Vets day speech

[joea]

Was just sent this by an long time supporter of Aeronca airplanes. He was concerned that someone might get upset over it.

I am not concerned about telling the truth... and the truth is that the war in Afganistan and elsewhere is NOT over and we still have thousands of our military going "in harms way" every day.

~~~~~

This morning watching the Veterans Day Ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier, Obama made a speech and said that the war was over in Iraq and Afghanistan, Al-Qaeda was defeated and they have been Decimated.

How many more lies does this guy have to tell before the folks that re-elected him wake up? Bologna and corn bread for the masses.

Previous to his speech this morning there was a report of another U.S. Soldier killed in Afghanistan.

[jc pacquin]

Gee, I'm still not over little bush who stood under a huge banner proclaiming " mission accomplished" on the deck of an aircraft carrier ( which was insight of the California coast) rigged up in pilots gear, all the while proclaiming he was our big " Protector", when in fact he ducked into the guard and wouldn't even serve his full obligation, which to the average soldier or sailor or airman would have resulted in at least a dishonorable discharge and possible time in jail. It must have been a big disapointment to his father who served with honor and distinction. I voted for his father, never for the son who I think was and is an immature idiot. JP

[jc pacquin]

Gee, I'm still not over little bush who stood under a huge banner proclaiming " mission accomplished" on the deck of an aircraft carrier ( which was insight of the California coast) rigged up in pilots gear, all the while proclaiming he was our big " Protector", when in fact he ducked into the guard and wouldn't even serve his full obligation, which to the average soldier or sailor or airman would have resulted in at least a dishonorable discharge and possible time in jail. It must have been a big disapointment to his father who served with honor and distinction. I voted for his father, never for the son who I think was and is an immature idiot. JP

[Jim McCartney]

Gee, which branch of service was Obama in? I know I was in the Air force for four years.

[joea]

Gee, which branch of service was Obama in? I know I was in the Air force for four years.

US Army here... I did not see Obuma with us while I was in...

[rkittine]

I usually stay out of these discussions as I am a republican living in New York City. Most of my non city friends are not just Republican's but very right and it is interesting to hear some of the things that they spew all the time without checking out the facts, just as mis-quoted, or base ojn talking heads etc. as my Radical Left friends - Ops, I am already getting off topic.

So, let look at a few facts.

Maybe the greatest president of all time? Honest Abe - Can someone remind me of what branch he served in?

Hiram Ulyses Grant (Sam was his mother's maiden name and at West Point, he refused to give a middle name, so thinking he was like many men of his age, the commander used that name as his middle name. He hated Hiram, but I slip again. Great General - At least in the end. TERRIBLE president, with more scandles than Clinton.

The Greatest Repiblican President (at least the right things so, though three major documentaries last year bust a lot of that bubble) - Remind me which branch Regan Serviced in? I think he did play a few soldiers, but mostly cowboys. Maybe he served in the way, not sure.

Truman had the guts to drop the bomb. Which Branch? Not sure on this one either, but non come to mind.,

Roosevelt was in the Navy Department, but I do not think he was ever a swabby or regular miltarty.

Kennedy, a war hero that most presidental historians believe he was one of the worst of modern time. Especially now that the back channel information about the Cuban Missle Crisis has been declasified. Except for the U.S. Steele crisis and getting Marilyn into bed (along with a lot of others) remind me of all the great things he did. Funny the Historians think Johnson will go down in history as a great president, civil rights walking away from Vietnam etc., but I do not remember him serving, though I could again be wrong.

Then of couse, the person I was hoping would be someone I could vote for in the next election, a great military man, who controls a group that snoops on people, is too stupid to keep it in his pants for a while. There goes that hope.

Eisenhower of course was the first modern day president to balance the budget. Great military man.

I should probably erase this, but what the heck. I will not ramble on though.

In any case, I do not think you need to have served to be a good or even great president and can be pretty bad even if you did. I am sorry that the the one, who in my opinion was the "Best Leper in the Colony" lost though.

Let the bash Bob begin.

Ciao - Bob

[rkittine]

Ops, Didn't realize that I could not edit on this Forum as I cross Checked some of my fax, so to correct some of my statements,

12 Presidents did not serve at all. Lincoln volunteered for a burial party in some plains war, but did not serve in the military, though he is not listed in the 12. Truman served in WWI, Johnson in WWII and Carter served . All that loved his presidency, please raise your hand.

So I still content that Serving does not make you a good president automatically and non serving does not necessaily make you a bad one. Though there are a few .......

[MikeB]

Hey Bob
Not bashing you but here are a couple of points from one who studies a lot of history and in fact just am now publishing a book on an air crew lost over Japan in a B29 during WW2 (The Crew of the Empire Express and Peace on a Quiet Mountain in Japan) Even has a picture of the 'author' on the back cover with his Aeronca L16. They are for sale at $9.00 each plus shipping for anyone who might be interested. A friend of mine's brother was on the aircrew. He was able to parachute out but was executed by the Japanese just before the end of the war.

Anyway in regard to your points: Lincoln was a member of some military group during the Black Hawk Indian war but it might have been some kind of a guard. They actually chaseed old Black Hawk up into Wisconsin...not too far from where I live. Reagan was in the army (Captain I believe)but I think he spent most of his time making training films. Truman, who I considered to be a great president was an army artillary captain during WW1. I'm unsure he ever saw combat but I could be wrong. Johnson was a naval officer if I remember correctly and recieved the silver star for a riding along on a combat mission but the pilot of the plane didn't get it (go figure). Nixon was also a naval officer. I ( a conservative who usually votes Republican) actually voted for Kennedy in 1960. I liked his "let not ask what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country". But then I also voted for Carter (go figure again). Not a president but Jim Stewart (Hollywood actor) was decorated B24 pilot and combat leader. His book is worth reading.....just had to throw that in there.

I spent almost four years active in the air force as a mechanic and got out a little early due to a late change of station. I would have had to extend for a year to make it worthwhile for them to send me to another station (I was coming from a remote site in Alaska after a year) and as I was planning on going to college they offered me the option of getting out early and finishing my time in the air guard which I did for a total of 6 years (1957-1963) with a final rank of staff sergent. After doing some study I kind of think that's what happened with young George Bush as he was trained in F102's and 106's and they were being phased out for newer models which takes a lot of training and the Viet Nam war was winding down during the end of his committment. Regarding him being an 'idiot' I don't think the military sticks 'idiots' in jet planes. I do remember Clinton made the statement during his college days that he 'loathed' the military for whatever it's worth.

Anyway, I'm proud of my military service. I kind of hit it between two wars (Korea and Viet Nam) so I suppose I lucked out because of my age. Both my brothers also served out their army committment and my cousin (Rolf) was a F4 fighter pilot out of Thiland and into Viet Nam. Retired as a Col and he's buried in Arlington.

[rkittine]

Hi Mike,

I did post some corrections as I was unable to edit. My only point was that military service is great, gut does not necessarily make one a great president or lack there of a bad one.

Regan was in fact in the service and was stateside the whole war as he was Nearsighted and he ran Motion Picture Unit One and was also on the War Bond Tour.

Lincoln did Burial Duty in the Black Hawk Wars, a president I revere.

Yes Truman was in the first WWI. I did find an interesting site that shows, who served, where they served and if they saw combat etc.

Thanks for your service and post.

I enjoyed service. That is me, lower far left facing forward (not the one farther left facing away,) My chrome helmet and spats in the Airforce Drill Team.

Cheers - Bob

AIRFORCE DRILL TEAM.jpg (97.82 KiB) Viewed 26852 times

[jc pacquin]

Harry Truman served as an artillery captain in combat. LYndon Johnson served in the navy but did not see combat and apparently wore a ribbon he may not have been authorized to wear, I always thought Lyndon would steal a hot stove!.Jimmy Carter , a Naval academy grad, served aboard a sub, not in combat. Its possible Carters predictions about oil dependency are coming true.Kennedy , while on patrol in a PT boat, shut down one engine to conserve fuel but was ordered not to do this as it slowed reaction time. As a consequence he was cut in half by a jap destroyer. McArthur is said tohave commented he would have court martialed him. Reagan never left hollywood, made instruction type movies "bad eyesight",George mcGovern got the dfc for flying big time combat in a B24 and was a real gentleman. My point about bush is that he avoided serving in a combat zone but was quick to start two wars, costing well over
6000 American lives and well over a trillion dollars, and counting,not to mention over 200,000 Iraqi civilians. I might add that while serving in the Air Force, the Russians never attacked Kansas. I went in wanting to fly F86's. It was at the end of the Korean War and they were throwing pilots out! But I got the GI BILL and that meant a lot to me. I spent the entire time in Topeka which was a little dull, seeing as the recruiting Sargent .told me I would be in Japan soon, flying an F86, dating beautiful Japanese girls and drinking saki. Learned to fly on the base aero club. 85 HP Aeronca. JP

[jc pacquin]

Eisenhower I thought did quite well and he DID balance the budget Due to the fact that the tax rate at the time was near 50 percent. He also warned about the military industrial complex which today is wayyyy over a sensible budget. It exploded after the year 2000. He also gave us the interstate highway system and ok'ed the money for scientists to invent and use the computer, both government funded. He himself never served in combat but certainly knew how terrible war was and served with distinction. Today we have more Generals in the service than during WW2 according to what I can dig up. Then they go on to be lobbyists or serve on boards of corporations for big dough. I guess his only bad mistake was to ok the Francis Gary powers U2 flight a day or so before he was to meet with Krushev. Timing is everything. I always thought, overall he was a gentleman and a good President. Jp

[MikeB]

Sorry Bob: I jumped in after your post and didn't read your correction.

Regarding Gary Francis Powers I was sitting at Northeast Cape AFC&W (Air Force Control and Warning Station) on St. Lawrence Island , Alaska which was our farthest base west on May 1, 1960 when Powers was shot down. As I remember it, we went on 'red alert' and they issued us M1 carbines! My alert duty station was on top of our large fuel storage tank with that stupid pea shooter looking for the possible invading troop from across the Bering Sea. I though this is a fine place to be but then I was only 20 years old so probably didn't know any better. I think things were tense for a couple of days until Eisenhower 'confessed' and the situation blew over.

Mike

[jc pacquin]

Actually the stink about the U2 went on for a good while. Ike denied that it was a spy plane said it was a weather plane off course,then when he finally came clean, Krushev bullied him , called off their summit meeting and claimed Ike was deliberately trying to wreck any chance for peace, and on and on. At that time, the President had to approve ANY spy flight personally. The Russians then made a big deal of Powers, showing the wreckage on Tv, parading Powers on TV and finally, over a year later traded him for a Russian spy that we held. Ike also was the original planner of the Bay of Pigs with the CIA, ordered the B25 training in, I think, Guatemala. The aircraft were flown by CIA employed pilots. Kennedy, advised by the CIA that this would overthrow Castro for sure, went ahead with the plan which turned into a fiasco .Then Kennedy fired the head of the CIA, then made things worse by trying to bump off Castro with aid from the mafia. Curtis Lemay wanted to turn Cuba into a " Parking Lot" by bombing it, which would have been a disaster.Finally the Russians sent missiles to Cuba and the rest you know. Close call. (Powers was later killed in a commercial helicopter malfunction accident on the west coast.) JP

[rkittine]

Yep JP, We certainly can screw up things and we could spend hours listing us like putting in the Taliban to get the Russians out etc. Like I said, somewho serviced is not automatically a great president and someone who didno't is not automatically a bad one. Bob

[jc pacquin]

I agree 100 percent! JP