This is my attempt at remembering 9/11 - but this is also a story about how ordinary American's responded to 9/11, and I wanted to share it w/you.

Why You Fight - 10 years later

Navy struggles to build gator fleet on a budget - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Navy struggles to build gator fleet on a budget - Navy News News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

The Gator fleet provide flexibility to our fleet ....... like no other platforms we have.

Protecting America's Skys - from Fox News

Protecting America's Skies - outstanding men are doing this every day

Read every word.........these are the men I would trust my life with..............

U.S. Postal Service Faced with Heavy Deficit and Hard Decisions - Current Rates, News and Information about Reducing Debt | Go Banking Rates

U.S. Postal Service Faced with Heavy Deficit and Hard Decisions - Current Rates, News and Information about Reducing Debt Go Banking Rates

Sorry folks .............. Wharf Rat digresses from Navy issues because Wharf Rat works for none other than The FedEx Corporation.

Our company has had to make hard decisions on employment levels, salaries, benefits, and other expenditures - including aircraft purchases over the years.

The United States Postal Service, and I'm not going to completely hammer away at the service provided because we all like our mail, has in no way adjusted to the reduced level of mail. They've maintained the same size work force because of union contracts, with a 22% drop in revenues. What do you think is going to happen? No way do I want to see it go away - but my goodness, the Wharf Rat could do a better job of managing it than what is happening today.

Read the article - lets see if it draws your comments. Especially read the last paragraph.

Forty Policemen Needed to Control Wisconsin Democrats

Since getting wiped out in the 2010 election and failing in their massively-financed recall elections, Wisconsin’s Democrats have embarked on a permanent temper tantrum. Like little children, they apparently intend to stamp their feet and hold their breath until they get their way. Most recently, they infiltrated and disrupted a Rotary meeting at which Paul Ryan was speaking. More than forty policemen were needed to keep the unruly Democrats under control; they escorted twenty from the Rotary meeting and arrested three.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/09/forty-policemen-needed-to-control-wisconsin-democrats.php


Wharf Rats says - hilarious!

Never, ever forget

MURMANSK, Russia (Sept. 3, 2011) Sailors assigned to the guided-missile frigate USS Carr (FFG 52) place flowers at the graves of American merchant mariners who died supporting the Polar Convoys. The convoys were a series of cargo routes from the United Kingdom and North America delivering vital supplies to the Soviet Union during World War II. Carr is on a three-month deployment supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jeff Troutman/Released)

Kurdistan Chief Calls for U.S. Troops To Stay - Defense News

Kurdistan Chief Calls for U.S. Troops To Stay - Defense News

Battleship Iowa to become museum in California - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Battleship Iowa to become museum in California - Navy News News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

outstanding news - I'm making the assumption that this group was chosesn because of their finanaces...stronger than the other groups finances.

Now lets get USS Ranger CV 61 to Portland!

We need to save a super carrier....................

Look at the future

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Sept. 2, 2011) The littoral combat ship USS Independence (LCS-2) is moored in St. Petersburg during a labor day weekend port visit. (U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Matthew Comer/Released)



The most capable amphibious fleet in the world

SAN DIEGO (Aug. 31, 2011) The amphibious dock landing ships USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52) and USS Rushmore (LSD 47) share a pier with the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) at Naval Base San Diego. (U.S. Navy photo by Senior Chief Mass Communication Specialist Joe Kane/Released) 

PACIFIC OCEAN (Sept. 2, 2011) An AV-8B Harrier assigned to the Red Dragons of Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 268, from Yuma, Ariz., lands aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8). Makin Island is preparing for an upcoming deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David McKee/Released)

On September 4, 1945, the Japanese garrison surrendered to a detachment of United States Marines. The handover of Wake was conducted in a brief ceremony. From Wikepedia - and October 5 - is the Wharf Rat's birthday

After a successful American air raid on October 5, 1943, Sakaibara ordered the execution of all of the 98 captured Americans that remained on the island. They were taken to the northern end of the island, blindfolded, and machine-gunned. One prisoner escaped the massacre, carving the message "98 US PW 5-10-43" on a large coral rock near where the victims had been hastily buried in a mass grave. This unknown American was soon recaptured and beheaded. Sakaibara and his subordinate, Lieutenant Commander Tachibana, were later sentenced to death for this and other war crimes. Tachibana's sentence was later commuted to life in prison. The remains of the murdered civilians were exhumed and reburied at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in section G^[26].

Pearl Harbor maintenance leaves ARG shorthanded - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Pearl Harbor maintenance leaves ARG shorthanded - Navy News News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Key point of this article............that USS Pearl Harbor had to defer maintenance in the past, that extended this yard period. This is another example of the money missing to fund routine maintance from the Navy's budget.

Yet - we seem to spend on the domestic side like there's no tomorrow, and can't hold the line on the debt ceiling. The US debt problem is not on the defense side, it's on the domestic side. Our recession is in part caused by elected officials who do not have the ability to say 'no' to anyone, but defense.