman who was my supervisor observed that I wore a windbreaker jacket with a hoodie in a zippered pocket behind the collar one day. He said that it was just like the ones they wore in the army when he was in France. He said that the thing would flop up over his helmet when he would dive onto his stomach after running forward in a charge. He looked thoughtful for a moment and said that after he had charged a machine gun nest he counted twenty-one bullet holes in his plastic hoodie. I was stunned at the mental image and asked the obvious question: how could you have that happen and not get hurt? He scoffed a little and said "oh, I got hit seven times". I couldn't even respond. The story I could read between the lines just overwhelmed me. He then went on to recount a story of the "pup tents" they had to stay in during the lethally cold winter in France and how someone had scrounged a bottle of peppermint schnapps from a countryside farm during the day and how that night they crammed seven soldiers in a pup tent and drank the whole bottle. He said that it got so hot from the number of men in the sealed up tent that they had to open the flap in spite of the sub-zero temperatures. He told it as a bright spot in an otherwise brutal ordeal. I treasure these memories that gave me insight into a world I pray I never have to experience myself. The human condition CAN be shared vicariously at least to some degree and we can get a feel for things we haven't endured. I respect veterans as men (and women) who have suffered and lived courageously in spite of it.
Two quick thoughts...the health care we vets are getting is generally good, but like all promises our government makes, its continuation is subject to the whims and perceived “needs” of those wielding power. I suspect the first step in eliminating that benefit will be “means testing,” a bar that can be easily and frequently raised. We’ll see!
My second thought is about how I find it somewhat galling to watch a video thanking vets for the sacrifices made to protect out freedoms posted on YouTube, one of the first and most aggressive platforms actively censoring free speech!
The land that was once known as "The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" has become the land of "What else do you have that's free for me so I can be forever indebted to our evil government." I never thought I would see it in my time😥
When I was a kid, almost everyone's father and grandfather had served in the US military. I just took it for granted that I should too. I spent three years in the Army, and later after a divorce where I had nothing and was responsible for paying child support, I re-enlisted. Had a place to sleep and 3 meals a day. And then they paid for my night schooling. Not bad. Oh, and my son also served in the Air Force for 6 years.
Salute to my father and brother, both U.S. Army vets (Korea, VN, Cold War, Desert Storm) and to my grand uncles, one who never returned from a German POW camp after being shot down over Italy, another who hit numerous beaches with the USMC in the Pacific, and the other who fought the entire campaign from North Africa to Italy to Normandy to the forests of Ardennes. Uncle Stanley told me that he never understood how he got through it all "without a scratch" when everyone around him died.
Thank you, Sasha. We owe, as taxpayers, especially to our soldiers who have seen combat, a duty of care, in my opinion. (Even the Roman Empire had retirement cities for its soldiers.) As families we are to 'honor our mothers and fathers’, this takes on special meaning when they are old. We may not have agreed with them or even have always received that support emotionally/financially they owed to us as children, but as a testimony to our faithfulness to God… we are to do our duty to them. I have had to repent for my attitude and behavior, caused by bitterness, at times.
The love of a parent is a magnificent gift. The Lord gives us this heart, I don’t think we, as children, get the depths of that until we have our own and they leave the nest. It is at this point we tend to understand that they, usually, did the best they could. We are all imperfect vessels, we need to extend the grace God gave us… I think for most people we gain this greater understanding a little later in life than we ought to have.
Our parents are just us one generation removed; and God don't we desire mercy and not justice. I view my dad that way. He gifted me all he could given his suffering that we all do in this life we're given. My father was a veteran too and saw things I couldn't conceive of. Hope all the veterans out there have a good day and find a bit of peace in a turbulent world.
Thank you, Sasha! Happy Veterans Day to all veterans and the spouses & families who’ve supported them. We honor you all and, most especially, those lost in sacrifice defending our liberty.
Please everyone, let their sacrifices not be in vain.
Ack! Went back and searched. Wrong SubStack writer. I was remembering a Sage Steele interview and attributing it to Sasha Stone. Too many S’s, I guess! 🤪
Do we still have a military? Seems that it’s been ruined by Woke race and gender ideology. How can it be a military ready to fight and die for country when it vigorously promotes tribalism rather than cohesion which is essential for a military? Do we still have a country? How can this be considered a country when it’s no longer capable of doing things as basic and as essential as maintaining secure borders, safe city streets and schools that educate rather than promote tribalism and contempt for country?
So where’s this “black/brown” coalition the Woke democrats love to talk about? A major reason why they opened the southern border is to get an influx of “brown” people which would join with blacks to fight white devil racism. Doesn’t seem to be working. Seems to be worsening black/Hispanic relations. Fat chance of the democrats ever being intelligent enough to understand this obvious fact. I don’t mean to be Mr Doom and Gloom here. I’m just saying what I see.
Woman Tells Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson To His Face: ‘You’ve Got To Stop The Buses Coming In!’ (3 min)
(Please, no salute.) I served as one of approx. 3,000 Lodge Act (Google it!) "Aliens" who purchsed their above-quota entry to the US by signing up for five years in the US Army. $57.00 a month, brown boots, Ike jackets and lots of fat sergeants. Forts Jackson, Belvoir, Dix, Devens, Knox et al and two tours in the Far East. VietNam was a visible enough threat, so I didn't re-enlist as an E-6 NCO.
I got to know much of the US and, as a Combat Engineer (MOS 121.26) I even picked up some useful skills. I learned enough English for several colleges to accept me even though my formal education stopped at tenth grade. (To be sure, those were European grades = real education.)
No G.I. Bill, but I remain grateful for those good years: It made me an American.
Thanks for your service, Andras. I was MOS 45 Gulf, M1 Fire Control Systems Repair. You gave to your country and that is to be richly commended. Who cares your education level. What matters more in this life is your heart towards yourself, and others. Glad to be your fellow American
Wonderful tribute, Sasha. ❤️I really enjoyed your Dads drum solo you posted a few months ago. I was folding clothes at the time, but felt propelled to stop and dance around the room -- which I did! 🤩 🇺🇸 🤩
As a Vietnam era veteran I sent my stepson this message:
"Thinking of you as time rushes toward our shared special day of memories for all who served."
"I will honor you and love you for as long as I live, Alex."
My stepson received some serious trauma in Iraq. He and others were in a vehicle destroyed by a buried bomb.
He replied with this message: "Love you brother."
Those three words trumped my relation as his step father.
My dad landed on a blood soaked beach in Normandy.
My uncle John landed on dozens of islands occupied by the Japanese military.
When the Marines cleared the way, he and other "SeaBees" went to work repairing or building air fields for our aviation assets, during which they came under enemy fire.
President Truman will forever be a hero to me. I recently visited his presidential library and the grounds of his memorial.
Had he listened to those on his staff who were against using the Atomic bomb, my dad would be among the tens of thousands of troops in Europe who would be sent to the Pacific theater of war.
And uncle John would have been among the first wave of U.S. forces to land on Honshu, Japan's largest island.
The carnage among military and civilians would be unimaginable.
I agree that dropping the bomb was necessary and saved a lot of lives, both American and Japanese. What I often wonder about on days like this is what those men who fought in WW2 would have thought of the Woke monstrosity America has become.
I've read articles about how left of center the top brass at the Pentagon have become, and more likely to promote officers and Noncoms based not on fighting skills but more like the concepts pedaled by the members of ABC's The View.
However, most of us who have served in the military understand why the various branches are missing their enlistment goals.
You don't become a police officer or a fire fighter or a nurse without first having a strong sense of duty to your community and your nation.
“You don't become a police officer or a fire fighter or a nurse without first having a strong sense of duty to your community and your nation.”
Having “a strong sense of duty to your community and your nation.” are now considered “extremist values” and such people are being purged from the military and from police departments. It’s not that I hate America. It’s that I don’t see that America even still exists as a country. What I see is a failed state in an ever worsening civil war. And if a country like America, with all its many advantages, can so easily collapse into insanity and self-destruct then what country can survive?
And doesn’t the disastrous failure of the American experiment indicate the human experiment is also destined for failure, in the very near future? For whatever reason, AI sails past most people like water off a duck’s back but I believe it’s the only thing powerful enough to take control of all our out of control problems that have taken on a life of their own and are rapidly driving us to the abyss. Like a raging forest fire too powerful and moving too fast to be stopped.
“Proposed rule aims to keep ‘biased’ group members from becoming Chicago police officers.” (2 min)
A truly disastrous situation not only for us but for our entire world which is also in a rapidly accelerating tailspin. This is obviously unsustainable. I recently saw video of a man in Beirut being interviewed who said Lebanon is like a plane falling from the sky that hasn’t yet crashed. Same could be said about America and even for the world.
Sasha such a special a tribute and I’ll think of your Dad when paying thanks to our Vets.
A small anecdote. My good friends Dad sadly passed away and some of his Marine buds showed at his funeral.
I engaged one of the funeral guests to ask how he knew my friends Dad. He shared they fought together in Iwo Jima and we were shocked because His dad, Herbie never talked about the war or his role. The point is he quietly went about his business serving his country and never wanted to boast about his contribution and service to the country.
How many American kids died on beaches we may never visit to protect our BORDER and our Sovereignty. So the big mouths who’ve never done anything g for this country can run their mouth today
Another thing - we really need to find what binds us together today. For your Dad and his fellow heroes, it was love of country and their moral compass.
I read recently about Rwanda and the fallout from the vicious killing that took place there. People saw members of the warring factions mutilating each other and most incredibly: today they are forced to sit down with others who may have killed members of their family and reach consensus for the common good and the future of Rwanda - we need that same selflessness and sacrifice for the good of our country or this grand experiment will have failed.
God bless our country and all those kids who have the ultimate sacrifice
In 1973 the ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE came into being, now the vehicle for recruiting members to serve in the armed forces to defend our nation. Since the Biden mafia came to power recruiting has dropped like a stone. DEI and other WOKE garbage, like more genders than Heinz has varieties, are unilaterally killing thr AVF. God help us if we confront a serious combat situation that can't be fought with standoff weapons, robots and A I !
The Marines and SOF components are the limit of our warriors. Not nearly sufficient. And with today's advanced missiles for sure the Navy only has subs and aboit 400 targets. Will those targets last more than few hours? Don't bet on it yet we are.
The Left is truly destroying not only the military but also the youth that otherwise could have served well. A slow motion cluster in the making that our grandchildren will pay for in their blood and tears.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”― G. Michael Hopf, Those Who Remain
This is what I find infuriating and sad about our current situation, our vets – our Greatest generation fought against authoritarian collectivism and won and created ‘good times.’ Those ‘good times create(d) weak men.’
Those ‘weak men’ are perfectly willing to throw away what our vets fought for.
They should be ashamed that they even can stand in the shadow of our veterans.
I am a veteran, a combat veteran (most veterans were never in combat). The irony is that what is now called Veterans Day was originally Armistice Day, to celebrate the end of The War to End All Wars. It continued to be Armistice Day until World War II veterans began dominating the veterans organizations and pressed Congress to change it. By the way, veterans benefits don't come from the military, they come through the Veterans Administration, which has no direct connection to the military. Yes, we veterans do have health care but there are stipulations. Health care is first for those who were disabled as a result of military service, then it goes on down the list to those in need. I personally wish Congress had left Armistice Day and Memorial Day alone.
Hey Steve, your post of 318th Delta Darts is giving me awesome chills this AM. I grew up on McChord AFB where 318th FIS was posted and my dad (just passed during Covid) was Air Force mechanic on these supreme machines (1970’s). I remember being maybe 5 years old, my dad sitting me in cockpit of F-106 and him saying ‘just don’t touch anything yellow’ (as one of those yellow levers might eject me). Delta Darts coming and going to fly NORAD patrols were sound of my youth, and my favorite aircraft. The ‘Green Dragons’ patch of 318th from 70’s (disbanded in 1989) is so cool:
I met a Korean vet last year in my neighborhood who was a tail gunner on B-29 in Korea. He had photos of bomb runs that were amazing. Had no idea the Superfortress saw action there.
I was guarding (along with Willie Goods) the Alert birds the night The USS Pueblo was stolen. Things went from nice and calm to Oh Crap in about 5 minutes. 36 hours later I got relived from post. Our security flight went from 15 to 75 in a matter of days. Thing is I volunteered for the ROK because didn't want to go to Vietnam and Nothing ever happens in Korea...WRONG...WRONG...WRONG :-)
The Second Korean War: A Forgotten Conflict 1966 - 1969
The story of the forgotten 'Second Korean War', that occurred along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea between 1966-69, which resulted in many US casualties in sometimes intense engagements with communist infiltrators.
Korea in winter is..Think Minot ND, in summer New Orleans.
Wow Steve. You saw history close. I’ve never heard of this 2nd Korean War conflict and will be watching the video, thx for it. I personally know of North Dakota winters you speak of so yeah that is chill to the bone weather if that’s what you endured in Korea. My dad had 22 years in service, first w/ USMC then AF. His 1st deployment was fresh boot from Paris Island onto Beirut in ‘59, then helped run rifle ranges in Vietnam attached to USS Coral Sea in ‘61. But his best stories I recall were keeping the F-105 Thunderchiefs & F-4 Phantoms doing their thing in his Vietnam tour ‘69-‘70. He rotated between North Thailand and Phu Cat, south of Danang, and loved working under the the famous Blackman & Robin Team (Colonels Daniel ‘Chappie’ James & the immortal Robin Olds). Colonel James in particular was one of the highest ranking Black Americans in all services at the time, and a great American:
Its Jan. put you long underwear on Fatigues, jacket, flack vest, Parka furlined pants, bunnyboots, gloves,then mittens. Ya get on post, and you've got to take a piss. You DO NOT call in a 10-14 (bathroom break) not if you want to have a heated post anytime in the near future. This is when you find out how good a shot you are. You've got 1+ inches of clothes and because of the cold you've...shriveled up to about 1/2 inch of pecker.
This was something they Never covered in tech school.
"Blackman & Robin Team (Colonels Daniel ‘Chappie’ James & the immortal Robin Olds). Colonel James in particular was one of the highest ranking Black Americans in all services at the time, and a great American:"
After Vietnam War, my dad served in AF alongside a University of Michigan grad (I forget his name) who was shot down I think in ‘66 and had something like 7 years in Hanoi Hilton. As the story goes, this guy made it through in part by replaying over & over in his head, 1/2 time UM marching band routines (he played in band). For rest of his life, every Saturday like a religion, he enjoyed a bourbon and stogie watching his Wolverines.
Always said that “A Few Good Men” should have been set in Korea instead of GITMO because then former was far more dangerous. I was in GITMO for a bit and the big fights were mostly at closing in the enlisted club. Some typical name like “Fair Winds” lol. Only military marketing could make up.
Thanks, Sasha, for this tribute for your Veteran dad and the other Veterans.It was a blessing to be with him watching “It’s a Great Life” the day before he died. He was probably thinking the same thing. I was with both of my parents when they died. These are what the Indians would call “great deaths”. Those are sacred memories. I hope the vets will keep posting their experiences here for us to read and absorb. In my family there have been five vets, two civilians attached to the military, a Marine reservist, and a current Marine. A relative had his third retirement serving
as the CMO of the MEPS (Military Entrancing Processing Service)which is responsible for assessing the recruits of all services to qualify to ship out to basic. The MEPS is actually ranked up as a fifth department now along with our other services. Because this is a voluntary military, the MEPS is not my grandfather’s recruiting service. Nor is the cost of training a recruit up to being combat ready. But, I’ll leave those details to our Veterans out there,
Hey Jane, I am also from a family of vets and am one myself. I remember when my brother was in Vietnam Joe my mom cried herself to bed every night. Serving is a family affair and tough on those at home too.
You are no doubt very proud of your father and uncle as you should be, they were great peoplle. My great uncle was killed in the First World War by an artillery shell, he was just 17 years of age. Pvt Nelson of the Canadian Army.
You are fortunate SS to have had a lot of time with your father. We don't always get that.
I hate fighting. I hate war. I hate the fact soooo any people lost their BELOVED son, father, husband, brother ,daughter, mother, wife, sister...and we cant even house the remaining homeless ones who served.
Over the summer, a man who was killed at Pearl Harbor was buried in my state. His body parts had only recently been identified through newer DNA technology. The funeral was attended by his nieces and nephews who were born after he died, but all of the family members he’d known during his life were dead. The only one there with personal memories of him was a very old lady who used to play with him sometimes when they were little kids.
WWII stories get to me in a way that no other war does, because three of my grandparents served in it. (My grandma was in the WAC.) I think the current batch of teenagers and twenty-somethings would have such different perspectives if they’d grown up around that generation.
Sasha a nice piece and a nice tribute. I love It’s a Wonderful Life (which I watch every year around Xmas time) but I recently watched The Best Years of Our Lives (again) and I believe it still stands the test of time - is a magnificent tribute to the military. Cheers and thanks for your work. Best wishes from across the pond!
She already did ban him once but then he just came back with a new name. He’s a good example of why I believe humanity is too dysfunctional to survive. I believe humanity is at a fork in the road. One path leads to a dystopian nightmare where our global civilization is destroyed by WW3. The other path leads to a utopia where AGI helps humanity avoid self-destruction and helps us cure disease and end poverty. We will soon see which path we take. The next couple of years will decide our fate.
My dad served in Korea and early Vietnam. He died thirty years ago this year. He didn’t enjoy good health in his life. My sister and I were recently talking about how much he missed. The grandchildren that he never knew. God bless your Dad. To all the vets here, thank you for your service!
Lex Fridman interviews Elon Musk about the Tesla Full Self Driving car and the Optimus AI powered humanoid robot that they’re working on. Both learn by watching videos of how things are done pretty much the same way humans learn by watching. This Farzad Mesbahi plays some of the video and then stops it to comment on what they’re saying and does this all the way through. Works very well. This AI is moving very fast and my hope is that it will move fast enough to save humanity from self-destruction in a global WW3 which will bring down our entire always online global civilization. Hope springs eternal. We will soon see what fate has in store for us.
Pounding Gaza into rubble is not going to make Israel a safer place. The momentum now is for the Middle East to be engulfed in war which will most likely plunge the world into global WW3.
“She is my mother, I know her from her hair.” (1 min)
“If WOKE is programming AL, it’s not going to work.”
That’s why Elon started “X.AI” which will be curious and committed to truth. It’s not programmed. It uses neural networks similar to our human brains to learn and reason. I recommend following Elon. He’s a once in a generation genius and we’re very fortunate to have him on our side. He considers Woke a “mind virus” and “a threat to civilization.” That’s why the democrats hate him so much. They’ll never forgive him for insulting their Woke faith.
Veterans Day: My Grandfather, Adm. Ben Moreell, Founder of the U.S. Navy Seabees in World War II (Motto "Can Do") and my Dad, Julian Gammon Jr., who upon graduating from MIT at the age of 20, with a degree in Chemical Engineering, immediately enlisted in the U.S.Navy. The "Greatest Generation"
It must be obvious that liberty necessarily means freedom to choose foolishly as well as wisely; freedom to choose evil as well as good; freedom to enjoy the rewards of good judgment, and freedom to suffer the penalties of bad judgment. If this is not true, the word "freedom" has no meaning.
Beautiful memorial Sasha. Thank you. I was too young for Vietnam. My father was too young for WW2. My grandfather was a pilot in WW1. He lived. What a glorious blessing it is, to live, and to love much. Even when others do not love you back. God is good, all the time. It takes a full lifetime to understand what i just said to you. Shalom. May the peace that passes all understanding, dwell in your heart fully. That is Shalom.
Biden honors Americans who ‘stood on the front lines of freedom’ in Veterans Day remarks while distinguished Veteran General John Kelly reveals what the disgraceful "former commander in chief" thought of the military:
Kelly: "What can I add that has not already been said? A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all 'suckers' because 'there is nothing in it for them.'’ A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family – for all Gold Star families – on TV during the 2016 campaign [John Kelly's son died in combat] and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France. A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women. A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.
There is nothing more that can be said,” Kelly concluded. “God help us.”
I don’t believe anything said about Trump by the left is true but I do know we had vastly better borders under Trump than we have now which are open and the southern one is controlled by the cartels according to RFK who I believe. I believe America has already ceased to exist as a country internally which is why it’s so rapidly unraveling externally. May God curse your insanely evil Democratic Party for destroying this once great nation. You creatures are evil.
“This time, only adult men came off the bus; they were then escorted into what used to be the school’s cafeteria.”
“These individuals are scared; this is a new country for them, so we’ll spend a little time helping them to get them to their final destination,” said Mauricio Torre, one of the volunteers with an agency called SBCS.
Migrant ‘transitional center’ in California taking in up to 700 asylum seekers daily.
As chief of staff, General John Kelly spent entire days working with Trump and observed him closely. He was one of the "adults in the room" who prevented trump from doing crazy impulsive things. Can you imagine how nauseating it must have been for this career military man and gold star father to listen to the ignorant trump disrespect the military?
I have heard that many times and yet no one can come up with a video or actual evidence that he said such a thing.
Trump's press secretary Caliegh McAnany (spelling probably wrong) spent a lot of time with Trump and she wrote a book about it. She said that of all the lies the press told about Trump, the one that hurt him the most was that one. The one that claims he called prisoners of war "losers" etc. He said to her: "How could anyone think such a thing about our veterans? How can they think that I would say such a thing? " Trump loved the guys in uniform and they loved him. They loved him because he loves America and still believes in it.
While the FBI spends all its human capital looking for J6 tourists to imprison and try, I wonder what new "failure of imagination" terror plot they are overlooking or, as in 9/11, deliberately sidelining because it isn't the sort of work that gets you promoted?
Sasha, what a wonderful tribute to your Dad, your Uncle and all of our Vets. We used to kid around at my house that my dad Joe was the original GI Joe - he survived the Battle of Anzio then joined the march to Rome; after VE Day, he crossed North Africa by troop train and was shipped to the Pacific - luckily the War ended by the time he arrived in Iwo Jima. He earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze
Star for his service. He never whined about lost time or regretted his service - he just did what was expected to be done. I thank God for him and all others who saved us from a truly terrible fate. I thank God for all of our Vets who have served to keep us all out of harms way.
Your Dad was a truly great man.
Beautiful, Sasha. God bless your Dad. And God Bless America.
Thank you to all the Veterans today and every day! 🇺🇸
In remembrance of my dear friend Jim McGee, recipient of two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star for heroic service in Vietnam, the war of our generation. Jim passed away July 12, 2023. He bore the scars of that war, both physical and mental, to the very end. There has never been a finer man. Thank you Sasha for beautifully capturing the sense of admiration and obligation that we owe these men and women.
I'm looking at old photos/videos today, and thinking...We were so damn young!
I will share a couple of anecdotes a veteran of the campaign across France in WWII shared with me. An older gentleman who was my supervisor observed that I wore a windbreaker jacket with a hoodie in a zippered pocket behind the collar one day. He said that it was just like the ones they wore in the army when he was in France. He said that the thing would flop up over his helmet when he would dive onto his stomach after running forward in a charge. He looked thoughtful for a moment and said that after he had charged a machine gun nest he counted twenty-one bullet holes in his plastic hoodie. I was stunned at the mental image and asked the obvious question: how could you have that happen and not get hurt? He scoffed a little and said "oh, I got hit seven times". I couldn't even respond. The story I could read between the lines just overwhelmed me. He then went on to recount a story of the "pup tents" they had to stay in during the lethally cold winter in France and how someone had scrounged a bottle of peppermint schnapps from a countryside farm during the day and how that night they crammed seven soldiers in a pup tent and drank the whole bottle. He said that it got so hot from the number of men in the sealed up tent that they had to open the flap in spite of the sub-zero temperatures. He told it as a bright spot in an otherwise brutal ordeal. I treasure these memories that gave me insight into a world I pray I never have to experience myself. The human condition CAN be shared vicariously at least to some degree and we can get a feel for things we haven't endured. I respect veterans as men (and women) who have suffered and lived courageously in spite of it.
As a vet of 25 years, thank you, Sasha!
Two quick thoughts...the health care we vets are getting is generally good, but like all promises our government makes, its continuation is subject to the whims and perceived “needs” of those wielding power. I suspect the first step in eliminating that benefit will be “means testing,” a bar that can be easily and frequently raised. We’ll see!
My second thought is about how I find it somewhat galling to watch a video thanking vets for the sacrifices made to protect out freedoms posted on YouTube, one of the first and most aggressive platforms actively censoring free speech!
I got under the old GI Bill for education and it provided my only viable chance for a college education. Game changer.
God Bless (whats left of) the USA. Thank you for having our backs.
The land that was once known as "The land of the Free and the Home of the Brave" has become the land of "What else do you have that's free for me so I can be forever indebted to our evil government." I never thought I would see it in my time😥
When I was a kid, almost everyone's father and grandfather had served in the US military. I just took it for granted that I should too. I spent three years in the Army, and later after a divorce where I had nothing and was responsible for paying child support, I re-enlisted. Had a place to sleep and 3 meals a day. And then they paid for my night schooling. Not bad. Oh, and my son also served in the Air Force for 6 years.
Salute to my father and brother, both U.S. Army vets (Korea, VN, Cold War, Desert Storm) and to my grand uncles, one who never returned from a German POW camp after being shot down over Italy, another who hit numerous beaches with the USMC in the Pacific, and the other who fought the entire campaign from North Africa to Italy to Normandy to the forests of Ardennes. Uncle Stanley told me that he never understood how he got through it all "without a scratch" when everyone around him died.
Thank you, Sasha. We owe, as taxpayers, especially to our soldiers who have seen combat, a duty of care, in my opinion. (Even the Roman Empire had retirement cities for its soldiers.) As families we are to 'honor our mothers and fathers’, this takes on special meaning when they are old. We may not have agreed with them or even have always received that support emotionally/financially they owed to us as children, but as a testimony to our faithfulness to God… we are to do our duty to them. I have had to repent for my attitude and behavior, caused by bitterness, at times.
Us older folks do this for love, even if our children reject us. Eventually they will understand.
The love of a parent is a magnificent gift. The Lord gives us this heart, I don’t think we, as children, get the depths of that until we have our own and they leave the nest. It is at this point we tend to understand that they, usually, did the best they could. We are all imperfect vessels, we need to extend the grace God gave us… I think for most people we gain this greater understanding a little later in life than we ought to have.
Our parents are just us one generation removed; and God don't we desire mercy and not justice. I view my dad that way. He gifted me all he could given his suffering that we all do in this life we're given. My father was a veteran too and saw things I couldn't conceive of. Hope all the veterans out there have a good day and find a bit of peace in a turbulent world.
We actually need mercy more than justice.
Thank you, Sasha! Happy Veterans Day to all veterans and the spouses & families who’ve supported them. We honor you all and, most especially, those lost in sacrifice defending our liberty.
Please everyone, let their sacrifices not be in vain.
I heard you speak of your dad on Megyn Kelly’s podcast. Sounds like a wonderful man!🇺🇸
Ali, when was that podcast? I can’t find it.
Ack! Went back and searched. Wrong SubStack writer. I was remembering a Sage Steele interview and attributing it to Sasha Stone. Too many S’s, I guess! 🤪
Haha!
Nice tribute, Sacha! As a physician in the Navy, it was my privilege to take care of the most dedicated people in the world. God bless America!
Do we still have a military? Seems that it’s been ruined by Woke race and gender ideology. How can it be a military ready to fight and die for country when it vigorously promotes tribalism rather than cohesion which is essential for a military? Do we still have a country? How can this be considered a country when it’s no longer capable of doing things as basic and as essential as maintaining secure borders, safe city streets and schools that educate rather than promote tribalism and contempt for country?
So where’s this “black/brown” coalition the Woke democrats love to talk about? A major reason why they opened the southern border is to get an influx of “brown” people which would join with blacks to fight white devil racism. Doesn’t seem to be working. Seems to be worsening black/Hispanic relations. Fat chance of the democrats ever being intelligent enough to understand this obvious fact. I don’t mean to be Mr Doom and Gloom here. I’m just saying what I see.
Woman Tells Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson To His Face: ‘You’ve Got To Stop The Buses Coming In!’ (3 min)
Forbes Breaking News. Nov 10, 2023
https://youtu.be/3p9rF9lIXHM?si=5-RZ25ITLXRKm4gI
Thank you Sasha. Appreciate you and God Bless our Veterans and America
We are eternally grateful to your father and uncle for their service.
We can be inspired to have great courage by looking at their example. God help us all, but especially the veterans on this day.
God bless our veterans, God bless you and God bless America ❤️🇺🇸👍
(Please, no salute.) I served as one of approx. 3,000 Lodge Act (Google it!) "Aliens" who purchsed their above-quota entry to the US by signing up for five years in the US Army. $57.00 a month, brown boots, Ike jackets and lots of fat sergeants. Forts Jackson, Belvoir, Dix, Devens, Knox et al and two tours in the Far East. VietNam was a visible enough threat, so I didn't re-enlist as an E-6 NCO.
I got to know much of the US and, as a Combat Engineer (MOS 121.26) I even picked up some useful skills. I learned enough English for several colleges to accept me even though my formal education stopped at tenth grade. (To be sure, those were European grades = real education.)
No G.I. Bill, but I remain grateful for those good years: It made me an American.
Thanks for your service, Andras. I was MOS 45 Gulf, M1 Fire Control Systems Repair. You gave to your country and that is to be richly commended. Who cares your education level. What matters more in this life is your heart towards yourself, and others. Glad to be your fellow American
Wonderful tribute, Sasha. ❤️I really enjoyed your Dads drum solo you posted a few months ago. I was folding clothes at the time, but felt propelled to stop and dance around the room -- which I did! 🤩 🇺🇸 🤩
As a Vietnam era veteran I sent my stepson this message:
"Thinking of you as time rushes toward our shared special day of memories for all who served."
"I will honor you and love you for as long as I live, Alex."
My stepson received some serious trauma in Iraq. He and others were in a vehicle destroyed by a buried bomb.
He replied with this message: "Love you brother."
Those three words trumped my relation as his step father.
My dad landed on a blood soaked beach in Normandy.
My uncle John landed on dozens of islands occupied by the Japanese military.
When the Marines cleared the way, he and other "SeaBees" went to work repairing or building air fields for our aviation assets, during which they came under enemy fire.
President Truman will forever be a hero to me. I recently visited his presidential library and the grounds of his memorial.
Had he listened to those on his staff who were against using the Atomic bomb, my dad would be among the tens of thousands of troops in Europe who would be sent to the Pacific theater of war.
And uncle John would have been among the first wave of U.S. forces to land on Honshu, Japan's largest island.
The carnage among military and civilians would be unimaginable.
-30-
I agree that dropping the bomb was necessary and saved a lot of lives, both American and Japanese. What I often wonder about on days like this is what those men who fought in WW2 would have thought of the Woke monstrosity America has become.
“Hiroshima: Dropping the Bomb.” (5 min)
BBC Studios. July 24, 2007
https://youtu.be/NF4LQaWJRDg
“How Blatant Anti-White Racism Won Acceptance in Elite America.”
Real Clear Investigations. Sept 7, 2022
https://www.realclearinvestigations.com/articles/2022/09/07/how_blatant_anti-white_racism_won_acceptance_in_elite_america_850879.html
I've read articles about how left of center the top brass at the Pentagon have become, and more likely to promote officers and Noncoms based not on fighting skills but more like the concepts pedaled by the members of ABC's The View.
However, most of us who have served in the military understand why the various branches are missing their enlistment goals.
You don't become a police officer or a fire fighter or a nurse without first having a strong sense of duty to your community and your nation.
-30-
“You don't become a police officer or a fire fighter or a nurse without first having a strong sense of duty to your community and your nation.”
Having “a strong sense of duty to your community and your nation.” are now considered “extremist values” and such people are being purged from the military and from police departments. It’s not that I hate America. It’s that I don’t see that America even still exists as a country. What I see is a failed state in an ever worsening civil war. And if a country like America, with all its many advantages, can so easily collapse into insanity and self-destruct then what country can survive?
And doesn’t the disastrous failure of the American experiment indicate the human experiment is also destined for failure, in the very near future? For whatever reason, AI sails past most people like water off a duck’s back but I believe it’s the only thing powerful enough to take control of all our out of control problems that have taken on a life of their own and are rapidly driving us to the abyss. Like a raging forest fire too powerful and moving too fast to be stopped.
“Proposed rule aims to keep ‘biased’ group members from becoming Chicago police officers.” (2 min)
CBS Chicago. Nov 10, 2023
https://youtu.be/FcHAGSWCVRA?si=TXj5KbuXgNnQprDh
Well, the USA is not really a country any more. Just a collection of mutually hostile tribes existing in the same space.
A truly disastrous situation not only for us but for our entire world which is also in a rapidly accelerating tailspin. This is obviously unsustainable. I recently saw video of a man in Beirut being interviewed who said Lebanon is like a plane falling from the sky that hasn’t yet crashed. Same could be said about America and even for the world.
Thank YOU Sasha.
Sasha such a special a tribute and I’ll think of your Dad when paying thanks to our Vets.
A small anecdote. My good friends Dad sadly passed away and some of his Marine buds showed at his funeral.
I engaged one of the funeral guests to ask how he knew my friends Dad. He shared they fought together in Iwo Jima and we were shocked because His dad, Herbie never talked about the war or his role. The point is he quietly went about his business serving his country and never wanted to boast about his contribution and service to the country.
How many American kids died on beaches we may never visit to protect our BORDER and our Sovereignty. So the big mouths who’ve never done anything g for this country can run their mouth today
Another thing - we really need to find what binds us together today. For your Dad and his fellow heroes, it was love of country and their moral compass.
I read recently about Rwanda and the fallout from the vicious killing that took place there. People saw members of the warring factions mutilating each other and most incredibly: today they are forced to sit down with others who may have killed members of their family and reach consensus for the common good and the future of Rwanda - we need that same selflessness and sacrifice for the good of our country or this grand experiment will have failed.
God bless our country and all those kids who have the ultimate sacrifice
In 1973 the ALL VOLUNTEER FORCE came into being, now the vehicle for recruiting members to serve in the armed forces to defend our nation. Since the Biden mafia came to power recruiting has dropped like a stone. DEI and other WOKE garbage, like more genders than Heinz has varieties, are unilaterally killing thr AVF. God help us if we confront a serious combat situation that can't be fought with standoff weapons, robots and A I !
The Marines and SOF components are the limit of our warriors. Not nearly sufficient. And with today's advanced missiles for sure the Navy only has subs and aboit 400 targets. Will those targets last more than few hours? Don't bet on it yet we are.
The Left is truly destroying not only the military but also the youth that otherwise could have served well. A slow motion cluster in the making that our grandchildren will pay for in their blood and tears.
“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”― G. Michael Hopf, Those Who Remain
This is what I find infuriating and sad about our current situation, our vets – our Greatest generation fought against authoritarian collectivism and won and created ‘good times.’ Those ‘good times create(d) weak men.’
Those ‘weak men’ are perfectly willing to throw away what our vets fought for.
They should be ashamed that they even can stand in the shadow of our veterans.
I am a veteran, a combat veteran (most veterans were never in combat). The irony is that what is now called Veterans Day was originally Armistice Day, to celebrate the end of The War to End All Wars. It continued to be Armistice Day until World War II veterans began dominating the veterans organizations and pressed Congress to change it. By the way, veterans benefits don't come from the military, they come through the Veterans Administration, which has no direct connection to the military. Yes, we veterans do have health care but there are stipulations. Health care is first for those who were disabled as a result of military service, then it goes on down the list to those in need. I personally wish Congress had left Armistice Day and Memorial Day alone.
Excellent, thanks for the tribute to our veterans and your family that served!
Thank you
🫶🏻
Wonderful life, wonderful tribute! God bless 🇺🇸
This is how I spent 1968
https://www.f-106deltadart.com/piwigo/upload/2013/04/20/20130420151818-58f8ea26.jpg
https://www.318fis.com/IMAGES/F-106A%205X-XXXX%20318%20FIS%20OSAN%20AB%20KOREA%20COLLEGE%20CADENCE%20-%20F-106%20Air%20Foked%20like%20a%20knight%201968%20Press%20Photo%20550X408.jpg
Except it was At Night. They wanted C Flight hidden away.
https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FWCS5Ycfr1s/WYJZIO2tpDI/AAAAAAAAG4A/V9K2c0kI_BEe8GbDeYKj27yOOlQ1swywACK4BGAYYCw/s1600/osan2.jpg
The V (Chico Village) 500 registered whores X 3 unregistered.
Hey Steve, your post of 318th Delta Darts is giving me awesome chills this AM. I grew up on McChord AFB where 318th FIS was posted and my dad (just passed during Covid) was Air Force mechanic on these supreme machines (1970’s). I remember being maybe 5 years old, my dad sitting me in cockpit of F-106 and him saying ‘just don’t touch anything yellow’ (as one of those yellow levers might eject me). Delta Darts coming and going to fly NORAD patrols were sound of my youth, and my favorite aircraft. The ‘Green Dragons’ patch of 318th from 70’s (disbanded in 1989) is so cool:
https://squadronnostalgia.com/product/318th-fighter-interceptor-squadron-patch-plastic-backing/
I met a Korean vet last year in my neighborhood who was a tail gunner on B-29 in Korea. He had photos of bomb runs that were amazing. Had no idea the Superfortress saw action there.
I was guarding (along with Willie Goods) the Alert birds the night The USS Pueblo was stolen. Things went from nice and calm to Oh Crap in about 5 minutes. 36 hours later I got relived from post. Our security flight went from 15 to 75 in a matter of days. Thing is I volunteered for the ROK because didn't want to go to Vietnam and Nothing ever happens in Korea...WRONG...WRONG...WRONG :-)
The Second Korean War: A Forgotten Conflict 1966 - 1969
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hpFsKqaIuc&t=14s
The story of the forgotten 'Second Korean War', that occurred along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea between 1966-69, which resulted in many US casualties in sometimes intense engagements with communist infiltrators.
Korea in winter is..Think Minot ND, in summer New Orleans.
Wow Steve. You saw history close. I’ve never heard of this 2nd Korean War conflict and will be watching the video, thx for it. I personally know of North Dakota winters you speak of so yeah that is chill to the bone weather if that’s what you endured in Korea. My dad had 22 years in service, first w/ USMC then AF. His 1st deployment was fresh boot from Paris Island onto Beirut in ‘59, then helped run rifle ranges in Vietnam attached to USS Coral Sea in ‘61. But his best stories I recall were keeping the F-105 Thunderchiefs & F-4 Phantoms doing their thing in his Vietnam tour ‘69-‘70. He rotated between North Thailand and Phu Cat, south of Danang, and loved working under the the famous Blackman & Robin Team (Colonels Daniel ‘Chappie’ James & the immortal Robin Olds). Colonel James in particular was one of the highest ranking Black Americans in all services at the time, and a great American:
https://www.airuniversity.af.edu/Diversity/Article-Display/Article/2946694/in-memory-of-chappie-1st-us-black-4-star-general/
https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0608olds/
Its Jan. put you long underwear on Fatigues, jacket, flack vest, Parka furlined pants, bunnyboots, gloves,then mittens. Ya get on post, and you've got to take a piss. You DO NOT call in a 10-14 (bathroom break) not if you want to have a heated post anytime in the near future. This is when you find out how good a shot you are. You've got 1+ inches of clothes and because of the cold you've...shriveled up to about 1/2 inch of pecker.
This was something they Never covered in tech school.
"Blackman & Robin Team (Colonels Daniel ‘Chappie’ James & the immortal Robin Olds). Colonel James in particular was one of the highest ranking Black Americans in all services at the time, and a great American:"
The A Team! The Real Deal!
After Vietnam War, my dad served in AF alongside a University of Michigan grad (I forget his name) who was shot down I think in ‘66 and had something like 7 years in Hanoi Hilton. As the story goes, this guy made it through in part by replaying over & over in his head, 1/2 time UM marching band routines (he played in band). For rest of his life, every Saturday like a religion, he enjoyed a bourbon and stogie watching his Wolverines.
Steve, just want to thank you for making my week. You made me think of my dad and youth w/ fondness. Appreciate you sir
That's why I get The Big Money! :-)
😂😂😂
Always said that “A Few Good Men” should have been set in Korea instead of GITMO because then former was far more dangerous. I was in GITMO for a bit and the big fights were mostly at closing in the enlisted club. Some typical name like “Fair Winds” lol. Only military marketing could make up.
Thanks, Sasha, for this tribute for your Veteran dad and the other Veterans.It was a blessing to be with him watching “It’s a Great Life” the day before he died. He was probably thinking the same thing. I was with both of my parents when they died. These are what the Indians would call “great deaths”. Those are sacred memories. I hope the vets will keep posting their experiences here for us to read and absorb. In my family there have been five vets, two civilians attached to the military, a Marine reservist, and a current Marine. A relative had his third retirement serving
as the CMO of the MEPS (Military Entrancing Processing Service)which is responsible for assessing the recruits of all services to qualify to ship out to basic. The MEPS is actually ranked up as a fifth department now along with our other services. Because this is a voluntary military, the MEPS is not my grandfather’s recruiting service. Nor is the cost of training a recruit up to being combat ready. But, I’ll leave those details to our Veterans out there,
Hey Jane, I am also from a family of vets and am one myself. I remember when my brother was in Vietnam Joe my mom cried herself to bed every night. Serving is a family affair and tough on those at home too.
Bless you Shasha that was a wonderful tribute to your Dad, Uncle and the Military.
Your Dad and Uncle provided the path and set the standard for us younger guys; they are revered among us. Forever.
It was an honor to sleep on dirt for months for you all that understand this Greatest Experiment in history.
You are no doubt very proud of your father and uncle as you should be, they were great peoplle. My great uncle was killed in the First World War by an artillery shell, he was just 17 years of age. Pvt Nelson of the Canadian Army.
So did mine. also 17, died at Pascendale. . No body, no grave - just his name on a wall in Ypres.
You are fortunate SS to have had a lot of time with your father. We don't always get that.
I hate fighting. I hate war. I hate the fact soooo any people lost their BELOVED son, father, husband, brother ,daughter, mother, wife, sister...and we cant even house the remaining homeless ones who served.
I loved the show about your dad, sasha.
Lovely.
🥲💔🇺🇸
Over the summer, a man who was killed at Pearl Harbor was buried in my state. His body parts had only recently been identified through newer DNA technology. The funeral was attended by his nieces and nephews who were born after he died, but all of the family members he’d known during his life were dead. The only one there with personal memories of him was a very old lady who used to play with him sometimes when they were little kids.
WWII stories get to me in a way that no other war does, because three of my grandparents served in it. (My grandma was in the WAC.) I think the current batch of teenagers and twenty-somethings would have such different perspectives if they’d grown up around that generation.
Sasha a nice piece and a nice tribute. I love It’s a Wonderful Life (which I watch every year around Xmas time) but I recently watched The Best Years of Our Lives (again) and I believe it still stands the test of time - is a magnificent tribute to the military. Cheers and thanks for your work. Best wishes from across the pond!
Freedom isn't free.
OK, Sasha. I think you need to take a look at whether MLBFan is violating your comment policy.
She already did ban him once but then he just came back with a new name. He’s a good example of why I believe humanity is too dysfunctional to survive. I believe humanity is at a fork in the road. One path leads to a dystopian nightmare where our global civilization is destroyed by WW3. The other path leads to a utopia where AGI helps humanity avoid self-destruction and helps us cure disease and end poverty. We will soon see which path we take. The next couple of years will decide our fate.
My dad served in Korea and early Vietnam. He died thirty years ago this year. He didn’t enjoy good health in his life. My sister and I were recently talking about how much he missed. The grandchildren that he never knew. God bless your Dad. To all the vets here, thank you for your service!
Lex Fridman interviews Elon Musk about the Tesla Full Self Driving car and the Optimus AI powered humanoid robot that they’re working on. Both learn by watching videos of how things are done pretty much the same way humans learn by watching. This Farzad Mesbahi plays some of the video and then stops it to comment on what they’re saying and does this all the way through. Works very well. This AI is moving very fast and my hope is that it will move fast enough to save humanity from self-destruction in a global WW3 which will bring down our entire always online global civilization. Hope springs eternal. We will soon see what fate has in store for us.
“New: Elon Musk Blows Lex Fridman’s Mind. (Tesla FSD, Bot).” (17 min)
Farzad Mesbahi. Nov 9, 2023
https://www.youtube.com/live/80zIHXrL170?si=JqxtKEJNdCsFUXON
Pounding Gaza into rubble is not going to make Israel a safer place. The momentum now is for the Middle East to be engulfed in war which will most likely plunge the world into global WW3.
“She is my mother, I know her from her hair.” (1 min)
Al Jazeera. Nov 11, 2023
https://youtube.com/shorts/PB7L7n1nXBQ?si=RF44_itsb_gPPt3X
I’ve been reading on AL. If WOKE is programming AL, it’s not going to work.
“If WOKE is programming AL, it’s not going to work.”
That’s why Elon started “X.AI” which will be curious and committed to truth. It’s not programmed. It uses neural networks similar to our human brains to learn and reason. I recommend following Elon. He’s a once in a generation genius and we’re very fortunate to have him on our side. He considers Woke a “mind virus” and “a threat to civilization.” That’s why the democrats hate him so much. They’ll never forgive him for insulting their Woke faith.
Veterans Day: My Grandfather, Adm. Ben Moreell, Founder of the U.S. Navy Seabees in World War II (Motto "Can Do") and my Dad, Julian Gammon Jr., who upon graduating from MIT at the age of 20, with a degree in Chemical Engineering, immediately enlisted in the U.S.Navy. The "Greatest Generation"
Grandad's Bio: https://www.history.navy.mil/.../civ.../adm-ben-moreell.html
From Quotes (Ben Moreell):
It must be obvious that liberty necessarily means freedom to choose foolishly as well as wisely; freedom to choose evil as well as good; freedom to enjoy the rewards of good judgment, and freedom to suffer the penalties of bad judgment. If this is not true, the word "freedom" has no meaning.
Nice essay. My dad, 4 brothers and I served also. The Left is destroying our youth and thus our military.
Beautiful memorial Sasha. Thank you. I was too young for Vietnam. My father was too young for WW2. My grandfather was a pilot in WW1. He lived. What a glorious blessing it is, to live, and to love much. Even when others do not love you back. God is good, all the time. It takes a full lifetime to understand what i just said to you. Shalom. May the peace that passes all understanding, dwell in your heart fully. That is Shalom.
If there were no soldiers, there would be no wars... then. Now soldiers are not needed - AI is.
Biden honors Americans who ‘stood on the front lines of freedom’ in Veterans Day remarks while distinguished Veteran General John Kelly reveals what the disgraceful "former commander in chief" thought of the military:
Kelly: "What can I add that has not already been said? A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all 'suckers' because 'there is nothing in it for them.'’ A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family – for all Gold Star families – on TV during the 2016 campaign [John Kelly's son died in combat] and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France. A person who is not truthful regarding his position on the protection of unborn life, on women, on minorities, on evangelical Christians, on Jews, on working men and women. A person that has no idea what America stands for and has no idea what America is all about. A person who admires autocrats and murderous dictators. A person that has nothing but contempt for our democratic institutions, our Constitution, and the rule of law.
There is nothing more that can be said,” Kelly concluded. “God help us.”
I don’t believe anything said about Trump by the left is true but I do know we had vastly better borders under Trump than we have now which are open and the southern one is controlled by the cartels according to RFK who I believe. I believe America has already ceased to exist as a country internally which is why it’s so rapidly unraveling externally. May God curse your insanely evil Democratic Party for destroying this once great nation. You creatures are evil.
“This time, only adult men came off the bus; they were then escorted into what used to be the school’s cafeteria.”
“These individuals are scared; this is a new country for them, so we’ll spend a little time helping them to get them to their final destination,” said Mauricio Torre, one of the volunteers with an agency called SBCS.
Migrant ‘transitional center’ in California taking in up to 700 asylum seekers daily.
Yahoo News. Nov 10, 2023
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/migrant-transitional-center-california-taking-000326995.html
As chief of staff, General John Kelly spent entire days working with Trump and observed him closely. He was one of the "adults in the room" who prevented trump from doing crazy impulsive things. Can you imagine how nauseating it must have been for this career military man and gold star father to listen to the ignorant trump disrespect the military?
I have heard that many times and yet no one can come up with a video or actual evidence that he said such a thing.
Trump's press secretary Caliegh McAnany (spelling probably wrong) spent a lot of time with Trump and she wrote a book about it. She said that of all the lies the press told about Trump, the one that hurt him the most was that one. The one that claims he called prisoners of war "losers" etc. He said to her: "How could anyone think such a thing about our veterans? How can they think that I would say such a thing? " Trump loved the guys in uniform and they loved him. They loved him because he loves America and still believes in it.
General Kelly was Trump's chief of staff for 17 months and worked closely with him. He made statement to CNN on Oct 2, 2023: https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/02/politics/john-kelly-donald-trump-us-service-members-veterans/index.html
Trump responded with an immediate attack on Kelly on Oct 4, 2023 on Truth Social so I think that verifies it:
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4239713-trump-rips-kelly-after-confirmation-of-suckers-remark/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20incapable%20of%20doing,visit%20to%20France%20in%202018
Kayleigh McEnany is a Trump shill and I would guess that Trump was friendly to any soldiers who came to visit and worship him.
While the FBI spends all its human capital looking for J6 tourists to imprison and try, I wonder what new "failure of imagination" terror plot they are overlooking or, as in 9/11, deliberately sidelining because it isn't the sort of work that gets you promoted?