I just woke up this morning and turned on CNN to hear
about the 7 recenty KIA in this Battle.
Well, the tears could not help, but to fall from thine
own eyes.
I want to say how proud & honered I am, to know
that these American Soldiers - Our American Boys,
are out there, laying down therir lives, so we can go on
living ours.
They sacrfice there
lives so we could go about and live our everyday lives,
and enjoy are freedoms.
They sacrifice their lives, so the world - our Earth,
will hopefully become a better place to live in.
Yes, with tears still filling my eyes - I Salute our
Great American Military, Our Soldiers, on the battle front,
and here at home in America, and across the globe -
and those right here with us on Armorama,
protecting peace loving people everywhere.
" May God Shine His Everloving Light Upon You"
" May Thy Victory Reign Supreme & Not In Vain"
- ralph

Thanks Ralph for the info.

A link to CNN: http://europe.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/central/03/05/ret.afghanistan.fighting/index.html

Unbelieveable what conditions that have to fight in!

I agree with Ralph let them not have died in vain!!

Sweet words Ralph, there is not a day that goes by that I don't think about our men and women that are over there. And all our men and women in the military service, my prayers go with you. The one thing I regret most of all in my life is that I did not serve my country in the military service. And hope that in some small way my prayers and thoughts make their lifes a little safer.

Ron C.
Ashtabula, Oh

I completely agree with you Screamingeagle, my thoughts are constantly with all of our soldiers, sailors, and airmen. They, like so many before them gave their lives for our freedom and way of life. If not for them, this country would not be as great as it is today.
Thank you to all who served.

Hi Ron, that is also my biggest regret. - Like you & M1, these soldiers are
in my prayers everyday.

Scream and Rufus, dont be regretful for not serving! You serve us well by saying these nice things and honoring us when ever you can. And on behalf of those past a present military members of Armorama, I thank you very much for not forgeting us and those brave who have fallen.

I too was rather stunned to see the loss of so many brave men in that operation. Of course I guess it's wrong to expect no serious losses in this conflict. If only we had won past wars with such a lop-sided casualty rate (like the Gulf War).

I will certainly remember their sacrafice always. As I think it's right to remember all those who die in the service of my country, even in peace time.

God bless them.

Jim

The same is true in my family here, the servicemen and women are in our prayers everyday. They deserve our respect and grattitude

YodaMan
E Pluribus Unum -One from many

I have nothing but respect for the men/women that serve the greatest country in the world.
It is a sad day when anyone dies. It is a small comfort to know that they did not die in vain.

My deepest and most heartfelt prayers go with all those that willing lay their lives on the line and pay the ultimate sacrifice.

A very beautiful site dedicated to those who serve:

http://www.ishaah.com/Prayervet.htm

Having served my country over three decades ago, I can only agree with you all about the sentiments you feel for fallen comrades. It has always been a tough emotion to deal with, especially the closer you are to the event itself.
The only true consolation I have been able to live with all these years has been this thought...

Those brave men and their spirits are now in the company of other brave men who have come before them and given their all for their beliefs and their country......not bad company.


Tread.

Göttingen


Just now I was playing some background music while modeling, and all of a sudden played an old French song "Göttingen.
I don't know why or how, but all of a sudden it made me think of this post of some weeks ago. People taking arms against eachother, in Paris, in Göttingen....
The song dates back many decades, just after WWII. It's about a Frenchmen thinking of the East-German city Göttingen. The melody is lovely and melancholic at the same time.
I translated most of it below, as good as I can.

I was thinking about New York, Bagdad, Kabul, Jerusalem, Palestina ... of thousands of people who lost their homes, their families... or their lives. My thoughts were about war, and what it has brought to humanity throughout history.

I'm a modeler of armor. I served in the army. I don't think turning the other cheak is always the best solution, and I'm not a religious person. I have a deep respect for all those who serve for their countries, those who are willing to give everything - even their lives - for the principles their people stand for.
Still, the song of Göttingen brought a tear in my eyes just now. It seems we'll never learn.



Gottingen
Bien sûr, ce n'est pas la Seine, Of Course it's not the Seine (=river in Paris)
Ce n'est pas le bois de Vincennes, it's not the woods of Vincenne (= Paris Neighborhood)
Mais c'est bien joli tout de même, but it's nice there anyway,
A Göttingen, à Göttingen, in Göttingen...

Pas de quai et pas de rengaines, They don't have the quays and ... (?)
Qui se lamentent et qui se trainent, (?)
Mais l'amour y fleurit quand même, but love flourishes there anyway
A Göttingen, à Göttingen,

Ils savent mieux que nous, je pense, they know better than we do ourselves
L'histoire de nos rois de France, the history of our French kings
Hermann, Peter, Helga et Hans,
A Göttingen,

Et que personne ne s'offense, I hope nobody takes offence
Mais les contes de notre enfance, but our childhood stories
"Il était une fois" commencent, "once upon a time" ... all commenced
A Göttingen, in Göttingen

Bien sûr, nous avons la Seine, Of course we have the Seine
Et puis notre bois de Vincennes, and the woods of Vincenne
Mais, Dieu, que les roses sont belles, But, God, the roses are beautiful
A Göttingen, à Göttingen, in Gôttingen

Nous, nous avons nos matins blêmes, We have our Matins Bl^mes(... work or art)
Et l'âme grise de Verlaine, and the grey soul of Verlaine (French poet)
Eux, c'est la mélancolie même, but they are pure melancholy,
A Göttingen, à Göttingen, in Gottingen

Quand ils ne savent rien nous dire, When they cannot explain to us what they mean
Ils restent là à, nous sourire, they just stand there smiling at us
Mais nous les comprenons quand même, but we understand them anyway
Les enfants blonds de Göttingen, those blond kids in Göttingen

Et tant pis pour ceux qui s'étonnent, sorry to all those who wondered
Et que les autres me pardonnent, and I hope the others forgive me
Mais les enfants se sont les mêmes, but our kids are just the same
A Paris ou à Göttingen, in Paris and Göttingen

Faites que jamais ne revienne, Don't ever let return
Le temps du sang et de la haine, the days of blood and hate
Car il y a des gens que j'aime, because there's people I love
A Göttingen, à Göttingen, In Gottingen

Et lorsque sonnerait l'alarme, And if the sirens would howl again
S'il fallait reprendre les armes, and we have to take arms again
Mon coeur verserait une larme, my heart would shed a tear
Pour Göttingen, Pour Göttingen... for Göttingen...




Just think how daring this song was for a Frenchman , just after the atrocities the Nazis brought to Europe during the war. But how deep it goes.

I know this is a modeling website, and maybe this doesn't belong here. But I couldn't help thinking of this post. Those of you who have ISDN can send me a PM. If they want, I'll send an MP3 version of the song.

But most of all, I'd like to dedicate it to the soldiers that died for their country. No matter hat that country was, and whose side they were on. And though I should know better, I hope our kids (or their kids ... ) find a way to end this madness.

Jan

Very well said. And I second the sentiment. Here's to those who served.