U.S. Senate candidate Stace Nelson will tell you that he packs a lot of ugly into his 6'7" frame. But here's the kind of photo that helps win elections:
The Marine who wants to be Senator stands here with his wife Aiza (bold blue next to Stace's red and white! Well done!) and World War II Marine fighter pilot Claude Hone at last night's USMC Birthday Ball in Sioux Falls.
$9 million can't buy pictures like that.
As a fellow Marine I would like to wish Stace and Claude a Happy Birthday. The formation of two battalions of Marines was authorized by the Continental Congress on this day in 1775.
I know Stace is proud of his service as he well should be, when my daughter Brigette was a legislative intern she was accompanied to the annual Military Ball by a young Marine sergeant she knew from high school. Stace was happy to see a Marine in uniform at an event dominated by the Army and Air Force and treated them like royalty.
Stace looks like a heart attack on wheels. But, if looks were the only factor in elections (see Noem for example), then Stace's wife should be running.
Good wishes to all Veterans anyway. Those in my family are all deceased with exception of one cousin. I need to interview one of the WWII B-24 tailgunners here before it is too late. He has more than a few interesting stories of lots of missions, but has been reticent about many details.
It's great to listen to the stories of WWII vets. I especially like to hear from the pilots. Claude is still as sharp as a tack. He still has his leather bomber jacket, leather helmet and goggles, and the jacket still fits him. After the war Claude was recruited by Joe Foss as part of the new SD Air National Guard. All of the WWII guys still around should record their stories as Claude did in Cory's link.
I worked as a chaplain for 6 years at Ft. Mead and fell in love with those old boys. I got to listen to their stories and soak up their wisdom. There was a B17 pilot, a surviving POW of Japanese camps, some who fought in little known theaters like India and other parts of the Middle East.
It was such a wonderful experience. I learned to hate war from those guys. I was there in September, 2011. As GWB pushed hard to attack Iraq, they were uniformly horrified. They knew that war was so horrible it should always be the very last option. Sigh.
Anyway, for veterans such as them, and all veterans except the ones who sexually assaulted their cohorts, I offer my deepest gratitude and respect. Thank you.
I echo Ms. Geelsdottir's awe and respect and thanks to our veterans. I withhold mine also from those who sexually assaulted their cohorts, but wish to add my withholding for those who assaulted any humans or sentient beings, whether it was sexual, physical or emotional. I, for one, am against all violence, not just veteran on veteran sexual deviance. And I love the view from the Ft. Meade parade ground, looking south west, and the days when my grand daughter played softball on the field there on the east edge of the grounds. You know where I mean, where you have to drive in from outside the fort and the town plays.
Yup. I know just where you mean. My god, I miss that space.
Grudz, I just realized today that we are in agreement on something! This is truly memorable.
Yes, Ms. Geelsdottir, it is, and I am glad you are not mad at me at this moment.