Veterans Day

Pictures: Three of our own: Bob Elliott, Joe Doyle, Richard Swayze.

Diane remembers back in 1964 and 1965 during the rapidly intensifying build up in Vietnam that the powers that be tried to minimize what was going on down there. She also remembers it was one of those engagements that never was declared a war and yet it sure looked like a war with all the fallen on both sides, all the destruction. (Diane was up in Yokosuka while we were down south moving Marines and their equipment here, there and everywhere.) I remember the long wait for decisions to do something, anything. Eventually that decision was made, to go big in Vietnam, and we landed the Marines at Chulai, just south of DaNang. And then the D&D, death and destruction, really started.

But this day we remember not the wars that made us all veterans but rather the men and women who served, who answered their country's call and did what they were asked. To each of them, a thank you and a hug and a bless you.

Saturday Wrap with Tiger and the Irish and a Book on Vietnam

Big League Sports

-Tiger one behind but sharp in play today just west of Chicago. Stricker going to win another? He's is in a zone.
-Irish football not so sharp in the Nittany Lions' Den, lose 31-10.. Maybe next week when they face the hapless Michigan Woverines who lost again today, again at home. Unheard of. Battle of the twice beatens.
-Tiny Justine Henin wins the US Tennis Open. Watched a little of it this evening; been forever since I've watched any tennis, maybe not since the '70's. Holy Cow!

Books

-Finish Robert Templer's Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam. Been working on this book for the better part of a year. It's one of those books with lots of information, facts, theories, explanations and suggestions about a country going through a major renovation in its way of life. This was published in 1998 with Vietnam changing rapidly in the ever expanding market economies of Southeast Asia. Expect it is much changed, with even more capitalism, more individual freedom, less of a rigid Communistic government in the nine years since. Well worth the time and effort if you have an interest in Vietnam, or maybe nations recovering from war with the United States. It took Vietnam a full twenty-five years to get on its feet after it cast off the armies of China, France, and the United States. Wonder how long it's going to take Iraq to fully recover from it's 21st century fight with the invading armies of the United States? Maybe far less since it has the advantage of having a whole bunch of stuff to export to a world very desirous of its black liquid wealth.

-Ready to pick up another book; know Diane has several but most of them are fiction which is okay for me but only every now and then. Will have to look around.