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What features are included in a 9 Seater Tempo Traveller?

If you are planning a family trip or going out with friends, the 9 Seater Tempo Traveller in Delhi is a great choice. It is made for small groups who want to travel together in comfort. This vehicle is good for short weekend trips, long tours, or even airport pick and drop. Everyone can sit together and enjoy the journey without any trouble.

Features of 9 Seater Tempo Traveller

9 pushback seats for a relaxed and comfortable ride.

Air-conditioner to keep the journey cool.

Big luggage space for carrying bags safely.

Modern interiors with clean and stylish seating.

Music system to make travel more fun.

Safe dashboard and seat belts for extra safety.

LED lights and neat design to give a better travel feel.

With all these features, this Tempo Traveller is perfect for family tours, picnics, and outstation trips. It makes your travel easy, safe, and enjoyable for everyone.

https://www.tempotravellerrentindelhi.com/9-seater-tempo-traveller.html

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Traditional Testing Methods
Traditional Testing Methods often struggle with inefficiencies, high maintenance, and delayed feedback. Webomates revolutionizes this space by replacing outdated, manual approaches with its AI-powered Testing as a Service (TaaS) platform. Unlike traditional testing methods, Webomates automates test case generation, execution, and maintenance, drastically reducing test cycle times and human error. With features like AiHealing, intelligent defect triaging, and a centralized smart dashboard, Webomates ensures faster releases, higher quality, and seamless scalability. Say goodbye to the limitations of traditional testing methods—embrace the future with Webomates.
For more info:- https://www.webomates.com/blog/how-ai-can-help-overcome-traditional-testing-challenges/
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Power BI and Career Opportunities: How It Can Help You Land Your Dream Job

Power BI lets people take messy data and create easy-to-use dashboards and reports that explain what the data means. It’s no wonder why it’s so popular in the job market right now.

https://medium.com/@recruitg/power-bi-and-career-opportunities-how-it-can-help-you-land-your-dream-job-998e76560cfc

How Do Modern Home Architects Embrace Minimalism and Warmth?

When you enter a new home in Melbourne, you might notice something unique. In the spaces, you feel calmer, lighter, more open. Yet they are not cold or empty. They feel lived in. This is the new wave of design where modern architects in Melbourne are blending minimalism with a touch of warmth. It’s about creating places that are pared back, but not stripped of life.

Learn for more information: https://www.diveboard.com/jenniferthomas8891/posts/how-do-modern-home-architects-embrace-minimalism-and-warmth-B1SnkzL

AI Test Automation
Webomates is transforming AI Test Automation by helping businesses test faster, smarter, and more accurately. Its AI-driven platform leverages machine learning, autonomous test generation, intelligent healing, and cross-platform execution to cut testing time and improve product quality. With proprietary tools like AiHealing and Continuous Quality™, Webomates delivers results within 24 hours, covering functional, regression, cross-browser, performance, and accessibility testing—without writing a single line of code. Integrated dashboards and triaged defect reports free QA and Dev teams to focus on innovation instead of manual cycles.
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AI Test Automation
Webomates is transforming AI Test Automation by helping businesses test faster, smarter, and more accurately. Its AI-driven platform leverages machine learning, autonomous test generation, intelligent healing, and cross-platform execution to cut testing time and improve product quality. With proprietary tools like AiHealing and Continuous Quality™, Webomates delivers results within 24 hours, covering functional, regression, cross-browser, performance, and accessibility testing—without writing a single line of code. Integrated dashboards and triaged defect reports free QA and Dev teams to focus on innovation instead of manual cycles.
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What are the Top 5 Gardens and Parks in Delhi for a Day Out with Family?

Delhi is not only about busy roads and markets. The city also has many green parks where you can enjoy a picnic, walk, or fun time with family. Here are the top 5 gardens you must visit:-

1. Lodhi Garden
A big park with old tombs, walking paths, and wide lawns. Families come here for walks, yoga, and picnics.

2. Garden of Five Senses
This garden has colorful flowers, fountains and art. It is peaceful and also great for kids, and photos.

3. Deer Park (Hauz Khas)
A green park where you can see real deer. It feels like a small jungle, and has a lake for family walks.

4. Nehru Park
Spread across many acres, it has big lawns and cycling tracks. Families enjoy picnics and music shows here.

5. Sunder Nursery
Near Humayun’s Tomb, it has many trees, water ponds, and Mughal-style gardens. It is also a world heritage site.

Final Tip: All of these parks are family-friendly, and great for a weekend getaway in the city. If you plan to travel with a large group, you can hire a Tempo Traveller in Delhi to make it a more enjoyable experience. Just get a picnic basket, a mat, and some board games, and you’re all set for a joyful, relaxing day out.

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dog boarding in noida

At Just For Dogs, we offer more than dog boarding — we provide a loving, safe and joyful space for your furry family members. With spacious stays, round-the-clock care, playtime, training and nutritious food, we ensure every dog feels relaxed, happy and truly at home.

https://justfordogs.in/dog-boarding

Why We're the Best Dog Boarding in Noida Sector112

If you are a pet parent living in Noida or near Sector 112 looking for a reliable and loving place to board your dog, you are in the right place. We specialize in dog boarding, grooming, training, and daycare, all under one roof.
Here is why pet parents across Noida trust us with their furry family members:

Comfortable and Safe Boarding Facilities

Your dog deserves a home away from home. Our boarding space is designed with:

clean and spacious kennels
regular cleaning and sanitization
comfortable bedding and temperature control
24/7 CCTV-monitoring premises
24/7 on-site care and supervision

Whether it is a weekend or a long vacation, your dog stays in a safe and friendly environment.

Experienced and Loving Staff

Our team are not just trained—they are passionate about dogs. From caregivers to trainers, every staff member ensures:


Personalized attention
Regular feeding and walks
Play sessions and socialization
Updates to pet parents via messages or photos
Professional Grooming On-Site

Need grooming while your dog is boarding? We have got you covered.

Our dog grooming services include:

Bathing & blow-drying
Nail trimming
Ear cleaning
Breed-specific haircuts

We use vet-prescribed products and handle each dog with care—especially first-timers or nervous pups.

Basic Obedience & Behavior Training

While your dog is with us, why not add some training sessions? We offer:


puppy training
basic obedience sit, stay, come
Leash manners
Social behavior correction
Training is available as a separate service or as an add-on during boarding.

daycare for Busy Pet Parents

Not looking for overnight boarding? Try our dog daycare instead!
Perfect for working professionals or days when your dog needs:


company and play
safe indoor/outdoor spaces
Supervised socializing
Meal and nap time
Drop them off in the morning, and pick up a happy pup in the evening!

conveniently Located in Sector 112, Noida
No need to travel far for quality pet care. We are centrally located in Sector 112, easily accessible from nearby sectors.

trusted by all Pet Parents Across Noida
Still unsure? Our happy clients say it best! We are proud to have earned the trust of countless dog parents who regularly use our boarding and daycare services.

Ready to Book a Stay?

Give your dog the care they deserve while you are away. Whether it is grooming, training, or a full boarding experience, we are here to help.

call us at our number—+91 9958848993.
visit us in SK 79, Sec-112 Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201305

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Sassy & Sophisticated: Western Dress for Women Styles to Try

Fashion is an expression of culture, mood, and individuality that goes beyond simple apparel. Western Dress for Women has established a fashionable niche by fusing comfort and elegance, sass and sophistication, in a world where individual style is paramount. There is a Western style that goes well with every occasion, whether you're going to a Bollywood-themed party, the boardroom, or brunch. Read More - https://readiprintfashions.wixstudio.com/readiprintfashions/post/sassy-sophisticated-western-dress-for-women-styles-to-try

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How to Hire PHP Developers in India: A Step-by-Step Guide

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By virtue of charter granted, this Post shall be known as Owens Crossroads Post 12242, Veterans of
Foreign Wars of the United States.
Sec. 2. The location of this Post shall be in the City of Owens Crossroads, County of Madison, State of Alabama.

ARTICLE II
SUBORDINATION

Sec. 1. The supreme power of this association is vested in the National Convention and this Post shall be at all
times governed by the Congressional Charter and Bylaws of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United
States, the Bylaws of the Department, orders issued by authority of the National Convention, National
Council of Administration, the Commander-in-Chief, the Department Convention, Department Council of
Administration and the Department Commander. Resolutions adopted by the National Convention are
held to be lawful orders.

ARTICLE III
MEETINGS

Sec. 1. Place: The regular meeting place of this Post shall be at the Meadows of Hampton Cove Clubhouse,
6099 Goose Ridge Drive, Owens Crossroads, Alabama, 35763.
Sec. 2. Time: The regular meetings of the Post shall be held on the 3 rd Wednesday of each month, to be called to
order at 6p.m.
Sec. 3. The Post may, after at least fourteen (14) days written notice to the Department Commander and the
members of the Post, change its meeting place, appointed day or time upon a majority vote of the
members present and voting at a regular or special meeting called for such purpose.
Sec. 4. Special meetings may be called in accordance with the provisions of the National Bylaws.
Sec. 5. Quorum: Six (6) members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
Sec 6. Post may adopt procedures, in compliance to National Bylaws allowing members to participate in
meetings using technology that allows all participating members to communicate with each other
simultaneously.

ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 1. Membership in this Post, eligibility to, application for, acquiring and maintenance of, loss of and discipline
shall be in accordance with the provisions of the National Bylaws.
Sec. 2. The admission fee of this Post shall be payable in accordance with the National Bylaws.
Sec. 3. The dues of this Post shall never be less than the amount required to cover Department and National
dues.

2

Sec. 4. Annual Post membership dues shall be $15 plus Department and National Dues.

ARTICLE V
OFFICERS

Sec. 1. Eligibility to, nomination, election or appointment, installation and term of office shall be in accordance
with the provisions of the National Bylaws.
Sec. 2. The Post shall elect the Commander, Senior Vice Commander, Junior Vice Commander, Quartermaster,
and three Trustees. The Commander shall appoint an Adjutant, Chaplain, and may appoint a Service
Officer.
Sec. 3. The duties of all officers shall be those prescribed by Department and National Bylaws, lawful orders as
the Post may direct and as these Bylaws may provide.
ARTICLE VI
COMMITTEES AND DUTIES

Sec. 1. All Committees and their chairmen, unless otherwise provided shall be appointed by the Commander as
promptly as possible after election to office, and as such shall serve at his/her will and pleasure. The
Post Quartermaster, by virtue of office shall be treasurer of all committees handling funds.
Sec. 2. The Standing Committees of the Post shall be as follows:

(a) Membership (e) Youth Activities (i) Community Activities
(b) Relief (f) House (j) Safety
(c) Poppy (g) Americanism (k) Bingo
(d) Publicity (h) Ways and Means
Sec. 3. House Committee/Board of Management (BoM):
(a) The House Committee/BoM shall be elected by the Post members to manage certain matters
related to the Post property including the operation of Post Club Rooms and/or Canteen. It shall
consist of not less than three members, one each of whom shall be elected annually for a three-
year term. Trustees shall not serve on the House Committee/BoM. In addition, the Post
Commander and Post Quartermaster by virtue of their offices shall be members of the House
Committee.
(b) The Committee shall be responsible for the cleanliness and upkeep of the quarters and the
equipment therein.
(c) The Committee shall be in charge of the sub-rental of the Post’s quarters and shall exercise such
supervision over sub-renters as will ensure the protection of the Post’s name and property.
(d) The Committee may authorize such expenditures for minor emergency repairs and janitor supplies
as may be necessary for the preservation and protection of the Post’s quarters and its equipment,
provided that the total amount so expended between any two regular meetings shall not exceed an
amount previously established by the Post.
(e) All monies received by the Committee through the sub-rental of the Post's quarters or other
sources shall be deposited with the Post Quartermaster.
(f) All expenditures of the Committee shall be made only by regular voucher and drawn by the
Quartermaster in accordance to these Bylaws.
(g) The House Committee/BoM shall keep a record of all its receipts and expenditures and shall, at
every meeting of the Post, report all monies received and all expenditures made since the last
meeting.

3

(h) The Post may adopt such further rules and regulations governing the conduct of club or canteen
as, do not conflict with the provisions of this Article. Such rules and regulations shall only become
effective upon their approval by a majority vote of members present and voting at a regular or
special meeting called for that purpose; at least thirty (30) days’ notice in writing having first been
given to all members.

ARTICLE VII
CONTROL OF SUBSIDIARY UNITS

Sec. 1. Any activity, unit or clubrooms sponsored, conducted or operated by the Post, incorporated separately
from the Post or unincorporated, shall be at all times under the direct control of the Post.
Sec. 2. All funds derived from any of the above shall be in the custody of the Post Quartermaster.
Sec. 3. All money, property and assets of every kind as well as all records in connection therewith used, held
and owned by any of the above activities is the property of the Post and must be placed in the care and
custody of the Post Quartermaster.
Sec. 4. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary and Military Order of the Cootie are governed by Articles XI and
XII respectively of the National Bylaws and Manual of Procedure of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and
their respective Bylaws, rules and regulations.
ARTICLE VIII
EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS

Sec. 1. Expenditure of funds shall be made only after prior authorization by the Post and on proper voucher
drawn by the Adjutant and approved by the Commander. All checks for the expenditure of Post funds
shall be numbered in sequence, the number of each check to correspond with the voucher authorizing
the same, other expenditures may be made using acceptable banking practices. All disbursements of
Post funds shall bear the signature of the Quartermaster or other person(s) authorized by the
Quartermaster. Such other authorized person(s) shall be bonded in accordance with Section 703 of the
National Bylaws.
Sec. 2. The adoption of this Article shall constitute authorization by the Post for the payment of bills, when and as
due, for monthly rental, public utility service, postage, janitor service and for janitor’s supplies and minor
emergency repairs authorized by the House Committee, provided that the amounts to be paid for monthly
rental and for janitor service shall have been previously established by the Post.
Sec. 3. No other payment or expenditure shall be made except on the specific authorization of the Post in each
and every case.
Sec. 4. The Post Quartermaster is authorized a debit card on the account of the Post General fund. Use is
restricted for expenses with VFW National, VFW Department of Alabama, Post purchases through VFW
Store and charges specifically approved by Post Membership vote. The debt card shall not be used for
cash withdrawal at any time.
Sec. 5. A travel expense report will be submitted to the Post for all approved travel expenses prior to
reimbursement.
Sec.. 6. The Post Commander is authorized to disapprove any “proper Post authorization” of expenditures in the
following instances:
(a) Any expenditure in violation of the National Bylaws.
(b) Any expenditure that is unlawful.
(c) Any expenditure that would jeopardize the tax-exempt status of the Post.

ARTICLE IX

4
COMPENSATION

Sec. 1. No compensation shall be paid to any officer of this Post for their services as such officer, except as
hereafter may be provided.
Sec. 2. For services rendered, the Post may, by majority vote, pay the annual dues of the Adjutant and
Quartermaster for the periods or parts of periods they serve as such, and such other compensation
commensurate with their duties as may be determined and specified by vote of the Post.

ARTICLE X

FUNDRAISING PROMOTIONS/SOLICITATIONS

Sec. 1. This Post shall solicit funds or donations only by prior vote of the members agreeing to the proposition. It
shall not solicit funds or donations or otherwise engage in fundraising activities or projects outside the
immediate geographical area or community of the Post.
Sec. 2. This Post shall not enter into any agreement with a promoter for the purpose of raising funds unless the
said promoter shall have first furnished a good and sufficient surety bond in a principal sum sufficient to
give the Post ample protection in the particular circumstances. The said bond shall be subject to the
approval of the Post Advocate, bear the endorsement of the Post Commander and be kept in the
possession of the Post Quartermaster. The bond will be conditioned on the payment to the Post
Quartermaster of all monies due the Post as a result of the solicitation within thirty (30) days of the close
of the campaign.
If the promoter has made satisfactory settlement within the thirty-day period, then surety will be
determined to be discharged, otherwise the bond will remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 3. If the bond cannot be furnished, then all collections shall be made by the members of the Post
sponsoring the campaign or entertainment and said funds shall be paid to a bonded officer of the Post
who shall hold the funds in their custody pending proper pro rata distribution.
Sec. 4. Fundraising organizations or individuals conducting solicitations, activities or projects for a profit shall not
be engaged or used by the Post for such purpose unless such engagement is made by written
agreement between the Post and the organization or individuals providing those services. The form of
any such written agreement must be submitted to the Department Commander for review at least thirty
(30) days prior to any Post entering into any such agreement.
Sec. 5. No solicitations or ticket sales shall be permitted in the Post quarters or at socials or meetings unless
such solicitations or ticket sales shall have been approved by the Post.

ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS

Sec. 1. Every member of this Post shall keep the Post Adjutant and Quartermaster advised of their current
address by promptly reporting any change of same.
Sec. 2. One copy of these Bylaws shall be issued to each elected and appointed officer of this Post.
Sec. 3. In all Post procedures not provided for by the Congressional Charter and Bylaws or these Bylaws,
Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the authority, and it shall be the duty of the Judge
Advocate, in an advisory way, when called upon to do so by the Post Commander to advise the Post
Commander on the proper rule(s).

ARTICLE XII
SPEECHES

5

Sec. 1. No member will be permitted to speak on any one subject (Pro or Con) more than twice; and the first time
no longer than five (5) minutes, and the second time no longer than three (3) minutes, with the exception
of a committee report and recommendations and visiting guests who have a message to impart.

ARTICLE XIII
AMENDMENTS

Sec. 1. These Bylaws shall become effective after adoption by this Post and after review by the Commander of
the Department and Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
Sec. 2. These Bylaws may be amended by the Post by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at a
meeting, provided each member had been notified at least twenty (20) days in advance and upon request
provided a copy of the proposed amendments.
Sec. 3. Wherever these Bylaws or subsequent amendments may be found to be in conflict with the present or
any future Department or National Bylaws, the latter shall prevail and be binding upon this Post as though
written herein.

These Bylaws were adopted, subject to the review of the Department Commander and the Commander-in-Chief of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States on this _________________ day of
___________________________, 20______, at a regular meeting of this Post.

Owens Crossroads Post 12242
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

ATTEST: OFFICIAL:

Brett Beatty, Adjutant Alfonso, Nixon,

Hello all!!!, I have already sent out a few DMs looking for some assistance, but figured I would throw this out there with a very large stroke of the brush. I am finally leveraging my fairly large network to see if any of you may have any contacts who can help with Funding Grants or donations. I am involved with an organization called The Purple Heart Project. The mission is to introduce physically and mentally Combat Wounded Veterans still suffering from the negative effects of combat to the peace and joy that can be found through the therapy of traditional hand tool woodworking. I went through the program last year and since, their director has asked me to come on board to help with funding, as it is 100% supported by donation. If any of you could please pass along any info/contacts you may have in the fundraising arena as well as pass along what we do, it would mean a great deal. Thank you and keep doing all the great things each of you do!! https://www.thepurpleheartproject.org/

By Major Mark A. Smith Sr. (ret)
Note: Some decades ago, a friend in the Pentagon asked me to jot down a few Soldierly thoughts. Through the years I added a couple, but deleted none of the originals. They may not be modern or politically corrected, but they did make the rounds. I stand by them today.
- Mark
1. Never accept an officer as competent based on his source of commission.
2. Your right to influence the battlefield is diminished in ratio to the distance you are from the actual arena of action.
3. The battlefield selects its own Generals. No school or board can replace it.
4. Never call fire on your own troops, unless you stand among them.
5. Leaders are indeed born and no military school can provide what God did not.
6. Equipment procurement will always be compromised by not only being made by the lowest bidder, but by attempting to make it multi-functional.
7. Attempting to lighten the soldier’s load by diminishing the weight of any given weapon, will always result in shorter range and less firepower.
8. Excellent staff officers rarely make good battlefield commanders.
9. Outstanding commanders will surround themselves with excellent staff officers.
10. Never make command a reward for good staff work.
11. Discipline began its decline with the demise of the swagger stick and centralized promotion boards.
12. Outstanding NCO’s may make good officers. But, rarely will a riffed officer make a good NCO.
13. Atheists will never be trusted by their troops on the battlefield.
14. Women can do many things men do, except for a few days every month.
15. Going through the change, has nothing to do with the female senior officer’s uniform.
16. Sexual harassment is a two-lane road.
17. Soldiers tell the truth about good and bad commanders. Their opinion is the ultimate evaluation of an officer.
18. No commander was ever hated for being too hard. But, many are detested for trying to cultivate that image, without substance.
19. The maximum effective range of any weapon is that range at which the individual soldier can hit his target and not an inch further.
20. Pretty females rarely feel harassed by male counterparts.
21. Plain-looking female soldiers are usually the best performers and fit in.
22. Endurance should be judged on the bayonet assault course and not on a marathon run.
23. How far soldiers can run in shorts is unimportant, compared to how far they can speed march with full equipment.
24. Pregnant females are overweight soldiers. Thus, the US Army Weight Control program is not based on equal enforcement of the rules.
25. Tears on the cheeks of any soldier, regardless of gender, are only acceptable on the death of a relative or comrade and when “Old Glory” passes by.
26. Pregnancy is self-inflicted, thus abortions should be paid for by the soldier, as a non line of duty procedure.
27. Soldiers are not ‘sent into combat,” they are led.
28. Your worth as an officer should never be judged on how well you ran with a football in college.
29. West Point is a place of learning, as is any college. Both produce two types of officer; Good and Bad.
30. The computer will never be able to judge the content of a soldier’s spirit, as his Sergeant can.
31. Esprit De Corps cannot be attained at the Battalion picnic or Sports Day. It must be instilled by good leadership and belief in one’s fellow soldiers.
32. No new weapon or tactic will ever instill the same fear in the enemy that one Infantryman with a bayonet can.
33. He who drinks at lunch is a drunken soldier in the afternoon.
34. No soldier is so smart that his physical deficiencies can be overlooked in the Infantry.
35. Painting rocks and serving drinks to officers, have never been soldierly functions. And golf is not a required skill for officers.
36. Consolidation of all administrative personnel at battalion level has eroded accountability and proper reporting.
37. Anyone who thinks that future battlefields will not contain Infantrymen knows nothing about war.
38. Indecision kills more soldiers than any wrong decision. One can command his way out of a wrong decision.
39. The only mission of the Infantry Soldier is to kill the enemy. “Humanitarian Missions" are someone else’s job.
40. Only the Infantry and Armor can gain ground. Only the Infantry can hold it alone.
41. Special Forces are not Rangers or Light Infantry and should never be employed as such.
42. Rangers are light infantry and are not Special Forces.
43. Victory is not a limited objective. There is no other reason to engage an enemy, except victory.
44. Never shower or apply after-shave and cologne, forty eight hours prior to a night attack.
45. Sweat is the true lubricant of the Infantry fighting machine.
46. No American Soldier can be managed to victory. He must be led.
47. The only color in the U.S. Army is green.
48. Use of chemical weapons and biological weapons are a crime against humanity.
49. Not training your soldiers to protect themselves from them is a crime against your own troops.
50. Any tactic written in a book is known to your enemies.
51. If short hair is truly a matter of hygiene and discipline, then all soldiers must have it.
52. No member of a soldier’s family is more important than the mission.
53. No soldier can accomplish his mission if the Army neglects his family.
54. Any soldier who sleeps with another soldier’s wife or lover cannot be trusted on the battlefield and should be shunned.
55. Officers are more likely to wear unauthorized awards than any NCO or Private.
56. Any officer who claims he is accepting an individual award for the entire unit should allow his soldiers to wear it.
57. There can be no quota for awards.
58. Any award for Valor is of more value to the Army than any school diploma or certification.
59. Heroism cannot be taught. But, cowardice is a communicable disease.
60. The machine gun is too important a weapon to be used as a tool for punishing poor soldiers.
61. Precision weapons will jam, if the Commander demands communal cleaning.
62. No officer should be given a command, because, he needs one for his career.
63. No officer should be denied a command, because, he already had one.
64. The state of the Army can be evaluated by how its soldiers look in uniform, at any airport in the world.
65. No reporter can be trusted with operational plans. A reporter who reveals operational plans is a traitor to his country.
66. A combat veteran of any war should be respected by soldiers.
67. American soldiers do not lose wars. Leaders lose wars.
68. What a soldier saw with his own eyes, cannot be ignored or changed by higher headquarters.
69. If Special Forces are not assigned strategic missions, they are being misused.
70. The “Hummer” is a vehicle and is the only thing of that name allowed in the Infantry.
71. If you wish to learn about guerrilla warfare, study Francis Marion and not Westmoreland or Giap.
72. The one night you don’t dig in, will bring mortars on your position.
73. Taking the easy way will always get you killed.
74. Blank ammunition has no place in Infantry training.
75. The more you restrict Infantrymen possessing live ammunition, the more accidents you will have.
76. The Air Force and Navy are supporting arms.
77. Intelligence Officer is usually a contradiction in terms.
78. Inclement weather is the true Infantryman’s ally.
79. There is no special duty so important, that it takes the Infantry Soldier away from his squad.
80. Commanders who use the “Off Limits” authority to deny sex to combat soldiers will have a high V.D. rate.
81. A Commander’s morals are his own and cannot be imposed on his soldiers.
82. Chaplains must present themselves when the soldier has time, not because they have a schedule.
83. An officer must be judged on his ability and not on how many coffees his wife has attended.
84. Senior officers who allow discussions about a brother officer, not present, are not honorable men.
85. A Commander who bad-mouths his predecessor will never be truly respected.
86. Equal opportunity is guaranteed by the law and does not require a separate staff.
87. If a Sergeant Major suggests a unit watch, he is the supplier.
88. The quality of food went down, with the initiation of the consolidated mess.
89. No NCO or Warrant Officer outranks a Second Lieutenant.
90. Any officer who does not listen to NCO’s and Warrant Officers is a fool.
91. If you wish your subordinates to call you by your first name, go sell shoes. There is no place for you in the Army.
92. Any Army man who sneers at a Marine for being sharp and well turned out is no soldier.
93. Any Infantryman who must call higher headquarters before engaging the enemy has a fool for a commander.
94. Soldiers respect leaders worth emulating. They cannot be “ordered” to respect anyone.
95. No man who refused to serve his country in war should be elected or appointed over men and women being sent to fight.

The Hornet leaving San Francisco in 1942 with Jimmy Doolittle's B-25's on board. The first strike against Japans mainland. I never saw this picture before today. Just awesome

via: The 75th Ranger Regiment
·
Honoring our Fallen Hero:

Sergeant Bradley S. Crose
Operation Anaconda
March 3, 2002

Bradley S. Crose, 22, was from Orange Park, Florida, and volunteered for military service with the United States Army, June 6, 1998.

He completed basic training and advanced individual training in the military operational specialty of infantryman at Fort Benning, Georgia. Sergeant Crose volunteered for the second time to attend Airborne School and completed his airborne training at Fort Benning, Georgia. On November 20, 1998, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield, Georgia. He earned his Ranger Tab at Fort Benning. He was also a graduate of the Primary Leadership Development Course.

Sergeant Crose held many positions while assigned to 1st Battalion.

He was killed while fighting the Taliban and Al-Qaeda during Operation Anaconda, the most intense fighting thus far in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. He died March 3 in combat after enemy gunfire forced down a MH-47 Chinook helicopter, in which he and his fellow Rangers were aboard.

As a Ranger, Sergeant Crose distinguished himself as a member of the Army’s premier light-infantry unit and was a highly trained and motivated soldier.

He is survived by his father Mr. Ricky Crose, and his mother Ms. Sheila Maguhn, both of Orange Park, Florida.

Rangers Lead The Way!

via: WW II uncovered
·
🇺🇲WWII uncovered: Medal of Honor Recipient Jack Lummus: From the New York Giants to the Beaches of Iwo Jima

Jack Lummus, of Ennis Texas, was a sports star at Baylor University. Excelling in both baseball and football, Jack was nominated for two consecutive years as an All-American. However he left Baylor early to enlist with the Army Air Corps. Unfortunately, Jack washed out in flight school.

Jack returned to baseball briefly in the minor leagues and then signed with the New York Giants. As a rookie he played nine games. "On December 7, 1941, the Giants were playing the Brooklyn Dodgers. Around half-time, the Associated Press ticker in the press box gave out a message saying, "Airplanes identified as Japanese have attacked the American Naval Base at Pearl Harbor." The players continued the game, knowing nothing of the attack.

Jack enlisted with the US Marine Corps on January 30, 1942. He graduated from Officer's Training School at Quantico on December 18, 1942. Initially, Lummus was assigned to the Marine Raiders at Camp Pendleton - ultimately attaching to the 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division.

"In January 1944, he was assigned as Executive Officer, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines. In August 1944, the Division was transferred to Camp Tarawa outside of Waimea, Hawaii. Lummus boarded the USS Henry Clay for the trip. After four months of training, the Division was assigned to the V Amphibious Corps and would fight to take the Island of Iwo Jima." - USMC Archive

According to US Marine Corps records: "First Lieutenant Jack Lummus was in the first wave of Marines to land at Red One."

"On March 6, Lummus was put in command of E Company’s third rifle platoon. Two days later, the platoon was at the spearhead of an assault on an objective near Kitano Point. As Lummus charged forward, assaulting pillboxes on his own, his men watched as he survived several shrapnel hits, only to step on a land mine. Despite horrific damage to his legs, Lummus continued to push his men forward, demanding that they not stop for him." - National World War II Museum

According to the National World War II Museum: "Lummus was triaged and evacuated to the Fifth Division Hospital, where doctors did all they could to save his life. Despite 18 pints of blood transfusions and their best efforts, the damage to Lummus’ body was too much, even for his athletic frame. Before he died, Lummus said to one o f the surgeons, “I guess the New York Giants have lost the services of a damn good end.” A few hours later, Lummus asked for a sip of coffee, after which he laid back, closed his eyes, and smiled as he took his last breath."

First Lieutenant Jack Lummus was 29 years old at the time of his passing.

"Jack Lummus was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on May 30, 1946.

His military and athletic legacy continue today, as the U.S. Navy named a maritime prepositioning ship in his honor, the USNS 1st Lt Jack Lummus, in 1986, and the New York Giants inducted him into their Ring of Honor on October 11, 2015" - The National Medal of Honor Museum

Jack lies in rest at Myrtle Cemetery in Ennis Texas. Lest We Forget.

#ww2uncovered #honorourveterans #bayloruniversity #newyorkgiants #rememberthefallen #honorthefallen #MedalofHonor #iwojima #WWII #WWIIveteran #WorldWarII #lestweforget
WWII uncovered©️ description and photos sourced by: USMC Archive, National World War II Museum, Baylor University and Ancestry Database

OTD via: SIERRA HOTEL AERONAUTICS
·
February 20th, 1962 11:03 UTC; John Glenn boarded the Friendship 7 spacecraft.
The hatch was bolted in place at 12:10 UTC.
The gantry was rolled back at 13:20 UTC.

At 14:47 UTC, after two hours and 17 minutes of holds and three hours and 44 minutes after Glenn entered Friendship 7, engineer T.J. O'Malley pressed the button in the blockhouse launching the spacecraft.
At liftoff Glenn's pulse rate climbed to 110 beats per minute.

Thirty seconds after liftoff the General Electric-Burroughs designed guidance system locked onto a radio transponder in the booster to guide the vehicle to orbit. As the Atlas and Friendship 7 passed through Max Q Glenn reported, "It's a little bumpy about here." After Max Q the flight smoothed out. At two minutes and 14 seconds after launch, the booster engines cut off and dropped away. Then at two minutes and twenty-four seconds, the escape tower was jettisoned, right on schedule.

After the tower was jettisoned, the Atlas and spacecraft pitched over still further, giving Glenn his first view of the horizon. He described the view as "a beautiful sight, looking eastward across the Atlantic."

Glenn received word that the Atlas had boosted the MA-6 into a trajectory that would stay up for at least seven orbits. Meanwhile, computers at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland indicated that the MA-6 orbital parameters appeared good enough for almost 100 orbits.

John Glenn and "Friendship 7" made three orbits of the Earth, making Glenn the first American to orbit the Earth.

After four hours and 56 minutes in flight the spacecraft re-entered the Earth's atmosphere, splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean and was safely taken aboard the USS Noa.

On a side note, earlier in his flying career, Glenn was next assigned to VMF-311 flying the new F9F Panther jet interceptor. He flew his Panther for 63 combat missions during the Korean War, gaining the dubious nickname "magnet ass" from his apparent ability to attract enemy flak.

Twice he returned to base with over 250 flak holes in his aircraft.

www.Sierrahotel.net

Worth a read...

Strong words from Soldiers such as Willy McTear come in Loud and Clear to Leaders, if they have the stones to face such realities and they provide us, as a Nation, with some Hard Truths that must be heard/faced.

How our Vietnam Veterans were treated upon their return from the green hell of that conflict is something every American who is worthy of such a title should be ashamed of. That must Never happen again... it is Ok, and Right even to hate War (I know that first hand), but when we hate Our Warriors, well, that Must Never Happen Again...

May God Bless our Vietnam Veterans, May He bring them a calm to their heads and hearts from such memories, and grant them Peace for the rest of their days - we must Never Forget how we treated them upon their return to our Homeland, ever...

SALUTE!

via: The Giant Killer
·
Powerful words from a Vietnam vet!

Photo of Willie McTear, McTear served in Charlie Company of the Army 9th Division's 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 1967.

McTear gives his opinion of the draft, the brotherhood of war, and what it was like to be spit on & cursed at upon his return from Nam.

"I’m just one of the approximate 9,000 men who were drafted and made up the Ninth Infantry Division. This is my opinion based on my personal experience.

We, the draftees, were designated well in advance for the Ninth Division to occupy the Mekong Delta.

We fought in the most difficult terrain in all of South Vietnam: jungles, mud and swamps. The only volunteers were the officers. The rest of the entire division, with exception of some non-commissioned officers, were draftees. I was in one of the first integrated companies of all draftees.

We had the best officer, Jack Benedict. Rest In Peace.

Each patrol was a suicide mission. We would have liked the choice to choose the branch of service and a Military Occupational Speciality. But that was not an option for draftees, only a carrot that was dangled to get us to enlist.

We viewed this as punishment for not volunteering. We all gave some and some gave all. R.I.P.

After several firefights we realized how the draft board and America really felt about us. Sergeant Bill Reynolds said it best. “America is not with us.”

Enough said.

Without a word said, we understood that we had a special bond and from this point on we will fight for each other because we had been abandoned.

More abandonment was revealed and manifested upon our arrival home, not as heroes but as villains. We were spat on and cursed at. Our government didn’t have the decency to give us a heads up upon our arrival.
That hurt really deep.

The wounds inflicted are invisible and manifested in many ways. Many of us grapple with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a sense of not belonging and not being good enough to be accepted as Soldiers.

So thank you draft board for souls lost and lives destroyed beyond repair.

I try not to remember the suffering you inflicted upon us, but remember our comradeship, our loyalty, our humility and the courage to endure past and current hardships.

I think I can speak for the Ninth Division, 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry and especially Charlie Company.

God did through Andrew Wiest what we could not do for ourselves when he wrote the book, The Boys of ’67: Charlie Company’s War in Vietnam.

Writer and arm-chair general Abigail Pfeiffer said it best: “Wiest addresses the ugliness and humanity of war but also the loving bonds that are created between Men who experienced war together and the indelible marks it leaves on their minds.”

And a big thank you to National Geographic for “Brothers in War,” for bringing The Boys of ’67 to life with that documentary, the story of Charlie Company.

To the draft board, we forgive you, but we hope and pray the draft board will be eliminated."
- Willie McTear

The Giant Killer book & page honors these incredible war heroes making sure their stories of valor and sacrifice are never forgotten. The book which features the incredible life of the smallest soldier, Green Beret Captain Richard Flaherty (101st Airborne & 3rd SF Group 46th Co.) and several of the other heroes featured on this page is available on Amazon & Walmart. God Bless our Vets!

via: Historia Obscurum

You might not know it to look at him, but the "little old man" in the center of this photo was one of the toughest Jarheads ever.

In 1942 when he was only 14, Jacklyn "Jack" Lucas enlisted in the Marine Corps after convincing the recruiter he was 17.

Posted to a depot unit at Pearl Harbor, Jack was bored and wanted action, so in January of 1945, he rolled up a combat uniform under his arm, sneaked out of camp, and stowed away aboard a Naval Transport that was taking 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division to Iwo Jima.

Not knowing what to do with him, the Marine battalion commander busted Jack one rank, then assigned him as rifleman to C Company. A few days later, Jack turned 17.*

The day after landing on Iwo Jima, Jack dove on top of one Japanese grenade then pulled another beneath him. The blast ripped through his body, but saved his comrades.

It took 21 surgeries to save him, and for the rest of his life carried in his body more than 200 large pieces of shrapnel.

On October 5th, 1945, Jack Lucas received the Medal of Honor from President Harry Truman in a ceremony on the White House lawn. He is the youngest Marine ever to receive the nation's highest honor.

He then returned to high school.... as a freshman.

After college, Jack entered the Army as a Captain in the 82nd Airborne, and survived a training jump in which neither his main chute nor his reserve chute opened.

Two years before he died in 2008, Jack was honored by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Michael W. Hagee, who presented him with a Medal of Honor ceremonial flag at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C.

It was during that ceremony that this photo was taken.

Semper Fidelis.

* Although the claim often is made that he actually was only 15, every official document (including his obituary) I've been able to locate puts his d.o.b. as 2/14/1928, which would have made him 17 in 1945. If someone has a primary-source document with a different d.o.b., please send it to me.

Pilgrim’s Progress
By MATT GALLAGHER

Home Fires features the writing of men and women who have returned from wartime service in the United States military.

I’m one of the lucky ones.

War destroys without regard to what’s fair or just. This isn’t a new or terribly profound revelation, but witnessing it, and sometimes participating in it, makes it seem like both. In a professional military, the entire point of training is to minimize the nature of chance in combat. But all the training in the world will never eliminate happenstance in war, or even render it negligible.

I returned from Iraq with all of my limbs, most of my mental faculties and a book deal. I wake up every morning in an apartment in New York City. I’m working toward a graduate degree. I have a beautiful fiancée who reminds me to slow down when I’m drinking. And every day I feel more and more detached and removed from the Iraq dustlands I promised myself I’d shed like snakeskin if I ever got back home.

Like I said, one of the lucky ones.

I didn’t really appreciate the concept of becoming ‘unstuck’ in time until I returned from war.

Meanwhile, the black bracelet on my wrist carries the names of four individuals who weren’t so lucky. One got shot through the armpit with a ricocheting bullet and bled out on an outpost roof. Two drove over the wrong piece of street at the wrong time and likely didn’t even know it was a roadside bomb that ended it all. The last one made it through 15 months of war only to get drunk one night back in the States and shoot himself in the face during an emotional breakdown.

In Kurt Vonnegut’s classic novel “Slaughterhouse-Five,” the protagonist Billy Pilgrim becomes “unstuck in time.” Much of the novel focuses on Pilgrim’s experience of the fire bombing of Dresden in World War II, something Vonnegut himself survived as an American prisoner of war. Like many American literature students, I was required to read “Slaughterhouse-Five” in high school, and if memory serves, I even enjoyed that assignment at 16. But I didn’t really appreciate the concept of becoming unstuck in time until I returned from war. Just like anyone who poured blood, sweat and tears into missions in faraway foreign lands, I left part of myself over there, and it remains there, while the rest of me goes about my business 6000 miles away — a paradox of time and space Vonnegut captured all too brilliantly.

I’ve walked by manholes in New York City streets and smelled the sludge river I walked along in north Baghdad in 2008. I’ve stopped dead in my tracks to watch a street hawker in Midtown, a large black man with a rolling laugh and a British accent, who looked just like my old scout platoon’s interpreter. And I’ve had every single slamming dumpster lid — every single damn one — rip off my fatalistic cloak and reveal me to be, still, a panicked young man desperate not to die because of an unseen I.E.D.

Despite these metaphysical dalliances with time travel the names on my black bracelet are, in fact, stuck in time. Or, more accurately, stuck in memory, where they’ll fade out and disappear like distant stars before becoming shadows of the men we served with and knew.

So it goes.

So it went for my friend Rob. During the invasion of Iraq in 2003 his unit drove through a neighborhood near Baghdad airport in doorless Humvees. A civilian vehicle pulled out in front of them, temporarily blocking their path. A group of teenage boys stood aimlessly on the street, and one exchanged nods with Rob, who sat in the front passenger seat. Rob glanced away quickly, to see if the civilian vehicle had moved yet, and then, suddenly, a grenade bounced off of the inside of the windshield and into the vehicle. Rob followed the small plume of smoke and rattling noises, grabbing the grenade from behind the radio to his left. He picked it up, intending to throw it back out of the vehicle, but it slipped out of his hand and dropped, landing between his feet. He reached back down for it, fingers just meeting casing when it exploded. He lost a hand and suffered severe nerve damage in his right leg as a result.

Back from Iraq, I carried my self-righteousness around in the form of a portable soapbox.

Recounting the story over drinks one night Rob said he wished he and the other soldiers in his Humvee hadn’t taken their eyes off of the Iraqi teens. Then he added that “luck was for sure on our side that day,” because had he not dropped the grenade but tossed it away as planned, it would’ve exploded at head level, likely killing him and possibly the Humvee’s driver, as well. He laughed deeply, and clinked his prosthetic hook against my pint glass.

Everything’s relative, I guess. Especially luck.

If chance is war’s dirty little not-so-secret, self-righteousness is the veterans’. Upon returning to American society, it’s all too easy to fall into pitfalls about what civilians get or don’t get. Nine years of war fought by an all-volunteer force that constitutes less than 1 percent of the total population has augmented this disconnect between soldier and citizen; in many ways, a separate warrior caste has evolved into being. The impact on our republic of fighting protracted, landlocked wars with an all-volunteer force can be debated. The impact of it on those actually fighting can’t be.

After returning from Iraq and separating from active duty, I carried my self-righteousness around in the form a portable soapbox for many months. Occasionally this proved necessary — sometimes the pejorative “they” really didn’t get it. There was the drunk Wall Street-type who told me, without a trace of irony but with plenty of faux-jingoist twang, “it must be awesome to kill hajjis.” And there was the too-cool-ultra-progressive who couldn’t help but smirk condescendingly while pointing out that “we” signed on the dotted line, after all, so “we” should’ve been ready for anything and everything before we departed for Iraq. Then, as passive-aggressively as possible, he analogized modern American soldiers to mercenaries.

Though I’m certainly no tough guy, the primal urge to put both of these guys’ faces through the nearest window was very real and very pointed. I didn’t do that though, for better or worse. Instead, I told the former that some of my best friends were Muslim and that such a black-and-white understanding of the war is what got us into so much trouble over there in the first place. For the latter, I nodded and smiled, telling him that for someone who hadn’t left the borough of Brooklyn in over a decade, he certainly possessed one hell of a world view.

Neither talked to me again. So it goes.

Most of the time though, my soapbox and self-righteousness and sardonic wrath were unnecessary. Not because people didn’t get it, but because I finally realized it wasn’t their fault they didn’t get it. They’re not supposed to get it — this isn’t Sparta, nor is it even post-World War II America. Sometimes — many times, actually — they wanted to get it. Slowly and surely, I found the all too obvious solution of simply answering people’s questions as considerately as I could, careful not to ascribe my experiences as universal to all of Iraq or all of Afghanistan. I’d rather ramble, I reasoned, and provide nuance and opinion than serve as the representational hollow caricature born only to sacrifice for fast food and online shopping and general postmodern excess.

Just one man’s solution to a litany of complexities, I guess.

I got unstuck in time again last month, right when winter graced the Eastern seaboard with its presence. I was getting out of the Union Square subway station, headphones in, mind tuned out, stomach craving a cheeseburger. I don’t qualify as a full-fledged New Yorker yet, but I’ve lived here long enough not to be disturbed by the sight of a cold and decrepit-looking homeless person. So, coming up the subway steps, I strolled by a young man with a scraggly yellow beard wrapped in an urban camo jacket without anything more than a passing glance. He held a cardboard sign marked in black marker with the words “IRAQ VET, HOMELESS, PLEASE HELP.” I didn’t help, nor did I give the man a second thought until two blocks later, when I cynically scolded him in my head for using the veteran title to his advantage.

Coming to terms with this permanent state of combat readiness has made me realize just how much I miss war (or parts of it).

“But what if he really is an Iraq vet?” I asked myself. I’d read the statistics — according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 100,000 veterans are homeless on a given night in America; the figure is twice that over the course of the month. Not all of the unlucky ones are dead, after all. So the old platoon leader in me kicked in, and I turned back around, to see if I could verify any of this. Certainly a legitimate vet would remember names, units, places … something. And then? And then I’d help. Or I’d bring him to the people or organizations who could help. Maybe, if he seemed legit and came across as relatively stable, I could talk my fiancée into letting him sleep on the couch for a night or two. Just to get him back on his feet, of course.

He was no longer there. Or anywhere nearby. Maybe someone else had helped him. But probably not. I initially breathed out a sigh of relief, and then a sigh of shame. I thought about how these wars may be coming to some sort of end, but veterans’ issues for my generation are really just beginning. I only deployed for 15 months, and had all kinds of support systems in place upon my return. What about the men and women who have done nothing but deploy, redeploy, rinse and repeat since 9/11? What about those soldiers who return to broken homes, mountains of debt, no professional goals beyond not going to war again? What about them?

I smacked my lips and tasted guilt. Then I walked to a restaurant and ate a cheeseburger.

Like the veterans who came before and the ones who will come after, I walk the streets of New York City forever the soldier I no longer am. Oh, I’m no longer lean, hungry, or clean-cut — I’ve put on a little weight, grown my hair out and sport a patchy beard that can best be described as pirate-fashionable. But I still scan crowds for suicide vests, seek out corner vantage points like a bloodhound and value competency in a human being above all else. Jumping back into civilian life headlong, like I originally attempted, proved both disastrous and shortsighted. And coming to terms with this permanent state of combat readiness has made me realize just how much I miss war (or parts of it), and how lucky — and twisted — I am to be able to even write those words. I miss the camaraderie. I miss the raw excitement. I miss the Iraqi locals, from the kids who walked our daytime patrols with us to the frightened mothers who just wanted us to go away. I miss the soldiers, the N.C.O.’s, and even some of the officers. I miss that daily sense of purpose, survive or die, that simply can’t be replicated in everyday existence. I miss standing for something more than myself, even if I never figured out just what the hell that something was supposed to be.

I don’t miss all of it, of course. I got out of the Army for some very good reasons. Love. Sanity. Bureaucracy. A Holy Trinity for our time. But there is a messy ambiguity at the core of this that must be conveyed, if not necessarily understood.

I’m one of the lucky ones. Unstuck in time. Stuck with chance. Stuck at war. Considering the alternatives, I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Stacey and Scott invite you to check out the FireFork at Big Al’s.

On-boarding NEW products soon. Bring your favorite brands to Fall In. Just reach out to Staff Duty for assistance.

The incredible story of POW Navy Pilot Dieter Dengler and his escape from a prison camp in Laos.

Dieter Dengler (May 22, 1938 – February 7, 2001) was a German-born United States Navy aviator during the Vietnam War and, following six months of imprisonment and torture, became the first captured U.S. airman to escape enemy captivity during the war. Of seven prisoners of war who escaped together from a Pathet Lao prison camp in Laos, Dengler was one of two survivors (the other was Thailand citizen Phisit Intharathat). Dengler was rescued after 23 days on the run.

Dieter Dengler was born and raised in the small town of Wildberg, in the Black Forest region of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. He grew up not knowing his father, who had been drafted into the German army in 1939 and was killed during World War II on the Eastern Front during the winter of 1943/44. Dengler became very close to his mother and brothers. Dengler's maternal grandfather, Hermann Schnuerle, claimed he refused to vote for Adolf Hitler in the 1934 elections. Subsequently he was paraded around town with a placard around his neck, was spat upon, and was then sent to labor in a rock mine for a year. Dengler credited his grandfather's resolve as a major inspiration during his time in Laos. His grandfather's steadfastness despite the great risks was one reason Dengler refused a North Vietnamese demand that he sign a document condemning American aggression in Southeast Asia.

Dieter grew up in extreme poverty but always found ways to help his family survive. Dieter and his brothers would go into bombed-out buildings, tear off wallpaper, and bring it to their mother to boil for the nutrients in the wheat-based wallpaper paste. When members of the small group of Moroccans who lived in the area would slaughter sheep for their meals, Dieter would sneak over to their lodgings to take the scraps and leftovers they would not eat and his mother would make dinner from them. He also built a bicycle by scavenging from dumps. Dieter was apprenticed to a blacksmith at the age of 14. The blacksmith and the other boys, who worked six days a week building giant clocks and clock faces to repair German cathedrals, regularly beat him. Later in life Dieter thanked his former master "for his disciplined training and for helping Dieter become more capable, self-reliant and yes, 'tough enough to survive'".

After seeing an advertisement in an American magazine, expressing a need for pilots, he decided to go to the United States. Although a family friend agreed to sponsor him, he lacked money for passage and came up with a plan to independently salvage brass and other metals to sell.

In 1956, when he turned 18 and upon completion of his apprenticeship, Dengler hitchhiked to Hamburg and spent two weeks surviving on the streets before the ship set sail for New York City. While on the ship he saved fruit and sandwiches for the coming days and when going through customs the agent was astonished when the food tumbled out of his shirt. He lived on the streets of Manhattan for just over a week and eventually found his way to an Air Force recruiter. He was assured that piloting aircraft was what the Air Force was all about so he enlisted in June 1957 and went to basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. After basic training, Dengler spent two years peeling potatoes and then transferred to a motor pool as a mechanic. His qualifications as a machinist led to an assignment as a gunsmith. He passed the test for aviation cadets but was told that only college graduates were selected to be pilots and his enlistment expired before he was selected for pilot training.

After his discharge Dengler joined his brother working in a bakery shop near San Francisco and enrolled in San Francisco City College, then transferred to the College of San Mateo, where he studied aeronautics. Upon completion of two years of college he applied for the US Navy aviation cadet program and was accepted.
Dengler would do whatever it took to become a pilot. In his inaugural flight at primary flight training, for example, the instructor told Dengler that if he became airsick and vomited in the cockpit that he would receive a "down" on his record. Students were only allowed three downs then they would wash out of flight training. The instructor took the plane through spins and loops causing Dengler to become dizzy and disoriented. Knowing he was about to vomit and not wanting to receive a "down", Dengler took off his boot, threw up into it and put it back on. At the end of the flight the instructor checked the cockpit and could smell the vomit, but couldn't find any evidence of it. He didn't get a "down".

After his completion of flight training Dengler went to the Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas for training as an attack pilot in the Douglas AD Skyraider. He joined VA-145 while the squadron was on shore duty at Naval Air Station Alameda, California. In 1965 the squadron joined the carrier USS Ranger. In December the carrier set sail for the coast of Vietnam. He was stationed initially at Dixie Station, off South Vietnam then moved north to Yankee Station for operations against North Vietnam.

On February 1, 1966, the day after the carrier began flying missions from Yankee Station, Lieutenant, Junior Grade Dengler launched from the Ranger with three other aircraft on an interdiction mission against a truck convoy that had been reported in North Vietnam. Thunderstorms forced the pilots to divert to their secondary target, a road intersection located west of the Mu Gia Pass in Laos. At the time, U.S. air operations in Laos were classified "secret". Visibility was poor due to smoke from burning fields, and upon rolling in on the target, Dengler and the remainder of his flight lost sight of one another. Visibility was poor, and as Dengler rolled his Skyraider in on the target after flying for two-and-a-half hours into enemy territory, he was hit by anti-aircraft fire.

"There was a large explosion on my right side," he remembered when interviewed shortly before his death in 2001.

It was like lightning striking. The right wing was gone. The airplane seemed to cartwheel through the sky in slow motion. There were more explosions—boom, boom, boom—and I was still able to guide the plane into a clearing in Laos.
He said: "Many times, people have asked me if I was afraid. Just before dying, there is no more fear. I felt I was floating."

When his squadron mates realized that he had been downed, they remained confident that he would be rescued. Immediately after he was shot down, Dengler smashed his survival radio and hid most of his other survival equipment to keep Vietnamese or Lao search parties from finding it. The day after being shot down Dengler was apprehended by Pathet Lao troops, the Laotian equivalent of the Viet Cong.

He was marched through the jungle, was tied on the ground to four stakes spreadeagled in order to stop him escaping at night. In the morning his face would be swollen from mosquito bites and he was unable to see.

After an early escape attempt he was recaptured while drinking from a spring. According to Dengler he was tortured in retaliation:

I had escaped from them, [and] they wanted to get even. He was hung upside down by his ankles with a nest of biting ants over his face until he lost consciousness, suspended in a freezing well at night so that if he fell asleep he might drown. On other occasions he was dragged through villages by a water buffalo, to the amusement of his guards, as they goaded the animal with a whip. He was asked by Pathet Lao officials to sign a document condemning the United States, but he refused and as a result he was tortured as tiny wedges of bamboo were inserted under his fingernails and into incisions on his body which grew and festered.

"They were always thinking of something new to do to me." Dengler recalled. "One guy made a rope tourniquet around my upper arm. He inserted a piece of wood, and twisted and twisted until my nerves cut against the bone. The hand was completely unusable for six months."

After some weeks Dengler was handed over to the Vietnamese. As they marched him through a village, a man slipped Dengler's engagement ring from his finger. Dengler complained to his guards. They found the culprit, summarily chopped off his finger with a machete and handed the ring back to Dengler.

"I realized right there and then that you don't fool around with the Viet Cong", he said.
Dengler had trained in escaping and survival at the Navy SERE survival school, where he had twice escaped from the mock-POW camp run by SERE instructors and Marine guards and was planning a third escape when the training ended. He had also set a record as the only student to gain weight (three pounds) during the SERE course; his childhood experiences had made him unafraid of eating whatever he could find and he had feasted on food the course instructors had thrown in the garbage.

Dengler was eventually brought to a prison camp near the village of Par Kung where he met other POWs. The other six prisoners were:
Phisit Intharathat (Thai)
Prasit Promsuwan (Thai)
Prasit Thanee (Thai)
Y.C. To (Chinese)
Eugene DeBruin (American)
Duane W. Martin (American)

Except for Martin, an Air Force helicopter pilot who had been shot down in North Vietnam nearly a year before, the other prisoners were civilians employed by Air America, a civilian airline owned by the Central Intelligence Agency. The civilians had been held by the Pathet Lao for over two and a half years when Dengler joined them.

"I had hoped to see other pilots. What I saw horrified me. The first one who came out was carrying his intestines around in his hands. One had no teeth - plagued by awful infections, he had begged the others to knock them out with a rock and a rusty nail in order to release pus from his gums". "They had been there for two and a half years," said Dengler. "I looked at them and it was just awful. I realized that was how I would look in six months. I had to escape."

The day he arrived in the camp, Dengler advised the other prisoners that he intended to escape and invited them to join him. They advised that he wait until the monsoon season when there would be plenty of water.

Shortly after Dengler arrived, the prisoners were moved to a new camp ten miles away at Hoi Het. After the move, a strong debate ensued among the prisoners with Dengler, Martin and Prasit arguing for escape which the other prisoners, particularly Phisit initially opposed.

As food began to run out, tension between the men grew: they were given just a single handful of rice to share while the guards would stalk deer, pulling the grass out of the animal's stomach for the prisoners to eat while they shared the meat. The prisoners' only "treats" were snakes they occasionally caught from the communal latrine or the rats that lived under their hut which they could spear with sharpened bamboo. At night the men were handcuffed together and shackled to wooden foot blocks. They suffered chronic dysentery and were made to lie in their excrement until morning.

After several months, one of the Thai prisoners overheard the guards talking about shooting them in the jungle and making it look like an escape attempt. They too, were starving and wanted to return to their villages. With that revelation, everyone agreed and a date to escape was set. Their plan was to take over the camp and signal a C-130 Hercules flare-ship that made nightly visits to the area. Dengler loosened logs under the hut that allowed the prisoners to squeeze through. The plan was for him to go out when the guards were eating and seize their weapons and pass them to Phisit Intharathat and Promsuwan while Martin and DeBruin procured others from other locations.

"I planned to capture the guards at lunchtime, when they put down their rifles to get their food. There were two minutes and twenty seconds in the day when I could strike." In that time Dengler had to release all the men from their handcuffs.

Escape
On June 29, 1966 while the guards were eating, the group slipped out of their hand-cuffs and foot restraints and grabbed the guards' unattended weapons which included M1 rifles, Chinese automatic rifles, an American carbine and at least one sub-machine gun as well as an early version of the AK47 automatic rifle, which Dengler used during the escape from the POW camp. Dengler went out first followed by Martin. He went to the guard hut and seized an M1 for himself and passed the American carbine to Martin. The guards realized the prisoners had escaped and five of them rushed toward Dengler, who shot at least three with the AK47. Phisit killed another guard as he reached for his rifle. Two others ran off, presumably to get help, although at least one had been wounded. The seven prisoners split into three groups. DeBruin was originally supposed to go with Dengler and Martin but decided to go with To, who was recovering from a fever and unable to keep up. They intended to get over the nearest ridge and wait for rescue. Dengler and Martin went off by themselves with the intention of heading for the Mekong River to escape to Thailand, but they never got more than a few miles from the camp from which they had escaped.

"Seven of us escaped," said Dengler. "I was the only one who came out alive."
With the exception of Phisit, who was recaptured and later rescued by Laotian troops, none of the other prisoners were ever seen again. DeBruin was reportedly captured and placed in another camp, then disappeared in 1968.

Rescue
Escape proved to be hazardous. Soon, the two men's feet were white, mangled stumps from trekking through the dense jungle. They found the sole of an old tennis shoe, which they wore alternately, strapping it onto a foot with rattan for a few moments' respite. In this way they were able to make their way to a fast-flowing river.

"It was the highway to freedom," said Dengler, "We knew it would flow into the Mekong River, which would take us over the border into Thailand and to safety."

The men built a raft and floated downstream on ferocious rapids, tying themselves to trees at night to stop themselves being washed away in the torrential water. By morning they would be covered in mud and hundreds of leeches. When they thought they were on their way to the Mekong, they discovered that they had gone around in a circle. They had spotted several villages but had not been detected. They set up camp in an abandoned village where they found shelter from the nearly incessant rain. They had brought rice with them and found other food, but were still on the verge of starvation. Their intent had been to signal a C-130 but at first lacked the energy to build a fire using primitive methods of rubbing bamboo together. Dengler finally managed to locate carbine cartridges that Martin had thrown away and used their powder to enhance the tinder and got a fire going. That night they lit torches and waved them in the shape of an S and O when a C-130 came over. The airplane circled and dropped a couple of flares and they were overjoyed, believing they had been spotted. They woke up the next morning to find the landscape covered by fog and drizzle, but when it lifted, no rescue force appeared.

Martin, who was weak from starvation and was suffering from malaria, wanted to approach a nearby Akha village to steal some food. Dengler knew it was not a good idea, but refused to let his friend go near the village alone. They saw a little boy playing with a dog and the child ran into the village calling out "American!" Within seconds a villager appeared and they knelt down on the trail in supplication, but the man swung his machete and struck Martin in the leg. With the next swipe, Martin's head came off. Dengler jumped to his feet and rushed toward the villager, who turned and ran into the village to get help.

I reached for the rubber sole from his foot, grabbed it and ran. From that moment on, all my motions became mechanical. I couldn't care less if I lived or died.

Dengler recalls, it was a wild animal who gave him the mental strength to continue.
"I was followed by this beautiful bear. He became like my pet dog and was the only friend I had."
These were his darkest hours. Little more than a walking skeleton after weeks on the run, he floated in and out of a hallucinatory state.

"I was just crawling along," he said. "Then I had a vision: these enormous doors opened up. Lots of horses came galloping out. They were not driven by death, but by angels. Death didn't want me."

Dengler managed to evade the searchers who went out after him and escaped back into the jungle. He returned to the abandoned village where the two had been spending their time and where he and Martin had signaled the C-130. That night when a C-130 flare-ship came, Dengler set fire to the huts and burned the village down. The C-130 crew spotted the fires and dropped flares, but even though the crew reported their sighting when they returned to Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, the fires were not recognized by intelligence as having been a signal from a survivor.

Deatrick has long marvelled at the fact that had he stuck to his original flight schedule on the morning of July 20, 1966, Dieter would not have been at the river to be sighted at that earlier hour. "If God put me on the earth for one reason," Deatrick says, "it was to find Dieter over there in the jungle." As it was, Deatrick describes it as "a million-in-one chance."
-Excerpt from Dengler biography regarding the role of pilot Eugene Deatrick

When a rescue force again failed to materialize, Dengler decided to find one of the parachutes from a flare for use as a possible signal. He found one on a bush and placed it in his rucksack. On July 20, 1966, after 23 days in the jungle, Dengler managed to signal an Air Force pilot with the parachute. A 2-ship flight of Air Force Skyraiders from the 1st Air Commando Squadron happened to fly up the river where Dengler was. Eugene Peyton Deatrick, the pilot of the lead plane and the squadron commander, spotted a flash of white while making a turn at the river's bend and came back and spotted a man waving something white. Deatrick and his wingman contacted rescue forces, but were told to ignore the sighting, as no airmen were known to be down in the area. Deatrick persisted and eventually managed to convince the command and control center to dispatch a rescue force. Fearing that Dengler might be a Viet Cong soldier, the helicopter crew restrained him when he was brought aboard.

According to the documentary Little Dieter Needs to Fly Dengler said one of the flight crew who was holding him down pulled out a half eaten snake from underneath Dengler's clothing and was so surprised he nearly fell out of the helicopter. Dengler was stripped of his clothes to ensure he was not armed or in possession of a hand grenade. When questioned, Dengler told Air Force pararescue specialist Michael Leonard that he was a Navy Lieutenant JG who had escaped from a North Vietnamese prisoner of war camp two months earlier. Deatrick radioed the rescue helicopter crew to see if they could identify the person they had just hoisted up from the jungle. They reported that they had a man who claimed to be a downed Navy pilot who flew a Douglas A-1H Skyraider.

It wasn't until after he reached the hospital at Da Nang that Dengler's identity was confirmed. A conflict between the Air Force and the Navy developed over who should control his debriefing and recovery. In an apparent attempt to prevent the Air Force from embarrassing them in some way, the Navy sent a team of SEALs into the hospital to steal Dengler. He was brought out of the hospital in a covered gurney and rushed to the air field, where he was placed aboard a Navy carrier delivery transport Grumman C-2A from VR-21 and flown to the Ranger where a welcoming party had been prepared. At night, however, he was tormented by awful terrors, and had to be tied to his bed. In the end, his friends put him to sleep in a cockpit, surrounded by pillows. "It was the only place I felt safe," he said.

Dengler's deprivation from malnutrition and parasites caused the Navy doctors to order that he be airlifted to the United States.

Later life and death
Dengler recovered physically, but never put his ordeal behind him. As Werner Herzog described it in his documentary about Dengler, "Men are often haunted by things that happen to them in life, especially in war Their lives seem to be normal, but they are not."

He remained in the navy for a year, was promoted to Lieutenant, and was trained to fly jets. When his military obligation was satisfied, he resigned from the Navy and applied for a position as an airline pilot with Trans World Airlines (TWA). He continued flying and survived four subsequent crashes as a civilian test pilot.

In 1977, during a time when he was furloughed from TWA, Dengler returned to Laos and was greeted as a celebrity by the Pathet Lao. He was taken to the camp from which he had escaped and was surprised to discover that at one point he and Martin had been within a mile and a half of it.

His fascination with airplanes and aviation continued for the remainder of his life. He continued flying almost up until his death. He took an early-retirement as a pilot for TWA sometime prior to 1985, but continued flying his meticulously restored Cessna 195, putting it on static display at numerous California air shows.

In 2000, Dengler was inducted into the Gathering of Eagles program and told the story of his escape to groups of young military officers. Dengler was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an incurable neurological disorder; on February 7, 2001, he rolled his wheelchair from his house down to the driveway of a fire station and shot himself. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. A Navy honor guard was present at the burial as well as a fly-over by Navy F-14 Tomcats.

It was well recognized that Martha Raye endured less comfort and more danger than any other Vietnam entertainer.
Don't let the sun go down without reading this about Martha Raye. The most unforgivable oversight of TV is that her shows were not taped. I was unaware of her credentials or where she is buried.
Somehow I just can't see Brittany Spears, Paris Hilton, or Jessica Simpson doing what this woman (and the other USO women, including Ann Margaret & Joey Heatherton) did for our troops in past wars.
Most of the old time entertainers were made of a lot sterner stuff than today's crop of activists bland whiners.
The following is from an Army Aviator who takes a trip down memory lane:
"It was just before Thanksgiving '67 and we were ferrying dead and wounded from a large GRF west of Pleiku. We had run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook (CH-47 CHINOOK) was pretty rough in the back.
All of a sudden, we heard a 'take-charge' woman's voice in the rear. There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye, with a SF (Special Forces) beret and jungle fatigues, with subdued markings, helping the wounded into the Chinook, and carrying the dead aboard. 'Maggie' had been visiting her SF 'heroes' out 'west'.
We took off, short of fuel, and headed to the USAF hospital pad at Pleiku.
As we all started unloading our sad pax's, a 'Smart Mouth' USAF Captain said to Martha: "Ms Ray, with all these dead and wounded to process, there would not be time for your show!"
To all of our surprise, she pulled on her right collar and said...
"Captain, see this eagle? I am a full 'Bird' in the US Army Reserve, and on this is a 'Caduceus' which means I am a Nurse, with a surgical specialty... now, take me to your wounded!"
He said, "Yes ma'am, follow me."
Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku, she would 'cover' a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved break.
Martha is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at Ft Bragg.
Salute to Colonel Maggie! - A Great American!

Lông Trắng, aka "White Feather Sniper"

After the Vietnam War
After returning to active duty, Hathcock helped establish the Marine Corps Scout Sniper School, at the Marine base in Quantico, Virginia. Due to his extreme injuries suffered in Vietnam, he was in nearly constant pain, but he continued to dedicate himself to teaching snipers.

In 1975, Hathcock's health began to deteriorate, and he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He stayed in the Corps, but his health continued to decline, and was forced to retire just 55 days short of the 20 years that would have made him eligible for full retirement pay. Being medically retired, he received 100% disability. He would have received only 50% of his final pay grade had he retired after 20 years. He fell into a state of depression when he was forced out of the Marines, because he felt as if the service had kicked him out. During this depression, his wife Jo nearly left him, but decided to stay. Hathcock eventually picked up the hobby of shark fishing, which helped him overcome his depression.

Hathcock provided sniper instruction to police departments and select military units, such as SEAL Team Six.

Civilian life
Hathcock once said that he survived in his work because of an ability to "get in the bubble", to put himself into a state of "utter, complete, absolute concentration", first with his equipment, then his environment, in which every breeze and every leaf meant something, and finally on his quarry. After the war, a friend showed Hathcock a passage written by Ernest Hemingway: "Certainly there is no hunting like the hunting of man, and those who have hunted armed men long enough and like it, never really care for anything else thereafter." He copied Hemingway's words on a piece of paper. "He got that right", Hathcock said. "It was the hunt, not the killing." Hathcock said in a book written about his career as a sniper: "I like shooting, and I love hunting. But I never did enjoy killing anybody. It's my job. If I don't get those bastards, then they're gonna kill a lot of these kids dressed up like Marines. That's the way I look at it."

Hathcock's son, Carlos Hathcock III, later enlisted in the Marine Corps; he retired from the Marine Corps as a Gunnery Sergeant after following in his father's footsteps as a shooter, and became a member of the Board of Governors of the Marine Corps Distinguished Shooters Association.

Carlos Hathcock died on February 23, 1999, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, from multiple sclerosis.

Hathcock was awarded a Silver Star in 1996 not for his sniping, but for his act in 1969 of saving the lives of seven fellow Marines after the amphibious tractor (AMTRAC) on which they were riding struck a landmine. Hathcock was knocked unconscious, but awoke in time to race back through the flames to rescue his injured comrades.

Judy, a purebred pointer, was the mascot of several ships in the Pacific and was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and taken to a prison camp. There she met Aircraftsman Frank Williams, who shared his small portion of rice with her.

Judy raised morale in the POW camp and also barked when poisonous snakes, crocodiles, or even tigers approached the prisoners. When the prisoners were shipped back to Singapore, she was smuggled out in a rice sack, never whimpering or betraying her presence to the guards.

The next day, that ship was torpedoed. Williams pushed Judy out of a porthole in an attempt to save her life, even though there was a 15-foot drop to the sea. He made his own escape from the ship but was then recaptured and sent to a new POW camp.

He didn't know if Judy had survived, but soon he began hearing stories about a dog helping drowning men reach pieces of debris after the shipwreck. And when Williams arrived at the new camp, he said: "I couldn’t believe my eyes! As I walked through the gate, a scraggly dog hit me square between the shoulders and knocked me over. I’d never been so glad to see the old girl!"

They spent a year together at that camp in Sumatra. "Judy saved my life in so many ways," said Williams. "But the greatest of all was giving me a reason to live. All I had to do was look into those weary, bloodshot eyes and ask myself: 'What would happen to her if I died?' I had to keep going."

Once hostilities ceased, Judy was then smuggled aboard a troopship heading back to Liverpool. In England, she was awarded the Dickin Medal (the "Victoria Cross" for animals) in May 1946. Her citation reads: "For magnificent courage and endurance in Japanese prison camps, which helped to maintain morale among her fellow prisoners, and also for saving many lives through her intelligence and watchfulness".

At the same time, Frank Williams was awarded the PDSA's White Cross of St. Giles for his devotion to Judy. Frank and Judy spent a year after the war visiting the relatives of English POWs who had not survived, and Frank said that Judy "always provided a comforting presence to the families."

When Judy finally died at the age of 13, Frank spent two months building a granite and marble memorial in her memory, which included a plaque describing her life story.

For a singer born in Mount Olive, Alabama, it all started with a song he wrote for himself!

King Hiram "Hank" Williams was born, September 1923 in rural Alabama, very rural. Never one much for attending school or "book learning", a young Mr. Williams was on the road to being a country music entertainer in his early teens. With his Mother's help and blessing, a very young Hank Williams played beer joints, "skull orchards", and various types of other night clubs of, shall we say, “dubious repute”.

Hank Williams also started writing songs when he was in his teenage years. As a teenager, Mr. Williams won a talent contest in the late 1930's performing a song he in fact wrote, one called the "WPA Blues". A young Hank Williams was also a regular guest and performer on local country radio stations as well.

At one point during World War II, Mr. Williams, growing tired of the struggle of trying and trying to become a successful country music singer and musician, briefly worked at a shipyard. His mother could tell, and realized the young Hank was unhappy, discontented and unbeknownst to the young Hank, his mother booked him a couple of months of shows causing Hank to tell his mother she had made him “the happiest boy in the whole wide world”.

After getting married to a beautiful young lady named Audrey, Hank Williams' wife, the Ms. Audrey pushed him to audition for Acuff-Rose publications of Nashville, Tennessee in 1946.

Fred Rose and his son Wesley were playing ping pong one day at lunch when Ms. Audrey and Hank Williams showed up. After sitting, listening and hearing a few of Hank's songs, they quickly signed him to a songwriting contract. Then, quickly placed his songs with the then-popular Molly O'Day on the Columbia Records label.

When a small record label in New York City, the Sterling Records label, wanted to make some country music records, Acuff-Rose Publishing placed Hank Williams and the Oklahoma Wranglers (better known today as the Willis Bros.) with this small record label. Hank made 4 records for them and while they were not officially hits, they paved the way for a better, more lucrative contract with the new MGM Records label.

Hank's 1st record, "Move It On Over" was an immediate hit. The record climbed to #4 on the Billboard music charts in the fall of 1947. 3 more hits followed before Hank Williams hit #1 in early 1949 with the mega hit “Lovesick Blues". “Lovesick Blues” was #1 for 10 weeks and stayed on the country music charts a remarkable 42 weeks! It’s a really good chance that we think all of you know the Hank Williams story from there!!!!

Hank Williams placed 42 singles on the Billboard Music charts between 1947 and 1999. 33 of those songs came during his lifetime with the last 9 posthumously. They included a produced, “electronic" duet in 1999 with his son, Hank Williams Jr. “There's a Tear In My Beer", a song written for Big Bill Lister. Mr. Lister found the original demo in his attic, forwarded it to Bocephus and the rest is history as they say! #Legendary #hank

The iconic, the bigger than life, the legendary Hank Williams scored 37 top 10 records with 11 of those hitting #1. Hank Williams passed away in the back of his Cadillac in the early morning hours of January 1st, 1953 on the way to a live engagement. His death, at the highest peak of his popularity, left many to wonder what his career could have been had he lived.

Most fans of real, traditional, classic country music pause and reflect on the life and career of Hank Williams, Sr. at the end of each year.

January 1st marks 71 years since his death but let not your heart be troubled, without a doubt, Hank Williams continues to be a major influence on so many in the country music industry and the country music community!

And it all started with a song he wrote about being in the dog house!