Once a Marine, Always a Marine

Happy Veteran's Day! I hope we all will take a few moments and think about what a lucky country we are to have a military population that will step up, follow orders and secure our future.

This morning's coffee - Boca Java's Blogs of Bravery with chocolate mint truffle creamer. Excellent.

Last night's stroganoff made in the crock pot was a hit. This morning husband requested eggs and grits. Then I fixed potato soup for lunch, thick and creamy like I like it. Hubby has been sleeping most of the day, trying to feel better. He leaves Monday afternoon for Equatorial Guinea. I have been doing laundry like a mad woman so that whatever he needs to travel is clean.

Sunday Gerald Ford will break the record set by Ronald Reagan for being the oldest living president, by one day. The new record will begin with 93 years and 121 days.

I read an article by Mitch Stacy of the Associated Press about Florida'a oldest living vet from WWI. He is 111 years old and Governor Jeb Bush awarded him with the World War I Victory Medal yesterday. Ernest Charles Pusey, his last name is kiling me, was in the U.S. Navy from 1917 to 1919 and served on the battleship USS Wyoming, patrolling the sea lanes around the British Isles. He lives in a trailer since he wasn't happy in a nursing home. He has a caretaker who takes him to church and out for scallop dinners on Sundays. He worked for GM in Flint, Mi for more than 30 years before retiring to Florida. He still remembers his time on the battleship and especially "stopping at different cities out there."

According to the federal Dept of Veterans Affairs website, according to this article, there are fewer than 25 living U.S. veterans from World War I out of nearly 5 million who served worldwide.

Yesterday in Virginia, President Bush became a bit emotional, as he is known to do, as he spoke about presenting the Medal of Honor to a Marine who died as he jumped on a grenade in Iraq to save the lives of two comrades. The Medal of Honor is the highest American military decoration. Cpt. Jason Dunham of Scio, N.Y. died April 22, 2004 as his patrol was ambushed near the Syrian border. He used his helmet and his body to absorb the blast from the grenade. Friday was to be his 25th birthday.

President Bush has awarded 6 Medals of Honor. Three to Vietnam vets and one each to vets of WWII and Korea and one to an Iraq war vet.

Cpl. Dunham's parents were present as President Bush spoke of their son yesterday at the dedication of the Marine museum and they were presented with their son's medal.

Semper fi.