As we approach this Memorial Day weekend, please consider its meaning

[frogcycle]

http://www.zeitlangers.com


Spec. Ryan C. King, 22, of Dallas, Ga
Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, 05/01/09
Hostile - RPG, small arms fire
Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using direct fire.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan">Local News Link


Staff Sgt. William D. Vile, 27, of Philadelphia, Pa
Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, 05/01/09
Hostile - RPG, small arms fire
Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using direct fire.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Sgt. James D. Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs, Colo
Nishagam, in Konar Province, Afghanistan, 05/01/09
Hostile - RPG, small arms fire
Died of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked their unit using direct fire.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090501/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan">Local News Link


Spc. Jeremiah P. McCleery, 24, of Portola, Calif.
Mosul 05/02/09
Hostile - hostile fire
Died rom wounds sustained after he was shot by enemy forces in Mosul, Iraq on May 2.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12647">Local News Link
Local News Link


Spc. Jake R. Velloza, 22, of Inverness, Calif.
Mosul 05/02/09
Hostile - hostile fire
Died rom wounds sustained after he was shot by enemy forces in Mosul, Iraq on May 2.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12647">Local News Link


Spc. Shawn D. Sykes, 28, of Portsmouth, Va.
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center 05/07/09
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, of wounds suffered from an accident that occurred May 5 at Combat Outpost Crazy Horse, Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12656">Local News Link
Local News Link


Pvt. Justin P. Hartford, 21, of Elmira, N.Y.
Balad - Salah Ad Din 05/08/09
Non-hostile
Died of injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12661">Local News Link
Local News Link


Staff Sgt. Randy S. Agno, 29, of Pearl City, Hawaii,
Walter Reed Army Medical Center 05/08/09
Non-combat
Died at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, of wounds sustained Apr. 27 from a non-combat related incident at Forward Operating Base Olsen in Samarra, Iraq.
http://cmsimg.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde
http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12660">Local News Link
Local News Link
">Local News Link
">Local News Link


Spc. Omar M. Albrak, 21, of Chicago, Ill.
Baghdad 05/09/09
Non-hostile - Accident - vehicular
Died of injuries sustained during a motor vehicle accident.

http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26512&Itemid=21">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Spc. Lukasz D. Saczek, 23, of Lake in the Hills, Ill.
Nangarhar province 05/10/09
Non-combat
Died in Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained from a noncombat-related incident.



Maj. Steven Hutchison, 60, of Scottsdale, Ariz.,
05/10/09
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
Died of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle in Al Farr, Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12672">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Pfc. Michael E. Yates Jr., 19, of Federalsburg, Md.
Baghdad 05/11/09
Non-combat
Died from injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12669">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Spc. Jacob D. Barton, 20, of Lenox, Mo.
Baghdad 05/11/09
Non-combat
Died from injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12669">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Staff Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J.
Baghdad 05/11/09
Non-combat
Died from injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12669">Local News Link
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Maj. Matthew P. Houseal, 54, of Amarillo, Texas
Baghdad 05/11/09
Non-combat
Died from injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Iraq.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12669">Local News Link
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/">Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Commander Charles K. Springle, 52, of Wilmington, N.C.
Basra - Basrah 05/11/09
Non-combat
Died from injuries sustained from a non-combat related incident at Camp Liberty, Iraq.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde
http://www.mnf-iraq.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26537&Itemid=21">Local News Link
Local News Link
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/">Local News Link
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30678715/">Local News Link


Cpl. Ryan C. McGhee, 21, of Fredericksburg, Va
05/13/09
Hostile - hostile fire
Died from wounds suffered when his unit came in contact with enemy forces while conducting combat operations in Central Iraq.

Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Staff Sgt. Esau I. De la Pena-Hernandez, 25, of La Puente, Calif.
Chak, Afghanistan 05/15/09
Hostile - Small arms fire
Died at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Chak, Afghanistan.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12684">Local News Link


Sgt. Carlie M. Lee, III, 23, of Birmingham, Ala.
Chak, Afghanistan 05/15/09
Hostile - Small arms fire
Died at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when his patrol was attacked by enemy forces using small-arms fire in Chak, Afghanistan.

http://www.defenselink.mil/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=12684">Local News Link


Spc. David A. Schaefer Jr., 27, of Belleville, Ill.
Baghdad 05/16/09
Hostile - hostile fire
Died of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit.

Local News Link


1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte, 25, of St. Louis, Mo
Kabul 05/20/09
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack
Died of wounds suffered from an improvised explosive device.

Local News Link
Local News Link
Local News Link


Pending Notification
Baghdad (Dora) 05/21/09 - 1
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack




Pending Notification
Baghdad (Dora) 05/21/09 - 2
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack




Pending Notification
Baghdad (Dora) 05/21/09 - 3
Hostile - hostile fire - IED attack

[Captain Hilts]

1. I donated platelets at Walter Reed last week. nt

[alsame]

2. ....

:cry:

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. As sad as those pictures make this Veteran, Memorial Day is dedicated to ALL

American servicemen and women who die in war or military action, including but not limited to:

The 1,147,954 who died in the Civil War
The 126,000 who died in WWI
The 416,800 who died in WWII
The 58,000+ who died in Vietnam

Needless to say these numbers do not reflect lesser military actions, nor do they address covert operations carried out in our names.

RIP, brothers and sisters. To paraphrase the words of Winston Churchill... So many owe so much to so few.

This is always a very somber day for me. More a day for quiet reflection than celebratory barbeques.

[frogcycle]

5. But of course

I did not mean to imply otherwise. And of course those are just this month's faces from these two current conflicts.

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. I'm sure you didn't. We're certainly on the same side.

I want them home YESTERDAY.

[frogcycle]

11. 36,516 Korean War

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Shameful oversight on my part, and no less important than the souls who died before or after. n/t

[lamp_shade]

4. Oh... my heart...

[leftynyc]

7. A timely reminder

I will be saying prayers for all our dead in all our wars.

[frogcycle]

8. kick for the evening crowd

[CBR]

9. Thanks for this important reminder.

:patriot:

[frogcycle]

10. You're welcome

The fact that the numbers are down does not make each individual case any less tragic, any less horrific to the families and friends.

The Air Force Lt. killed last week was the first female in months. There used to be a pretty big splash in the media when a female was killed. This topic is completely off the radar now, what with cheney's insane utterances to fawn over and Pelosi to bash and all.


She was an intel officer - in a combat zone, to be sure, but not in a combat job. Killed by an IED. She drove by the thing and it was detonated. Just an act of anonymous, impersonal violence.

A tribute from her best friend:

I’m writing this to you so you can know a little bit about this wonderful person, Ros Schulte. My friend. I think it’s ironic that this is happening just shy of Memorial Day, but I hope you will think of her this day. Fly a flag or something. I don’t know. I’ve never lost anyone who was this close to me in my life — someone who was a fixture, who I counted on to be there everyday — so I don’t know how to handle this stuff. But I do know that many of the people in my unit have been writing back to their family and friends about Ros. And I figured since she and I were the closest, I should do the same too. And you should honor her, because she was my friend.

http://www.vamortgagecenter.com/blog/2009/05/21/god-speed-1lt-roslyn-l-schulte/

[wuvuj]

12. War after war after war after war.....

You'd almost think it was a religion?

[frogcycle]

13. More just human nature, sadly

People like our former vp - megalomaniac sociopaths - come along every so often, and when the planets align they gain positions of power, lke Attila the Hun, Napolean, Hitler, Stalin, etc. Lesser ones like S. Hussein, OBL, Khaddafi, K.S Il abound as well. In nature such deviants would be driven from the herd/pack whatever. Humans follow them, and yes, the same slavish fealty that we see in so many religions drives them to "believe" in their liege lord. Animals have a quick spat and drive away the aberent individual. We wait until they gather a huge following and then have a huge spat. Add to that the many, many wars of conquest initiated by those megalomaniacs (including the "shadow" ones behind the scenes driving policy with money) and the pot boils over every couple of decades. Globally, it is always boiling several places.

Fortunately, a lot of these creatures never gain significant political power. They just become televangelists or talk radio hosts.

[gratuitous]

16. The High Church of Redemptive Violence

Not regulated by the First Amendment, it's the official religion of the United States of America, with more practitioners worldwide than any stripe of Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism or any other religion combined. In spite of the fact that it kills so many people, offers the most dubious of results, works by accident or coincidence, its devotees are fanatical in their belief that violence will drive out violence, vindicate its best practitioners, and redeem any situation.

The message of Memorial Day for me and for a handful of other heretics is "never again." But it's little more than an empty slogan in a society and world so awash in violence.

[frogcycle]

18. Plenty of people who say "never again" honor those who gave all

regardless of the political overtones to WHY they were asked to do so

[gratuitous]

20. And plenty of people who say "never again"

Are just mouthing empty words, trying to summon the Great God of the High Church of Redemptive Violence to smile on their endeavors the next time they do the same useless, destructive thing. Unfortunately, they are the dominant voice in our culture, and millions of people grow up thinking that violence is the best, worst, first, last and every resort in between to deal with any difficulty our nation faces. The only time any imagination manifests in the High Priests of the High Church is when they make up new excuses to employ violence. The results are so depressingly uniform.

But let's add another row of tombstones, wave some more flags, and persist in proclaiming that something noble has been done. The Great God will surely smile.

[frogcycle]

23. Interesting tagline

If you don't want to annoy anyone, why jump into a thread like this with your pompous rhetoric and sarcasm? My website and this post do not glorify war, and I don't bow to your supposed "high priests." These are real people who have been killed in a war not of their making, to satisfy some politicians' and capitalists' respective personal aims. The people they left behind mourn them, and deserve our respect.

[gratuitous]

24. And if you don't like my peaches

Why are you shaking my tree? I didn't respond to anything you posted, I responded to wuvuj, and you decided to jump in on me. Sorry I don't bow before your altar.

[Catchawave]

15. K&R

:patriot:

[frogcycle]

17. Thank you for posting that photo

I call Zeitlangers my "virtual wall"

[Catchawave]

22. You're welcome.

I love that photo, powerful. Sorry, I K&R'd ya, but was about 12 hours late for the R, but I can give you another :kick:

Nice thread. :patriot:

[frogcycle]

19. that five of these died at the hand of a fellow soldier

who himself appears to be a victim of the insanity that is this "war" is a sad commentary on the day.

All those crosses at Flander's Field, at Gettysburg, at Arlington - by far the vast majority were just well-intentioned people like those below willing to serve a cause defined by politicians. THEY weren't the warmongers; THEY weren't the ones who rejected negotiation, rejected common civility, lusted for carnage. The nation pays hollow tribute by setting aside a day for mattress sales and holding a few parades. Check the box and get back to shopping.


Maj. Steven Hutchison, 60, of Scottsdale, Ariz.,
is the oldest Army casualty of the ironically-named Operation Iraqi Freedom was a VietNam Vet who wanted to help counsel soldiers suffering mental and psychological distress as a result of their participation in OIF.


Staff Sgt. Christian E. Bueno-Galdos, 25, of Paterson, N.J.
was the youngest son of a Peruvian immigrant family who became a US citizen while in high school, and signed up to serve his adopted country (a counselee at the clinic where Maj. Hutchison worked).

1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte, 25, of St. Louis, Mo
was an Air Force Academy grad serving as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan who happened to drive by an IED at the wrong time.

[spanone]

21. the memory of war and death