Today is one of the many days we remember and honor the great men and women who serve and protect us in our voluntary military. We should always honor and remember them, each and every individual, from every war all the way back to the Revolution - regardless whether you agree with a particular war or not. These men and women placed their lives on the line for all of us, and many gave their life in the name of our liberty too.
Right now, we ARE in a war against Radical Islam. In fact, it's a war of civilizations. We are also preparing to elect a new President, a new Commander In Chief of our military. For all of the complaints about George W. Bush (I also have a few), he has remained a steadfast voice in the howling winds of political discourse. He has stood as an island, ignoring the political winds as measured by the polls, and has done what he felt was in the best interest of the United States of America. As Ann Coulter said, "In the end, he walks alone to meet the killers, because someone has to."
Republican candidate John McCain III has a long history of military duty. His grandfather, Four-Star Admiral John S. McCain Sr., served in the Pacific during WWII, and was also present at the Japanese surrender aboard the U.S.S. Missouri. McCains father, Four-Star Admiral John S. McCain Jr., commanded U.S. forces in the Pacific during Vietnam. His son Jimmy, currently serves in U.S. Marine Corps.
John McCain III graduated from the United States Naval Academy. As a Lieutenant Junior naval aviator, McCain had an engine malfunction during a test flight and crashed into Corpus Christi Bay. Knocked unconscious briefly, he got out of the plane and swam to the surface without major injury.
In 1960, John McCain III joined squadron VA-42 as a pilot of attack aircraft, and soon joined the VA-65 "World Famous Fighting Tigers" squadron. He was made a Lieutenant in 1962 and put on alert duty during the Cuban Missile Crises.
In 1967, John McCain was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and joined the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. McCain was almost killed in the "Forrestal fire" on July 29, 1967. While the air wing was preparing to launch attacks, a Zuni rocket from an F-4 Phantom accidentally fired across the carrier's deck. The rocket struck either McCain's A-4E Skyhawk or one near it. The impact ruptured the Skyhawk's fuel tank, which ignited the fuel and knocked two bombs loose.
As the USS Forrestal went for repairs, McCain volunteered to join the undermanned VA-163 "Saints" squadron on board the carrier USS Oriskany. Volunteering for the squad's most dangerous missions, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal for leading his air section through heavy enemy fire during a raid on the Lac Trai shipyard in Haiphong.
During his 23rd mission, McCains instruments were giving him warning that he was being tracked. He held his dive until he could release his payload. When he pulled up, his wing was blown off sending his plane into a vertical inverted spin.
Nearly drowning, losing the use of both arms, he inflated his life vest with his teeth. He was then pulled to shore by a mob of Vietnamese who spat on him, kicked him, stripped him of his clothes, and crushed his left shoulder with the butt of a rifle before hauling him off to Hoa Lo Prison, better known as the "Hanoi Hilton".
The North Vietnamese beat and tortured McCain viscously for the next 5 1/2 years, finally being released from captivity on March 14, 1973.
In 1974, McCain was assigned to the Replacement Air Group VA-174 "Hellrazors", a training squadron located at Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville. It became the largest aviation squadron in the Navy. He was promoted to Executive Officer in 1975, and on July 1, 1976, he was made VA-174's commanding officer.
The Democrat candidate for President, Barack Hussein Obama, has not served in the military. In fact, I believe he summed up
his knowledge of our amazing voluntary military September 4, 2008 on FOX News' Bill O'Reilly show (emphasis added).
"I think that the surge has succeeded in ways that nobody anticipated," Obama said while refusing to retract his initial opposition to the surge. "I've already said it's succeeded beyond our wildest dreams."
Beyond our wildest dreams ... talk about no respect. The U.S. military is NEVER the underdog!
John McCain served "a cause greater than self". Obama doesn't even believe our military is capable.
You're not being fair here! Obama was a "COMMUNITY ORGANIZER!"
Everyone knows that a more important accomplishment than learning to be a fighter pilot, or commanding a Navy squadron!
McCain spent 19 years in Congress before his first run for President. Obama must be a whole lot smarter because he started running after only one year!
Yeah ... I guess you're right. Working at a law firm, er, I mean, being a community organizer shows way more commitment and self-sacrifice than McCain's heroic military duty. he he he