My blogbuddy Captain Tightpants reminds us via a link that we need to welcome home our combat veterans and do all we can to help them fit into society again. Please read the article at that link before continuing here. I’d like to second the author’s call from my own perspective. When I came to… Continue reading A reminder from Captain Tightpants
Tag: Military memories
Memories of a painful encounter
I was interested to see this footage of a helicopter using an underslung powered saw to trim tree branches near a power line. It reminded me of a painful encounter with a nest of African wasps dislodged by a helicopter doing powerline clearance work in Southern Africa during the 1980’s. The chopper wasn’t using anything… Continue reading Memories of a painful encounter
Writing about military service, war, and killing
I have a question (or a series of questions) for my readers, particularly those interested in military science fiction and other military fiction, but also to everyone interested in this topic in general. Recently I wrote about the problems of character development, etc. in a guest post over at Sarah Hoyt’s place. In that article,… Continue reading Writing about military service, war, and killing
Spitfire 944
This is a remarkable short film from the Sundance Film Festival, one of two temporarily put up on YouTube to mark Memorial Day (I’ll put up the second one tomorrow.) It’ll only be available for a couple of weeks before being taken down again, so you might want to save a copy. It’s described as… Continue reading Spitfire 944
Feel-good story of the week
Courtesy of a link at Zercool’s place, we learn of a man who traced his father’s service rifle, managed to buy and restore it, and had it presented to him at a formal ceremony. You can read all about it at the link. Please excuse me for a moment while I wipe my eyes. Getting… Continue reading Feel-good story of the week
Of pee, pools and purity
It seems swimmer Michael Phelps is making waves by admitting that many competitive swimmers pee in the pool. The Telegraph reports: It may not be what everybody wants to hear but the swimming star Michael Phelps was right when he said it was OK to relieve yourself in the pool, claim scientists. Phelps, the most… Continue reading Of pee, pools and purity
Veterans Day
I think I said all I want to say about Veterans Day back in 2010, in this post. Please go re-read it, and pray for all those who’ve given their time, their service, and in some cases their lives, to keep us safe and free. This is their day. Peter
Theory versus practice in a combat zone
The Marine Corps Gazette has published an interesting article titled ‘What Color Are Your Socks?: It’s time To Leash Your Dogma‘. The author argues: Those leaders who emphatically state that there is no difference between the rules and expectations for Marines between the continental Unites States (CONUS) and a combat zone exhibit a shocking lack… Continue reading Theory versus practice in a combat zone
Fighting back: May 1942
From May 4th-8th, 1942, US and allied warships fought the Japanese Navy in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Wikipedia reminds us that it was ‘the first ever fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged each other, as well as the first in which neither side’s ships sighted or fired directly upon the other’. The… Continue reading Fighting back: May 1942
Fancy your own helicopter gunship?
It may not be as technologically gee-whiz as a current-model Apache, but if you’re so inclined (and moderately well-heeled), you can own a Vietnam War-era ‘Huey‘, a Bell UH-1E model helicopter gunship. It must be one of the more unusual auctions in eBay’s recent experience! The seller states: SELLING MY 1965 UH-1E MARINE CORPS HUEY… Continue reading Fancy your own helicopter gunship?