Memorial Day

[Norm]

My eternal gratitude to those that have served, fought, and died for our freedoms.

[SQUIRMIN VERMIN 84]

Wherever the battlefield, the impact of the loss is at home...

Lest we forget.

[VITE1]

[allthrottleandsomebottle]

Thank you to all our Vets for their service, especially the ones that gave the ultimate sacrifice.....past....present and future. Pop, thank you for being you! still looks like this today in his uniform at almost 86!

[Jeff '79]

My sister surprised may dad and took my him to see his ship, The USS Salem ,on Saturday.
He said that he "thought that it was already made into razor blades" and had no idea that it was still around. He was absolutely thrilled to walk its decks again.





This is the bursars office where he was the paymaster.
My sister said that he was like a little kid, describing everything he saw.
He had a story for everything.
Here's to all the folks that gave their lives so that we can live how we please.

[OddBall]

Their blood has kept hope and freedom alive in the world.

[04 commemorative]

My dad was in the Navy in WWII on a destroyer,the USS BROWNSON DD518.

On 18 June 1943, the Brownson transited the Panama Canal arriving in California on the 28th. She operated briefly along the California coast before getting underway for Alaska in July. Upon arrival, she performed patrol and convoy escort duty until 29 November 1943. She then steamed via Pearl Harbor to the Southwest Pacific, where she supported operations in the Bismarck Archipelago.


At approximately 14:42, 26 December 1943, Brownson was hit by two bombs from a Japanese dive bomber while screening the landings on Cape Gloucester, New Britain. The bombs struck to starboard of the centerline, near number two stack. A tremendous explosion followed, and the entire structure above the main deck as well as the deck plating, was gone. The ship listed 10 to 15 degrees to starboard, and settled rapidly amidships with the bow and stern canted upward.

The wounded were placed in rafts and at 14:50, the order to abandon ship was given. The amidships section was entirely underwater at that time. There was a single ripple like a depth charge explosion and the ship sank at 14:59. Brownson suffered the loss of 108 of her crew. The remainder were rescued by USS Daly and USS Lamson.

I have his flag...

[Dan Dlabay]

Freedom is not free and may God bless all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free.

[VITE1]

[IMG][/IMG]

This in my Fathers hand written list of the places he sailed to to fight while he was in the USMC. Note the Landing on Christmas eve. They went ashore singing Christmas carols and killed Japanese.

It does not include his time in the Caribbean while on the USS Wyoming having fun in the Banana wars before WWII nor does it include his trip to Antarctica during Operation High Jump where he served as Admiral Byrd's bodyguard.

[JRD77VET]

[boracayjohnny]

Freedom ain't free....

Tyanna Avery-Felder
Obituary

AVERY-FELDER Tyanna Avery Felder, age 22, of Tacoma, Wash., entered into eternal rest on Wednesday, April 7, 2004, while serving the United States Army in Iraq. She was educated in the City of Bridgeport. McKinley Elementary School, Dunbar Middle School, Kolbe Cathedral High School, Southern Connecticut State University, New Haven. She Joined the US Army in 2001 and was stationed in Tacoma, Wash. She is survived by her husband, Adrian Felder, of Tacoma, Wash.; her parents, Ray and Ilene "Patty" Avery; A sister Danene; and a brother, Ray Jr., all of Bridgeport. Her maternal grandmother, Carrie Booker Fleming and her husband, Venro, of Bridgeport; father-in-law and mother-in-Law, Calvin and Annette Felder, of South Carolina; two brothers in law, Antwone Felder and his wife, Monique and Andre' Felder, all from South Carolina; two nephews, Kiaeem and Kedron, of South Carolina; and a host uncles, aunts, cousins, great-uncles and great-aunts, other relatives and friends. Services will be conducted at Mount Aery Baptist Church, 73 Frank Street, Bridgeport, on Thursday, April 15, 2004, at 12:00 noon. Friends may call from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Following ceremony Interment will be conducted in Lakeview Cemetery, Bridgeport, CT, with full Military Honors. The Lester Gee Funeral Home, 1390 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, will be in charge of all arrangements.


Air Force Airman 1st Class Antoine J. Holt
Died April 10, 2004 Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom
20, of Kennesaw, Ga.; assigned to the 603rd Air Control Squadron, Aviano Air Base, Italy; died April 10 when his tent was hit during a mortar attack at Balad Air Field, Iraq.
Family, friends remember Georgia man killed in Iraq

By Doug Gross

Associated Press

ATLANTA — With ceremonial flourishes honoring his military service and an emotional outpouring from family and friends, a Georgia man killed in Iraq was buried Saturday.

Airman First Class Antoine Holt, of Kennesaw, was killed April 10.

In southwest Fulton County, just outside of Atlanta, Holt, a Kennesaw native, was remembered as a man who, while just 20 years old, served as an example to those around him.

“Antoine lived every day to try to do what’s right, regardless of the circumstance,” said his father, Michael Holt, at services at Elizabeth Baptist Church. “This is what made him our hero.”

Holt was serving with the 603rd Air Control Squadron when a mortar round hit the tent where he was sleeping last Saturday at Balad Air Base in Iraq.

Brig. Gen. Mike Worden, Holt’s squadron commander, said that despite his young age, Holt had been entrusted with unusually complex tasks monitoring airspace activity and hooking up communication systems.

“He was a leader of leaders and everyone who knew him liked him,” said Worden. “That’s rare for a young man.”

Others remembered Holt as a talented poet, a positive role model and a fierce competitor at everything from basketball to dominoes to video games.

“Antoine used to tell me that all he wanted to do was help people,” said his wife, Patricia Gail Holt, whom he met while they were both students at Georgia State University. “He wanted to make a difference.”

Kennesaw native killed by mortar fire in Iraq

KENNESAW, Ga. — A Kennesaw airman has died after being struck by mortar fire Saturday in Iraq.

Airman 1st Class Antoine Holt, 20, of the 603rd Air Control Squadron at Aviano Air Base in Italy, died of injuries sustained after a mortar round hit his tent at Balad Air Force Base in Iraq, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Holt had been in Iraq since October.

“He enjoyed serving. Don’t get me wrong, but he missed home. He wanted to get home to Italy,” said his mother, Courtney Garmon.

Garmon said Holt’s wife, Patricia, and their daughter, Carmen, 1, will fly from Italy to Kennesaw within the next few days. Holt and his wife met at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

An April 1 article in the military publication Stars and Stripes said Holt’s duties included monitoring airspace activity.

Garmon said Air Force officials told her two other soldiers were injured in the attack.


Jonathan Murray Taylor "JT"

St George UT

SMSGT (Retired, Airforce ) Jonathan Murray Taylor ("JT") came into this world earlier than expected, February 6, 1976 and left it again, suddenly - - and much earlier than expected on April 4, 2013.

Jon was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to parents Murray & Collene Taylor. The miracle of his life was indeed, a celebration being the only son amongst 3 older sisters, and his "little" sister who came almost six years later.

Jon was a happy "sparkly spirit" who loved sports, literature, writing, nature and Life!

Fiercely devoted he and his sisters were bound together by secret escapades, triumphs, & expectations of being part of a forever family. They understood who they were, what they had the potential to become and each of them in their own way took on the adventure of living with gusto.

Jon graduated in 1994 from Pine View High School and in 1998 graduated from Southern Utah University. He joined the Air Force right after his high school graduation and in 17 short years proved to be an asset to his beloved Air Force. He has a stellar record of service with the Air Force including Airman of the Year, earning the rank of MSGT before he was 25. He was among one of the youngest airmen to receive the rank of SMSGT. He had no guile and he was generous, honest, thrifty and smart. He began living the motto of treasuring integrity at a very early age, and that quality only improved through the years. He tried hard to never speak ill of another and the result explains the huge spectrum of friends he claims as his extended family.

He married Priscilla Ruof January 24, 2004 and was deployed to Balad, Iraq three days later. They were later divorced. After his deployment, and return home, Jonathan was altered. His sensitive nature and spirit were willing to serve, but the effect of the war weighed heavily upon him. It seems fitting to declare "not all casualties of the war in Iraq were on foreign soil."

Jon is survived by his most treasured and beloved son, Aidan Justice Taylor (age 13); daughter Angela Monique (21); parents Murray & Collene Taylor (Washington), Fiancé Sarah Curtis Richards; Sisters Marnie Lee (Vance) Gough, Jana Darlene (Damon) Hunn, TaraLyn (Laymon) Adams and Erin Jean (Adam) Mathews. Nieces and nephews: Jaden, Taylor & Allie Blake, John & Kate Gough; Alexander Hunn; Carolyn, Mellany, Heather, Logan, McCabe, KayLee and Hannah Adams. Loving Aunt Judy Farnsworth and Uncles Robert (Bob) and Steve Breckenridge. Aunt Gayle Taylor & her family, Uncle Ken Taylor and his family and numerous other cousins and cherished friends whom he claimed as "Family" and his beloved "fat cat" Pablo.

Though we will dearly miss our "sparkling" loved one, he is happy where he is and would not want us to mourn too long. He had many quotes and mantras that he lived by, and we would like everyone who knew and loved him to remember this, last of all: "When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself." Tecumseh, Shawnee Leader Circa 1800. Jon, we celebrate you! We will see you again! Mam's.

Funeral Services will be held Wednesday, April 10, 2013. Friends may call Wednesday at 10:30 am. Services will commence at 12:00 at Heideman Hughes Mortuary, 1037East 700 South, St. George, UT. Interment will take place in the Tonaquint Cemetery, 1777 South Dixie Drive, St. George, Utah.

Arrangements made under the direction of Heideman Hughes Morturary, 1037 East 700 South St. George, UT, (435) 674-5000. In leiu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Organization for the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.

[Superstreet]

Uncle was a top turret gunner. His brother-in-law wrote a book about him and his crew.

A Dying Breed: The Courage Of The Mighty Eight Air Force is the story of a World War II air combat crew's courage and spirit during the two years they spent flying hazardous combat missions and surviving when so many of their comrades did not. The ten men comprising the crew of a B-17 (part of the 384th Bomb group of the Eighth Air Force), compiled a record of having shot down more German aircraft during a single mission than any other American aircraft, bomber or fighter in the European theater. It's also the story of John "Doc" Honeycutt, the bomber crew's engineer and top turret gunner and his fellow crew members who, on their seventeenth and final mission, had to ditch over enemy territory, were captured, and then sent to the infamous Stalag 17B where they spent 16 months in captivity. A Dying Breed is the story of ordinary American young men who served their country in time of war -- and served it well.

Made a donation to Flags of Valor last Veterans Day in remembrance of a local fallen hero and fly it proudly.