May 30th, 2009 by xformed
So your sons are commissioned in the Marines after 9/11. One of them is killed. You get to answer a question from The President of the United States: “Is there anything I can do for you?” “Yes. Get me an age wavier to join the service.”
BZ, LCDR William Kristoff, USN, MC,
for stepping up to the plate, when you could have used the “I’m too old” rationale to just go back to believing we don’t live in interesting times.
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May 25th, 2009 by xformed
It’s Memorial Day. This is my tribute to one who went before me: Seaman 1/C Omer Dee Simms, USN. Here is some of the story of this man’s life that we are lucky to have heard.
(Note: All pictures below are the small versions. Click to get the original size provided)
Omer Dee Simms was a sailor aboard USS FRANKLIN (CV-13) on March 19th, 1945, when a Japanese kamikaze slammed into the flight deck and created a hellish place at sea for the crew of that aircraft carrier. 50 miles from the island of Kyushu, they were without power, on fire, and aircraft, on deck and in the hanger bay, loaded with aviation gas and ordnance were “cooking off.”
Who was Omer Simms? He was a son, a brother, a husband and a father.
He was born in McKinney, Texas Nov 17th, 1911. When he was called to serve his country on Dec 16th, 1943 he was working at a boot factory. He was enlisted in the US Navy on Dec 31st, 1943.
He was the father of Richard Don Simms.
His wrote his wife, Blanche, and his son, Richard.
In Boot Camp, he got to experience the wisdom of the military medical system, and he shared this with his sister in a letter:
He was assigned as a cook aboard USS FRANKLIN (CV-13) and rode her into battle, as the noose of the Allied Forces tightened around the virtual neck of the Japanese Homeland. The Japanese we’re going down without a fight, and, on the 19th of March, 1945, a single pilot brought hell to earth for that crew. Omer was 31 years old when he joined the service, so, the service being what it is across many generations, I imagine he picked up a nickname of “Pops” or “Gramps.” They probably looked up to him, because he had more life behind him than they did.
(Click on the picture for the archived photos of the attack on NavSource)
725 dead, 265 wounded in the attack. Omer Dee Simms was a hero that day. He saved 12 of his shipmates, by not giving up on getting the door open, to allow the 13 of them to remain trapped in a compartment, with fire raging around them. Once he led that group to safety, he went back inside the skin of the ship to help get others to safety. He did not survive the day.
Here is the notice Omer’s family received from the Department of the Navy:
George Black owes his life to Omer Simms. He made the following statement to describe the efforts and situation he faced that horrible day in battle:
Click here for this file scanned and converted to PDF
There are no bridges, streets, museums, schools or military barracks named after Omer Dee Simms, but, he, like so many others, had courage in the midst of battle and chose to carry on, to get the mission done, in this case to save your shipmates.
For a detailed story of a newly built carrier, that entered the Pacific and went straight to combat, took a seemingly mortal wounding off Japan, yet was underway on her own power the later that day, and steamed stateside herself to arrive at the shipyard for repairs, get the book “Inferno” by Joseph Springer. The story of Omer Dee Simms is in there, with the other reports of danger and death and courage.
The memory of Omer Dee Simms is kept alive by his son. Richard Don Simms, pictured above, who graciously provide me with the information and materials for this post. Richard shared in his items, a letter he sent to his father, but was returned unread:
In addition to that help, he has been one to help keep the memory of the crew of the USS FRANKLIN (CV-13) in the public eye, having attended the reunions and being declared an honorary crew member of the storied vessel.
Richard also shows his appreciation to our service members today, providing them with his presence at the DFW Airport, as reported in these two articles:
To complete my post, it is worthy of note that Seaman 1/C Omer Dee Simms, USN, has been honored by his home state of Texas in the following resolution in 2006:
Category: Navy | 1 Comment »
May 14th, 2009 by xformed
I guess it’s now “Die with your hot boxers on, and showing!” Yeah, notice he hasn’t got any boots on, either. What’s the world coming to? 🙂
Army Spc. Zachary Boyd of Fort Worth battles the Taliban on Monday in Afghanistan as he wears his “I love NY†boxer shorts. Boyd rushed from his sleeping quarters to join his fellow platoon members.
That’s one mean NY kinda guy in my book! How would feel as a dead Taliban showing up in Paradise saying “Some soldier in his boxers nailed me!� They’d be laughing at you for the rest of eternity!  But, then again, some of those guys wear burkas to avoid being captured…
But, if that’s now enough to pollute your mind, get some contrast
on those who fight, and those who just get thongs with hopey changy messages on them.
Update 5/14/2009: An interview with his parents!
Category: Army | Comments Off on What Happened to "Die with your boots on?"
May 5th, 2009 by xformed
On this day in 1945, on the island of Okinawa, a young man saved his comrades o nthe battle frield…and had never carried a weapon.
Details here buy Alice in Wonderland : Cpl Desmond T. Doss, USA, CMOH Awardee, one of my personal heroes.
Quite a man, quite a story. His personal believe drove him and carried him through his life.Bone Trouble hd
Category: Army | Comments Off on Conviction, Courage and Devotion – 64 Years Ago
February 6th, 2009 by xformed
Gather the puzzle pieces. Consider the history of the last few decades between the US and Iran, and Iran vs the World. Think about the periods of saber rattling and periods of silence since 1979, yet all with the consistent “Death to America!” tone. I was in the Med the night the Shah was overthrown, standing in Radio, just “reading the skeds” (you could do that back then, see every broadcast message, before the days of NAVMACS). Saw one not even addressed to us, but we were the underway oiler, and it affected us. I ripped it off the teletype and ran to grab Ops before heading to see the CO. Years later, I sailed escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, after having been stationed in the North Arabian Sea as the ready battle group, just in case. But this news is now. Are we getting a glimpse of a long term strategy coming together, all the parts falling in place?
One ship was headed from Iran to Gaza
, what about the one being held in Greece, headed to Iran, with components to manufacture surface-to-surface missiles?
Little Boy Blue download And, by the way, why is Iran (with Russia’s help) moving quickly to use nuclear power for domestic electricity production, when they have sufficient oil reserves for themselves? Hold that thought, I believe, while focusing on the oil transport issue, stumbled across a major puzzle piece of a war plan here.
And don’t forget the push to develop a “domestically produced” nuclear weapon…
Satan's Bed rip How will the President react, in the face of the Iranian leadership that shows it has no apologies for it’s efforts to strategically change the face of international relations? How will the UN react? Not to mention, Iran has laid out this threat before, with no significant response from the rest of the world.
One reaction already we can count on: Obama ‘demands’ a 10% military budget cut.
This is a major game changer, as is the recent launch of a satellite by Iran (demonstration of the ability to employ tactical/strategic ballistic missiles).
In the case of the Susanna, the delivery of parts to make missiles in the category of the Exocet/Silkworm/Harpoon will allow the Iranians to do what it has been attempting to for many decades: Control the flow of seaborne traffic in an international strait.
The UN Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST), which the US never signed, objecting to the provisions to share in the mining of sea bed minerals with all countries, is still followed for issues such as the free transit of commerce and warships of straits less that 24 NM wide, and respecting the distance of territorial waters as being 12NM from the coasts of countries.
The Strait of Hormuz is one such strait, bordered by Oman to the south and Iran to the north. Strategically, in my former profession, we called this a “choke point.” The sea traffic must, by geography, be funneled in such a manner as to make it vulnerable to attack from land bases. If this is to be the choice of the offensive on the World’s oil based economy, then Iran is smart is importing more parts for missiles. They will have to have a credible, survivable (via protection, or mass quantity) arsenal keep the world rocked back on it’s heels. Shooting up a few tankers is a nasty disruption, but a recoverable condition, if the World masses the forces and eliminates a small inventory of weapons ashore.
Add to the issue that between 20 to 40% of the World’s crude oil transits this strait.
At the same time President Obama is re-imposing bans on offshore drilling (while Cuba and China line up to take out resources), and the Department of the Interior closes 77 land parcels in Utah (Oh, yes, they went for John McCain in 2008) to exploration and drilling for oil resources, Iran is stepping up its military capabilities. Net result, if they are allowed to continue with this buildup? Economics 101: The price of a barrel of oil will rise, sharply, merely at the threat of the ability to destroy, or bottle up shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Or, the other reaction, as a result of, or to preempt, International Relations 101: The military as a tool of diplomacy will be brought to bear on the situation.
This is an issue, where decisions of domestic policy, in this case regarding energy and the use of natrual resources can directly interplay with our foreign policy.
In this case, where I project the Iranians will employ international blackmail, they are, unlike the current terrorist movement, a sovereign nation with borders, a capital and established, recognized leadership, which puts us back into a regime of the Laws of Warfare, which is where our understanding is best, far better than how to combat a stateless movement with almost impossible to understand goals and demands. As some background, this desire of the Iranians to “manage” the price of oil is nothing new. Beginning in 1984, they employed military tactics in in the “Tanker War”. As recently as this past year, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard has harassed US Navy ships in the Strait. If you recall, during the early and middle parts of 2008, oil prices rose to well over $120/bbl, with this issue being in the forefront of the economic markets.
A conflict with Iran, of a military nature, for us, or other nations is actually being encouraged by the decisions. or non-decisions, by President Obama. If we enter the conflict, we will be in the very position President Obama told the world we were wrong for doing: Dictating. He will necessarily have to tell Iran what they will or will not do. On the other hand, I wonder if he “listened” to the snub he received from the Iranian leadership, after news of a letter to open relations was in the works?
If President Obama declines to get his hands dirty, explaining away his lack of “America First” capabilities by telling us it would be wrong to direct how an nation, a single nation, takes control of a large part of the World’s energy economy, will the populace accept this “leadership,” while our cars sit idle in the driveways and industry grinds to a halt and power companies serve up brown and black outs, in winter and soummer high demand months? Will he demands “rationing” while not even entering a war to secure resources, or wll he relent and turn inwards, tossing the “Global Warming” crowd under the bus, while letting us us what resources we have under our feet and near our shores?
Back to “peaceful” nuclear power. If Iran accumulates/develops the ability to employ a massive offensive surface-to-surface missile capability in the Strait of Hormuz and effectively shuts off up to 40% of the crude oil market, and, in preparation, has built a set of nuclear reactors for energy, they will hold a significant trump card, when we attack. We will, by our domestic policy decisions, be left crippled for energy use, which will affect our ability to effectively employ military power. If they have also built protected launch sites and forward observation capabilities (necessary to effectively strike the correct targets over the horizon), it will be a war of attrition, with us using up a now finite amount of energy. That will possibly bring us to another brink of nuclear warfare, as the ICBMs sit ready to launch, their potential energy already committed.
It seems at least one of the two major players in this game understand the need for “energy independence,” and not the one who thinks Congress can take over the design of domestically produced cars.
By the way, our “allies” are getting nervous, and looking for some, any approach by our leadership. Will “he” listen or refuse to be dictated to?
In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale move The magnitude of the tests, even in his third week in office are reaching gigantic proportions. He had better be up to it, or the Stimulus will not be necessary…we’ll just be cut up and “sold” off to the highest bidding nation, like a corporation gone bankrupt.
Category: Navy | 1 Comment »
January 18th, 2009 by xformed
After all the fits and starts and threats and non-guidance for Army personnel blogging, finally, a 2 star steps up to the plate. Half Past Dead release
BZ, MG Oates, CG of Task Force Mountain:
“There are some concerns by some people, based on the nature of our hierarchical organization, who feel this is inappropriate — going around the chain of command,” Major General Michael Oates, the commander of the Army’s Task Force Mountain, tells Danger Room. “It is not in fact going around the chain of command; it allows us to connect to the chain of command in ways we have not been able to experience before.”
The Redsin Tower movie download Dirty Harry hd
Category: Army | 1 Comment »
January 4th, 2009 by xformed
I was at the “pay library” today, going though the usual stack of magazines, and the current issue of the Smithsonian’s Air & Space mag had a parody on “High Flight,” purportedly about the famed Phantom F-4 genre of aircraft:
Oh, I have slipped through swirling clouds of dust,
A few feet from the dirt,
I’ve flown the F-4 low enough,
To make my bottom hurt,
I’ve flown in the desert, hills, and valleys,
Mountains too,
Frolicked in the trees,
Where only flying squirrels flew,
Chased the Frightened cows along,
Disturbed the ram and ewe,
And done a hundred other things,
That you’d not care to do.
I’ve smacked the tiny sparrow,
Bluebird, robin, all the rest,
I’ve ingested baby eagles,
Simply sucked them from the nest.
I’ve streaked through total darkness,
Just the other guys and me,
And spent the night in terror of
Things i could not see.
I turned my eyes to heaven,
As I sweated through the flight,
Put out my hand and touched,
The Fire Warning Light.
-Poet Unknown
Air and Space Magasine
Feb/Mar 2009
Page 8 column 1
To see if I had found something original, I
dogpiled and also came across this list
of the many variants of about the same poem, as well as more twisting of “High Flight” itself:
HIGH FLIGHT parodies:
Glider Flight
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of rope
A few feet from “The Road”.
I whip the Schweitzer ’round so fast
Exceeds the max’mum load.
I’ve slipped, I’ve stalled, I’ve spiral dived,
Spun past the sixth full turn.
“You can’t do that!” the new ones say,
They’ve got a lot to learn.
I find a thermal, turn in it
To try and gain some height.
But I must beat the towplane down
Or this is my last flight!
On 2-3 fly a crooked base
Then crank the plane around.
Or 2-9: pass the hangars then I dive straight for the ground!
But the best is 3-6 final when I know I should be higher,
Put out my hand and touch The passing telephone wire!
ATP High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of gate times
And held rigid by impossible air traffic controllers;
Upward I’ve climbed and joined the congested skies
Of fixes, missed approaches and done hundred things
My passenger did not care for — delays, turbulence, and held
In the holding pattern low on fuel. Waiting there,
I’ve chased the schedules, and flung
Myself against management and union rules.
Up, up the long ascent in seniority list.
I’ve topped and gone to the next aircraft
Hoping that I do not get furloughed.
And, while with worried mind I’ve trod
The difficult sanctity of regulation,
Waiting for the FAA inspector who is God.
— Brian Caver, in honor of Phillip Valente, Captain American Eagle Airlines.
Low Flight (1)
Oh! I’ve slipped through the swirling clouds of dust,
a few feet from the dirt,
I’ve flown the Phantom low enough,
to make my bottom hurt.
I’ve TFO’d the deserts, hills,
valleys and mountains too,
Frolicked in the trees,
where only flying squirrels flew.
Chased the frightened cows along,
disturbed the ram and ewe,
And done a hundred other things,
that you’d not care to do.
I’ve smacked the tiny sparrow,
bluebird, robin, all the rest,
I’ve ingested baby eaglets,
simply sucked them from their nest!
I’ve streaked through total darkness,
just the other guy and me,
And spent the night in terror of
things I could not see.
I’ve turned my eyes to heaven,
as I sweated through the flight,
Put out my hand and touched,
the master caution light.
Low Flight (2)
Oh, I’ve slipped the surely bonds of earth
And hovered out of ground effect on semi-rigid blades;
Earthward I’ve auto’ed and met the rising brush of Non-paved terrain;
And done a thousand things you would never care to
Skidded and dropped and flared Low in the heat soaked roar.
Confined there, I’ve chased the earthbound traffic
And lost the race to insignificant Headwinds;
Forward and up a little in ground effect I’ve topped the General’s hedge with drooping turns
Where never Skyhawk or even Phantom flew.
Shaking and pulling collective,
I’ve lumbered The low untresspassed halls of victor airways,
Put out my hand and touched a tree.
Freightdog’s Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of instructing,
And plowed the skies on ice-laden wings.
Moonward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling turbulence
Of lightning split clouds – and done a hundred things
The Feds have not dreamed of – scud run, busted mins,
Flown handheld, homemade approaches. Yawning there,
I’ve chased the impossible schedule, and flung
My ancient craft through convective sigmets.
Up, up the long over-loaded, over-heating climb,
I’ve topped the MVAs with red-line power,
Where bats and even owls fly,
And while with hypothermic, fatigued mind I’ve trod
The complex, congested New York airspace,
Put out my hand, and touched the de-ice switch.
— Name withheld per Freightdog’s attorney
High Flight, with FAA Supplement
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth(1),
And danced(2) the skies on laughter silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed(3) and joined the tumbling mirth(4)
Of sun-split clouds(5) and done a hundred things(6)
You have not dreamed of — Wheeled and soared and swung(7)
High in the sunlit silence(8). Hov’ring there(9)
I’ve chased the shouting wind(10) along and flung(11)
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious(12), burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights(13) with easy grace,
Where never lark, or even eagle(14) flew;
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space(15),
Put out my hand(16), and touched the face of God.
NOTE:
1. Pilots must insure that all surly bonds have been slipped entirely before aircraft taxi or flight is attempted.
2. During periods of severe sky dancing, crew and passengers must keep seatbelts fastened. Crew should wear shoulderbelts as provided.
3. Sunward climbs must not exceed the maximum permitted aircraft ceiling.
4. Passenger aircraft are prohibited from joining the tumbling mirth.
5. Pilots flying through sun-split clouds under VFR conditions must comply with all applicable minimum clearances.
6. Do not perform these hundred things in front of Federal Aviation Administration inspectors.
7. Wheeling, soaring, and swinging will not be attempted except in aircraft rated for such activities and within utility class weight limits.
8. Be advised that sunlit silence will occur only when a major engine malfunction has occurred.
9. “Hov’ring there” will constitute a highly reliable signal that a flight emergency is imminent.
10. Forecasts of shouting winds are available from the local FSS. Encounters with unexpected shouting winds should be reported by pilots.
11. Pilots flinging eager craft through footless halls of air are reminded that they alone are responsible for maintaining separation from other eager craft.
12. Should any crewmember or passenger experience delirium while in the burning blue, submit an irregularity report upon flight termination.
13. Windswept heights will be topped by a minimum of 1,000 feet to maintain VFR minimum separations.
14. Aircraft engine ingestion of, or impact with, larks or eagles should be reported to the FAA and the appropriate aircraft maintenance facility.
15. Aircraft operating in the high untresspassed sanctity of space must remain in IFR flight regardless of meteorological conditions and visibility.
16. Pilots and passengers are reminded that opening doors or windows in order to touch the face of God may result in loss of cabin pressure.
CRUISE FLIGHT
— Rob Robinette
Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of my spouse
And danced the clubs on Kiwi-polished boots;
Moonward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of Moon-split clouds — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — in the Philippines
High in the domelit silence. Holding there,
I’ve scared the airsick pax, and flung their baggage through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning black
I’ve topped the turbulent heights with little grace
Where never C-130, or even C-5 flew.
And, while with fuzzy, sleep deprived mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of controlled airspace,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of The Aircraft Commander,
who thinks he is God.
Category: Military | Comments Off on Aviation Humor
November 27th, 2008 by xformed
For all those who have supported this cause, whether from today, or in the several years of the lifetime of the effort, I thank you for those you have helped. I’m sure those men and women who received the benefit of your charity are more grateful than we can ever know as a result, also.
Category: Navy | Comments Off on Last Day for VALOUR-IT: A Time for Thanksgiving
October 25th, 2008 by xformed
To me, this day is once of great significance. Early in my blogging, I responded to the voice saying “Find out what day Paul Carr died.” If you have been a long time reader here, you’ll see his name is displayed many times across the last 4 years and a month. The journey to discover the story of that man led me down a path to the day, independent of the year, and I have found several amazing military historical events tied to this day across several centuries.
was on the beach at Leyte Gulf, and may have been stranded from support and defeated in detail, had Taffy 3 not charged into battle, against incredible odds, with essentially no hope of survival. LCDR Evans was one such man, Stateside download download Lords of Dogtown Between Love & Goodbye film
and his legacy was, as with Paul Carr and Desmond Doss, dedication to the mission above self. My connection to Desmond Doss? While a third grader, son of a civil servant, we took a family walk through the nearby sugar cane field to be told the story of a brave man, while standing over the small granite monument to his courage on the Meada Escarpment on Okinawa. I also missed meeting Desmond Doss. He passed away March 23rd, 2006.
When did this conscious trip into history begin? October, 1988. Not exactly then, as I was completing turn over as XO from Tom Brown, but over the next 18 months, as I found information in the USS CARR’s (FFG-52) files and took the time to read the battle reports of a time 44 years earlier, I became engaged in the story.
I became more engaged in the larger picture 10 years ago today, as Dr Powers, at First Baptist Church in Norfolk, VA, talked of a man named Jonah, who paid to run from his destiny, both in cold hard cash and with his person for three days. I got it. My life has not been my own since that sermon.
October 25th is a significant day in history.
Category: Navy | Comments Off on Oct 25th, XXXX
