In dedication to my father, David Clinton Tharp (WWII) and my brother, David Livingstone Tharp (KOREA) and all our men and women who served from WWI, WWII, KOREA, VIETNAM, THE FALKLANDS, THE GULF, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, we offer the following in memory to those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. THE NEXT PLACE The Next Place that I go won’t be like any place I’ve been or dreamed of in the place I left behind. I won’t remember…..
Our stride is soft, our aim held high. Marking our steps as we march by. Crisp to the beat of thousand taps. Lines form for a thousand claps. Holding our friend on our shoulder. What can you say if we were bolder? Plenty of cheers, with a few boos’ Not one flinches, to some who are fools. Uniforms move as a sea of …red, white and blue. Our hearts sing to a patriotic tune. No one can say when it…..
Elmer Pankratz always wanted to fly, but in depression era America, that wasn’t going to happen for a small town boy of modest means. Then a funny twist happened, Uncle Sam came calling, and armed with a high school diploma, a fierce determination, and a love of flying, eighteen-year-old Elmer became a pilot. He wanted to fly the P-51 Mustang so badly that he took on the most dangerous assignments of flying tactical recon just to pilot his “aluminum sweetheart”……
When Francis Scott Key penned AMERICA’S national anthem, a battle raged all around him giving inspiration for the memorable anthem, a patriotic song to be proud of. But what would Mr. Key think about what is happening to his beloved country today with all of the interior battles threatening our constitution? What would our forefathers think? Our 101st Airborne Division fathers were “go to and get it done” kind of men, who sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms we…..
Between the fields where the flag is planted, there are 9 plus miles of flower fields that go all the way to the ocean. The flowers are grown by seed companies. It’s a beautiful place, close to Vandenberg Air Force Base. Check out the dimensions of the flag. The Floral Flag is 740 feet long and 390 feet wide and maintains the proper Flag dimensions, as described in Executive Order #10834. This Flag is 6.65 acres and is the first…..
We had the pleasure of meeting Nancy Van Apeldoorn, Founder and Coordinator of the LAP ROBES FOR VETERANS at the Honor Flight return of 45 veterans from visiting the memorials in Washington DC on Sunday, May 18th. On a cold, windy, rainy November day in Washington, DC, a veteran sat shivering in his wheelchair as he attended the celebration of Marine corps 232nd Birthday at the Iwo Jima Memorial on November 10, 2007. Nancy saw the need to find a…..
COMES A SOLDIER’S WHISPER Facebook page has now reached over TWELVE THOUSAND LIKES! We want to extend our many thanks of gratitude for your visits and support in honoring our veterans of the past and present. We enjoy posting daily stories to remember and honor our past which gives us strength and empowers us to move forward making a better world and future for our children. “Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.” ~ Abraham…..
Today we were honored to be a part of the masses at the Rochester Airport to welcome home our veterans returning from their visit to the war memorials in Washington D.C. Several hundred people of all ages with children too lined up the terminals to shake the hands and thank each of the returning veterans for their service. This beautiful and memorable trip was sponsored and funded by the Honor Flight Of Rochester. Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization…..
American prisoners of war show their happiness at being rescued from their German prison camp in April 1945. Henry Kiesel, POW #2069, is shown in the photograph offset to the right raising his right arm in the air. This photo is on display at the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes, Indiana, where Henry recently visited in his wheelchair. He became very emotional upon seeing his image some seventy years later which immediately brought it all back. These men never forget…..
THE MEMOIR OF JOHN CIPOLLA 101ST AIRBORNE 501ST I had the honor of meeting John Cipolla this week at the Victor Library book signing for The Honor Flight. We were a small group of Rochester authors with our books about WWII. I am always excited and very honored to meet our veterans who sacrificed to give us the freedoms that we enjoy today. Mr. Cipolla is a quiet man but has a powerful story to tell of his wartime experiences…..
