Are men of this caliber still made?

Yes they are. I had the honor of having dinner a couple months ago with a West Point grad who had just come back from 15 months in Iraq. At one point part of his platoon was knocked down by a 4000 lb dump truck bomb and he took a piece of metal through his thigh. So what is he doing now? Getting Special Forces training and itching to get back into the fight.

I also had the honor of taking care of Vets at the State VA Nursing home. One can hear some amazing tales in that place. Stories that are dwindling by the day.

The standard!

Ombre Rose: “Three of my uncles were in the Pacific, several others in the war, but not in that region. …

One was at Bataan, but not at the very end, thank goodness, and we lost him about 15 years ago. One other we lost about 25 years ago, his ship was hit by 3 kamakazi planes and half the crew was lost.”

One of the eeriest exhibits at the Nimitz Museum/Museum of the Pacific War is a cocked 45 pistol, thick with orange rust, which was found on the Bataan peninsula.

They also have on display many ragged pieces of shattered kamikaze aircraft.

And Teachers Unions balk about their wages!

James Greenidge
Queens NY

His life was centered around faith, family and country, she said.

This man is of greatness as so many of the “greatest generation” are/were.
The common thread?
God , Family, Country.

this too needs to be repeated:

He had a sense of honor and duty. He served his country, but more importantly he served his Lord. He had deep faith, and during his time as a prisoner of war he was convinced that he needed to forgive his enemy. After that, he spent his life spreading the message of love and forgiveness.

After the events of the last few days, if anyone reading this does NOT have this Faith, FIND IT.
If your pastor does not afford this opportunity to Live with the Lord, FIND ONE WHO DOES. Find someone who will help you.
God Bless Jacob DeShazer of Salem, his family, and his circle of friends.
Sounds like a great life lived by a very good man.

If this hasn’t already been mentioned, the USAF Academy holds the Doolittle Raider’s drinking cups somewhere on their campus as a testiment to their courage. When one of them passes on, the member’s drinking cup is turned upside down to note their passing.

Here’s to you, Mr. DeShazer. Like so many of our Greatest Generation (including my father-in-law and uncle-in-law who were both bombadiers), you sacrificed and gave so much of yourself which made it possible for our country to prosper. Thank you for your service. You’ll not be forgotten in my household or in my heart.

I wish I could forgive people that way, like God forgave me.
May he rest in peace. I look forward to meeting you someday.

Regrettably, men of his character appear to be a dying breed in our culture.

The Purple Heart (1944)
Dana Andrews as Capt. Harvey Ross
Richard Conte as Lt. Angelo Canelli
Farley Granger as Sgt. Howard Clinton
Kevin O’Shea as Sgt. Skvoznik
Don ‘Red’ Barry as Lt. Peter Vincent (as Donald Barry)

The crew of a downed bomber after a run over Tokyo early in the war is captured and put on trial with an international press corp including American journalists watching.
All the press corp was anti-war peace activists.
I understand it was based on a true story and that the men were all executed soon after the end of the joke trial.

I also recommend “Inn of the 6th Happiness” with Ingrid Bergman, based on the life of Gladys Aylward, British upstairs maid-turned-missionary, and her brave rescue of 100 Chinese children from the Japanese.
It was romanticized for Ingrid, but her actions as a missionary how she got there, and the feat she performed to save the children seems to be accurate.
There is still a school in China that she started, and worked in as long as she was physically able.

On March 18th, 2008 at 6:21 pm, Tantor said:

Thanks for recapping all this information. I have “30 Seconds over Tokyo” on tape, and a couple of other movies of related events, too, but I haven’t had the chance to read the book.

Three of my uncles were in the Pacific, several others in the war, but not in that region.

One of them worked on the middle, bottom boiler room of the Missouri after being transferred off the Arizona shortly before it was sunk. He was still there when the Treaty with Japan was signed, as they stood by. We lost him in Dec.’07.
One was at Bataan, but not at the very end, thank goodness, and we lost him about 15 years ago. One other we lost about 25 years ago, his ship was hit by 3 kamakazi planes and half the crew was lost.

One friend I still have was one of the first troops to Dachau – they got there before the gates were opened, but 6 miles into the wind after they could smell it. They were infantry. walking.

My nephew got back from Iraq a few years ago where one of the last things he did was get to help with their first free election.

One of the most interesting things I have ever done with the computer is to investigate the military service of hundreds of WW2 veterans and USO who were Hollywood actors and actresses.
People like James Stewart, David Niven, Lee Marvin, Eddie Albert, Tyrone Powers, Clark Gable, Martha Raye, and of course, Audie Murphy, but hundreds of others, too.

America has a lot of fine fine folks – from a good background of very fine people.

Would to God that half this nation had any concept of how to appreciate them.

I hope that I am wrong, but I expect events in the next years to again test the mettle of our young folks.
Dear God have mercy upon them all.

No

An American eagle takes his well earned rest

RIP, god bless