Commentary: Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day

By Karen Parrish

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12, 2010 – Visiting Arlington National Cemetery on an ordinary day makes the day itself extraordinary. It is a place that imposes its own mood: reflective, sweetly melancholic, unabashedly patriotic.

Rank upon rank of small white crosses stand among gently rolling, green hills. Old Guard soldiers, solemn and remote, endlessly pace a slow and ceremonial vigil before the nation’s entombed and revered dead.

The Tomb of the Unknowns is here, as is the tombstone of heavyweight champion and Army veteran Joe Louis. Ira Hayes’ grave is there, and Lee Marvin’s. The last Buffalo Soldier and a young woman killed in the Virginia Tech shootings -- the daughter of veterans -- also rest here.

On Veterans Day, Arlington National Cemetery is the military’s sacred grove, its place of deepest mystery. On this day above all others, people seem drawn to its sanctity.

Thousands of visitors speaking every language under the sun pass through Arlington’s gates on Nov. 11. This year, as a former soldier and the wife and daughter of soldiers, I gathered my small courage to come here to honor the fallen.

Each Veterans Day, an American leader places a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns to honor America’s veterans and servicemembers who have died in combat. Today, hundreds of people gathered at the tomb, the heart of Arlington National Cemetery, in the hour before the ceremony.

Dotted through the diverse crowd were white-haired veterans in their service caps and men and women in uniforms –- and in wheelchairs. Patiently and quietly, adults, teenagers and small children watched and waited. The Old Guard soldiers paced.

Black wool overcoats rubbed shoulders with leather biker jackets, and red pumps stood next to running shoes. Apart from an occasional murmur from the scores of solemn spectators lining the steps, the only sounds were the whisper of falling leaves and the crisp crack of brass heel plates as the honor guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns paced off the measured movements of the Army’s 3rd U.S. Infantry’s vigil.

At 11 a.m., Vice President Joe Biden, accompanied by Maj. Gen. Karl R. Horst, commander of the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, walked into the space where normally only the guards may enter.

It is a silent ceremony. Honor guards from each service slow-march into position before the wreath is placed. They are resplendent in dress uniforms -- disciplined, solemn, young, all races, both sexes, all services, completely magnificent.

Except for the commands of their leaders and the announcement of the official party’s arrival, there is no speech. Speeches will follow, away from the tomb, but within that space so reverently, so ceremonially guarded, there is no room for talk.

Biden moved forward and set the ceremonial wreath in place. He stepped back and placed his hand over his heart as the piercing bugle notes of “Taps” floated through the chilly, sunlit air.

Throughout the year, Americans old and new come to Arlington, perhaps, because Arlington holds something of all Americans.

The graves belong to veterans and their families. But those veterans were part of, not apart from, their country. Like today’s veterans, like today’s servicemembers –- like so many in today’s American population -- they were humans called to sometimes superhuman effort.

Earlier this week, a sergeant-turned-entrepreneur told me he believes Americans simplify our veterans as either victims or heroes. Veterans are people, Zack Bazzi said, and they are as complex and multifaceted as any other people.

I believe Zack is right. He was speaking to me at a volunteer event with other veterans. They were building a house, and there was sweat, dirt, laughter and talk of beer.

It’s possible that Arlington’s secret is that it shows both sides of those who rest here.

These men and women simply were ordinary people who chose to serve in the armed forces of our country. Many of those resplendent young men and women at Arlington yesterday -- and the generals too, most likely -- went home last night and watched television, read a bedtime story or walked the dog.

Arlington National Cemetery is a military place. The U.S. military is an American institution. Part of us is in it -– a son or daughter, niece or nephew, father or mother -- and it is part of us. It is part of our history, part of our legacy as Americans, a symbol of our national grief and our national strength.

A military funeral here is imbued with a weight of dignity, of profound sorrow for a brother or sister in arms. Visiting the cemetery to say goodbye to a friend or loved one brings an added dimension to the profound and dreaded act of grieving a death.

It offers a glimpse, even to those who have never served, of the simple but mysterious bonds –- truly the bonds of a family -- rooted deep in the heart of those who wear or have worn the nation’s uniform.

Next year, I hope to be among the visitors at Arlington on Veterans Day once again. I’ll bring my daughters, and I hope they’ll share the awe that I felt here on Veterans Day 2010.

This Day in Naval History - Nov. 12

From the Navy News Service

1912 - Lt. Theodore Ellyson makes first successful launching of an airplane (A-3) by catapult at the Washington Navy Yard.

1940 - Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Harold R. Stark submits memorandum to Secretary of the Navy on four plans if U.S. enters war. He favors the fourth one, Plan Dog, calling for strong offensive in the Atlantic and defense in the Pacific.

1942 - First day of the three days of fighting in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

1943 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt embarks on USS Iowa (BB 61) to go to the Allied conferences at Teheran, Iran, and Cairo, Egypt.

Coast Guard Heroes: Heriberto Hernandez

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

This is the last post in the Compass series that chronicled the first 14 heroes the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters have been named for. These men and women, who stood the watch before us, lived extraordinary lives as they lit the way for sailors in times past, braved gunfire in times of war and rescued those in peril at sea. As Coast Guard heroes, their stories are a constant reminder of our service’s legacy. As the namesake of the Coast Guard’s newest patrol boats, they will inspire the next generation of Coast Guard heroes.

The Vietnam War saw Coast Guardsmen performing brave actions during wartime operations as they risked everything they had, day after day, to serve the United States of America. Nowhere is this sacrifice more evident than the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. There, on panel 37W – line 46, you will find the name of Heriberto Hernandez, a Fireman aboard Coast Guard Cutter Point Cypress who made the ultimate sacrifice as he braved enemy gunfire in South Vietnam.

In the spring of 1968, just three years after enlisting in the Coast Guard, Hernandez, a native of San Antonio, Texas, deployed for duty in Vietnam. Known by his shipmates as “Eddie,” he served on board the 82-foot Coast Guard Cutter Point Cypress, which along with 16 other patrol boats made up the Coast Guard component of Operation Market Time. As part of Operation Market Time, Hernandez, with 285 Coast Guardsmen, patrolled 1,500 miles of the Vietnamese coastline.

It was December 5, 1968, when Hernandez departed the Point Cypress to participate in routine small boat operations along the unsafe Ca Mau Peninsula, located on the southern-most tip of South Vietnam.

Hernandez was with two shipmates from the Point Cypress as they patrolled up the Rach Nang River. The small boat crew was looking for vessels to board, such as fishing boats anchored without working nets and other “junks” engaging in suspicious activity or in restricted areas.

As they motored along the canal, Hernandez and his two shipmates came across a shoreside bunker manned by the Viet Cong. The Coast Guardsmen were in an open boat, and had no protection. Despite this, they opened fire on the bunker and soon the small-boat crew was under heavy fire.

The Viet Cong continued to fire on Hernandez and his crew with automatic weapons, piercing the boat’s structure. Eventually, the small boat was able to evade the ambush, but not before Hernandez and the other two crewmembers were severely wounded.

Hernandez was taken back to the Point Cypress, but his wounds were too extensive and he died surrounded by his shipmates. For his bravery as he faced the enemy, Hernandez was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Bronze Star Medal with the Combat “V” device.

A special place in the Coast Guard’s history

The coastline of Vietnam proved a challenge for Naval Forces Vietnam due its unique inland and coastal waters. Soon after the start of the war, Coast Guard units were recognized as the ideal platform with the necessary expertise of small boat operations, and the Secretary of the Navy requested use of the Coast Guard’s 82-foot patrol boats. Together, with other Naval vessels, the patrol boats formed Coast Guard Squadron One and began their work in Vietnam July 30, 1965.

Alan Dillenbeck served with Hernandez aboard the Point Cypress from 1967 to 1968. Dillenbeck’s tour in Vietnam ended a few weeks before Hernandez was killed, however, he remembers Hernandez for the kind of man he always was:

“Eddie’s and my deployment overlapped by just a few months, however, working with him made a huge impact on my life,” said Dillenbeck. “He had a formidable presence. There was no one who I would have felt more comfortable with watching my back. Eddie was perhaps the toughest and most fearless person I’ve ever met.”

With contributions from LTJG Ryan White

Veterans’ Reflections: The Value of Military Service

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11, 2010 – David Fike got the urge to serve early, but his father insisted that he think about the decision thoroughly and perhaps consider an officer candidate program, rather than running to enlist in the Army Air Corps in 1944.

He joined the V-12 Navy College Training Program, an ROTC cousin designed to supplement the Navy and Marine Corps with commissioned officers during World War II.

Fike served in that program as an apprentice seaman from 1944 to 1946 – he never attended basic training because the war had ended – then returned home to attend pre-med courses at Dartmouth University.

“After I graduated with [a bachelor of arts] degree as a civilian, I worked as a chemist at the University of Wisconsin,” he said.

He was there when the Korean War started in 1950. Fike was in reserve deferred status until his senior year of law school; it was then that he received his draft notice.

“I went up to the Navy who had given me the benefit of three years in college, gratis, and I attempted to return to the Navy,” he said. “Of course, there are rules and restrictions with those who have received their draft notice. As they’re telling me this, sitting there is a Marine Corps recruiter, who beckoned me over.”

Three weeks later, Fike was in charge of a group of Marine recruits on a train from Chicago to San Diego. He attended basic training there and was sent to Quantico, Va., for further training. There, he was selected to attend the Basic School and become a second lieutenant. He also attended fire school and artillery training.

“I finally arrived in Korea when it was petering down to an artilleryman’s war, and I was assigned to the 4th Battalion of the 11th Marines,” he said.

When he left Korea, he took command of a firing battery – he had opted for a year’s extension after the war ended. After conducting a variety of operations with his firing battery, Fike left the Corps as a first lieutenant. The day he left the service, he got a letter informing him that he had made the list for promotion to captain, but he never was officially promoted.

Like many of his fellow former servicemembers, Fike reflected humbly about his time in uniform. He said he shouldn’t take too much credit for any medals or commendations he earned, as he wasn’t doing anything except what was asked of him.

“I’m quite sure on introspection … [that] I wasn’t doing anything other than required,” he said.

Fike said today’s Marine Corps still teaches the same values he learned when he was in uniform, even if the skills they learn are very different. His two sons each served four-year enlistments in the Corps, he noted, so he knows to some degree how much it’s changed, and how much has remained the same.

He said he never expected to see Marines doing entirely land-based operations, nor did he expect to see the way war has evolved, from the clear uniformed-military-versus-uniformed-military wars of the past to the more ambiguous operations going on now.

“The Marine Corps is a good place for young men to go if they want to grow up fast, and hopefully won’t get killed in the process,” he said. “It’s a tough row to hoe, and I do not envy anyone in terms of the type of war they’re fighting.”

(“Veterans’ Reflections” is a collection of stories of men and women who served their country in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the present-day conflicts. They will be posted throughout November in honor of Veterans Day.)

Face of Defense: Vietnam Vet Inspires Daughter’s Service

By Army Sgt. Darron Salzer

National Guard Bureau

ARLINGTON, Va., Nov. 12, 2010 – During her recent promotion ceremony, a National Guard member said her Vietnam veteran father was the inspiration for her service.

“I come from a family of military men, so I chose to follow in my father’s footsteps,” said Army Maj. Trenia Coleman, who is from Louisiana.

Coleman’s father, Jessie Hill, received a Purple Heart during the ceremony at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial here.

With friends and family in attendance, Coleman, who is the appeals and analysis section chief for the National Guard Bureau’s human resources office, was promoted to her present rank. She said that it meant the world to her to have her father attend the ceremony.

“I am very proud of my father,” she said.

Hill’s family said he served from 1964 to 1966 with the 25th Infantry Division’s 502nd Aviation Battalion and was wounded in Vietnam on Feb. 27, 1966.

Hill, a private first class, served as a door gunner. After being wounded, he was sent back home to Hawaii, where he awaited a medical discharge from the Army. After his discharge, the Purple Heart was mailed to Hill, but it never was properly presented, and it did not show up on his discharge papers.

“We worked on getting the award added to his [discharge papers] and presented to him, and we thought that combining the two occasions would be really special,” Coleman said.

Hill said he was drafted into the Army in 1964.

“When my daughter decided that she was going to enlist, I was a little nervous, because I didn’t want her to go through the same things that I did,” he said. “After a while though, I felt all right about it.”

As he watched his daughter become a major, the emotion was evident on Hill’s face.

“I am very proud of my daughter today, and I’m glad that she has made it as far as she has,” he said. “I never dreamed that she would have come this far.”

Missing WWII Airman Identified

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a serviceman, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Army Air Forces Capt. George W. Grismore, 30, of Salt Lake City, will be buried at sea Nov. 17 off the coast of Newport Beach, Calif.  A memorial service in Salt Lake City will precede the burial on Nov. 13.  On March 12, 1945, Grismore and five crew members aboard a C-47A Skytrain departed Tanauan Airfield on Leyte, Philippines, on a resupply mission to guerilla troops.  Once cleared for takeoff, there was no further communication between the aircrew and airfield operators.  When the aircraft failed to return, a thorough search of an area ten miles on either side of the intended route was initiated.  No evidence of the aircraft was found and the six men were presumed killed in action.  Their remains were determined to be non-recoverable in 1949.

In 1989, a Philippine National Police officer contacted U.S. officials regarding a possible World War II-era aircraft crash near Leyte.  Human remains, aircraft parts and artifacts were turned over to the local police, then to U.S. officials at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command.

From 1989 to 2009, JPAC sought permission to send teams to the crash site but unrest in the Burauen region precluded on-scene investigations or recovery operations.  Meanwhile, JPAC scientists continued the forensic process, analyzing the remains and physical evidence already in hand.

Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used mitochondrial DNA—which matched that of Grismore’s nephew—in the identification of his remains.

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans.  Today, more than 72,000 are unaccounted-for from the conflict.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, call 703-699-1420 or visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo.

Today in the Department of Defense, Friday, November 12, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn have no public or media events on their schedules.

Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen addresses the Hoover Institution Conference on Deterrence at 12:30 PST in the Stauffer Auditorium and Annenberg Conference Room, Hoover Institution, Stanford University, 434 Galvez Mall, Stanford, Calif.  Media interested in attending should contact Pagie Mathes at 650.724.7226 Desk, spmathes@stanford.edu or JCS Public Affairs, 703-697-4272.

Face of Defense: Band Strikes Music Industry Chord

By Air Force Master Sgt. Thomas Kielbasa

Florida National Guard

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Nov. 10, 2010 – When the band American Attitude formed four years ago, the members just wanted to fill some empty seats at their noncommissioned officers club on drill weekends.

The Guardsmen from the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing thought their hard-rock cover band would provide some much-needed entertainment at the Jacksonville F-15 base, and with the base commander’s permission, they started playing at unit parties and events.

Now, after a few years of also playing local bars and charity events in northeastern Florida, American Attitude officially has broken into the music industry. The band landed a recording deal, is writing original material and is playing in Las Vegas.

American Attitude members Master Sgt. Shawn Watchorn on guitar, Master Sgt. Marc Myers on drums and Tech. Sgt. Chris Henderson on vocals are full-time Guardsman at the 125th. Navy Reserve Petty Officer 1st Class Matt Smithers on bass completes the hard-rocking quartet during its shows.

Smithers, who joined the band after the original bass player left, described the group’s style and stage presence as a spontaneous blend of “feel-good, high-energy music” that is difficult to categorize.

“It’s a combination of metal, rock, funk and punk,” he explained. “It’s really just a fusion thing. … We say it’s a hard rock base, but we incorporate so many different flavors of music. If it rocks, we’ll play it.”

The band started gaining attention this year after Watchorn posted some of its original music online at GIJams.com. The site – dedicated to promoting military musicians – was the brainchild of legendary songwriter Denny Randell, and featured American Attitude as well as other bands from across the country. Watchorn said he didn’t think anything would really come of it, but about a month later, he got a phone call from Randell himself.

“He called us up and said he loved our music and the fact we were all military members,” Watchorn said. “He liked that we were creating our own music and juggling our music with our jobs and families.”

When Randell asked if American Attitude was interested in signing with his new record label called “GI Jams” and being featured on a forthcoming compilation album of military artists, the band jumped at the opportunity. As part of the deal, American Attitude signed to play a Veterans Day concert in Las Vegas, and is looking at a possible tour for the label next year.

“We never imagined it would get to this level,” Watchorn admitted.

While they still practice regularly in Myers’ cramped and crowded garage, the band members have moved beyond just performing cover songs and are making their mark with original American Attitude songs.

The members spend weeks writing original material, with Watchorn sketching out the rough structure of the songs and vocalist Henderson putting the lyrics together. A few jam sessions later, they have a song ready to try out on their audience.

“I don’t know if other bands do it that way, but it just works really well for us,” Smithers said.

While their material runs the gamut from mellow to upbeat party songs, one piece – “Redemption” – tackles the serious issue of post-traumatic stress disorder.

“When I wrote the lyrics for 'Redemption,' I thought that PTSD was something that really needs to be brought to the forefront more,” Henderson said. “I had been reading some articles and listening to interviews about how it has been kind of ignored or almost shunned. You can get a broken arm mended, but if you have some sort of psychological trauma, [some people think] you have to just suck it up and not even bring it up. We need to change the way people look at it.”

Now that they have a record deal, the band members are focusing more on original material than ever before, and Watchorn said they see any performances as an opportunity to promote the National Guard and military service.

“Every time we’re out, we still put an American flag on the stage and tell everyone about the Guard and the military,” he said. “We always give a shout-out to the members of the armed forces, past and present. We’re a sailor and airmen all the time, so we project that out in public, too.”

USS Olympia Visits Yokosuka

By Lt. Lara Bollinger, Commander Submarine Group 7 Public Affairs

YOKOSUKA, Japan (NNS) -- The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine, USS Olympia (SSN 717) arrived at Fleet Activities Yokosuka Nov. 5, for a visit as part of its deployment to the Western Pacific.

With a crew of approximately 155, Olympia will conduct a multitude of missions and showcase the latest capabilities of the submarine fleet.

"USS Olympia is a mulit-mission capable warship with an outstanding crew enthusiastically conducting deployed operations," said Cmdr. Michael R. Coughlin, USS Olympia commanding officer.

Olympia is capable of sustained high-speed operations in direct support to the carrier task forces of the United States Navy as well as independent operations of critical importance to national security.

"The crew has worked very hard on this deployment, contributing to our many operational and material successes," said Master Chief Machinist's Mate James A. Weber, USS Olympia chief of the boat. "Yokosuka is our first port visit in more than a month, and the crew has earned the opportunity to enjoy liberty in Japan."

For many of the crew members, this is their first time visiting Japan.

"My father served here with the Navy in the early 70's, so I am looking forward to seeing all of the same great places and sights that he has told me so much about," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class David Lee.

Measuring more than 360 feet long and weighing more than 6,900 tons when submerged, Olympia is one of the quietest submarines in the world. This submarine is capable of supporting a multitude of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, intelligence, and surveillance and reconnaissance.

Olympia is home-ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Miami Dolphin Cheerleaders, Players Visit PCU Jason Dunham Crew

By Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Martin Cuaron, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (NNS) -- Miami Dolphins cheerleading squad members and football players visited Sailors aboard the Navy's newest Arleigh Burke class destroyer Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) Jason Dunham (DDG 109) in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Nov. 9th.

"The girls enjoy so much to come out here to entertain our service members," said Emily Newton, cheerleading squad director and choreographer. "The young men and women in the military put in time and hard work, and for us to come out here and put on a show is the least we can do for them."

The eight cheerleaders started the event by performing several routines on the flight deck for the crew.

"This is definitely a positive thing and a big morale booster," said Cryptologic Technician (Collection)(SS) Joshua Thompson. "We have been working hard in preparation for the ships commissioning, and to see these beautiful woman out here, showing their support is something I'll never forget."

Crew members lined the flight decks for autographed photos and photo opportunities with their favorite cheerleader.

"It's really incredible what service members do," said Lilly, Miami Dolphins cheerleader. "Most people don't get the opportunity to go on a Navy vessel, and we appreciate everything they do. It takes so much teamwork, and we understand because we are a team as well."

The cheerleaders were given a tour of the ship, taking them from the Combat Information Center to the bridge.

"I love everything about this ship from the flight deck to the bridge," said Lilly. "It's truly amazing to see how these ships work."

During the ship's port visit, the crew will contribute 300 hours of community service by taking part in numerous community outreach programs such as Habitat for Humanity and assisting three local schools.

"The crew of the Jason Dunham are working hard in preparing for the commissioning of this fine ship," said Cmdr. Scott Sciretta, PCU Jason Dunham commanding officer. "To have the Dolphin cheerleaders and players come out and meet the Sailors, is pretty amazing."

Cpl. Jason Dunham was the first Marine to be awarded with the Medal of Honor during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first Marine to receive the medal since the Vietnam War. The ship will be officially commissioned Nov. 13 during a ceremony at Port Everglades, Fla.

The Art of War

By Jennifer Gavin

This is a guest post by Sarah Rouse, a volunteer in the Library of Congress Prints & Photographs Division.

“War experience just hypnotizes young men.” So said Victor Lundy, a World War II veteran who recorded many of his war memories through his sketchbooks, now donated to the Library of Congress.

I interviewed Lundy for the Library’s Veterans History Project, and his drawings — and memories — are worth a visit on Veterans’ Day 2010.

“I never listened, I was busy sketching,” said Lundy.  And could he sketch! The gentle portrait of Finey Towery in France really caught my attention.  Staff Sgt. Towery hailed from Kentucky, and Lundy still recalls the song Towery often sang: “In the Pines.”

Lundy was in college, studying architecture, when he enlisted in a special Army engineering unit during World War II.  He ended up instead at a boot camp in South Carolina, in 1944.

He’d use a pocket-sized pad to portray the daily routines in the PX, scenes of men dozing, and training sessions.  He sketched while his ship crossed the Atlantic — the drawing “Goodbye Broadway, Hello France” captures the excitement.  He sketched his unit landing at Cherbourg on Sept. 7 — the first big convoy in Normandy since D-Day on June 6.  “I realized we were part of a very significant occasion,” he said.  Lundy recorded French farmhouses and villages, battle scenes, Allied planes, and casualties he witnessed while serving as a squad leader.

After the war, Lundy became a noted architect.  His sketchbooks and the oral history he offered show a serious young man’s coming of age, from college kid to seasoned soldier in a world war.

Coast Guard Heroes: Richard Dixon

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

With contributions from LTJG Ryan White

This Compass series chronicles the first 14 heroes the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters have been named for. These men and women, who stood the watch before us, lived extraordinary lives as they lit the way for sailors in times past, braved gunfire in times of war and rescued those in peril at sea. As Coast Guard heroes, their stories are a constant reminder of our service’s legacy. As the namesake of the Coast Guard’s newest patrol boats, they will inspire the next generation of Coast Guard heroes.

A series of unfortunate storms swept across the Pacific Northwest on Fourth of July weekend 1980 and could have ended in disaster, but instead showed the limitless potential of human intrepidness.

First Class Boatswain’s Mate Richard Dixon had just started his watch at Station Tillamook Bay when a report came in of the Fantasy Isle, a 58-foot trawler-yacht, seeking shelter from the dangerous storm conditions in the region.

The Fantasy Isle, with five people aboard, would have to pass between two stone jetties about 400 yards apart to enter the bay and find relief from the storms. This was no easy task, as the storms produced breaking seas that covered the entire bar for miles.

Dixon served as coxswain for one of the motor lifeboats sent out to escort the Fantasy Isle across the bar and ordered his three crewmen to strap in as he throttled forward into the heavy seas. When the crews arrived at the bar, they realized it would not be safe for the yacht to pass but, after continual beatings by the howling winds outside the bay, the captain of the Fantasy Isle saw no other choice but to make the crossing.

Conditions along the Tillamook bar were worsening with 30-foot seas and 70-knot winds as Dixon placed his 44-foot motor lifeboat on the left side, behind the yacht, while the coxswain of the other motor lifeboat situated himself on the right. Together, they would position themselves to provide a “window” for the yacht to get through the bar by their two motor lifeboats absorbing the energy of the waves.

This was an extremely dangerous maneuver for both lifeboats, as the full force of each breaking wave would smash itself into the crews. Together, Dixon and the coxswain of the other vessel repeatedly used their lifeboats to shield the yacht, taking breaker after breaker for forty minutes, until the yacht had safely passed through the bar and found shelter in the bay.

The Fantasy Isle rescue was noteworthy on its own but Dixon was not done performing heroic acts that weekend. Just a day later, on July 4, a report of two people in the water came in.

A recreational boat was speeding around the North Jetty of the bay when they turned directly into 18-foot breaking seas. There were four people aboard the boat, and two went crashing through the boat’s windshield as the vessel started to capsize.

Dixon and his crew were out patrolling the bay, and changed course to recover the four boaters. Dixon, again as coxswain, had to rely on his boat driving skills to maneuver within 50 feet of the jetty rocks in order to pull the persons in the water aboard.

As the seas broke over them and the blue waves turned to white foam, Dixon and his crew rescued all four persons from the jetty’s rocks and violent waters.

A special place in the Coast Guard’s history

Al Shepherd was a shipmate of Dixon’s while they were both stationed as First Class Petty Officers aboard CGC Cape Wash. They became close friends immediately, and Shepherd recalls how Dixon’s commitment to serve others was always present.

“Rick exhibited natural leadership characteristics coupled with superior ability and genuine warmth,” said Shepherd. “Rick was a man of great outward courage and inner strength who lived idealistically in such a natural way that people were drawn to him. They wanted to be like him and to share in what he was doing.”

Throughout the Coast Guard’s history, coxswains and their crews have performed heroic acts centered on Dixon’s same commitment. Dixon’s bravery, which was second nature, earned him two Coast Guard Medals. Coast Guard award rules dictate that only those who, “performed a rescue or attempted rescue at the risk of his or her own life, and demonstrates extreme and heroic daring” should receive this honor – something Dixon did twice in one weekend.

“The Coast Guard and Rick Dixon share a common history which is rich in service to mankind, free from self interest or self preservation,” said Shepherd. “It is very fitting, and makes me swell with pride that Rick’s heroic deeds and valiant spirit will live on in time.”

Today in the Department of Defense, Thursday, November 11, 2010

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates will attend a Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. EST.

Deputy Secretary of Defense William J. Lynn has no public or media events on his schedule.

FRANK BUCKLES -- AMERICA'S OLDEST LIVING VETERAN

FRANK BUCKLES -- AMERICA'S OLDEST LIVING VETERANFrank Buckles is now 109 and lives on a 330-acre cattle farm in Charles Town, West Virginia.

Frank Buckles, America's Oldest Living Veteran

He is America's oldest living veteran, and the United States’ last living veteran of World War 1, the “War to End All Wars” that lasted from 1914-1918.
To put that into perspective, there are 3 million living veterans from World War II, 3 million living veterans from the Korean War, and over 7 million living veterans from the Vietnam War.
On being among the last living “Great War” veterans, Buckles says, “For many years, I would read the figures in The Torch [a veterans magazine] in two columns -- one was the number of 4.7 million-something veterans who served, and the other, which kept going down, was the number of us that were still alive. I knew one day it would come to this."
In World War 1, Buckles served as an ambulance driver in England and France, and when the war ended in 1918 was assigned to a prisoner-of-war escort company charged with returning POWs to Germany.
Later in his life, while he was on business as a civilian in the Philippines in 1941 during World War, II, Buckles was taken prisoner by the Japanese. He was held prisoner in their notoriously harsh conditions for 3 ½ years, where he lost 50 pounds and witnessed executions of fellow prisoners. He was rescued in 1945.

Another U.S. World War 1 Poster

When asked about the secret of his long life, Buckles replied: "Hope."
He also added, "[W]hen you start to die... don't."
He said the reason he has lived so long is that,
"I never got in a hurry."
Considering that I was only able to serve for under two months but still have dozens of stories to tell about the experience and the wonderful characters who were around me in basic training, this last remaining World War I veteran must have countless memories that we all would love to know … and probably need to know to lend perspective to our times.
Surely if anything is a national treasure, the oldest living American veteran is.
Frank Buckles, I salute you, and all the veterans who risked their lives -- including the millions who

Flag Officer Announcement

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates announced today that the President has nominated Navy Capt.  James W. Crawford III, JAGC,  for appointment as legal counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and appointment to the rank of rear admiral (lower half).  He is currently serving as legal counsel to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington, D.C.

First Enlisted Turbanned Sikh Soldier Successfully Completes Basic Training in Two Decades

Recruit Accepted by Fellow Soldiers and Excels During Training

(Columbia, SC)  November 10, 2010 – Another major barrier fell today in the campaign to end the U.S. military’s ban on turbaned Sikhs.  To great fanfare, Simran Preet Singh Lamba became the first enlisted Sikh soldier in more than two decades to complete basic training while maintaining his religiously-mandated turban and unshorn hair.

The past year has now seen Sikhs graduate as both an enlisted soldier and as commissioned officers. Enlisted soldiers are the U.S. Army’s “new recruits” who are below the rank of an officer.  All the Sikh graduates were represented by the law firm of McDermott Will & Emery LLP and the Sikh Coalition.

“I am thrilled to serve with my fellow soldiers and serve the United States of America,” said Simran Preet Singh Lamba. “I humbly believe I was able to excel in all aspects of my training. Most importantly, I was overwhelmed by the support and camaraderie I felt with my fellow soldiers and base leadership. I thank them all and look forward to my service.”

Recruited by the Army in 2009 through the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest (MAVNI) program for his language skills in Punjabi and Hindi, Mr. Lamba was initially advised by an Army recruiter that his Sikh articles of faith would likely be accommodated. Subsequently, in March 2010, his formal request for a religious accommodation was denied. Lamba appealed the decision, and his appeal was accepted in September 2010.

Contrary to the concerns of some, Mr. Lamba was able to meet all the requirements of a soldier during basic training.  He wore a helmet over a small turban during field exercises. During gas mask exercises, he successfully created a seal. He also enjoyed deep bonds with fellow soldiers and his superiors.

Present Army policy still excludes Sikhs who maintain their turban and beard. Sikhs in the U.S. military may maintain their religiously-mandated turban and unshorn hair only if they receive an individual exemption to do so.

In 1981, the Army banned “conspicuous” religious articles of faith, including turbans and unshorn hair, for its service members.  The ban was enacted despite a long and storied history of Sikhs serving in the U.S. military with their religious identity intact. Sikh soldiers served in the U.S. Army as far back as World War I. Thousands of Sikh soldiers helped liberate France in WWII. Today, Sikhs serve in the militaries of England, Canada, India and Austria, among others, often alongside American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Nevertheless, the past year has seen welcome progress in the campaign to restore Sikh service in the U.S. military.  In March, Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist, became the first Sikh commissioned officer to complete basic training in more than two decades. In September, Captain Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, a physician, became the second Sikh commissioned officer to complete basic training.  The addition of Mr. Lamba to the group of Sikh military graduates is a critical step forward in proving that Sikhs can successfully serve in the U.S. military.

“To be an American is to be able to serve his or her country in the defense of the justice and equality we all enjoy as citizens.  We appreciate the U.S. Army’s willingness to consider the overwhelmingly positive experiences of Captains Rattan and Kalsi – as well as the success of dozens of Sikhs who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces over the past century – in giving Mr. Lamba the opportunity to serve the United States,” said Amandeep Singh Sidhu lead counsel for McDermott Will & Emery LLP.  “We hope that his success in enlisted basic training continues to dispel misconceptions about the ability of a Sikh solider to conform to the Army’s standards for neat and conservative uniformity, safety, military readiness, and unit cohesion.”

“We are grateful to the U.S. Army and its forward thinking here. We are hopeful that the success Mr. Lamba enjoyed during basic training will impress upon the U.S. military the necessity of ending its general policy of Sikh exclusion,” said Amardeep Singh, Program Director, Sikh Coalition. “Over the past year Sikh service in the U.S. Army has been successfully tried and tested. We know it works. All Sikhs should now be welcome in the military. We look forward to working with military leadership to make that happen. Our military and the United States of America will be stronger for it.”

To learn more, please visit our Campaign Media Center or email us at media@sikhcoalition.org.

Coast Guard Heroes: Isaac Mayo

Written by: LTJG Stephanie Young

With contributions from LTJG Ryan White

This Compass series chronicles the first 14 heroes the Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters have been named for. These men and women, who stood the watch before us, lived extraordinary lives as they lit the way for sailors in times past, braved gunfire in times of war and rescued those in peril at sea. As Coast Guard heroes, their stories are a constant reminder of our service’s legacy. As the namesake of the Coast Guard’s newest patrol boats, they will inspire the next generation of Coast Guard heroes.

In the spring of 1879 a raging snowstorm blanketed the shores of the Northeastern United States. The perilous seas and weather caused a three-masted schooner to wreck on the shores of Cape Cod, Mass. Issac Mayo, a junior surfman at Life-Saving Station 7, displayed exemplary character during the disarray as he and his crew faced the storm to rescue the schooner’s sailors. In moments of chaos, Mayo was a leader and a hero.

On April 4, 1879, the three-masted schooner Sarah J. Fort was caught in the snowstorm and wrecked across the beaches of Cape Cod. A rescue boat head out, but with the heavy snowfall and darkness still looming, they could not reach the schooner. Mayo’s fellow surfmen worked tirelessly to get to the wreckage, but they could not reach the schooner and two sailors fell into the sea from exhaustion and perished.

The heavy seas and snow continued to build and buried the schooner causing the main and mizzenmasts to fall. The schooner’s remaining crew huddled together in the only part of the ship still in tact, the port bow. Another attempt to reach the vessel with a surfboat became possible when the tide went out, but the original rescue crew was too fatigued.

Mayo stepped in to lead the relief crew for the second rescue attempt and his boat launched but was forced to go back to the beach after it became filled with water. A second launch was made and the boat cleared the first breaker. As the boat went over the second set of breakers, Mayo and his crew were thrown from the surfboat, which was now broken beyond repair.

Mayo and his fellow surfmen could not fail, and another surfboat was brought to the beach. Mayo assumed command of the smaller boat, and chose a crew of fresh men, some from neighboring stations and some town volunteers.

Mayo navigated the boat through the violent seas and the mass of debris from the wreck and finally, after multiple attempts, was able to reach the Sarah J. Fort. The four survivors were brought aboard the surfboat and with Mayo captaining the boat, brought the rescued sailors were brought safely to shore.

There is no doubt that Mayo’s exemplary surfman skills shined the day he saved the Sarah J. Fort’s sailors and for his leadership throughout the challenging rescue, Mayo was awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal on November 10, 1879.

A special place in the Coast Guard’s history

Chief Brian Guarino is the current Officer in Charge of a Coast Guard Station on the Cape, Station Woods Hole. His crews experience the same elements and hazards of the surfmen at Station 7, and he is constantly in awe of the surfmen in times past.

“These heroes of the surf did with wooden boat and oar what we do today with twin props and rudder,” said Guarino. “They did with oilskin and kapok what we do with dry suits and gore-tex. The weather was just as foul in Chatham and Provincetown then as it is now. The water of Woods Hole Pass was just as swift and cold then as now. They did with stars and compass azimuth what we do with gadgets and gizmos.”

Today, as in the past, Coast Guard men and women continue to operate in the unforgiving surf and on the shifting seas to save those whose lives are in peril.

“The Coast Guard has the privilege to live out a proud set of core values every day, and upon a visit to Plymouth, Provincetown, Chatham, or the Islands of Cape Cod, one can see not only the pride of the Guardians in their stations, but they can see the tradition kept secured in the old station houses as well,” said Guarino. “Our proud people have always led this tradition of excellence in one of the more unforgiving areas to conduct our business and we continue to honor their memories and strive each day for excellence in our missions.”

This Day in Naval History - Nov. 10

From the Navy News Service

1775 - Congress votes to raise two battalions of Continental Marines, establishing the Marine Corps.

1941 - U.S.-escorted convoy WS-12, carrying 20,000 British troops to Singapore, sails from Halifax.

Veterans’ Reflections: 'It Was a Thing I Had to Do'

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2010 – Buster Adams dedicated his life to serving his country, though he didn’t intend initially to do it through military service.

Originally from Texas, Adams moved here to work as a civilian for the U.S. Army Signal Corps in 1942, when the Pentagon was still under construction and the War Department was based in downtown Washington.

His talents with encryption came in handy when he was drafted into the Army in 1942. He would end up spending three years in the service, encoding messages at Army Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s rear headquarters in Oro Bay, New Guinea.

He hadn’t intended to join the Army, he said, but when he got his draft notice, he knew he had an obligation to fulfill.

“I wasn’t particularly happy about it [at the time],” he said. “It was a thing I had to do, so I did it.”

Adams’ Signal Corps experience paid off in more ways than giving him the skills needed to be a cryptographic clerk. His island station, he recalled, was sandwiched between sandy beaches with clear, warm water and coconut plantations.

Timing was on his side, as well.

“When I first arrived there, the Battle of Buna was over,” he said. “It was still technically a combat zone, but the combat had already moved up the coast away from us.”

Upon returning to the United States in early 1946, Adams put away his uniform and became a government civilian employee with the Signal Corps. He ended up serving more than 30 years of federal service as a servicemember and civilian. He retired from his job with Naval Air Systems Command on Jan. 1, 1977.

Though he hadn’t intended to don the uniform when he started working for the Army, he said, he learned a lot of valuable lessons as a soldier -- lessons he thinks every young person needs to learn.

“I think it builds character,” he said. “It gives people an appreciation for what we stand for in our country, and I think everybody, every male at least, should have some military duty.”

(“Veterans’ Reflections” is a collection of stories of men and women who served their country in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the present-day conflicts. They will be posted throughout November in honor of Veterans Day.)

Why Is Veterans Day Always Celebrated on November 11?

Veterans Day is an American federal holiday honoring military veterans. It is also celebrated in many countries around the world every November 11, where it is known as Armistice or Remembrance Day. It marks the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

November 11 was declared "Armistice Day" in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson to honor the soldiers of World War I, and was changed to "Veterans Day" in 1954. Today Veterans Day is intended to thank veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

Veterans Day is always observed officially on November 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls. The Veterans Day National Ceremony, like most ceremonies around the nation, is held on Veterans Day itself. However, when Veterans Day falls on a weekday, many communities choose to hold Veterans Day parades or other celebrations on the weekend before or after November 11 so that more people can participate.

The Veterans Pride Initiative encourages America's veterans to wear their medals or miniature replicas on civilian attire on patriotic national holidays.

The Library of Congress (LOC) maintains the Veterans History Project (VHP). The VHP collects and preserves the remembrances of American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them. These stories are made available to researchers and the general public.

Veterans’ Reflections: Volunteers Who Join the Fight

By Ian Graham

Emerging Media, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2010 – Like many young people in the 1940s, Jessie Clark didn’t think of the military so much as an option after college, but rather as an obligation.

When she enlisted after graduating from Lasell College in Newton, Mass., there was no questioning her motive or reasoning.

“Well, everybody was going to war,” Clark said. “At that time that’s what you did, I thought, so when I graduated from college, I joined the Navy.”

Clark was stationed at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Corvallis, Ore., near a naval auxiliary air station. As a hospital corpsman, the young petty officer cared for troops who were ready, or almost ready, to be released from care.

“They had to go through a period of observation and rehabilitation before they could be sent home,” she explained.

During her service, she learned a lot about nursing and medicine, a skill set that would help her later on in life when her late husband, himself a pilot and veteran of World War II, became sick in his later years.

“I learned a lot about medicine and about taking care of patients,” she said. “It was very helpful for me, because my husband became ill, and it didn’t bother me to care for him. I took care of him for 20 years.”

Clark said her husband was the more admirable of the two of them – though the patients who stayed in Corvallis may disagree. He flew some 30 missions over Germany, and survived being shot down once while he was based in Italy.

“To me, he was more of a hero than I was,” she said.

During a recent visit here, Clark visited the World War II Memorial for the first time. Though the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, resident had visited the National Mall previously, she had yet to see the memorial dedicated to her service and the service of her peers.

“It’s this massive thing!” she exclaimed. “It brings back memories. You can see people. The Atlantic, I think of my husband. The Pacific, I think of my brother. You see the states, and you think of people you knew from those states.”

Clark said it’s important for people to keep in mind that today’s conflicts aren’t fought by everyone; they’re fought by a group of volunteers who signed up to join the fight. Servicemembers, she said, should be proud of that.

“Servicemembers should feel honored to be able to serve the country,” she said. “And people should honor those who do serve. They volunteer, it’s what they want to do, and they should be allowed to. They should be honored, every day.”

(“Veterans’ Reflections” is a collection of stories of men and women who served their country in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and the present-day conflicts. They will be posted throughout November in honor of Veterans Day.)

Navy Commissions New Guided Missile Destroyer Jason Dunham

The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Jason Dunham, during a 10 a.m. EST ceremony Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, at Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  The new destroyer honors Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, the first Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos will deliver the ceremony's principal address.  Debra Dunham will serve as sponsor of the ship named for her late son.  The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when she gives the first order to “man our ship and bring her to life!”

Dunham was born in Scio, N.Y., Nov. 10, 1981, sharing the same birthday as the U.S. Marine Corps.  On April 14, 2004, Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah, Iraq, when his battalion commander’s convoy was ambushed.  When Dunham’s squad approached to provide fire support, an Iraqi insurgent leapt out of a vehicle and attacked Dunham.  As Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground, he noticed that the enemy fighter had a grenade in his hand and immediately alerted his fellow Marines.  When the enemy dropped the live grenade, Dunham took off his Kevlar helmet, covered the grenade, and threw himself on top to smother the blast.  In an ultimate selfless act of courage, in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of two fellow Marines.

Designated DDG 109, Jason Dunham, the 59th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, will be able to conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis management to sea control and power projection.  Jason Dunham will be capable of fighting air, surface and subsurface battles simultaneously and will contain a myriad of offensive and defensive weapons designed to support maritime warfare in keeping with “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.”

Cmdr. M. Scott Sciretta, born in South Amboy, N.J., will become the first commanding officer of the ship and will lead the crew of 276 officers and enlisted personnel.  The 9,200-ton Jason Dunham was built by Bath Iron Works, a General Dynamics company.  The ship is 509 feet in length, has a waterline beam of 59 feet, and a navigational draft of 31 feet.  Four gas turbine engines will power the ship to speeds in excess of 30 knots.

The commissioning ceremony will be webcast live at the following location:  http://www.navy.mil/.