Happy Anniversary!!!!!!!!!

I would like to take a minute today to wish The Wife a very happy anniversary! We have had a (mostly) great 9 years being married (don’t push me… I’m still sore from this). But really, it’s been a great 9 years. Let’s take a look at 9 things that went on 9 years ago:

*It poured down rain. I mean POURED! Downtown Charleston was pretty much flooded… which wouldn’t have really mattered except the church we were getting married at was down there.

*We had a psycho wedding director. We changed a lot of things she wanted us to do. For example, she wanted the wedding party to sit during the ceremony. I politely explained to her that I either stood (or was expecting to stand) in the weddings of all of the guys in my wedding, so there was no way in hell they were going to get to sit during mine.

*I had to sit out in the open before the wedding… right by the door where everyone was walking in. So almost everyone who walked in felt the need to look at me and say, “Are you nervous?”

*I wasn’t nervous… but as you can imagine, it didn’t take long for me to get annoyed with that question.

*Coach Hatley walked in at the last second... I mean, the very last second before the wedding started. That made me smile.

*The Wife had an Aunt who told me there was still time to leave.

*At one point during this thing, I had to stand about 3 or 4 rows back from the front of the church. Too bad for me my cousin Jim (he of the Lake) was right behind me (with my Uncle Keith right behind him). There is no way I should have been expected to keep a straight face with the two of them so close to me.

*Europe was declared polio-free by the World Health Organization.

*South Carolina lost to Texas in the Championship game of the College World Series.


Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private First Class Robert C. Burke (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 17, 1968 near Southern Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty for service as a machine gunner with Company 1. While on Operation ALLEN BROOK, Company 1 was approaching a dry river bed with a heavily wooded treeline that borders the hamlet of Le Nam (1), when they suddenly came under intense mortar, rocket propelled grenades, automatic weapons and small-arms fire from a large, well concealed enemy force which halted the company's advance and wounded several marines. Realizing that key points of resistance had to be eliminated to allow the units to advance and casualties to be evacuated, Pfc. Burke, without hesitation, seized his machine gun and launched a series of 1-man assaults against the fortified emplacements. As he aggressively maneuvered to the edge of the steep river bank, he delivered accurate suppressive fire upon several enemy bunkers, which enabled his comrades to advance and move the wounded marines to positions of relative safety. As he continued his combative actions, he located an opposing automatic weapons emplacement and poured intense fire into the position, killing 3 North Vietnamese soldiers as they attempted to flee. Pfc. Burke then fearlessly moved from one position to another, quelling the hostile fire until his weapon malfunctioned. Obtaining a casualty's rifle and hand grenades, he advanced further into the midst of the enemy fire in an assault against another pocket of resistance, killing 2 more of the enemy. Observing that a fellow marine had cleared his malfunctioning machine gun he grasped his weapon and moved into a dangerously exposed area and saturated the hostile treeline until he fell mortally wounded. Pfc. Burke's gallant actions upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Private Thomas Burke (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 30, 1863 at Hanover Courthouse, Virginia. His citation reads:

Capture of battle flag.

Seaman Thomas Burke (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 10, 1866 on board the USS Winooski. His citation reads:

For heroic conduct, with 2 comrades, in rescuing from drowning James Rose and John Russell, seamen, of the U.S.S. Winooski, off Eastport, Maine, 10 May 1866.