To all of those brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrafice on this day 64 years ago, REST IN PEACE. To those that were there and lived to talk about it,THANK YOU.

I second that emotion DD, and on that topic yesterday on the radio I heard the speach's of two giants in our history, the first was the "Day of Infamy" speach by FDR, I think maybe our greatest and most democratic president, (I remember as a kid everybody in my working class neighborhood had a picture of both FDR and JFK on the wall at home) and then the speach by Winston Churchill during the darkest days of WW2.
Both speach's were not only inspirational and "truthful" but eloquent almost poetic in delivery.
That era seemed to have so many giants and real patriots like Generals Eisenhower, Patton, McArthur, and maybe the greatest of all, General George Marshall who helped Europe recover and stay free and democratic.
Where have all these giant figures gone? We sure could use a couple now!
And on the subject of war and patriots I just read a couple of articles in the LA Times that made me wax nostalgic. Both the articles dealt with guys from my old neighborhood in the eastside of LA, both guys heroes, both of Mexican Heritage and both inspirational characters.

"Gabby Gabaldon", tough street kid from Boyle Heights, was basically homeless when adopted by the Japanese family of schoolmates. He learned the Japanese language and culture and when WW2 began he wanted to go with his family to a relocation camp for Japanese but was rejected as a Mexican.
He joined the Marines in 1943 at 17 yrs old and due to his mastery of the Japanese language (even slang) he became an intelligence scout and observer.
In June 1944 he landed with the Marines on the Pacific island of Saipan and on the first day of combat he killed 33 Japanese soldiers, during the next few days he by himself (and his mastery of Japanese) captured 1,100 Japanese before being wounded by machine gun fire. He received the "Silver Star" and "Navy Cross" for valor (many are lobbying for upgrade to "Congressional Medal of Honor")and left the Marine Corp as a "private first class". He earned the sobriquet "The Pied Piper of Saipan" and later became a successful business man in the US and Mexico.
In a disgusting and telling display of prejudice, Gabaldon's life story was made into a movie in 1960 where Gabby Gabaldon was portrayed as an "Italian AMerican" in the movie "Hell to Eternity" starring blue eyed actor Jeffrey Hunter"

Another poignant artical in the LA Times dealt with an old "camarada" from the neigborhood another "Mexican Soldier" "Juan Terrazas" who got drafted with all of us "vatos" from "Lincoln Heights" LA, he got the "Bronze Star" and was later killed in combat in "Quang Tri Province" Vietnam 1969 (In my Lincoln Heights neighborhood we lost 13 soldiers in 9 months in 1969, all Mexican Americans except for two amigos who happened to be "Okie's" who grew up together with us)

Even though Juan was born in Mexico, and came to LA when he was 6 yrs. old, he went against his mothers wishes to send him back to MExico and avoid the draft. He told her "After all the years we were here in the US it's not a time to run. It's time to fight for your country".
"Juan's wish to become a US citizen finally came true with the help of his old Viet Nam Vet buddy "Frank De La Vara" another "Mexican from the varrio"
"Juan Terrazas" US citizen and American hero 35 years after giving his life for his country July 9, 1969.
"Orale"!!

Fulano,

Thanks for the history lesson. It's sad that history from that era was distorted, and didn't show who Gabaldon really was.

With luck, they will make a new movie about him someday, and his rich heritage will be an important part of the lesson given in the story.

Wolf

Fulano: I am glad that we have found a common ground. My high regard for Gen George Patton like yours comes through. In the modern military Patton would not be able to do the things that he did in WWII. There was an Army Colonel, David Hackworth, who should have been promoted to the General ranks but his mouth and attitude held him back. When Col. Hackworth realized that Viet Nam was being ran by politician not soldiers, he sounded off in the press thus ending his career. He to retirement and went to live in Australia for many years before returning to the US. He passed away just this year.I think you would enjoy reading his books.

Speaking ones mind about the battle field conditions is not in the best interest of a military career. The Days of men like Patton making it on his military knowledge alone are over. When Patton assaulted that troop for having "battle fatigue" he was ordered to render a public appology. Something like that now days would result in a court martial. Every book that one reads about Patton, has a mention of that incident in it. My own son wrote a book report about Patton in the 8th grade. He failed to write about the slapping incident in his book report and the teacher knocked him down a grade point on the report over not making light of it.

Viet Nam was a black page in American History, and it was caused by nothing more than a bunch of brown nosing Generals telling that scum bag Johnson what he wanted to hear. Instead of telling him what was really going on. I am one American that is concerned that we are looking at the same thing now in Iraq, a bunch of brown nosers running around saying "yes sir,yes sir whatever you want to hear." Had Nam been properly executed it should not have taken more than a year to bring those little bastards to their knees.

In the late 80s or early 90s there was a Col. Millard Peck that was in charge of the Pentagon office of MIAs. He saw what a mess his office was in when he took over the job, and was not getting the cooperation that he needed to do the job. So he went to congress and asked for a hearing, to bring to light how things were being done. You guessed it, about 30 days later the Army decided his services were no longer needed and retired him.

You are 100% correct Patton was great military mind. We have men and women of his caliber now, it is just that they are afraid to do their job.

I think another factor that must be considered when talking about past heros (war heros or presidential, etc.) is to realize that basically the news and media coverage was not that extensive in those days as it is today. So someone like Patton may seem like an all-around solid American citizen, but there were likely things going on in his personal and professional life that would make you think less of him, if those things were brought to light in todays news or media coverage.

It is only my opinion, but I really don't think there are any "heros" - a person may do a heroic act and that same person is also capable of doing something cowardly or inhumane.

Alando: You make a good point. Randy Duke Cunningham was a good fighter pilot. Was the Navy's ace from Viet Nam. Completed his career as Navy pilot then ran for congress. Around San Diego he was well known and highly thought of. After a few years in congress he took bribe and now is waiting to be sentenced.

All to often the word "Hero" is thought to apply person on the battle field. What about those heros that get up every morning and go off to work to feed their families? What about those heros that grow large gardens to feed their family as opposed to going to an already over burden government for food stamps? What about those young heros that are holding down several jobs to put themselve through college or some advanced degree program, when others around them are taking grants and student loans, with no intentions of repaying those loans. The list could go on and on of the heros around us. People that we will never know, or know about the selfless act that they performed, all for the betterment of mankind. (is betterment even a word?)