Comments by Bobby Tony | Eastern NC Now

Well. He can sure turn a phrase and give great insight with his reviews.

WELCOME HOME WYATT.

Commented: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 @ 4:53 pm By: Bobby Tony

Thank you for the kind words, Stan. My participation in Vietnam was a duty as you point out. As a child of the fifties, I always taught to obey the laws as they existed. When I received my draft notice, there was no thought of doing anything but showing up and following orders.
A quote from John McCain and Mark Slater’s book “Hard Calls”, sums up the soldiers duty better than any I have ever read. It expresses what I suspect help sustain him during his stay at the Hanoi Hilton.
“In the immediacy, chaos, destruction, and shock of war, soldiers are bound by duty and military discipline to endure and overcome. Their strongest loyalty, the bond that cannot break, is to the cause that is theirs alone, the cause for which they all fight: one another. It is through their loyalty to comrades in arms, their exclusive privilege, that they serve the national ideal that begat their personal transformation. When war is over, they might have the largest but not exclusive claim on the success of their nation's cause. But their claim is shorn of all romance, all nostalgia for the crucible in which it was won. From that crucible they have but one prize, one honor, one glory: that they had withstood the savagery and losses of war and were found worthy by the men who stood with them.”
Being found worth by your comrades is enough thanks.

Commented: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 @ 2:58 pm By: Bobby Tony

That's not a paper it barely a paragraph for me. I think that in order to qualify for being a paper, there must be at least two pages. Some of my papers at Georgia State had to be more than twenty pages long. Of course everybody knows that I don’t even get started until the one hundred word count. Double spacing was not allowed either.

That only leaves me eleven more words to say this is an eighty word comment.

Commented: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 @ 12:33 pm By: Bobby Tony

Great history. There is a story behind every poem and I appreciate you giving us the context of this well know poem but little know history.

Commented: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 @ 5:47 am By: Bobby Tony

A suggestion: When you hear someone mention someone or had a friend or relative who has died in combat, stop and ask him or her “what was their name”? If possible, get a pen and paper and write the name down. You will not remember it later and it will not change the world, but it will take a few moments away from the current hustle and bustle of life. It also will give you a chance to reflect again, when you try to decide what to do with the written name. It makes it a personal tribute and I think they earned and deserve those few moments.
Thanks TD- It never is easy but necessary.

Commented: Saturday, May 23rd, 2015 @ 4:11 am By: Bobby Tony

May be an urban legend or I may have seen this in a totally accurate Hollywood movie, Ted is correct the Japanese did not try make any landings in the USA was because Yamamoto told them that most citizens were armed. My judgment however is that the Japanese were smart enough to know that logistics prevented them from supporting an invasion of a much larger country. Like most Asians with a longer history than us thy thought we would tire and settle for a peace agreement that would allow them to keep the lands they had already acquired prior to Pear Harbor.
It turns out they may have been wrong then but later the Asian patience proved correct as we Americans quickly tire of protracted wars. I just wish the politicians would learn that. If we're going to do it finish it quick.
Peter Sellers said it best in Dr. Strangelove. "It a shame too because they make such bloody good cameras."

Commented: Thursday, May 21st, 2015 @ 7:54 pm By: Bobby Tony

Great post. They also had a make shift road sign with various USA Cities all pointing east. As I sign on top of the pole was a big arrow inscribed "THE WORLD">>>>>>>>. All the cities had a distance ranging from about 8000 miles to 10,000 miles, which covered the west, and east coast.
The post also reminded me of my own arrival and departure, which is too long for a comment so maybe I’ll just make it a post.

Commented: Thursday, May 21st, 2015 @ 7:26 pm By: Bobby Tony

I think old JT is just following Carole King's advise.
When you're down and troubled and you need a helping hand
and nothing, whoa, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.
You just call out my name "OBAMA", and you know where ever I am I'll come running.
I might he will come running with others people's money.
I'm just wondering if he will be dead broke like Bill & Hillary after he leaves office.

Commented: Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 @ 8:16 pm By: Bobby Tony

Some would say that 18 years made you a professional politician but I would suggest it made you a professional citizen. The more decisions made at the local level the better it should be. Local government must meet budgets and make choices that are not always popular.

Commented: Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 @ 2:06 pm By: Bobby Tony

I forgot to mention what may become my new description. Conservatarian.
I will know more after I have read his book.

Commented: Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 @ 9:58 am By: Bobby Tony

In 1957, it was not rare to have teachers who had served in World War II. Bob Dunning was only 36 years old when I was in the 7th Grade that year. Most of them had no problem telling about their wartime experiences. That could not be said of a good many Vietnam veterans.
One of his stories was that during the Normandy jump, he landed in the marsh and sank to the bottom. He had to get out of his gear to keep from drowning. He then went back down to get it several times.
I had a similar experience 24 years after his experience when I got off a Huey in a flooded rice paddy. I landed in a bomb crater that was filled with water. Later I learned how to judge the depth by the rotor ripples on the water. My jump was only about 4 feet.
“Why would anyone jump out of perfectly good airplane?” The question is often asked of paratroopers. The answer is typical Combat Humor; “Because you make a smaller target.” The other typical inter-unit rivalry is “Only two thinks fall from the Sky, One is bird SH#T, I forgot what the other was but it is pretty much the same.”
Boy I wish someone had recorded his stories. In addition to being interesting, they illustrated what a young man can endure with the proper training and discipline. When you think you are all used up, there is always more in the tank. It just takes a little prodding. "More Drill Sargent"

Commented: Wednesday, May 20th, 2015 @ 9:07 am By: Bobby Tony

Interesting that some of us used to get up before sunrise to get an early start. After retiring we probably thought that we could use the high noon scenario but unfortunately the good Lord had a better idea. I don't know what he called it but the medical community has identified it as a prostate.

Commented: Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 @ 10:50 am By: Bobby Tony

A good post Christopher, you have a talent that should be developed and practiced. One point of contention I may have is not that everyone is doing what they think is best for society. Most are doing what they think is best for them. Doing what is best for society comes after you power. I have heard the phrase not to take politicians too seriously. I have found that is wrong. Don't take your politics too seriously, it is just a view point, but take your politicians very seriously for when they get control their politics become very serious. Don't forget the story of the snake who bites because ...... well it's a snake. Stan is correct on making a stand. It's the middle or the slightly left or right that create the illusion of getting along.

Commented: Tuesday, May 19th, 2015 @ 9:25 am By: Bobby Tony

Underwear chaffs when it gets wet. Just like a diaper would. Leeches can get in any area that is not secured. They don't cause pain but attach themselves and can draw a good amount of blood if not removed.

Commented: Monday, May 18th, 2015 @ 11:26 am By: Bobby Tony

Another test to confirm you status.
www.politicalcompass.org


Longer this time:

Commented: Sunday, May 17th, 2015 @ 4:51 pm By: Bobby Tony

I was fortunate to have known one of the band of brothers who made the two jumps in Normandy and Norway. He was at the battle of the Bulge. Hard as nails, sweet a candy and a dedicated hero and role model.

Commented: Saturday, May 16th, 2015 @ 6:05 pm By: Bobby Tony

Mail Call was by far one of the things that GI's looked forward to most. It could prop you up or tear you down. I remember everyone getting their mail and then trying to find an area where they could read the mail in private it reminds me of Hamlet "To Sleep perchance to Dream" It was a private time where you could forget the present and delve into the past or the imagined future. It also carried all the emotion you could ever expect. All the way from "Hey Guys, I'm a father" to "That lousy B@#&h has left me" Then there was the occasional goody bags of food from home packed in popcorn. While Jesus was with most of us all the time, it would have been nice if he could have multiplied the meager food packs into enough to feed the multitude. A handful of popcorn or a bite of cake would be all you could expect. Ah, the highs and lows of being away from home.

Commented: Wednesday, May 13th, 2015 @ 8:29 am By: Bobby Tony