Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is the reason that we Americans have paused on a hot summer day in early July for the past 235 years to re-affirm what it is to be an American. Although, during the first few years, July 4th, was only celebrated locally and by the armed forces. It did not even become a national holiday until 1870 amd a paid holiday until 1938. The date however is not as important, as the document, and that leads to the subject of this post. Two of my fellow bloggers have posted eloquent tributes about the meaning of the declaration, and they deserve to be acknowledged. Mark of Zenpundit get the lead off position with this excellent description on what an American is.

This is the core of what it America is, a civic creed, adherence to which defines the holder as possessor of the exalted title of ”American”, without regard to their origins, however humble, their condition, however mean, they can hold their heads above those of kings as a free people, jealous of their liberties and none greater than another under the law.

That was the revolutionary ideal that set the world on fire, long though in the coming to arrive as a reality. It is our greatest legacy to the history of mankind and if we ever lose our vigilance and submit to tyrants, forgetting ourselves in seeking security, Jefferson’s words may yet inspire others to take up the cause on our behalf as we have done so for others:

Read and view the whole post:
“We hold these Truths to be Self-Evident….”

Citizen soldiers

Being an American also brings with it a responsibility to ensure that our way of life is protected. This next post from CDR Salamander, provides an answer.

And so our Revolution - really a civil war - began. Those who served, fought, wounded, or died in that war understood why they left family and future to put their lives on the line.

In 2011 after a decade of undeclared war, with a leadership that cannot even call bombing another nation conflict and the reasons for these wars not even defended by those who lead us - why do we fight?

Besides following orders and doing what you can to protect and serve your band of brothers - why are we scattered around the world killing others, and for what purpose?

If our leaders cannot define or describe what we are doing with our armed forces - can we?

Read the whole post and the link within:
Why do we serve?

Major Robert Soltes 2004, Iraq

Lt. Mark Daily, Iraq 2007

Cpt. Eric F. Wood, Memorial, Belgium

Sadly for our nation, this is a question that is being asked by only a few, when less than 1% of the population answers the call to serve. For some, it is a way to find new direction, for others, the call to duty hearkened back to earlier wars when men answered the call, and preformed deeds of valor, often unrecorded, and un-seen, except, by God. We should all, understand that preserving our liberties means a willingness to serve both in the traditional sense of arms, as well as citizens who take an active part in their civic responsibilities and to follow their conscience, putting the interests of the nation first, so as to preserve the civic creed so aptly stated by Mark in the second paragraph of this post.

I'm Shipping Out Again

Air Battle off Guadalcanal November 12, 1942, USS Atlanta in lead

Burial at sea off Tarawa November 1943

Before anyone gets any ideas, the title comes from a post I wrote last year, Why I Joined The Navy This Time. Well it is that time of year again when Project Valor IT kicks off its pre-Veteran's Day drive to raise money to provide voice-controlled/adaptive laptop computers and other technology to support Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines recovering from hand wounds and other severe injuries.

Here is how this fine organization came about.

SFC William Ziegenfuss served 17 years in United States Army, as a medic, and later a nurse. He fought in the Vietnam War from 1968-1969 and was decorated for actions during the Tet offensive. His military decorations included the Vietnam Cross of gallantry with Palm, and the Army commendation medal, which he was awarded three times.

But his military record isn't what made "Bill" special. Bill joined the service in 1967. In 1976, while everyone else was celebrating the U.S. Bicentennial, he found out that he had cancer when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for which there was no cure. He would later find out that this cancer could only have been caused by his exposure to Agent Orange while serving in Vietnam. Always a fighter, he decided to stay in the army, where he could continue to treat soldiers and serve the country he loved so much.

Bill still continued to serve the Army and the military, and continued to help soldiers. But finally in 1985, his medical condition brought him to a point where that was no longer possible. He would continue to fight the cancer for the next 16 years while he worked as a government employee, and he raised a family that would produce a daughter and son who would continue in his footsteps. He left a daughter in the Air Force and a son in the army when he passed away. Today these children carry on his legacy: a daughter raising a family after returning from a deployment to Afghanistan with the United States Air Force; and a son who now serves as a major in the United States Army.

The injuries Bill's son, Major Ziegenfuss, received in Iraq became part of the inspiration for Project Valour-IT and Major Ziegenfuss honors the memory of his father, SFC Ziegenfuss, by his participation.

With the readers permission, I will reprint the post explaining why I am shipping out with the Navy.

Anyone who has followed my blog for a time will know that I served in the United States Army in my youth. My pride in that service moved me to dedicate the photo of my deployment to Vietnam as "The beginning of a quest to understand our world." For the past several weeks the link above that photo calls attention to the Operation Valor Fundraiser for Soldier's Angels. Looking closer you will notice that I am supporting the Navy in their effort to beat the Army in a competition to raise money for this excellent program.

Although I still love the Army, I was moved to "join the Navy" as a way of honoring the service of my father Jay B. Wade, who served in the Navy from December 8, 1941 to October 1945, and my brother Vince, who followed our father down to the sea and proudly served aboard the Spruance-class destroyer USS Ingersoll in the 1980's. Vince so loves the Navy that he served for a three years as a live aboard caretaker on the USS Hornet museum ship. His fondest memories of our dad, is the day he came home from boot camp in his "Cracker Jacks" and saw our father weep with pride.

My father did his duty as a gator sailor aboard the USS Zeilin AP-9 in five campaigns from Guadalcanal, the Aleutians, and back to Tarawa and Kwajalein. He was then sent home for leave and became a plank owner on the new Essex class carrier, USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) and participated in 15 air strikes against the Japanese home islands, the last being recalled on August 15, 1945 the day Japan surrendered. When he came home, the transition to civilian life took it's toll and before I was six he disappeared from my life. He returned to my life after I went searching for him and found that he had passed back in 1985, leaving a legacy of three long-lost brothers, two of which I have reconnected with. My brother Vince had the strongest memories of our father, and was able to relate the lost time and how much our father cherished his service in the Navy. The stories of what our father saw and experienced only came to Vince's ears after he returned home on emergency leave as our father lay dying. They talked and Vince learned about the sights and ghosts that our father saw in his dreams every night for the rest of his life. Our dad never wavered from his pride in that service and the memories of war that were burned into the mind of a young man in the last years of his teens.

So here I stand, ready to serve to honor the spirit of my father by supporting the United States Navy in this cause to raise money for our injured service people. The cause is every bit as important as the mission they were originally tasked to complete. I urge everyone to click on the Operation Valor widget and contribute however much you can to honor the sacrifices these fine people made for all of us.

A few days later I wrote this post about why in this past decade of land wars and nation building exercises, Why the Navy Has Such An Essential Role in Our History.

So in the immortal words of Marine Sgt. Dan Daly.

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Project Valor IT Team NAVY

The Navy's Essential Role in Our History

Enroute to North Africa 1942

Off Fox Green Beach June 6, 1944

Getting close-in June 6, 1944

Tsunami, 2004

USS Mercy, 2008

Dental clinic USS Mercy, 2008

This week marked the kickoff of Operation Valor IT at Soldier's Angels. Right now the Navy is bringing up the rear in the joint fundraising efforts of the service branches, Army, Marines and Air Force. I am going to devote this post by reminding all, of the essential role the Navy has played in not only supporting but protecting the other services in the wars of the last century.

Prior to the 20th century it was our Navy was the diplomatic mailed fist that ensured safe sea routes to our fledgling country. The Army was confined to the North American continent in a constabulary role confronting Native Americans and securing the borders. The Marines, served aboard our navy ships to provide security to the ships company and act as a segoing infantry to lead naval operations ashore.

The 20th Century saw our Army, and Marines being sent overseas, carried and protected by U.S. Navy ships. It is in this century that the role of the Navy as the essential service came into it's own.

When the U.S. Army struck back at the Axis in North Africa,Operation Torch it was the Navy led by Rear Admiral Henry K. Hewitt who safely carried the largest armada to date,(1942) across the Atlantic and successfully deposited the army on the shores of Morocco and Algeria.

Hewitt then went on to lead the navy in the invasion of Sicily, Italy and Southern France.

Meanwhile in the Pacific, the Navy was busy trying to stop Japanese advances. The sacrifices of the Asiatic Fleet Battle of Balikpapan (1942) and Battle of Sunda Strait bought time for the United States to reinforce Australia. Almost half the fleet of 40 vessels (19) were sunk in battle during this time.

During the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Marine Corps made history. But more sailors (5213), died protecting the beachhead during the campaign than Marines (1831). At Midway, the land based air assets proved ineffective against the oncoming Japanese forces. It was the Navy who turned the tide and stopped the advance of Japan.

As the U.S. ground forces battled their way back across the Pacific in a two pronged attack, it was the Navy who not only deposited the forces onshore, but blunted any attempt at counter-attack.

When the invasion of Europe became a reality, it was again the Navy that at the most critical time turned the tide of battle during the Normandy Landings when navy destroyers came in close to shore and provided direct fire to destroy German positions.

The efforts of the Navy were repeated again and again in the Pacific as they led and then held their positions to support the troops ashore. During the Battle of Okinawa , the United States lost 7,373 men killed and 32,056 wounded on land, while at sea, 5,000 were killed and 4,600 wounded with a loss of 36 ships from relentless air attacks.

Today, the current war in Afghanistan involves primarily our ground forces, with the Navy providing mostly a supporting role of essential air cover, medical aid and supply. But this doesn't mean that the United States Navy has been sitting back resting on it's laurels. They have continued to maintain the original role of maintaining security of the sea lanes and offshore protection while adding a new dimension of "soft power" to their toolbox like Navy Humanitarian Service Groups.

This century has seen it's share of natural disasters, like the Indian Ocean earthquake in 2004 where the United State Navy led the efforts to bring aid to stricken millions. This past year has seen the Navy involved in humanitarian operations like the voyage of the USS Mercy Hospital ship to Southeast Asia last summer. http://mercycaptain.blogspot.com/.

More recently, the Navy responded across the Western Pacific providing aid to countries suffering from the effects of typhoons and earthquakes. Navy Supports Relief Efforts in Northern Mariana Islands, Military Provides Rescue, Humanitarian Support in Pacific, Marines, Sailors Bring Aid to Philippines.

As you finish reading this review of the role that the United State Navy has played in protecting our nation by being a stable force that can not only fight but lay down the gauntlet and offer a hand to a troubled world in time of need.

So in a take-off on the immortal words of Marine Gunnery Sergeant Dan Daly, C'mon you sons-of-b's. Do you want to sit by and watch the Navy lose? Grab your credit card and join the fight!

Why I Joined the Navy

USS Zeilin AP-9

Burial at Sea, USS Zeilin Tarawa November 1943

Anyone who has followed this blog for a time will know that I served in the United States Army in my youth. My pride in that service moved me to dedicate the photo of my deployment to Vietnam as "The beginning of a quest to understand our world." For the past several weeks the link above that photo calls attention to the Operation Valor Fundraiser for Soldier's Angels. Looking closer you will notice that I am supporting the Navy in their effort to beat the Army in a competition to raise money for this excellent program. Although I still love the Army, I was moved to "join the Navy" as a way of honoring the service of my father Jay B. Wade, who served in the Navy from December 8, 1941 to October 1945 A Thanksgiving Tribute to my Dad and my brother Vince who followed our father down to the sea and proudly served aboard the Spruance-class destroyer USS Ingersoll in the 1980's. Vince so loves the Navy that he served for a three years as a live aboard caretaker on the USS Hornet museum ship. His fondest memories of our dad, is the day he came home in his "Cracker Jacks" and saw our father weep with pride.

My father saw a lot of combat as a gator sailor aboard the USS Zeilin AP-9 in five campaigns from Guadalcanal, the Aleutians, and back to Tarawa and Kwajalein. He was then sent home for leave and became a plank owner on the new Essex class carrier, USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) and participated in 15 air strikes against the Japanese home islands, the last being recalled on August 15, 1945 the day Japan surrendered. When he came home, the transition to civilian life took it's toll and before I was six he disappeared from my life. He returned to my life after I went searching for him and found that he had passed back in 1985, leaving a legacy of three long-lost brothers, two of which I have reconnected with. My brother Vince had the strongest memories of our father, and was able to relate the lost time and how much our father cherished his service in the Navy. The stories of what our father saw and experienced only came to Vince's ears after he returned home on emergency leave as our father lay dying. They talked and Vince learned about the sights and ghosts that our father saw in his dreams every night for the rest of his life. Our dad never wavered from his pride in that service and the memories of war that were burned into the mind of a young man in the last years of his teens.

So here I stand, ready to serve to honor the spirit of my father by supporting the United States Navy in this cause to raise money for our injured service people. The cause is every bit as important as the mission they were originally tasked to complete. I urge everyone to click on the Operation Valor widget and contribute however much you can to honor the sacrifices these fine people made for all of us.