Saturday, November 5, 2016

In Memorium - OMB's Final Post



Our beloved Oldest Military Blogger passed away shortly before his 94th birthday.  We are proud to share that he got to be a part of the wonderful Hudson Valley Honor Flight's Mission 1000 on September 10, 2016.  Please enjoy these photos of his trip in remembrance of his wonderful life.  A heartfelt thank you to all of you who have followed his stories and corresponded with him here - you brought so much joy to his life.


OMB Ready to Go


Arriving to a crowd of appreciative citizens and soldiers



Korean War Memorial


Photo by Hudson Valley Honor Flight



WWII Memorial with daughter and son



D Day Memorial with grandson Dan


One Final Salute


I'm Here!


Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow,
I am the diamond glint of the snow,
I am the sunlight on the ripening grain,
I am the gentle autumn's rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am the soft stars that shine at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die.











Monday, June 6, 2016

OMB Ten Year Blogging WOW!



Oldest Military Blogger! "I'm Here!"

Stephen Sondheim celebrated his 80th
Birthday a few years ago with a review
of his canon of work on Broadway, at
Lincoln Center, in New York.
At 84,Elaine Strich closed the show in song,
with a sock performance of "I'm Here",
bringing down the house with a standing
ovation to lyrics like.....
"I've seen good times and bum times.
And I'm Here"..
Stephen Sondheim,then took the stage,
addressed the audience
while standing in front of the
entire Company of Players, stating...
"Alice Roosevelt, once said,
'First you're Young.
Then, you're Middle aged.
Then you're Wonderful!"


So, here goes nothing new.
My 10th year blogging on our D Day Anniversary.
Well,
I'm Cool!
I'm Here!
And I'm Wonderful!
Thank you For Your Service.
Come Home, Safe and Sound.
Every Day Should Be Memorial Day For,
Remembering Those
Who Gave Their All.
Thanks Pal.
Thanks.

Monday, May 30, 2016

Memorial Day 2016

On this Day, to honor all the brave who served
without much thought of the great risk for
protecting those left at home, we hallow this Day.

My good friend Duncan sent me the following.
Thank you for your Service.
Thanks Pal.
Thanks.
__________________________________________________________________________
Poetry Corner

It's Memorial Day on Monday, so a little something to honor those that fought, some that
were injured and some that died.

Here dead we lie, by A. E. Housman

Here dead we lie
Because we did not choose
To live and shame the land
From which we sprung.
Life, to be sure, 
Is nothing much to lose,
But young men think it is,
And we were Young

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Final Inspection.

A Veterans Day Thought.The Final Inspection.

The Final Inspection
The soldier stood and faced God,
Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining,
Just as brightly as his brass.
Step forward now, you soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church, have you been true?

The soldier squared his shoulder and said,
No, Lord, I guess I ain't...
Because of those of us who carry guns,
Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays,
And at times, my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent
Because the world is awfully rough.

But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep.

And I never passed a cry for help,
Though at times, I shook with fear.
And sometimes, God, forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.

I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around,
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord,
It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much,
But, if you don't...I'll understand.

There was a silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod...
As the soldier waited quietly
For the judgment of his God.
“Step forward now, you soldier,
You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets:
You've done your time in Hell!”

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Oldest Military Blogger Still is Here

Saturday, May 23, 2015

OMB Memorial Day 2015

My apologies to my many readers for not publishing more often....
But Hey!
I'm Here !
Came across this interesting article in the L.A. Times recently 
and can't resist sharing with you the first celebration of
Decoration Day in the USA
Decoration Day, as it was known in the 1800s, now 
is called Memorial Day,  
I wish I could type all the stuff I would want you to see, unfortunately, 
my poor abilities prevent me from communicating as thoroughly,here....
Please click on the link below to access what I'm trying to write ...


My very best wishes for a Safe and Healthy Memorial Weekend.
Thank you for your Service.
And as Ernie Pyle said on his best work,
Thanks Pal..Thanks.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

OMB 70th D Day Celebration

Promised I'd be back and 'I'm Here".

Very proud and Happy to be here to welcome you all to
my 89th something posting, in of more than 7 years of Blogging.

This 70th Anniversary of this important day in World Civility,
born through the efforts of a War to End All Wars, is to be
humbly compared with today's perception of wars and their reality.

Who Cares !
Life goes on !
Whatsallthefussabout !

Fortunately, some of us still do care.

Thought you would like to see a picture of our outfit, the
301st Port Company, taken at Indiantown Gap, PA,
in 1943, after Basic Training.
Graciously,sent to me by Bill and his wife, Pam..
Bill's Father, Frank Wroblewski is Seventh from the right, seated in the first row.

















301st Port Company Indian Town Gap, PA 1943


Left to Right, Meredith, Me and Portnoy Front Row Seated

Robert Laurence Binyon wrote from and about WWI until he died on
March 10,1943....one month after I arrived at Camp Upton to be oriented
in the  Army before Basic training.
I found his stuff fascinating and scary.
My Favorite scary one, was "The Fallen",
which I've referred too, on occasion...
I would like to remember this day with
some of his verse of remembrance.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young. 

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow. 

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, 

They fell with their faces to the foe. 

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, 

We will remember them. 

Thank Pal, Thanks

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

OMB On Memorial Day 2014

A little late in the day to publish but, after a great movie I was inspired.

I live alone and have people coming to my home,from a well known Medical Agency, seven days a week,  to help me with some personal chores and to deal with my physical insufficiency
This past Friday, I was notified by this service agency, that today was a national holiday to Honor our Military Service men and women and no one would be able to help  me Monday. May 26, Memorial Day...
I thought this was humorous and pathetic and to get me over my displeasure, I mellowed out with
good things to say to them,  the first chance got......

Spent the day scrounging around for things to do, like naps, TV, crossword puzzles...and more naps.
While watching the movie,"The Story of G.I. Joe ",a phone call from my Daughter wishing me, her very  best Wishes and her Love, was my inspiration at the film ending with a tribute to the fallen heroes of our Military .
The Movie, Robert Mitchum and Burgess Meredith hook up with the 18 Infantry in North Africa,
island hopping to Italy and finally to Casino. Burgess portrays the roll of Ernie Pyle, a Pulitzer Prize
War Correspondent who lived in the turmoil of the 18th Infantry and its GI's ....
He writes and finishes the Film with ...

This is our War
And we carry it from one battleground to another
Until it's over
And we win it.
I hope we can rejoice with the Victory
But Humbly....and all together we will try,                      
Try out of the memory of our anguish,
To assemble our broken world
Into a pattern, so fair, so firm,
That another Great War can never again be possible
And for those beneath the wooden crosses,
There is nothing we can do except.
To pause and murmur,
"Thanks Pal, Thanks"
ERNIE PYLE

Until Next Time, I Thank you for Your Service.

Monday, November 11, 2013

OMB Honors Service Served..

November 11, 2013.

Today, We Honor the Memory of Those who have Fallen in the Service
of Their Country, and Those who Survived the Ordeal and Passed On.

May They Rest in Peace.

Today, I join you in Honoring the Military Servicemen and Women
who are representing the United States, Serving all over the World
and here at Home. My Best Wishes for their Safety and Early
Homecoming from the U.S. or Abroad ..

I know many of you may look Quizzically at my excessive Capitalization.
But,
Hey .....It's the Way I Feel About It !

Thank You For Your Service.
Solomon

Sunday, September 8, 2013

OMB attends Wings of Freedom tour.

The Wings of Freedom tour visited nearby Oxford Airport this weekend.   A wonderful display of vintage WWII aircraft.  Here are some photos.






To view videos of the P51 Mustang landing, taxi and take off click on the links below:

P51 Mustang Landing  http://youtu.be/nsjs5uJUlW0

P51 Mustang Taxi in    http://youtu.be/5T2fClDGziA

P51 Mustang Taxi out  http://youtu.be/YORSGMDIPuo

P51 Mustanf Take off   http://youtu.be/b8aXZmwY7lk





Thursday, August 29, 2013

Oldest Military Blogger Recalls a DREAM



Oldest Military Blogger Reflects.

A Comment two days ago on my Blog, prompts
me to re-title this posting ...
My Father Loves Me. 

After finishing my Basic Training at Indiantown Gap PA,
and having settled into my new Quarters with the 301st
Port Co., an event took place, that at the time, was very
uplifting for my morale.
My Father,who had gone to work on the West Coast for
Kaiser Shipyards, constructing Liberty Ships for the
Maritime Commission as an overhead welder, impulsively
dropped in to visit me.
In an interval between shipbuilding, that day, on a train 
bound for New York from Washington State, my Father 
got off at the Harrisburg, PA. stop, some 20 odd miles 
from, Indiantown Gap.
The Camp Service Bus gave him a lift from the Station
to the Gap.
He left after having Dinner in our mess hall but regretted
being unable to stay because he was anxious to be
on his way home to my Mother and 5 of my siblings.

Many  years later, waking from a Dream, I walked into
my kitchen at Four A.M.,sat down in my underwear
at the kitchen table, and composed the following
recollection of the dream and what it revealed to me,
less it be lost forever..The Revelation?.
My Father Loves Me!
On Feb. 14th 1995, I had an insight that was quite
remarkable to me, that after 52 years I realized that
My Father Loved Me ....Very Much!
It was the late afternoon of Oct. 1943...I was in the
Army, stationed in Indiantown Gap PA....An Orderly
came to tell me that my Father was on the Base and
the Orderly had been instructed to bring me to
Battalion Headquarters in his Jeep. 
Civilians had to be detained for security reasons until
a uniformed escort could be provided 
to accompany them... on the base...
It was explained to me, that the visitor was with 
Master Sergeant, Charles Hart, awaiting my 
arrival at the Sergeant's office.
During the ride, I had the most agonizing thoughts. 
Trying to understand the reason for this unexpected 
and unusual circumstance, of allowing, visitors 
for G.I's, who were only permitted on weekends.
The remainder of the ride was short, and when 
we arrived, we were told that the First Sergeant 
had taken my Father to the Mess Hall and we were 
to meet them there.
As I turned to look toward the Mess Hall, from where
I stood I could see the the enlisted men's Chow Line, 
some 200 feet away and outstanding, was the dark 
blue outfit among the olive drab in the line, restlessly waiting.
The brown fedora and the blue figure's posture, identified
his person as my Pop...and as I ran toward him....he turned
to see where the shouting was coming from and saw me
running...he left the line and came in my direction.
When we met there was a very awkward moment, of
no embrace, no hugging or kissing......just some macho
back slapping and hand shaking..and I remember, that
wonderful smile on his face, announcing to me that he
was not a bearer of bad news.
The thing of it is, for over 50 years until tonight's
Dream, I didn't make any sense out of the look in his eyes.
Until this realization in my awaking... 
I remembered those eyes ...
They saw me with sparkling admiration and good humor, 
tearful pride and concern, a careful appraisal
from head to toe and with what I understand now, 
as Much Love......
The kind of Love I hope my Children can see and
apprise, when they notice me looking at them, today.
The kind of look I had seen, in my Mother's eyes,
many times, knowing what that admiration was all
about. 
Strangely, I never equated that thought
with my Dad.
Evidently, We do get Wise as we Age.
I still have the original hand scripted page from 1995,
on a yellow legal pad.
I share this with you now because I was 21 years
of age then, without the awareness of all that was
going on around me....occupied with my own trials
and tribulations.
I knew innately, that my father loved me, but the vivid
dream gave me the intellectual wisdom of his feelings
toward me.
When you get Home, Love your families.
To Love is to Give.
Expect nothing in return and you will never be disappointed.
You get Love only when it is Given without reservation.
Some day, you will realize, you were getting It back in Triplicate,
but hopefully, you were not too busy, to notice..,