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Memorial Day 2016

Memorial Day 2016

by Bryan Strawser · May 30, 2016

finf

Looking for a depression in the ground, an elongated patch of grass that grew taller and greener than the rest, old military equipment, or defense fortifications. Fory and the others continued their search. From after-battle reports they knew that the remains of a soldier were somewhere in the 1,000 meter square grid marked on their map.

Eventually, their search line moved over and down three small knolls and, some hundred or so yards farther, came to the base of a cliff. There, against the cliff face, they saw that someone had built a semi circular rock wall that offered a small area of protection.

They carefully climbed over the makeshift fort wall and found hundreds of machine gun and M1 Garand shell casings, and a score or more of grenade pins and handles scattered about. In the middle of this detritus of war, they also found the bones and gear webbing of a solitary US soldier.

Fory and his men knew that a furious battle had taken place at the rock fortification. In front of the rough-hewn fort and on the facing ground of the knolls lay the remains of more than 300 Chinese soldiers.

What they couldn’t comprehend, at first, was the large number of spent rounds behind the fort wall; one man didn’t carry that much ammunition; and certainly not both a machine gun and a rifle. Adding to the mystery was a weather-beaten rope that hung down from the cliff above and behind the remains.

As they continued to canvass the site, clearing away debris from the American’s remains, carefully checking for live grenades or other explosives, the searchers concluded that there had to have been several men fighting from behind the rock wall. But what had prevented the recovery of the sole US serviceman? Were there possibly other remains?

They continued their investigation and finally were left with a single, inescapable conclusion: one soldier had stayed behind so the rest could scale to safety up the cliff.

“There wasn’t a dry eye in the squad by the time we finished recovering his remains, ” Fory told me one night in Louisiana, the story still fresh in his mind and his emotions resonating in his words forty years later.

– Michael Sledge, “Soldier Dead: How We Recover, Identify, Bury, and Honor Our Military Fallen”

Filed Under: Uncategorized

My candlelight vigil against gun violence

by Bryan Strawser · Jan 7, 2012

The Brady Campaign, the folks who desire to limit your Second Amendment rights, are calling for a nationwide candlelight vigil this Sunday against gun violence. This is, of course, the one year anniversary of the shooting in Tucson, Arizona where Congresswoman Giffords was shot and seriously wounded. Several others were killed in this same shooting.

Now, I deplore gun violence – but I don’t believe at all that the method to minimize violence is to diminish the ability of law abiding citizens to own, carry, and use firearms in their own defense. That’s why, along with many others across the nation, I’m holding my own candlelight vigil to show that a handgun can do wonders to protect innocent lives from harm.

For the curious: Springfield Armory TRP 1911, Sideguard leather, Wilson Combat magazines, Federal HST ammunition (.45), & Chris Reeves small Sebenza knife.

You can learn more about the intellectual underpinnings of the other side over at places like Common Gunsense.

“One bleeding-heart type asked me in a recent interview if I did not agree that ‘violence begets violence.’ I told him that it is my earnest endeavor to see that it does. I would like very much to ensure (and in some cases I have) that any man who offers violence to his fellow citizen begets a whole lot more in return than he can enjoy.”

Col. Jeff Cooper, “Cooper vs. Terrorism”, Guns & Ammo Annual, 1975

Filed Under: Deep Thoughts, Firearms, Uncategorized

Jersey Swaps, a Ritual That Comes With a Story – NYTimes.com

by Bryan Strawser · Jul 7, 2010

The exchanging of jerseys at the end of a soccer match is a longtime ritual that is well established in the sport, even as it has evolved. With each swap — like the ones that take place after games in this World Cup — there is usually a story.

Often the tales are personal, speaking to a player’s standing in the game or marking a chapter in his career.

As for the jerseys themselves, sometimes they are washed, sometimes not. Sometimes they end up being given away, auctioned off, framed for display in a player’s home, boxed up in storage, or — as Berhalter learned — who knows where?

via Jersey Swaps, a Ritual That Comes With a Story – NYTimes.com.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

You can tell a man from what he has to say

by Bryan Strawser · Feb 19, 2009

Smiling as the shit comes down
You can tell a man from what he has to say
Everything gets turned around
And I will risk my neck again, again

You can take me where you will
Up the creek and through the mill
All the things you cant explain
Four seasons in one day

– Crowded House

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Hyundai Sante Fe

by Bryan Strawser · Feb 8, 2009

Last week I managed to completely shock my parents and purchase a new vehicle – my first SUV – the Hyundai Sante Fe.

hyundai-sante-fe-showroom

After nearly a week of driving the vehicle, I can say that I’m quite happy with it. It’s a “midsize” SUV so it’s not overly huge – gets reasonably good gas mileage, handles quite well, and has a decent sized cargo area. I’m still adapting to the fact that I sit up much higher than I did in my Civic Hybrid – but I do like the expanded view of the road and what’s ahead. And I imagine that it handles much better in the snow than what the Civic did.

And yes, I really did buy the one that was off the showroom floor. In fact, I got to drive it out of the showroom, which was quite fun.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

I, too, sing America

by Bryan Strawser · Aug 30, 2008

I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.
They send me to eat in the kitchen
When company comes,
But I laugh,
And eat well,
And grow strong.

Tomorrow,
I’ll be at the table
When company comes.
Nobody’ll dare
Say to me,
“Eat in the kitchen,”
Then.

Besides,
They’ll see how beautiful I am
And be ashamed–

I, too, am America.

– Langston Hughes

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Randy Pausch, 1960 – 2008

by Bryan Strawser · Jul 26, 2008

I can only hope that I can live my life with the same amount of courage in which you faced the end of your own….

Other coverage: TechMeme, CMU News.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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