Merry Christmas, my friend

North Star Liberty dedicates this poem to all active duty, Reserve, and National Guard soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard who stand upon a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch." You protect our freedom so we don't have to. God bless you all this Christmas season, and always.

by Marine Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt (1986)

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

Go For Broke!

November 2 was a proud day for me as an American of Japanese ancestry, and as an American period. On that historic day, the Congress of the United States awarded its highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively to three World War II-era units of the U.S. military: the Army's 100th Batallion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service. The valor in combat of the 100th/442nd has already made them the most decorated units in Army history, but these awards are significant for another reason.

As Speaker of the House John Boehner put it, the Japanese Americans of my dad's generation fought "a two-fronted battle of discrimination at home and fascism abroad" with an enthusiasm reflected in their motto, "Go For Broke." They met the virulent racism of the day with an unshakable patriotism and a heroic defense of the very country that forcibly interned them and their families for years, without due process, presumption of innocence, and other protections of the Constitution.

The 100th/442nd/MIS stand with other segregated military units like the Tuskegee Airmen and the Montford Point Marines as shining examples of what it means to be an American, even when some of their fellow Americans considered them unworthy of the title. Over sixty years later, we still live in an imperfect country, but it is still the last best hope on Earth.

Yankee, come home?

The most significant thing about the Rolling Stone article, "The Runaway General," that apparently led to Gen. Stanley McChrystal's resignation this week was not the remarks made by Gen. McChrystal or his inner cicle disparaging the Obama administration. Nor was it the unblinking reporting about the profane warrior culture of McChrystal's Afghanistan command, the self-proclaimed Team America. These are the people we want, and need, to stand post on the wall protecting our country (in fact, we could use a few of them now — and a wall — on the Mexican border). Rather, it is the strong indictment of the entire Afghan war counterinsurgent (COIN) strategy. It led me to wonder, why are we still in Afghanistan?

But even if he somehow manages to succeed, after years of bloody fighting with Afghan kids who pose no threat to the U.S. homeland, the war will do little to shut down Al Qaeda, which has shifted its operations to Pakistan. Dispatching 150,000 troops to build new schools, roads, mosques and water-treatment facilities around Kandahar is like trying to stop the drug war in Mexico by occupying Arkansas and building Baptist churches in Little Rock. "It's all very cynical, politically," says Marc Sageman, a former CIA case officer who has extensive experience in the region. "Afghanistan is not in our vital interest – there's nothing for us there."

In March 2009, President Obama said this about the United States policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan:

So I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the future. That's the goal that must be achieved. That is a cause that could not be more just...

Going forward, we will not blindly stay the course. Instead, we will set clear metrics to measure progress and hold ourselves accountable. We’ll consistently assess our efforts to train Afghan security forces and our progress in combating insurgents. We will measure the growth of Afghanistan’s economy, and its illicit narcotics production. And we will review whether we are using the right tools and tactics to make progress towards accomplishing our goals.

We presume that the major players in the Obama administration, so derided in the Rolling Stone article, are using this leadership crisis (military and civilian) to assess our "Af-Pak" policy. The president should inaugurate the new Afghanistan command with an Oval Office address that updates his March 2009 remarks with a clear assessment of our efforts so far and a statement of the path forward.

Proud to be an American

On Memorial Day this year, I walked in the Golden Valley Memorial Day parade with the Boy Scouts (I am an Assistant Scoutmaster in my son's troop). The parade had a small-town feel to it: just a one-and-a-half mile stroll down Golden Valley Road on a picture-perfect morning, lined with American flags (hundreds of them, according to the city), past homes and the country club (and a few foursomes already on the fairway) before reaching the strip malls and city center at Winnetka Avenue.

One jocular resident remarked that by the size of the crowd at the end of the parade (probably several hundred), "there must be no one left in town, they're all here." Parade units and onlookers alike gathered in front of a temporary podium under a warming sun, waiting for the program to begin.

The program had all of the elements of a proper Memorial Day observance. The weather was perfect. The Armstrong High School band and choir played and sang. The mayor read a proclamation. Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion groups read the honor roll of their members who had passed away since Memorial Day last year. Many youth groups attended: the Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, ROTC groups. An Air Force brigadier general told a harrowing combat story to capture the importance of remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. The dead were honored with a three-round volley, Taps, and a wreath was laid to the playing of bagpipes. The proceedings were opened with an invocation, the Pledge of Allegiance, and The Star Spangled Banner, and closed with a benediction. And in a truly small-town gesture, the grilled hot dogs, chips, and pop were free (take one of each please).

There was the usual panoply of elected officials and political candidates on the dais, but there was almost no campaign activity (save for a sole Emmer for Governor volunteer). The focus was on honoring the military dead, POW-MIAs, and active duty military and veterans, and expressing gratitude for their service.

So you see there are places left in America, even in the liberal-progressive Twin Cities, where the Pledge of Allegiance is recited, and God Bless America is sung, without irony; where they pray for peace and acknowledge the cold reality of war without demonizing the military; where people understand that freedom is not free; where citizens of all ages can gather to celebrate and preserve what we agree on as Americans.

Merry Christmas My Friend

This image used under Creative Commons license. Some rights reserved.

North Star Liberty dedicates this poem to all active duty, Reserve, and National Guard soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard who stand upon a wall and say, "Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch." God bless you all this Christmas season, and always.

by Marine Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt (1986)

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

Happy birthday, USMC

Semper Fi and OO-RAH to the United States Marine Corps, which turns 233 today, 10 November 2008.

We owe a debt of gratitude to all of our armed services, yet the Marines, "First To Fight," are the elite guardians of our country's freedom. Nowhere on earth is this driven home to civilians more completely than at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in scenic Triangle, Virginia, a short drive south of Washington, D.C. near Marine Corps Base Quantico.

Like the Marine Corps itself, the museum is spartan, high tech, and steeped in tradition, patriotism, and excellence. Civilians will be humbled by the experience and gain a profound appreciation for both Marine veterans and those who wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor today. It is well worth a few hours of your time when visiting the D.C area.

Happy birthday, Corps. America thanks you for your service.

A lame attack on Paulsen

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) recently sent out an attack mailer against Erik Paulsen, the Minnesota state Representative (R-Eden Prairie) who is running for U.S. Congress in the Third District, currently held by the retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-MN3).

Fortunately for Paulsen, the attack falls as flat as other paid media by Paulsen's Democrat challenger, Ashwin Madia. The message of the mailer is that the seven-term Rep. Paulsen doesn't support military veterans, as evidenced by a handful of 2003 votes in the state House, conveniently leaving out Paulsen's years of support for legislation to benefit Minnesota veterans (like Madia) in the areas of health care, education, employment, and taxes.

Madia's message in this mailer and his "Running" TV ad is: he was an active duty Marine stationed in Iraq, and he loves his country. Thank you for your service, Mr. Madia, and Semper Fi, but it seems to me that Paulsen's decade-plus record of elected public service in the legislature has better prepared him to represent the Third District in Washington on a wide gamut of issues, including veterans' affairs.

Lincoln's brthday

Abraham Lincoln, sixteenth President of the United States, was born on this day in 1809 in a log cabin in Kentucky. He went on to become the preserver of the Union, the Great Emancipator, and one of the greatest Presidents in history. Lincoln delivered the following address on the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. At one time in this country, all schoolchildren were required to memorize this precious piece of our heritage. Although we are engaged in a different kind of war in 2008 than we were in 1863, Lincoln's words remind us that there are still some wars that we must fight and we must win.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Merry Christmas My Friend

by Marine Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt (1986)

Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give
and to see just who in this home did live.

As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see,
no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.

With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
This was the home of a U.S. Marine.

I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.

He seemed so gentle, his face so serene,
Not how I pictured a U.S. Marine.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?

His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.

Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of Marines like this one lying here.

I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice
I fight for freedom, I don't ask for more.
My life is my God, my country, my Corps."

With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.

I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this Marine from his toes to his head.
Then I put on his T-shirt of scarlet and gold,
with an eagle, globe and anchor emblazoned so bold.
And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride,
and for one shining moment, I was Marine Corps deep inside.

I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over, and in a voice clean and pure,
said "Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, Semper Fi and goodnight.

Help a disabled Marine

I am participating in an online fundraiser called Project VALOUR-IT, Voice-Activated Laptops for OUR Injured Troops. One hundred percent of your donation to Project Valour-IT will be used to purchase the laptop computers that will provide independence and freedom to wounded Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. As of October 2007, Valour-IT has distributed over 1500 laptops to severely wounded military members across the country.

In honor of my late uncle Col. William Traynor, USMC (Ret.); and my friend Cpl. Bobby Wold, USMC, currently deployed in Iraq, and all Marines, I have chosen to post a Team Marines graphic (right) for some friendly interservice competition, but all of the money raised goes into a single fund.

How did this program get started? From the Soldiers' Angels web site:

Project Valour-IT began when Charles "Chuck" Ziegenfuss was wounded by an IED while serving as commander of a tank company in Iraq in June 2005.

During his deployment he kept a blog (an online personal diary, opinion forum, or news analysis site-called a milblog or military weblog when written by a servicemember or about military subjects). Captivating writing, insightful stories of his experiences, and his self-deprecating humor won him many loyal readers. After he was wounded, his wife continued his blog, keeping his readers informed of his condition.

As he began to recover, CPT Ziegenfuss wanted to return to writing his blog, but serious hand injuries hampered his typing. When a loyal and generous reader gave him a copy of the Dragon Naturally Speaking Preferred software, other readers began to realize how important such software could be to Captain Ziegenfuss' fellow wounded soldiers and started cast about for a way to get it to them.

A fellow blogger (blog author) who writes under the pseudonym FbL contacted CPT Ziegenfuss and the two realized they shared a vision of providing laptops with voice-controlled software to wounded soldiers whose injuries prevented them from operating a standard computer. FbL contacted Soldiers' Angels who offered to help develop the project, and Project Valour-IT was born.

Bloggers and their readers have a special understanding of how significant this program can be to a wounded warrior's rehabilitation and recovery. Please chip in what you can to help the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who through their sacrifices have shown us that freedom is not free. (Soldiers' Angels is a volunteer based, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.)

Semper Fidelis

Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem.
—President Ronald Reagan, 1985, as inscribed at the National Museum of the Marine Corps

I spent a few days in the Washington, D.C. area last week to mourn the loss of my uncle, Col. William L. "Moose" Traynor, USMC (Retired). As often happens, I learned a lot more about my uncle at his funeral than I ever knew about him while he was alive.

My Uncle Moose was a daring Marine aviator in three wars (from F4U Corsairs to A-6 Intruders, from land and from three aircraft carriers), a patriot, a scholar, loving father and husband, golfer, New York Times Crossword Puzzle fan, and McGovern Democrat. He was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery in the family plot, with full military honors provided by a Marine escort platoon and band, led by a flag-draped caisson and riderless horse. I have never before seen so many Marines in dress uniforms in one place.

As the funeral procession reached the grave site on that sunny, unusually warm Virginia afternoon, the band played a somber rendition of the Marine Corps Hymn. The service included three rifle volleys by a seven-man rifle team, the playing of "Taps," the ritual folding of the American flag by the Marine pallbearers as the band played the Navy Hymn, and the presentation of this flag with the words:

On behalf of the President of the United States, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one's service to Country and Corps.

It was a very moving and fitting burial service.

After the burial, there was a reception at the Fort Meyer Officer's Club, on the Army base adjacent to Arlington Cemetery. Many ex-Marines from VMA-121, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 121, joined family and friends in celebrating Moose's life.

The previous day, I had the opportunity to tour the year-old National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, about a half-hour south of Arlington near Marine Corps Base Quantico (where Moose was once stationed). I highly recommend a visit to this fitting tribute to the Corps.

After last week, I have an increased appreciation for these Marine warriors who so selflessly protect and serve our nation. As the motto of the First Marine Division says, there is "No Better Friend, No Worse Enemy" than the United States Marine Corps.

Finally, facts top ideology in Iraq news coverage

I'm not a conspiracy theorist, but I've noticed that the anti-President Bush mass news media's Iraq coverage has taken a noticable turn toward the center over the last few days, away from the simplistic "Out of Iraq now" chant of the far left:

Wednesday, July 25: "Reality Check: Withdrawing from Iraq" by Pat Kessler, WCCO-TV. Kessler explains why any withdrawal from Iraq would be "complicated and dangerous."

The Pentagon said it will take a good year to safely bring home troops, transport equipment and move support personnel. At the same time, 50,000 civilians working for private contractors will also depart, leaving Iraqis behind amid certain chaos and violence.

There's MORE. More than 2 million Iraqi refugees have already fled, with most going to Syria and Jordan. Two million more are displaced within Iraq.

When U.S. troops leave, humanitarian groups say hundreds of thousands of Iraqis may try to leave also to avoid bloodshed, creating a refugee crisis.

Saturday, July 28: "Iraq withdrawal: five difficult questions," by Bill Marsh, New York Times. An abridged version ran in Saturday's StarTribune; see the Times web site for the full text. Marsh examines five practical questions of a withdrawal:

1. How Fast Can the Troops [physically] Leave? "Large numbers of American soldiers have left a modern war zone, but never so many from a still-hostile region."

2. Can Departing Soldiers Be Shielded From Attack? "Troops concentrated in convoys that are transporting huge quantities of supplies out of Iraq make tempting targets...Withdraw with casualties now, or risk a better exit in a few years? How great is that risk?"

3. What to Take? What to Leave? What to Destroy? "'The faster you move out, the more you have to leave behind or destroy,' said Mr. Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 'There’s no ideal.' Voters and political candidates, he says, are looking for a quick-exit 'fantasy.'"

4. How Long to Repair and Ship Vital Equipment? "At the end of their duty, sophisticated combat aircraft aren’t simply loaded on to ships bound for the United States. They must be thoroughly washed of sand and contaminants until sterile, then shrinkwrapped to protect them from sea air. 'Everything has to be cleaned and pass an agricultural inspection," said William G. Pagonis, a retired three-star Army general who directed logistics in the 1991 Persian Gulf war. 'It’s not an easy task.'"

5. Who Stays Behind? "There are up to 100,000 Iraqi contractors, perhaps more, working for the United States. After a pullout, many of them could be at risk from reprisals by anti-American forces."

Sunday, July 29: "Sounding off: Iraq veterans look back," by Curt Brown and Mark Brunswick, StarTribune. Minnesota National Guard troops returning from their 16-month deployment in Iraq tell it like it is, and amazingly, most of the stories published are supportive of U.S. presence in Iraq. Check out the web site for audio clips of these soldiers' stories in their own words.

Monday, July 30: "A War We Might Just Win," by Michael E. O'Hanlon and Kenneth M. Pollack, New York Times. Excerpts:

Here is the most important thing Americans need to understand: We are finally getting somewhere in Iraq, at least in military terms.

Today, morale is high. The soldiers and marines told us they feel that they now have a superb commander in Gen. David Petraeus; they are confident in his strategy, they see real results, and they feel now they have the numbers needed to make a real difference.

In war, sometimes it’s important to pick the right adversary, and in Iraq we seem to have done so. A major factor in the sudden change in American fortunes has been the outpouring of popular animus against Al Qaeda and other Salafist groups, as well as (to a lesser extent) against Moktada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army.

How much longer should American troops keep fighting and dying to build a new Iraq while Iraqi leaders fail to do their part? And how much longer can we wear down our forces in this mission? These haunting questions underscore the reality that the surge cannot go on forever. But there is enough good happening on the battlefields of Iraq today that Congress should plan on sustaining the effort at least into 2008.

William L. Traynor, 1920-2007

World War II veterans are passing away at the rate of 1000-2000 each day, according to estimates. Last week, my uncle, a retired Marine, died at age 86. He was very humble and didn't talk much to this nephew about his military career (neither did his wife, my aunt, a Navy nurse). In retirement, he enjoyed golf, the New York Times Crossword Puzzle, and living in Pensacola, Florida.

Like many if not most veterans of military service, my uncle probably thought of his extraordinary service as just doing his part. But from my perspective, he was one of many who validate the inscription on the Marine Corps War Memorial, that among these, "Uncommon Valor Was A Common Virtue."

Semper Fi, Uncle, and OO-RAH to the United States Marine Corps.

COLONEL WILLIAM L. "MOOSE" TRAYNOR, USMC (RET)

Colonel William L. "Moose" Traynor, USMC (Ret), died on July 17, 2007 in Pensacola, Florida.

Colonel Traynor was born in Koshkonong, Wisconsin, December 21, 1920. As a junior at the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater, in 1942, he left college and enlisted in the Navy as a Naval Aviation Cadet. He completed flight training and entered the Marine Corps as a Lieutenant at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas in July 1943.

He served in World War II as a dive bomber pilot in the Central Pacific, Okinawa and Japan. His service in the Korean War included 104 missions as a fighter attack pilot. During the Viet Nam War he served as Deputy Chief of Air Operations, MACV, Saigon.

During the period 1958-1961 Colonel Traynor served as Commanding Officer of VMA-121 during successive WestPac tours aboard USS Ranger, USS Ticonderoga and USS Coral Sea. VMA-121 became the first jet attack squadron to win both the CNO Flight Safety Award and the Commandant's Efficiency Trophy. Col. Traynor completed his Marine Corps Career as Commanding Officer, MAG-14 and as Program Manager, USMC Harrier Project, Naval Air Systems Command.

Colonel Traynor earned his BS and MA degrees from the University of Maryland, with advanced studies at George Washington University and the University of Virginia. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1971 and joined Stencel Aero Engineering Corp. of Ashville, NC as Vice President for Plans and Programs.

Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery, Washington DC, with full military honors.

Thank you for your service, Red Bulls

The Minnesota National Guard 1st Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division (1/34th BCT, in military parlance) has proudly returned home to Minnesota. The 1/34th web site concisely summarizes the "Red Bulls's" amazing tour of duty in Iraq:

The 1/34 BCT conducted its Transfer of Authority ceremony with the 1/82 BCT(A) at the Ziggurat of Ur on 11 July 2007, ending another chapter in Red Bull history.

During the longest deployment of any unit to date in Operation Iraqi Freedom, they drove 2.4 million miles with 99% on time starts;

discovered a significant number of IEDs before they could detonate;

achieved a 98% vehicle readiness rate;

processed 1.5 million vehicles at entry control points without incident;

completed $29 million in Iraqi reconstruction (seven water plants, 90 miles of road, numerous schools, and hundreds of miles of roadside cleanup);

closed eight redundant radio relay points and improved the remaining three;

and provided $55 million in force protection improvements for four bases.

1/34th BCT has earned the Operation Iraqi Freedom Campaign Streamer for its service in Iraq from March 2006 to July 2007.

Fortunately, these brave soldiers will be helped in significant ways after the yellow ribbons come down:

After experiencing the intensity of combat, Minnesota Guardsmen will reunite with their families and resume their civilian lives. The Minnesota National Guard, under the leadership of men like Maj.Gen. Larry Shellito, Col.Kevin Gerdes and Chaplain John Morris, have developed a unique combat veteran reintegration program in hopes of changing the way soldiers and airmen are reintegrated into their communities.

The "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon" program has proven an effective means to prepare every combat veteran and his family for a safe, healthy and successful reintegration following deployment.

"As a 25-year veteran of the Marine Corps, I remember the joys and difficulties of coming home from deployment," [Minnesota Congressman Rep. John] Kline said. "Minnesota’s 'Beyond the Yellow Ribbon' includes extensive reintegration efforts, and Minnesotans can be proud of this pioneering program. I was pleased to work with the National Guard Bureau and the Minnesota National Guard to introduce legislation that would create a national program.”[1]

If you enjoy your freedom in America, thank a Red Bull or any veteran. Well done, Red Bulls, and welcome home!

UPDATE: Congratulations to MOB member The Patriette on the homecoming of her favorite member of the 1/34th Red Bulls: her husband! Tune in to her blog for details!

All gave some, some gave all

Thank you, veterans for our freedom!

"Never in the history of the world has any soldier sacrificed more for the freedom and liberty of total strangers than the American soldier. And our soldiers don't just give freedom abroad, they preserve it for us here at home.

"It has been said truthfully that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press.

"It is the soldier, not the poet who has given us the freedom of speech.

"It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest.

"It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom he abuses to burn that flag." —Senator Zell Miller (D-Georgia)

God Bless America, our active duty military, and our veterans!