Memorial Day 2026

Well, I can’t do what I normally do in buying a beer for them. No printer, and not sure a bar here would get what I was doing. Then again, from some things I’m discovering this trip, I might just be very pleasantly surprised. What I can do is be sure they, and those like them, are remembered here. Enjoy the day, the food, the celebrations; but, remember in your heart the real reason for the day. I don’t know a one of them who wouldn’t encourage you to have a good time, and remember the good times with them.

In Memoriam:

ENS Albert Foster Powers, MIA 1945 Japan
LCPL Bill Stelpflug, Beirut
COL Rick Rescorla, NY 9/11
SPC Ryan Dallam, Iraq
PFC Damian Lopez, Iraq
SPC Marieo Guerrero, Iraq
CPT Anthony Palermo, Iraq
SPC David Behrle, Iraq
SPC Joseph Gilmore, Iraq
PFC Travis Haslip, Iraq
SGT Jean Medlin, Iraq
SSG Christopher Moore, Iraq
PVT Alexander Varela, Iraq
LCPL Jeremy W. Burris, Iraq
SSG Brian Cowdrey, Afghanistan
MAJ Andrew Olmstead, Iraq
CPT Carroll LeFon, CONUS

No Greater Love…

Remembering The Fifty

This should have gone up yesterday, and it is a repost of an earlier post. But it’s one I try to get up each year. Click on the links and read more about the Great Escape, which was a bit different from the movie.

Today, I take the time to remember the 50. On this night, in 1944, prisoners of war staged a daring large-scale escape from Stalag Luft III. The movie is good, but isn’t accurate since it was a Royal Air Force show. All but three of the prisoners who escaped were recaptured, and of those, Adolph Hitler personally ordered the deaths of 50 of them. Today, I raise a glass to them, and to all who dared and risked all to do so.

If you want to know more, go here, here, here, and here.

Quite A Century

Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of Robert Goddard’s first launch of a liquid-fueled rocket. It literally was two seconds that changed the world.

Today, we have re-usable rockets and regular flights to orbit. Satellites have transformed communications, weather forecasting, intelligence gathering, and more. Research in space is unlocking secrets of the universe, transforming our understanding of matter, and setting the stage for us to get off this mudball and start on our way to the stars (to quote Glenn, “Faster, Please”).

Hard to believe that so much of the modern world started with just two seconds that didn’t even rate a mention in the local newspaper if I remember correctly. Then again, the leading intellectuals (or, at least one: one also wonders if over-credentialed idiots have always been a problem, hmmmm) of the day held forth that rockets would not work in space as there was nothing for them to push against.

I will not knock any of today’s people for they are doing amazing things. That said, they got quite a boost by standing on the shoulders of Goddard, Oberth, and Tsiolkovsky. I even seem to recall one or more members of von Braun’s team talking about what a debt they owed to them during a conversation. Each generation builds upon the previous; yet, there is always a starting point and a starting person. In many respects, when it comes to modern rocketry, Robert Goddard is that man. Salute.

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Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Sinking Down

The other morning, Sarah posted a link to this post by Sgt. Mom over at Instapundit. It made me laugh as I think that is the one question I never got when giving or assisting with base tours. We got asked a lot of other things (no, there are no missile silos on this base, only one vertical test cell thank you) and I was the smartass who, answering someone else’s phone, I told someone that no, the alien bodies were not at our base they were all at Wright Pat (and helpfully gave them the PAO number there).

You do get some interesting questions when giving base tours, but what made me laugh was not the question in question. Rather, it reminded me of a base tour I had been on that nearly ended badly.

Many years ago, when dinosaurs still ruled the Earth and the ground still hot, I and a group of other Boy Scouts (back when it was still a real organization) got to go out to Philmont and hike. Now, the journey out there was long, so our council rented a bus and arranged for us to stay at military bases along the way. Let me just say that the Air Force had the best facilities and chow, and the Navy was not far behind. Sorry Green Machine, but they trounced you.

Now, one of those Air Force bases at which we lodged decided to give us a pretty good dog-and-pony on our visit, including having our bus go on a tour of said base. In fact, we were cleared to go along a very special flight line as part of that. Problem was, as always, someone didn’t get the word.

All of a sudden, we were surrounded. A truck whipped in front of our bus and stopped, tarp went up, and machine gun trained out. Men and trucks to either side did the same. Anyone looking in from outside would have seen most of the scouts (except “Carl” and a couple of friends) sliding down in their seats below the windows, like the thin metal of the bus sides were going to stop anything…

It got sorted, but about three minutes later we got hit like that again. After than, an appropriate officer stood in the front of the bus to handle things as we continued our tour. I don’t remember much from that dog-and-pony, but I sure do remember that.

Thanks for the memory, and a good laugh, Sgt. Mom.

Please check out my Winter 26 Bleg!

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, and to start a truly new life, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Dear Bill

Not sure if you will get this letter, but if it can get through to Lance Corporal Bill J. Stelpflug, USMC, I would appreciate it. I don’t have his forwarding address, the last address I have for him was at the Marine Barracks in Beirut, and I would like him to know a few things that have been going on.

First, an apology. I used to write you every year on the anniversary, but many of those notes were lost in various attacks on hosting providers by the very people who attacked the barracks. It’s my bad for not staying on top of things, and I do apologize for it.

I heard from your mother many years back, right when I first began writing to you. I wanted to keep your memory alive, in a time where so many seemed determined to forget and/or move on. She was so happy to see me write to you, and wrote to me and we talked a bit.

Your sister was happily married and had started a family. You’ll be glad to know we never did date, though I was smitten with her. I never did share those pictures I took of her in my improvised studio with her or anyone, as I screwed them up. I was still learning then, and it was a ‘learning experience’ of which I was ashamed. I might could rescue the shots these days in digital, and might try if I could give them to her. I was so happy to learn she was happy and thriving, though she and your brothers (and your parents) missed you terribly.

I enjoyed chatting with your mom, and catching up. It was a chance to remember simpler times, joyful and beautiful times. She was (is, I hope) a nice and dear lady.

My Dad was the Marine, and I was something else; but, what happened at the Barracks hit hard for us both. Not sure it was much, or did much good, but never missed a chance to try to poke the mad mullahs in the eye (or hit lower) if I got the chance. Nor did I miss a chance to recommend that others do so officially and unofficially.

Today, the tab the mullahs have been running got called. The original ayatollah has long since gone to whatever awaits him. His successor, who in many ways was even more evil, has paid the tab for all that was done. In fact, quite a few of the leadership seems to have departed with him. Pity, no? We can but hope that the demonic despots fall, and that Iranians regain their freedom. It is up to them now.

Not going to bore you with a bunch of drivel. Know I’m glad you and your brothers didn’t ‘have a word with me’ when I was interested in your sister, who deserved and found someone much, much better. Wish you hadn’t transferred to post eternal, and were still here with your family and friends. I pray the Lord has enfolded you in his light and comfort, that you rest with the saints where the light of his countenance visits you, and that you be judged to join those at his right hand.

LW

It’s Not Just Here

Over at Instapundit this moring, Sarah A. Hoyt linked to a good post at Behind The Black on how the left has only a little time left to stop the violence. Sarah noted that she hoped we might yet walk the knife edge and avoid the horrible alternative. She’s right about that, as such will change not just us, but the world.

The problem is, we are not just walking a knife edge here. The President just noted earlier that the violence is because they (the progressives) are out of other options and the public is rather overwhelmingly in favor of the actions being taken (deportation of criminals being but one). Which is why Portland, Chicago, and other locations are trying their best to claim the mantle of George S. James, and Pritzker seems to see himself as Jefferson Davis.

I would argue that he is at least five Jefferson Davis’s, at least in volume. I would further argue that despite their delusions, neither Pritzker, Noisome, nor any others involved are anywhere close to being Gen. Beauregard. I futher agree with Victor Davis Hanson that Pritzker et al are indeed “neo-confederate nullificationists.” If they keep going, they are likely to find out what happened to the real Davis, Walker, and others. The problem is, neither we nor the U.S. will be the same afterwards. The odds are good that if it gets out of hand, it won’t stay limited and no sane person wants Civil War 2.0.

But, the progressives are not sane by reasonable standards. They see power slipping away, funds drying up, and are already sold on violence being acceptable to force their twisted dreams into something resembling (vaguely) reality.

Big problem is, it’s not just here. Look at all the places where violence has started up after the Trump Gaza peace deal. Bree A. Dail noted it on X and she is right. Look at what is going on in England right now (for all that there is some hope, I truly do think it lost), not to mention Germany and France (strong lack of coverage here). The only places it isn’t flaring up are those countries that have been bucking the EU on forced immigration (cough Hungary cough). It really does look like a large-scale effort at revolution, or if they can’t be successful, ensuring the rest of us go down with them. And, yes, I do think those behind this are just that spiteful.

To add to the fun, consider also that Russia is getting increasingly desperate. Rather, in many respects, Vladimir is getting more and more desperate. Right now, I’m not sure what is going on with the power struggle as there are a lot of smoke and mirrors, a lot of disinformation (most aimed internal IMO), and a fair bit of confusion. If one thing I have heard is true, a long-time trusted advisor to Vladimir has been sacked and if true (note caveat) it is not good as that person opposed the invasion of Ukraine and has also opposed nuclear sabre-rattling and options. If he is indeed gone, that’s not good and Defcon Warning Systems is right with some of their concerns.

For all that I am still in the 20 percent club in regards traditional powers/stockpiles, any attempted use or even strong threat is going to have very bad results. There is no such thing as limited use, and given the growing membership in the nuclear club there is an increased chance of someone responding without consultation. That way lies madness.

But madness can seem at least borderline sane when you are facing a reversal of fortunes on the conventional front, growing manpower problems, growing attacks that are disrupting energy, transportation, agriculture, and more. Add in an unhappy populace and growing restiveness in the ranks of those who would like to replace you and… Desperate people do desperate things, and when your last pipeline to thoughts and information carefully kept outside your information bubble, which is in a silo and both are inside yet more bubbles, and decisions that have no connection with reality are easy to make.

I’m not so sure that the 20 percent club applies to newer nuclear powers either, such as China. Keep in mind that China is facing a lot of challenges and in his own way Winnie the Xi is growing as desperate at Vladimir. I think he’s got a better chance of holding on for now, but he’s fast approaching some go/no-go decisions on everything from Taiwan on to other economic and territorial ambitions. We are ill prepared to deal with any go decisions. Oh, and to add to the fun, if Vladimir and Russia get further into trouble, Xi would be more than happy to reclaim a good and important chunk of the Russian far east for China. They have long wanted it, and the resources, back.

In short, things could get hairy. We’ve been very lucky walking the knife blade so far. Fact is, aside from pointing things out and urging people to not respond to the provocations in a direct way, there’s not much I can do or that any of us can do. We can try to keep cool heads, and urge our leaders to the same. Other than that, the only option is prayer.

And, yes, I do pray not just for us to stay on the knife edge, but for us to get past things and move forward. If we don’t slip, there are some amazing things and times ahead of us. So, I turn the future over to the Lord and pray that he get us through this. I pray for peace, just peace, in the world. Among the several prayers I try to say everyday is one I modified a while back. It was originally done for one country under communism, but I think almost every European country that ended up under communism had it’s own version. Mine is:

Prayer for the Salvation of Earth

O Lord Jesus Christ our God, forgive our iniquities. Through the interceessions of Thy most pure Mother, save the suffering people of Earth from the yoke of the godless authority. Amen.

For those who don’t know, the “yoke of the godless authority” is that of communism, which means communism and socialism of all types as they are simply parts of the same coin. Doesn’t matter if “true” communism, Soviet “socialism” that was communism, National Socialism, or any other facet of the ultra-leftest creed that is envy, despair, and slavery. The woke, aka progressive left, WEF-types, etc. are all of the same coin, and they are all the godless authority who seek to destroy freedom and religion. Hence, my prayer which I’ve been saying since before the last election. I hope you might join me in it.

Yes, things are happening all over and the push to foment violence and violent response is not limited to just the U.S. There are other flashpoints that exist, but they are also linked in many ways to this desperate progressive push.

Against it, let me quote “Hold the Line!” There is likely to be a blood-price paid, but with God’s Grace we can walk the knife edge to safer and better times. Pray that we do, and that we retain cool heads no matter what. I really do need to do a post one day soon on all the good things I see coming if we can but hold the line. We truly can have a golden age, if we can hold on through these interesting times.

Pray, have Faith, and hang in there. As part of that, be prepared. Keep your family and friends close, and your things where you can find them in the dark.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

9/11

In the past, this has been a hard day for me. I watched it unfold at work at NASA, made the calls duty required, and wondered. I knew someone who was supposed to be in the towers that day (they lived, co-worker changed out with them), and had friends in the Pentagon. Still get a smile at the NASA worker who thought President Bush had been hit in the knee by someone with a baseball bat when I called out to my boss (former SAC) that the President was NEACAPed (i.e. AF One was in the air and had assumed duty as the National Emergency Airborne Command Post). A day of horror, a day we kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, yet also a day when we still had hope.

Around the country, I was aware of specialized burn and trauma centers activating emergency plans and preparing for a flood of victims from NYC and DC. I heard that every military and civilian Nightingale (medical evac planes) went to hot pad status. And waited in vain.

No survivors came out of the wreckage. No wounded. Only the dead and later I watched as NYFD worked to find the dead even as the boots melted on their feet.

I remember them today. The living and the dead. God Bless Rick Rescorla and all those like him who went in and tried to save lives. Rick was last seen going back up a third time (I think) trying to save yet more when he had already saved hundreds. If you don’t know his song, you should. It is well worth knowing and singing unto the generations.

The memories of that day fade a bit each year, and with it the raw emotion. Today, though, I feel worse than I have in years. It’s not just the assassination yesterday (and, yes, I suspect it was done in part to tie into today) and what it means for the social compact and a representative democracy. Thing is, I just can’t shake the feeling that the people behind the Biden Regency let in such a large number of people who bear America ill-will because they were planning something much larger and worse than the first 9/11.

Such an attack could be used for either cementing power for a long, long time; or, it could be used as a Gotterdamerung if they lost. Either way would work for those pulling the strings. I very much agree with Sarah that a wounded/dying beast is far more dangerous, and woke is wounded and dying. Thing is, the win of individual liberty and the principles of the Great Experiment is not guaranteed even now. Stupidity can still set us back decades, or even centuries potentially though I prefer to think optimistically. As I’ve said before, woke is not just going to roll over and call the game.

We can survive a good bit, and push forward for further victories. Provided stupidity doesn’t get in more hits. We do not want the switch to flip, and I have to admit I never thought of Charlie as the first target. Honestly, I thought they would go at Trump (the boogie man in their fevered dreams), JD (largest real threat), or Pete (who is working hard to turn around the military) first. For that matter, I half expected a go at part of the Supreme Court, which Schumer and company have pushed hard and long.

Thing is, they couldn’t have picked a worse target (but then again, they are stupid). Charlie stood for discourse, debate, and discussion. They hated him because he was effective. In killing him, they have created a secular and religious martyr. When you cut out someone’s tongue, you do it because their words scare you and you don’t want them heard. Taking out the man who stood for discourse really was incredibly stupid as you have just confirmed his words as dangerous to you, and indicated in the strongest way that they were true and powerful. Add to it that you took out a Christian who spread the word and encouraged others to Christ, and you have created a religious martyr on top of that. Synergy is guaranteed to take that double whammy and turn it into something even more powerful.

I really do hope for the best case, and that TPUSA grows by leaps and bounds. Didn’t know him personally, but think he would be delighted if that happened. Worst case is, of course, that the thousands he reached have been shown that peaceful discourse is not going to happen, and… Not the way I hope or want things to go. The people behind this (and I don’t think it happened in isolation) truly failed to consider first or second order effects, much less third. Awakened a sleeping giant? Maybe. Shown thousands that peace is not an option, and that violence will come for them who are already shunned and marginalized by the woke? Oh yes. The only question is the response. Hence my first choice above.

More than ever, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop. And praying that sanity, and not stupidity, rules the day.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Sake

On a nicer and more tasty subject, I want to commend to you two posts (so far) about Sake from Francis Turner at Lesser Known Japan. One of the more educational nights I spent in Japan years back was sitting at a bar enjoying a conversational lecture on the history of Sake. The lecture was fascinating and the four samples of different styles of Sake were delicious and very intoxicating. The man giving the lecture was actually an expat Israeli, who had studied Japanese history and loved sharing the history of the drink. In earlier times, for instance, it was much more a liqueur or cordial. Some of the older forms of Sake pack quite the punch.

Here is Part One of his series; and, here is Part Two. There is more to come. Given the subject, I suspect much more to come. It is a fascinating bit of history, culinary and otherwise. Go check them out, and if you are ever looking at going to Japan, the site is full of treasures regular tourists rarely see. And, if you can’t go, you can find a number of the brands he talks about here and doing a tasting should be a lot of fun.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. If you want to know some of what it is going for, read here. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.

Better Than MilSpec

A few days ago, in an author’s forum on an almost deserted corner of anti-social media, a fan posted this.

I pointed out (as has the author, who’s fan group this was posted in, has said many times) that the colonists had better than milspec, and that is part of what made the difference in the American Revolution. The usual group of pedants came forth then (why do you hate potatoes, they had potatoes back then, you didn’t write an encyclopedia entry outlining every possible variant, etc.) and missed two key points. One, I wasn’t out to write an encyclopedia entry (though I have written the firearms sections for a major technology encyclopedia back when there were still such things) but a one line response; and, that the technological superiority extended beyond the obvious.

It’s one of my big problems with the NFA and other “taxes” and open regulations: it limits the ability to innovate and the ability of the average citizen to have not just milspec (which frankly often sucks in base form) but better than milspec. The colonists had rifles as they were accurate and made it a more sure proposition to be able to feed their family. Their muskets could also be rather innovative. If you are not familiar with the term “lock, stock, and barrel” then you are not going to understand how and why the colonists tended to buy the best they could and got delightfully innovative as soon as they could do so.

Fact is, most firearms innovations have come from outside the government. Take a look back around the Revolution, then move forward and while many hoped to make their money selling to the government, the innovations came from outside the government. Even today, that still holds true in my opinion. Note, however, that the government through the ATF and other agencies does all it can to hamper such development and innovation these days.

Me, I don’t want milspec, I want better than milspec. That holds true for firearms, communications gear, and more. I want rugged, dependable, reliable (which, yes, can be different from dependable), and cost effective. Why buy stock when you can often get far better “add ons” and custom for the same cost or less. Milspec is a best a good place to start. It is very easy to make it better in many cases.

Which is why I have a serious question for Elon and the new third party (more on that soon): don’t tell me you support the 2nd amendment and expect me to take you at your word. You’ve said more than once that you believed in regulating and restricting. I want specifics out of you, and in particular I want to know where you stand on repealing the NFA and other “taxes” and open regulations. I want it spelled out in detail.

I also want the NFA and such gone. It’s time to ensure that the Citizens of the Republic not only have milspec, but better than milspec. If you are proud that you have milspec, good on you you’re special. If you have made sure you have better than milspec, whether you admit it or not, you’re my type of people. I don’t care if it’s a better iron sight or using a 2-cent O-ring to improve the water resistance of an electronic device (versus the $2k special container sold to the government), you’ve still improved it and made it better than milspec.

The Revolution wasn’t all rifles versus muskets. It was much more complex and frankly far more rich from a technological standpoint than the pedants will ever truly realize. I think they fail to realize some of the true importance of Saba, but that’s for another day. What matters is that in more than one way the colonists had better than the milspec of the day. It’s what we need today as well. Just a thought.

Getting hit by lightning is not fun! If you would like to help me in my recovery efforts, feel free to hit the fundraiser at A New Life on GiveSendGo, use the options in the Tip Jar in the upper right, or drop me a line to discuss other methods. There is also the Amazon Wish List in the Bard’s Jar. It is thanks to your gifts and prayers that I am still going. Thank you.