Jim Warman Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Looking around, I see the true meaning of Remembrance day... Veterans day... Armistice day... whatever you choose to call it.. is being forgotten... If we can't remember our history... well - even now we are repeating it. The events of long ago have an impact on each and every one of us.... whether we choose to believe the fact - or not. John Hitchen is an uncle I never met.... My mothers oldest brother was her hero... Lance Bombardier Hitchen was a gifted football player (soccer to you) though I doubt he would have ever made the "pros"... I have one of his awards that I cherish dearly... He was also an avid motorcyclist... and here the story begins. When WW2 "happened", Uncle John enlisted in the Royal Artillery and trained as a gunner. An opportunity arose as a messenger... a motorcycle messenger. Many messages were hand delivered so that Jerry couldn't intercept a radio communication. April 17, 1942, Uncle John was dispatched to London with a message. That night, London was the target of a bombing raid... Once his message was delivered, John Hitchen offered his assistance to a flak battery... one of the last decisions he would ever make. The battery was destroyed - all hands perished.... Mum would often talk of Uncle John... not surprising. By some cruel twist of fate, in my late teens and in my 20s, looking at a picture of Uncle John was like looking in a mirror. Am I a hawk? Or am I a dove? I don't know.... For decades, politicians have sent our boys and girls into harms way.... In the 60s, Dad was sent to the Belgian Congo (which became Zaire and now the Democratic Republic of the Congo)... There was a civil war going on and the UN (aka the "free" world) decided that meddling was the way to go. Anyway.... politicians will continue to send our youth into dangerous places and then refuse to give them all the tools they need. Fighting for peace is like fucking for virginity... but if we are going to send our kids into these places, we should have the balls to give them the biggest fucking stick money can buy. 1100 hours on November the 11th should remind us of this fact... If we adopted a "shoot first - question the survivors" attitude... maybe we wouldn't be so quick the get into some of these "police actions". Interesting side note.... more often than not, the people you are helping wind up hating you.... I am the son of a "war bride"... and I am fucking proud of it.... Lest we forget...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 Agreed. Never forget the sacrifice those have given for our country, be it Canada or the US or otherwise. Support Our Troops! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 If you can read... thank a teacher.... if it's in English... thank a soldier... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 +1. But if your here, safe, grown and healthy. Thank your parents for doing their jobs raising us to become the people we are. Without them there would be no us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Clyde Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Very true Jim, very true Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 +1. But if your here, safe, grown and healthy. Thank your parents for doing their jobs raising us to become the people we are. Without them there would be no us. Oh... Larry... I could write you a book.... and, some day, I might. My Dad was a career soldier.... families seem to get in the way in these cases.... I don't hate my Dad.... we had a "unique"relationship up until I gave him a grandson from my side of the family... I almost feel it became "uniquer".... Anyway... when it comes to learning about life.... Your parents can teach you how to swim on one of two ways.... They will fit you with a flotation device and, with loving hands, support you through every step of the process.... Or, knowing that you have watched people swim, they will throw you in the water knowing that you will learn... or you wont.... I know how I learned, but I can't say which way is better.... We can become those things we aspire to because of our parents... or in spite of our parents..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Oh... Larry... I could write you a book.... and, some day, I might. My Dad was a career soldier.... families seem to get in the way in these cases.... Your parents can teach you how to swim on one of two ways.... They will fit you with a flotation device and, with loving hands, support you through every step of the process.... Or, knowing that you have watched people swim, they will throw you in the water knowing that you will learn... or you wont.... I know how I learned, but I can't say which way is better.... We can become those things we aspire to because of our parents... or in spite of our parents..... Jim I kinda figured you for the kid that got tossed in the drink and learned how to swim or sink as I did. Lake Erie after a storm with 4-6ft waves. Ended up here so my Mum did good. Scary at first but after a few swallows of the drink learned how to get the hell out. After that she(my mum) couldn't keep me out of Erie. And now I piss people off.........Something to aspire to....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 The other day I heard on the news while working that three men pulled a guy into an alley, beat the shit out of him and then went through his pockets taking his watch and wallet. As they walked away going through the guy's wallet they discovered his military I.D. card. One of them said "we can't do this" and turned back, returned his wallet and thanked him for serving our country. The "men" took off. Not sure how to feel about this story. You almost want to feel warm and fuzzy but you just can't get passt the fact that this guy just got mugged. He sounded happy in the interview... but was he serving our country defending the right of these guys to beat the shit out of him? Or was what they did excused by the fact that they thanked him for his service and returned his wallet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LARRY BRUDZYNSKI Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Should feel pissed and want to cause great bodily damage to the people that hurt anyone that have supported our country with their life so that we can be free american/mericans. Keith if not just feel sorry for the hero's that aren't mentioned in the article or news cast. I am part of the KofC here in Michigan, and I have been requesting a military family to adopt for the holidays. I have spoke with Linda and the kids and they are feeling the same as me. They give their lives for us why can't we give back to them? It's just something small but matters none the less. The kids of a military family seem to suffer the most now a days. If anyone can help in their local area a family, do so please. It's not just in the US but in Canada and any other country out there. We all love and appreciate the local boys putting their lives on the line for us. Give back!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchan68 Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 Not sure how to feel about this story. You almost want to feel warm and fuzzy but you just can't get passt the fact that this guy just got mugged. He sounded happy in the interview... but was he serving our country defending the right of these guys to beat the shit out of him? Or was what they did excused by the fact that they thanked him for his service and returned his wallet? You would even question this? I'm sorry but the moment the mugged him, and started beating the crap out of him makes them criminals. END OF DISCUSSION. The very fact that they returned the items was a moot point in my opinion, and little consolation for shit kicking he took. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted November 14, 2009 Share Posted November 14, 2009 The kids of a military family seem to suffer the most now a days. I love what Shawn Hannity has been doing the last three years with his Freedom Concerts - all of the proceeds go into a college fund for the children of fallen military personnel. So far he has raised over $12 million - that's awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted November 14, 2009 Author Share Posted November 14, 2009 I see a lot of misunderstanding..... no big deal... but if you don't experience it... you ain't gonna understand it.... Like I said... Dad was a career soldier.... Mum was a war bride.... I was along for the ride.... I didn't have much say in the matter.... At about 6 years old, I made a few friends... we lived in Camp Borden, Ontario.... The army said "you are going to Vancover Wireless Station"... VWS... not far south of Vancouver BC.... At the age of six.... I went from having friends to having no friends.... in a heartbeat... gone.... We were about 7 years in VWS.... I made friends.... in my early teens, I was starting to learn about girls... about 1964 the army said you are going to move.... you are going from near Vancouver to Halifax.... Overnight, I had no friends... Everyone is so full of the man in the uniform.... nobody thinks about the family following his dreams.... My family became disfunctional because of the military.... I have no real childhood memories... other than the ones that have me leaving friends behind.... I have reconnected with some of these people thanks to facebook and classmates..... and what really sucks is that we didn't have enough time together to make anything mean anything... I see the US ads.... am army of one? Oh, yeah... but not the way they tell it... It ain't fucking romantic... and it's a waste of youngsters.... I'm an army brat.... fighting is for fools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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