HOLIDAYS: "Veterans Day 2007" (11 November 2007)

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Hi All,

I enjoyed the above film and wanted to share it with my readers.

Here is the Marine Corps Commandant's message of the 232nd birthday of the USMC:

1. SINCE THE BIRTH OF OUR NATION, OUR LIBERTY HAS BEEN PURCHASED BY VALIANT MEN AND WOMEN OF DEEP CONVICTION, GREAT COURAGE, AND BOLD ACTION; THE COST HAS OFTEN BEEN IN BLOOD AND TREMENDOUS SACRIFICE. AS AMERICAS SENTINELS OF FREEDOM, UNITED STATES MARINES ARE COUNTED AMONG THE FINEST LEGIONS IN THE CHRONICLES OF WAR. SINCE 1775, MARINES HAVE MARCHED BOLDLY TO THE SOUNDS OF THE GUNS AND HAVE FOUGHT FIERCELY AND HONORABLY TO DEFEAT THE SCOURGE OF TYRANNY AND TERROR. WE ARE MARINES - THAT IS WHAT WE DO.

2. IN THE WORDS OF PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY: “IN THE LONG HISTORY OF THE WORLD, ONLY A FEW GENERATIONS HAVE BEEN GRANTED THE ROLE OF DEFENDING FREEDOM IN ITS HOUR OF MAXIMUM DANGER.” MAGNIFICENT HEROES FOUGHT IN THE WHEAT FIELDS OF BELLEAU WOOD, IN THE SNOWS OF THE CHOSIN, AND ON THE STREETS OF HUE CITY. YOUR GENERATION BEARS THIS OBLIGATION NOW, AND IT IS BORNE ON MIGHTY AND CAPABLE SHOULDERS. JUST LIKE THE MARINES AT BELLEAU WOOD - WE ARE ONCE AGAIN ENGAGED IN SUSTAINED OPERATIONS ASHORE. JUST LIKE AT BELLEAU WOOD - THE MARINES HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE TOUGHEST SECTOR AND HAVE PREVAILED OVER A RESILIENT AND DETERMINED ENEMY - WHO HAS MADE US PAY FOR OUR GAINS. ONCE AGAIN, AS IN ANY STRUGGLE, THE ROAD AHEAD IS FAR FROM CERTAIN, BUT AS MARINES, WE ARE NOT DISSUADED BY THE CHALLENGES OF WAR OR THE TOUGH CONDITIONS OF A WARRIOR’S LIFE. INDEED, WE DON’T JUST ACCEPT OUR DESTINY - WE SHAPE IT.

3. ON OUR 232ND BIRTHDAY, TO EVERY MARINE - THOSE STILL IN UNIFORM AND THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED HONORABLY IN THE PAST - BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU DO. KNOW THAT YOUR CITIZENSHIP DUES HAVE BEEN PAID IN FULL; YOU ARE PART OF THIS NATION’S ELITE WARRIOR CLASS. CHERISH OUR FAMILIES WHO OFFER MARVELOUS SUPPORT, ABIDING RESOLVE, AND STEADFAST PATIENCE. REMEMBER THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED AND THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN - THEIR NAMES ARE CHISELED ON THE ROLL CALL OF AMERICA’S HEROES. THOSE WHO HAVE CARRIED THE BATTLE COLORS OF OUR CORPS HAVE FORGED OUR HERITAGE, AND TODAY’S GENERATION OF LEATHERNECKS CHART OUR FUTURE. CARRY THE COLORS WITH PRIDE; CARRY THEM WITH HONOR.

4. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARINES!

SEMPER FIDELIS,
JAMES T. CONWAY,
GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//

And here are couple more 232nd birthday of the USMC links:

TOP: Happy 232nd birthday, USMC!

Link to USMC newletter post:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/projects/marinecorps/232/

232 reasons to love the USMC:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/11/marine_birthdaylist_071112w/

General Lejeune's message to the Marines:
http://www.usmc.mil/comrel/120day.nsf/lejeunemessage

Please donate to the Project Valour-IT Veterans Day Fundraiser, to provide voice-activated laptop computers to injured and disabled veterans if you get a chance to... as well. It's a small way for us to give back to men whose contributions to our society are easy to take for granted.

As a veteran myself, although of the United States Air Force (USAF) and not the Marines, and coming from a family with a long, proud service record, I'm always happy to celebrate Veteran's Day with my American friends and Remembrance Day with my Canadian, Ozzie, and British friends.

I also want to send out a special thanks to my father and grandfathers who served across the world to preserve some of the many freedoms I enjoy today whether in Cuba, Brazil, Europe, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, or elsewhere.

Link to Remembrance Day entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_day

Link to Veterans Day entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veteran%27s_Day

Have a great Sunday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).