Home sweet home!

We are home now with Mary Ruth, Susie and Daniel. We got home yesterday (Sunday) afternoon around 3:30pm which gave me time to go to our friend Alan’s birthday party (he’s the son of a friend in our Sunday School class). The Wife and Daniel couldn’t go for obvious reasons and MR and Susie were with The In-Laws… so I went to represent the family. I missed half of it, but I enjoyed the part I was there for.

I know a lot of you are looking forward to my stories regarding our latest adventure into Hell, but I decided I would give myself a “cooling off period” before blasting the jackasses for what they put me/us through. Stay tuned. The funny thing is, based on previous experiences I’m sure the worst (billing) is yet to come.

The good news is I don’t have to worry about how much they bill us because I have recently received a number of emails from friends (mainly overseas) who have all offered to send me large sums of money. Of course, some of this money is theirs… they just need me to send them my checking account info so that they can cut through a bunch of red tape (I think we’ve all been there before). So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

I finished reading Passport Not Required: US Volunteers in the Royal Navy, 1939-1941. Very good book. Reading it helps one to realize why that generation is called the Greatest Generation. The book is about men (20-something of them… I don’t remember the exact number) who broke the law back in 1939-1941 by going to England… to join the Royal Navy in what at the time looked like a lost cause to many in this country. This was the first I’d seen anything about men going to join the Royal Navy, but I’ve seen things before about men going to join the Royal Air Force and I’ve read things about guys lying about their age so that they could join the US armed services (once we joined the war). We’re talking about war. Fighting with real guns and real bullets. A lot of guys died… a lot more probably wished they had. Of the guys in this book, some were young but there were a couple in their 40s and 50s. Some of these guys were rich, yet they went. Yes, some were “running away” from something, but let me tell you something… you can run away from something without going overseas to fight in a war for another country. I know of places now within this state that I could go and never be found… I’m sure back in 1939 there were a number of places throughout this country where one could go if they wanted to never be found. Anyway, this was a good book and we at I’m just sayin… recommend it to our readers.

I’m now reading Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan and so far I love it. I’m on chapter 11 right now and if the rest of the book is as good as what I’ve read so far, this book will be getting a very high rating from me.

I could wait until after the National Championship game to announce this, but I’ll go ahead and announce it now… The winner of the Bethany Providence Class College Basketball Tournament Pick’em is none other than I’m just sayin…!!!!!!! I would like to thank all of the teams I picked who won. I would also like to thank the other people in this group, including one person who had a commanding lead after two rounds only to have everything fall apart in the third round. Now the question isn’t will I win but by how much will I win. I don’t want to brag… so I guess there isn’t anything left to say on this subject.

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Staff Sergeant William James Bordelon (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on November 20, 1943 on Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands. His citation reads:

For valorous and gallant conduct above and beyond the call of duty as a member of an assault engineer platoon of the 1st Battalion, 18th Marines, tactically attached to the 2d Marine Division, in action against the Japanese-held atoll of Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands on 20 November 1943. Landing in the assault waves under withering enemy fire which killed all but 4 of the men in his tractor, S/Sgt. Bordelon hurriedly made demolition charges and personally put 2 pillboxes out of action. Hit by enemy machinegun fire just as a charge exploded in his hand while assaulting a third position, he courageously remained in action and, although out of demolition, provided himself with a rifle and furnished fire coverage for a group of men scaling the seawall. Disregarding his own serious condition, he unhesitatingly went to the aid of one of his demolition men, wounded and calling for help in the water, rescuing this man and another who had been hit by enemy fire while attempting to make the rescue. Still refusing first aid for himself, he again made up demolition charges and single-handedly assaulted a fourth Japanese machinegun position but was instantly killed when caught in a final burst of fire from the enemy. S/Sgt. Bordelon's great personal valor during a critical phase of securing the limited beachhead was a contributing factor in the ultimate occupation of the island, and his heroic determination throughout 3 days of violent battle reflects the highest credit upon the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Corporal Orlando Boss (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 3, 1864 at Cold Harbor, Virginia. His citation reads:

Rescued his lieutenant, who was lying between the lines mortally wounded; this under a heavy fire of the enemy.

Private John G. Bourke (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions from December 31, 1862 – January 1, 1863. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action.