‘Salute to Veterans’ Archives
Veterans Day celebration leads to surprise reunion
By Natalie Strom The Veterans Day Ceremony at Veterans’ Memorial Park on November 11th was certainly one to remember. Special Guest Speaker, General James K. Guest, would definitely agree. During his speech he explained to the large crowd why this particular Veterans’ Day was so special to him. “Veterans’ Day is a day to remember the [...]
Veteran’s notes
Honor a Hero: Call for Photos Campaign If you have a photo of anyone who died in the Vietnam conflict or know someone who does, you can help honor a hero. The traveling Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall known as “The Wall That Heals” will be installed on Marco Island at Veterans Community Park from December 7 through 10. If you have a photo [...]
SALUTE TO VETS
A TRIUMPH OF LOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF WAR By Jane A. Marlowe Coastal Breeze News salutes a couple as part of its continuing recognition of World War II veterans. Two young lieutenants met while serving in the United States Army and neither war nor far away assignments could keep them from finding each other again and again. Georgia [...]
Fire! Fire! Fire! This is not a Drill!
Bill Duncan recalls the Blazing Inferno on the USS Forrestal (CVA-59) - July 29, 1967 By Carol Glassman The USS Forrestal, the flagship of the 7th Fleet and pride of the Navy, was so large it was classified as a super carrier. The nearly 60,000-ton Forrestal was launched in 1954 and in spite of its size, could still attain speeds of 33 [...]
Tim Sullivan – I’ve been to 54 countries and every continent
Navy from Feb 73-Sept 93 The draft was in effect so I decided to ‘join’ rather than be pulled out of school. The day I was sworn in, President Nixon ended the draft! My dad had been in World War II, I remember when asking him but he always refused to talk about it. I took service day by day, the war in Vietnam was coming to an end. I [...]
Tim Sullivan: I’ve been to 54 countries and every continent
Navy from Feb 73-Sept 93 The draft was in effect so I decided to ‘join’ rather than be pulled out of school. The day I was sworn in, President Nixon ended the draft! My dad had been in World War II, I remember when asking him but he always refused to talk about it. I took service day by day, the war in Vietnam was coming to an end. I [...]
DROP IN ANYTIME…. Part Two
“A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think of Vietnam. One day, August 19, 1969 I found a tunnel. When I pulled on the handle, the VC pulled back. I started to pull harder and I believe I was breaking his knuckles. Finally, he let go and I fell backwards with the cement cover. At the same time he threw a grenade up. It was an American M-26 hand [...]
DROP IN ANYTIME…. Part One
I’ve had the pleasure of hearing Lieutenant Colonel William Howey (Ret) speak to a group of Rotarians on Marco Island. It is an honor for anyone to hear him speak. Lieutenant Colonel Howey readily garners the attention of every member of his audience with his thrilling, and often edge-of-your-seat scary, life experiences. Speaking with him [...]
180 pounds going in, 90 pounds coming out!
SALUTE TO VETERAN FRED BURNHAM, JR. When Fred Burnham, Jr. considered enlisting, apples were only 24 cents a pound and donuts were only 10 cents a dozen! If that doesn't put a time line in perspective for you, his father, who had the foresight to suggest Fred enlist, was born in 1875. His father loved to read and had some college [...]
“I Thought I was Invincible!”
Coastal Breeze News salutes Gil Mueller in our ‘Salute to Veterans’ Series By Val Simon and John Patterson Gil Mueller started getting draft notices while he was still in high school in Park Ridge, Illinois. He was still too young to serve in the military. But as they say, the third time is a charm, at least for the government that [...]
