May 19, 2004
The month of May is armed forces month.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all military personnel. I thank you for chosing to serve our country, and I thank you for the many sacrifices you have made in this role. May God Bless you and keep you safe.
I would like to honor my deceased Uncle Lou, who passed away last year at the age of 86. He fought in WWII and shared many of his experiences in the way of story telling. Here is an article from a newspaper that interviewed him...
Master Sergeant Lou Jourdain of Frank, Pa. served as a communication chief of the 14th Army Artillery Corps while that corp drove the Japs from Manila.
Interviewed by an army correspondent on Luzon, Sgt. Jourdain told of the repeated attempts of the enemy to jam the corps' communication system while the artillary was drawn up in a semi-circle around the Philippine capital city.
He said, "We had been having trouble all the way down from Lingayen with the Japs disquising themselves and breaking in on our radios. To jam the circuit they used records, and were sending in wide wave bands.
One day we permitted one of the Jap broadcasters to come in and stay. He used good English. We wanted to see what he would say. On the second day we challenged him for his code identity and he never answered.
It was very difficult to pick these voices as fakes. But the boys got pretty good at it. We would immediately challenge and force the Jap off the air. Once the enemy gave radio orders to our atrillery to cease firing. The monitors grabbed the mikes and challenged. The Jap mumbled something. Then the original orders came across again and the fire mission was accomplished."
"The Japs appartently gambled that we would not challenge. But they missed on this. We changed our code words repeatedly and were able to keep communication operating . The evidence is in the fact that we took Manila.
My Uncle Lou is going to be missed by his grandsons, his many nieces and nephews. We loved listening to his stories. They weren't just about the war. He also told us about his childhood. He was an interesting man.
I also had a great great grandfather fight in The Civil War. His name was Peter Mahoney. He fought in the Battle of Gettysburg. His name is on an Honor Roll in Gettysburg. I have a picture of him and his obituary and many letters that he wrote home while serving for the North. His letters are hard to read and to understand. But here is his obit:
Peter Mahoney, Civil War veteran, was one of Manor Township's most honored and respected citizens died Wednesday afternoon, March 10th, 1915 about five o'clock at his home in Manor Twps after an illness of pleurisy and pneumonia. The deceased was age 78 years. He was a Civil War veteran seeing hard service during the rebellion.
He is suvived by a wife, one son, and one daughter.
I never knew him but I am very proud of him. When it gets closer to Memorial Day, I am going to print a poem he bought after The Battle of Gettysburg, for five cents. It was written by a fellow soldier. It gives you the perspective of a soldier and the battle.
May 18, 2004
Help! Gas prices are out of control
You can kiss that family vacation good bye. Who can afford these gas prices? When I was a 16 years old, gas sold for 19 cents a gallon. It was called rocket. We would get 50 cents worth or a dollar and we could ride for two days. We, being me and my friends. And we could put on the miles.
I think it is about time for Bush to at least say something about the rising price of gas. He is not uttering a word, and I am starting to wonder why. Come on Georgie say something. Could it be that being the Texas oilman that you are, that maybe your pockets are getting oiled from the high price of gas. If you know what I mean.
Where have you gone Joe DiMagio?
While watching Good Morning America, this morning, and listening to Simon and Garfield sing, I could not help but notice how time has left it's mark. It sure made me feel...well, like the grandmother that I am.
I can remember going to see, The Graduate, (the movie) for my first wedding anniversary, and then having dinner at The Brown Derby. Here it is 37 years later, and we (Simon and Garfield and myself) are still pushing on. That says alot for the baby boomer generation. We brought alot to this world, electric quitars, computers, the sandwich bag, with the zipper lock, velcro, flower power, birth control, and the next greatest generation. You know, our kids, the ones that are fighting World War III.
GMA showed a clip of Simon and Garfield in their younger days, Paul Simon said, " I don't want to look." Well, neither do I.
I guess, we can't turn back time. And I don't really want to, but once in awhile, when you get to be my age, you sit and wonder. Where have you gone Joe DiMagio, because a lonely nation is turning it's eyes to WHOM? Does anyone know?
