About Damn Time

Old NFO has a post that shows, in part, a Delta Airlines employee honor guard unloading the remains of servicemen. Worth watching.

http://oldnfo.org/2013/06/17/funs-over/#comments

Some of the remarks, especially  “Bob’s” are compelling.

The contrast to the Vietnam era brings back some not so pleasant memories. After getting out of the Army, I went back to school 1968-1970. To make ends meet, worked at the old Denver Stapleton Airport as a cargo handler, first for TWA, then Braniff. We handled many human remains, and far too many were serviceman.

In the flow of business then, these were just another piece of freight. Each was accompanied by a active duty serviceman, in uniform. About the best we could do was have a single cart and tug haul the box to the airfreight office. The serviceman could ride on the tug. We had to make sure we used a tug with a double seat.  At busy times, not even that would happen. Enough of us were prior service that we were able to handle the transfers ourselves, respectfully, and load no other freight into the cart. Nothing like a formation, or salutes. Simply moving the remains smoothly with no jarring and placing the box in the cart squared away was about the best we could do (and smacking the shit out of anyone making disparaging remarks).

It makes my heart glad to see the changes that have occurred.

Old Age and Change

For as long as I can remember, my blank checks have come in a small cardboard box. Last reorder came in a Folio. All pretty and everything, and probably easier to use. Ok, looked at them and put them in a drawer, then forgot them.

After using my last check, went looking for the box of blank ones. Tore the dwelling apart, looked through the vehicles, cursed and griped, but no checks. Must have put my hands on the damned folio several times in the process. Aarg!

Please, don't talk to me about online banking. The closest I've come is using the  Credit Union site  to check my balance, and print out copies of cancelled checks as needed.  In fact, still pissed I don't get my cancelled checks back.

Did I tell the Credit Union it was ok to change the way I get my checks? I don't think so.

Damn, I need to stop getting old, and, I need to get a life!

Happy Birthday

To all those serving, and those who have served, thank you!

Steamboat Springs Story

My last post featured Steamboat Springs, CO. Here is another Steamboat story. Something for the family history effort, so may bore everyone else. You are warned!

High school years, small town, and ornery teenagers can yield good (or bad, your viewpoint) stories. Willing to bet not many high schoolers caused a flood.

A certain individual cheated my parents out of some serious money. Being of a vindictive nature,  from an early age, I set out to get some justice. His garbage can became the target.

My partner in crime had a Jeep his parents gave him to drive. Once a week, after wrestling practice,  we would cruise by the target’s house and pick up his garbage can by reaching out the passenger door and holding it against the Jeep. From there, it was a short trip to a bridge over a creek where the garbage can was dropped. Very quick, and very quiet, it was.

Came Spring, and the ice breaking up in the creek. The ice jammed under the bridge and started flooding the neighborhood. We drove by the bridge after school and watched the city workers fishing out garbage cans. Many, many cans.

My partner and I had one rare trait for our age group; keeping our mouths shut. Things like the bundle of cherry bombs in the furnace duct work causing years of dust to fill the school library. Then there was the avalanche on the 90 meter ski jump landing four days before a major event.  Who knew a home made sled, with two aboard,  landed harder than ski jumpers?

Not Up to Dutch Harbor Standards.

From the town of my high school years.

http://www.steamboattoday.com/news/2013/jun/10/record-sunday-june-9-2013/

Moped in a port a potty is unusual.

Every year the town hosts the  "Cowboy Downhill" open to professional rodeo riders. Some have never been on skis. Usually held the weekend after the Denver Stock Show in January. Things have been know to get "interesting".

...And The Beat Goes On.....

Colorado politics are as strange as anywhere, I suppose. The divide between rural and urban citizens is immense. From “gun” control to energy, the majority (urban) shits on the minority (rural). I wrote about it before.

http://wellseasonedfool.blogspot.com/2013/05/another-progressive-wet-dream-rant.html

Now here comes the blow back, via the second largest of fifty four counties. Secede.

http://www.greeleytribune.com/news/6822670-113/state-colorado-county-commissioners

Fifty five of the state’s sixty four sheriffs have gone to court over the recently passed gun laws. Read how the liberals squeal and spin.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/17/18323842-majority-of-colorado-sheriffs-file-suit-against-new-gun-laws?lite

These sheriffs probably have a better understanding of laws than most of us, and, access to knowledgeable legal council. Many are term limited, so there is noting in it for them politically.

The Senate Majority leader is facing a recall election. Another Senator will know Monday if enough signatures were gathered to force her into a recall election. Two other recall efforts have failed.

The ongoing Obama “Thank you for Your Service” bus keeps rolling.

http://beforeitsnews.com/terrorism/2013/06/operation-vigilant-eagle-profiles-our-veterans-and-gives-legal-cover-for-treating-them-as-jihadists-2446798.html?utm_source=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2F&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=facebook-post&utm_content=awesm-fbshare-small&utm_term=http%3A%2F%2Fb4in.info%2Fj6wp

The liberal/progressives are all atwitter about having armed and trained opposition to their agenda. Marshall the smear campaigns!

http://www.salon.com/2009/06/15/neo_nazis_army/

http://www.stripes.com/news/army/military-battling-white-supremacists-within-its-own-ranks-1.186431

Twits! If it wasn’t for all the undercover cops, agent provocateurs, and confidential informants in these groups, most of them  couldn’t muster enough numbers for a good kegger. Easier pickings than hardcore criminal gangs, for the Feds, plus a chance to be praised by the Southern Preposterous Lie Center.

Do I sound bitter and cynical? Hell yeah!

Greatest Generation Supplement

Follow up/back story on Al Vella.

http://wellseasonedfool.blogspot.com/2013/06/greatest-generation-repost.html

Germany, early 60’s, I pissed off my First Sergeant. Alcohol was probably involved. He decided my idle hours needed to be filled doing something useful, and handed me some file folders, about 6” thick, that contained our unit history. The assignment was to sort it, catalog it, and retype a new summary.

Turned out to be an interesting assignment. In fact, I enjoyed it.

When I met Al Vella, and started talking to him, I learned he was at the Normandy landing in the predecessor company to mine. We had some interesting conversations.

The company is still on active duty and has been in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

The unit was activated as the 511th Engineer Light Pontoon Company in 1942 at Camp Bowie, TX. WWII Campaigns were Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe.

After WWII, the unit was inactivated, then reactivated in 1954 as the 814th Engineer Company (Float Bridge) at Hanau (Pioneer Kaserne). It was inactivated in 1992, then reactivated at Ft Polk, LA and is still active.

The black and white photos aren't mine but are early 60's. The troops are still wearing "Ridgeway" covers instead of the ridiculous Baseball caps. That is an Atomic Cannon on that raft. Class 80 load on a Class 60 bridge section.

Learning what Al and his buddies accomplished added quite a bit of humility to memories of my service in a designated Soviet Army speed bump unit.