Monday, December 30, 2013
CDR Salamander: Your Pacific Pivot Playcard
CDR Salamander: Your Pacific Pivot Playcard: Via Australia's The Strategist , a little handy reference card. Sure, you an pic a nit here and there, but nice visual.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
CDR Salamander: Tai Chi in the South China Sea
CDR Salamander: Tai Chi in the South China Sea: Via HdV , a nice infographic from Stratfor to start your nood'l nood'l'n this AM.
CDR Salamander: Tai Chi in the South China Sea
CDR Salamander: Tai Chi in the South China Sea: Via HdV , a nice infographic from Stratfor to start your nood'l nood'l'n this AM.
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Killer at 70,000 Feet | Military Aviation | Air & Space Magazine
Killer at 70,000 Feet | Military Aviation | Air & Space Magazine
a great article about the pilots who fly the U2
a great article about the pilots who fly the U2
Monday, December 16, 2013
CDR Salamander: The Great War and our Great Unknown
CDR Salamander: The Great War and our Great Unknown: It is comforting to look about us and simply not imagine any possible reason for there to be a major war. History teaches us that we re...
Monday, December 9, 2013
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Thunderbirds honor fallen pilot with dedication of restored F-105 replica
Thunderbirds honor fallen pilot with dedication of restored F-105 replica
Wharf Rat loves that this was done.
RIP - we have the watch
Wharf Rat loves that this was done.
RIP - we have the watch
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Delta Force Marine awarded Navy Cross for fight at CIA annex in Benghazi - Washington Times
Delta Force Marine awarded Navy Cross for fight at CIA annex in Benghazi - Washington Times
The Navy provided a statement to The Times:
“Yes, a Navy Cross was approved, but due to security and privacy concerns no further information can be provided at this time. It is not unusual for certain awards not to be publicized, and details of the circumstances and actions that justified the award to be withheld. Per DoD regulations, this information will not be released if it could potentially lead to a compromise of national security, or potentially create undue risk to the security and privacy of the awardee and his/her family.”
The Navy provided a statement to The Times:
“Yes, a Navy Cross was approved, but due to security and privacy concerns no further information can be provided at this time. It is not unusual for certain awards not to be publicized, and details of the circumstances and actions that justified the award to be withheld. Per DoD regulations, this information will not be released if it could potentially lead to a compromise of national security, or potentially create undue risk to the security and privacy of the awardee and his/her family.”
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
A Sailor’s Dying Wish
After signing my Pop, EM2 Bud Cloud (circa Pearl Harbor) up for hospice care, the consolation prize I’d given him (for agreeing it was OK to die) was a trip to “visit the Navy in San Diego.”
I emailed my friend and former Marine sergeant, Mrs. Mandy McCammon, who’s currently serving as a Navy Public Affairs Officer, at midnight on 28 May. I asked Mandy if she had enough pull on any of the bases in San Diego to get me access for the day so I could give Bud, who served on USS Dewey (DD-349), a windshield tour.
The next day she sent me an email from the current USS Dewey (DDG 105)’s XO, CDR Mikael Rockstad, inviting us down to the ship two days later.
We linked up with Mandy outside Naval Base San Diego and carpooled to the pier where we were greeted by CMDCM Joe Grgetich and a squad-sized group of Sailors. Bud started to cry before the doors of the van opened. He’d been oohing and pointing at the cyclic rate as we approached the pier, but when we slowed down and Mandy said, “They’re all here for you, Bud,” he was overwhelmed.
After we were all out of the van directly in front of the Dewey, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries, Petty Officer Simon introduced himself and said as the ship’s Sailor of the Year he had the honor of pushing Bud’s wheelchair for the day. Unbeknownst to us, they’d decided to host Bud aboard the Dewey, not at the Dewey. And so they carried him aboard. None of us expected him to go aboard the ship. I’d told him we were going down to the base and would have the chance to meet and greet a few of the Sailors from the new Dewey. He was ecstatic. The day before, he asked every few hours if we were “still going down to visit the boys from the Dewey,” and “do they know I was on the Dewey, too?”
Once aboard, we were greeted by the CO, CDR Jake Douglas, the XO and a reinforced platoon-sized group of Sailors. To say it was overwhelming is an understatement. These men and women waited in line to introduce themselves to Bud. They shook his hand, asked for photos with him, and swapped stories. It was simply amazing.
They didn’t just talk to him, they listened.
Bud’s voice was little more than a weak whisper at this point and he’d tell a story and then GMC Eisman or GSCS Whynot would repeat it so all of the Sailors on deck could hear. In the midst of the conversations, Petty Officer Flores broke contact with the group. Bud was telling a story and CMDCM Grgetich was repeating the details when Flores walked back into view holding a huge photo of the original USS Dewey. That moment was priceless. Bud stopped mid-sentence and yelled, “There she is!” They patiently stood there holding the photo while he told them about her armament, described the way it listed after it was hit, and shared other details about the attacks on Pearl Harbor.
Bud finally admitted how tired he was after more than an hour on deck. While they were finishing up goodbyes and taking last minute photographs, GMC Eisman asked if it’d be OK to bring Sailors up to visit Bud in a few months after a Chief’s board. I hadn’t said it yet because I didn’t want it to dampen the spirit of the day, but I quietly explained to GMC Eisman the reason we’d asked for the visit was simple: Bud was dying.
I told him they were welcome to come up any time they wanted, but I suspected Bud had about a month left to live. Almost without hesitation, he asked if the crew could provide the burial honors when the time came. I assured him that’d be an honor we’d welcome.
Leaving the ship was possibly more emotional than boarding.
They piped him ashore. CMDCM Grgetich leaned in and quietly told me how significant that honor was and who it’s usually reserved for as we headed towards the gangplank. Hearing “Electrician’s Mate Second Class William Bud Cloud, Pearl Harbor Survivor, departing” announced over the 1MC was surreal.
Later that night Bud sat in his recliner, hands full of ship’s coins and declared, “I don’t care what you do with my power tools; you better promise you’ll bury me with these.”
He died 13 days later. For 12 of those 13 days he talked about the Dewey, her Sailors and his visit to San Diego. Everyone who came to the house had to hear the story, see the photos, hold the coins, read the plaques.
True to his word, GMC Eisman arranged the details for a full honors burial. The ceremony was simple yet magnificent. And a perfect sendoff for an ornery old guy who never, ever stopped being proud to be a Sailor. After the funeral, the Sailors came back to the house for the reception and spent an hour with the family. This may seem like a small detail, but it’s another example of them going above and beyond the call of duty, and it meant more to the family than I can explain.
There are more photos, and I’m sure I missed a detail, or a name. What I didn’t miss and will never forget, is how unbelievable the men and women of the USS Dewey were. They opened their ship and their hearts and quite literally made a dream come true for a dying Sailor.
They provided the backdrop for “This is the best day of my life, daughter. I never in my whole life dreamed I’d step foot on the Dewey again or shake the hand of a real life Sailor.”
Without question, it’s the best example of Semper Fidelis I’ve ever seen.
Jennie Haskamp is a Marine Corps veteran who was fortunate to be adopted by a Pearl Harbor survivor after her first tour in the Corps. She’s an accidental tourist of sorts, keeping her friends entertained with anecdotes and photos, while she continues college and decides what she wants to be when she grows up.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Sunday, November 10, 2013
WWII Doolittle Raiders Make Final Toast | Military.com
WWII Doolittle Raiders Make Final Toast | Military.com
Wharf Rat witnessed history watching the video
Wharf Rat witnessed history watching the video
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
CDR Salamander: How Lenny Got Fat
CDR Salamander: How Lenny Got Fat: What I thought was a typical case of a fallen CDR with at great backstory just might be a bit larger than I thought. Via S-n-S ; Nicknamed...
Friday, November 1, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
CDR Salamander: Fullbore Friday
CDR Salamander: Fullbore Friday: Via Jake Tapper at CNN who has done so much to bring to the attention a part of a war most have chose to ignore: The first shots rang o...
Friday, August 23, 2013
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
CDR Salamander: Aviation Dystopia
CDR Salamander: Aviation Dystopia: After starting off Monday with such a negative-Nimrod theme, I really wanted to bring up something positive up today ... but alas - DC won&#...
Friday, August 16, 2013
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Monday, August 12, 2013
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Japan unveils largest warship since World War II - Pacific - Stripes#
Japan unveils largest warship since World War II - Pacific - Stripes#
I like what the Japanese are doing here.
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
Monday, August 5, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
CDR Salamander: HAYLER and the Never-was-has-beens
CDR Salamander: HAYLER and the Never-was-has-beens: Here is a change I would really like to see in how we train our senior leadership; they need to act more like a customer of the defense in...
Very good reading from CDR Salamander
Very good reading from CDR Salamander
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Vet returns to North Korea for 1st black Navy aviator - Pacific - Stripes
Vet returns to North Korea for 1st black Navy aviator - Pacific - Stripes
In this July 12, 2013 photo, retired Navy Capt. Thomas Hudner, who was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman, poses on the porch at his home in Concord, Mass.
The Wisconsin: A big ship that carries a big stick in Gulf - News - Stripes
The Wisconsin: A big ship that carries a big stick in Gulf - News - Stripes
A throwback article to 1990..............nice!
A throwback article to 1990..............nice!
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Soviet Tanks As Far As The Eye Can See | Defense Tech#comment-386782#comment-386782
Soviet Tanks As Far As The Eye Can See | Defense Tech#comment-386782#comment-386782
This you need to see......................
This you need to see......................
Monday, July 15, 2013
CDR Salamander: Fullbore Friday
CDR Salamander: Fullbore Friday: Part of the unwritten pact those who serve understand is they trust that they will not be left behind, they will not be forgotten. The l...
CDR Salamander: Logo Contest at History and Heritage Command
CDR Salamander: Logo Contest at History and Heritage Command: Hey, people often wish they had a chance to shape the Navy's image. Are you one of those folks? Well, here's a chance . How wou...
Please get the word out.........
Please get the word out.........
CDR Salamander: Logo Contest at History and Heritage Command
CDR Salamander: Logo Contest at History and Heritage Command: Hey, people often wish they had a chance to shape the Navy's image. Are you one of those folks? Well, here's a chance . How wou...
Please get the word out.........
Please get the word out.........
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Who Really Completed the first 25 missions? Europe theater
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Two of the three Japanese ships are shown to the media on Monday, landing ship tank Shimokita, left, and helicopter destroyer Hyuga, right. — Jeffrey S Brown
The Japanese Defence Forces here in Joint Execersizes (San Diego)
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Final mission for VMA-513's Flying Nightmares
Marine Attack Squadron 513 flies over the Wake Islands in December, 2012.
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Thursday, June 6, 2013
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
More than 200 Sailors and Marines attend a wreath laying ceremony at the Navy Memorial to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the Battle of Midway. The Battle of Midway was the turning point in the Pacific theater of World War II and set the stage for the United States victory over Japan. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gina K Morrissette (Released) 130604-N-WE887-001
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