Hello everyone,

Up until recently, I have never been to Hawaii for USMC business (or anything, for that matter). But last week, I had to go there for a conference at Pacific Command (PACOM) regarding the Joint Strike Fighter, aka the F-35. My stake in that (and by extension the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing's - or is it the other way around) is that to get something that transmits a radio signal used in Japan, it has to go through an evaluation process at Japan's Ministry of Interior Affairs and Communications (MIC). The guy who works the documents required for this (DD-1494s if you care) was the one coming to PACOM so I went to get in on the meeting and meet with him afterward. Maybe that's interesting and maybe it isn't, but while I was there, I got to go to Ford Island and visit the historic sites there. I must tell you it was a dream come true. Among the sites I saw were the USS Utah memorial, the USS Missouri, the USS Oklahoma memorial and the USS Arizona. I will post some pictures here but you can see them all at my Picasa site here.

The Utah Memorial

Better shot of what is left of the ship

The Oklahoma memorial

Markers for each man who died

Mighty Mo!

16" whoop-ass!

Mind blowing 1/96th scale model now in the Ward Room

In her WWII configuration

The Combat Engagement Center - used in the movie Battleship

The Marine Mount 5"

My father was in the 1251st and before they were stationed at Top Hat at the end of the war they were used to help clean up at a concentration camp. He has pictures that he took of the camp but there's no reference of it in the companies handbook. Does anyone know which camp they were at?

Dear Friends,

 

A few weeks back, a petition was launched to save the military barracks at Bastogne. I want to emphasize that YOUR support is more than ever necessary and that the petition is legit. History repeats itself. Due to some announced major cutbacks at Defense, just like five years ago, again the city is at risk to lose one of its most Historical Markers. Now functioning as a depot/museum for the Royal Military Museum in Brussels, the Caserne Heintz served as an American Aid Station in WWII where more than a thousand US soldiers were treated from wounds and frostbite. The famous Colonel Robert Sink had set up his Head Quarters (Hq) here during the first week of the Siege but the barracks are mostly known as the Hq of Brigadier-General Anthony C McAuliffe, who, at his office, replied NUTS! to the German ultimatum to surrender during the Battle of the Bulge.

 

29.000 people have visited the Bastogne Barracks in 2014. Many Americans, veterans and their families have receive a warm welcome here and endured a unique experience.

One hundred thousand signatures are NEEDED to fight against a possible permanent lock down. We need your support to save and preserve an very important piece of Belgian, European and World History.

Please take a minute to read the petition, subscribe it and forward it to your entire address book and beyond….

 

LETS GO VIRAL and SAVE THE NUTS CAVE !!!!

 

Thank you,

Reg

 

https://www.change.org/p/mr-steven-vandeput-please-do-not-close-the-army-base-at-bastogne-but-keep-it-as-wwii-battle-of-the-bulge-historical-remembrance-site?utm_medium=email&utm_source=notification&utm_campaign=new_petition_recruit#share

 

Well we know who the boss is on the play ground 

http://www.rescuedfilm.com/#!rescuedwwii/c1d05

The Rescued Film Project