ABOUT US       CONTACT US       DISCLAIMER       HOME PAGE       NEWS AND VIEWS       SEARCH       UNIVERSITY OF DIVERSITY

   


               OohRahMemorial.com                 



To serve is to succeed.

Born November 10, 1775*
To all who dared, thank you!





U.S. Marines at Iwo Jima, Japan, February 23, 1945
"No greater friends, no worse enemies."


Memorial Day Thunder of Thanks

Last Memorial Day, 3000 veterans on motorcycles
paraded down Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC.
A solitary Marine saluted them while at attention for 3 hours.

U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Tim Chambers saluted each veteran.




Thanks for your service!
See The Sign.

When a veteran walks into a diner and orders a cup of coffee, he didn’t expect
this to happen. A young boy asks for a picture but the man points out that there’s
another veteran in the diner…one that doesn’t gather as much attention but deserves
just as much praise. If you were around to remember the way our veterans were treated in
the 60s and 70s or know a Vietnam veteran yourself, this one will bring tears to your eyes.

To all who dared, thank you!
"Most of us wonder if our lives made any difference.
Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan



The Birth of The Corps

The birthday of the United States Marine Corps, November 10, 1775, occurred when the Second Continental Congress decreed that, "two battalions of Marines be raised consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors and other Officers, as usual in other Regiments; that they consist of an equal number of Privates as with other Battalions, that particular care be taken that no persons be appointed to offices, or enlisted into said Battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve for and during the present war with Great Britain and the Colonies; unless dismissed by Congress; that they be distinguished by the names of the First and Second Battalions of Marines."

Factoid     

Samuel Nicholas was the first Commandant of the Marine Corps.
See How The Marines Transform 'Me' Into 'We'.

A Tale of Six Boys



"All gave some ... Some gave all."

"Each year I am hired to go to Washington, D.C., with the eighth grade class from Clinton, WI, where I grew up, to videotape their trip. I greatly enjoy visiting our nation's capitol, and each year I take some special memories back with me. This fall's trip was especially memorable.

On the last night of our trip, we stopped at the Iwo Jima Memorial. This memorial is the largest bronze statue in the world and depicts one of the most famous photographs in history by Joseph Rosenthal -- that of six Marines raising the American Flag at the top of a rocky hill on the island of Iwo Jima, Japan, during World War II.


The Iwo Jima Memorial, Washington, D.C.

Over one hundred students and chaperones piled off the buses and headed towards the Memorial. I noticed a solitary figure at the base of the statue, and as I got closer he asked, "Where are you guys from?"

I told him that we were from Wisconsin. "Hey, I'm a cheese head, too! Come gather around, cheese heads, and I will tell you a story."

Note: James Bradley just happened to be in Washington, D.C., to speak at the Memorial the following day. He was there that night to say good night to his dad, who has since passed away. He was just about to leave when he saw the buses pull up. I videotaped him as he spoke to us, and received his permission to share what he said from my videotape. It is one thing to tour the incredible monuments filled with history in Washington, D.C., but it is quite another to get the kind of insight we received that night.

When all had gathered around, he reverently began to speak. Here are his words from that night.

"My name is James Bradley and I'm from Antigo, Wisconsin. My dad is on that statue, and I just wrote a book called "Flags of Our Fathers", which is number 5 on the New York Times Best Seller list, right now. It is the story of the six boys you see behind me.

"Six boys raised the flag. The first guy putting the pole in the ground is Harlon Block. Harlon was an all-state football player. He enlisted in the Marine Corps with all the senior members of his football team. They were off to play another type of game. A game called "War." But it didn't turn out to be a game.


A war weary face on Iwo Jima.

Harlon, at the age of 21, died with his intestines in his hands. I don't say that to gross you out, I say that because there are people who stand in front of this statue and talk about the glory of war. You guys need to know that most of the boys on Iwo Jima were 17, 18, and 19 years old.

He pointed to the statue. "You see this next guy? That's Rene Gagnon from New Hampshire. If you took Rene's helmet off at the moment this photo was taken and looked in the webbing of that helmet, you would find a photograph ... a photograph of his girlfriend. Rene put that in there for protection because he was scared. He was 18 years old. Boys won the battle of Iwo Jima. Boys. Not old men.

"The next guy here, the third guy in this tableau, was Sergeant Mike Strank. Mike is my hero. He was the hero of all these guys. They called him the "old man" because he was so old. He was already 24. When Mike would motivate his boys in training camp, he didn't say, 'Let's go kill some Japanese' or 'Let's die for our country.' He knew he was talking to boys. Instead he would say, 'You do what I say, and I'll get you home to your mothers.'

"The last guy on this side of the statue is Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian from Arizona. Ira Hayes walked off Iwo Jima. He went into the White House with my dad. President Truman told him, 'You're a hero.' He told reporters, 'How can I feel like a hero when 250 of my buddies hit the island with me and only 27 of us walked off alive?' So take your class at school, 250 of you spending a year together having fun, doing everything together. Then all 250 of you hit the beach, but only 27 of your classmates walk off alive. That was Ira Hayes. He had images of horror in his mind. Ira Hayes died dead drunk, face down at the age of 32, ten years after this picture was taken.

"The next guy, going around the statue, is Franklin Sousley from Hilltop, Kentucky. A fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. His best friend, who is now 70, told me, 'Yeah, you know, we took two cows up on the porch of the Hilltop General Store. Then we strung wire across the stairs so the cows couldn't get down. Then we fed them Epsom salts. Those cows crapped all night. Yes, he was a fun-lovin' hillbilly boy. Franklin died on Iwo Jima at the age of 19. When the telegram came to tell his mother that he was dead, it went to the Hilltop General Store. A barefoot boy ran that telegram up to his mother's farm. The neighbors could hear her scream all night and into the morning. The neighbors lived a quarter of a mile away.

"The next guy, as we continue to go around the statue, is my dad, John Bradley from Antigo, Wisconsin, where I was raised. My dad lived until 1994, but he would never give interviews. When Walter Cronkite's producers, or the New York Times would call. We were trained as little kids to say, 'No, I'm sorry, sir, my dad's not here. He is in Canada fishing. No, there is no phone there, sir. No, we don't know when he is coming back.'

"My dad never fished or even went to Canada. Usually, he was sitting there right at the table eating his Campbell's soup. But we had to tell the press that he was out fishing. He didn't want to talk to the press.

 

When the public first demanded this stamp commemorating the Flag
Raising on Iwo Jima, the U.S. Post Postal Service initially rejected the
idea out of hand. "No living person(s) can appear on a U.S. stamp,"
they replied. But the public demand was so great that the Congress
pushed for the stamp. It was issued just five months after the Flag
Raising. On the first day of issue, people stood patiently in lines
stretching for city blocks on a sweltering July day in 1945 for
a chance to buy their beloved stamp. For many years,
this was the biggest selling stamp in the history of the
U.S. Postal Service. Over 137 million were sold.

 
'The Sands of Iwo Jima' movie premiered in 1949.
From left, Ira Hayes, John Bradley, John Wayne and Rene Gagnon.

 
This photo was taken on November 10, 1954, the
178th birthday of the United States Marine Corps.
From front left, John Bradley, Rene Gagnon,
Vice Pres. Richard Nixon, and Ira Hayes.
BTW: Ira Hayes died three months later.

"You see, my dad didn't see himself as a hero. Everyone thinks these guys are heroes, 'cause they are in a photo and on a monument. My dad knew better. He was a medic. John Bradley from Wisconsin was a caregiver. In Iwo Jima he probably held over 200 boys as they died. And when boys died in Iwo Jima, they writhed and screamed in pain.

"When I was a little boy, my third grade teacher told me that my dad was a hero. When I went home and told my dad that, he looked at me and said, 'I want you always to remember that the heroes of Iwo Jima are the guys who did not come back. Did NOT come back.'"

"So that's the story about six nice young boys. Three died on Iwo Jima, and three came back as national heroes. Overall, 7,000 boys died on Iwo Jima in the worst battle in the history of the Marine Corps. My voice is giving out now, so I will end here. Thank you for your time." --

Factoids  

 Iwo Jima is now known as Iwo To,
the original Japanese name of the island.

Leadership training starts on the drill field
where group consciousness skills emerge;
where the individual me becomes the collective we;
where a leader learns to follow, obey, and command.

 

MySense
By Vince Melito


Vince Melito

"One of the highest spiritual practices I ever did was close order drill at the
3HO Denver ashram. I learned so much about responding over reacting --
about authority over disrespect -- about the other over the self. Thank you,
Hari Singh Bird, the greatest spiritual teacher I ever had." -- Vince Melito

MySense
By Hari Singh Bird


Hari Singh BIrd

Sat Nam. Reading the preceding comment is a humbling testimonial for me. Vince is the only person I'm aware of other than myself that experienced spiritual insights while participating in close order drill. Reading his account causes me to reflect on my training and experience with COD in the Marine Corps, and when Yogi Bhajan requested that I go to Phoenix, AZ and San Francisco, CA in the late '70s to lead COD as a part of their morning sadhana just as we were doing at the Denver ashram. I wonder if it's any part of today's 3HO ashram experience. BTW: Yogiji also invited me to teach COD to the women at KWTC. I've often wondered how many understand this technology and its role in teaching leadership skills.

Semper Fidelis
aka Semper Fi


Semper Fidelis distinguishes the Marine Corps bond from any other.
It goes beyond teamwork—it is a brotherhood that can always be counted
on. Latin for "always faithful," Semper Fidelis became the Marine Corps motto
in 1883. It guides Marines to remain faithful to the mission at hand, to each other,
to the Corps and to country, no matter what. Becoming a Marine is a transformation
that cannot be undone, and Semper Fidelis is a permanent reminder of that. Once
made, a Marine will forever live by the ethics and values of the Corps. In addition to
Semper Fidelis, Marine Corps Officers also embrace the phrase Ductos Exemplo, "to
lead by example," the motto of Officer Candidates School (OCS). Marine instructors
look for candidates who display self-reliance, discipline and responsibility. Desire and
motivation to lead Marines are deciding factors in an officer's selection and success.

Dress Blues

Officer's Dress Blues


Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May, 1, 1865 in Charleston,
SC to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave
in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for two
weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom.

Kindly click the 'Next' button!

      

Keep Up

The Sign

Freedom

Memorial

The Salute

God's Web

Dress Blues

Going Home

A Love Story

Khalsa Power

Patriotic Photos

For Marines Only

The Marine Sniper

SEAL The Mission

The Memorial Rock

Iwo Jima - The Battle

Born Again American

America The Beautiful

The Bumper of My SUV

A Native American Hero

In The Arms of An Angel

Christmastime Arlington

Delta Airline Honor Guard

The Sikh Warrior's Anthem

The Meaning of 'Semper Fi'

America's National Anthem

The After-Death Experience

The Greatest Story Never Told

A Tale of Six Boys On Iwo Jima

Look, Listen and Experience Peace

For Men Only: MasculineMoments.com

How The Marines Transform Me Into We

Museum of The American Military Family

To The Greatest Generation...Before You Go

U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Team With Rifles



More Web sites by
KhalsaWebMasters.com

SAAAP.org Dieterata.com
AllIsOne.guru HariSingh.com
TheISites.com SikhTribes.com
SopaSeca.com SikhSongs.com
UbuntuAge.com WaheGuru.guru
UntoInfinity.com NarayanOil.com
LeftOfMaya.com SikhsShine.com
LivtarSingh.com
3HOHistory.com
EyesOnPies.com Turbanators.com
SikhAnthem.com IsolatedSeer.com
BroadPoints.com 13EkOngKar.com
Obama43To1.com SoothingSpa.com
HariKaurBird.com ChardeeKala.com
OpticalViews.com 2020ForEyes.com
KhalsaVision.com SPIRITofGRD.com
GuruRamDas.com LakeKillarney.com
DualityOptics.com HariSinghBird.com
MySikhSense.com
RamDasSingh.com
BigotDetector.com
BeYourAllness.com
3DDispensing.com
LandOfAwwws.com
Interior-Guard.com SatKartarSingh.com
OpticalCourse.com DrRamonIbarra.com
MiriPiriWarrior.com FitItAndForgetIt.com
1IsTheAnswer.com OpticianryToday.com
SatNamMeans.com WordPhysiology.com
KaliYugaSigns.com JustAddedWater.com
SiriSinghSahib.com EyewearMoodys.com
1And1Equals11.com PreetKaurKhalsa.com
CloseOrderDrill.com WhiteTantraYoga.com
RamDhanSingh.com 3HOLegacyLinks.com
2020ForWomen.com TheMahanTantric.com
HangupsByHari.com SiriMantraForLife.com
DownWithCarbs.com
WhoAreTheSikhs.com
ACTForDiversity.com OpticianryReview.com
AdiShaktiMantra.com 2020ForOpticians.com
ScienceOfMudra.com OpticalGuidelines.com
OneIsTheAnswer.com GuruGobindSingh.com
ScienceOfMantra.com OpticalWorkshops.com
GuruGaitriMantra.com KirpalSinghKhalsa.com
OohRahMemorial.com SimranKaurKhalsa.com
WeProcessLoans.com
SatpalSinghKhalsa.com
AkalCommittee13.com SadhanaGuidelines.com
GurdwaraSecurity.com YouAreTheEssence.com
AmarSinghKhalsa.com KundaliniYogapedia.com
DiversityDialogues.org StFrancisOfficePark.com
SensitivitySummit.com ToTheSweetestMom.com
AwtarSinghKhalsa.com YogiBhajansTeacher.com
SurvivalCampUSA.com OpticalShiftHappens.com
KhalsaWebMasters.com AllForOneWonForAll.com
MasculineMoments.com DrinkingDrivingDead.com
AhaMomentOfTruth.com MyInterviewWithGod.com
HairInLaysTheTruth.com SaTaNaMaMeditation.com
PartnersNotParents.com FaceBlindnessIsReal.com
ToTheSweetestWife.com ToServeIsToSucceed.com
EachMomentIsAGift.com ServingVersusSelling.com
SikhAndYeShallFind.com SukhmaniKaurKhalsa.com
OpticiansForChange.com LakesideManorOnline.com
HappinessIsTheRule.com EyeWearProfessionals.com
AtTheFeetOfTheYogi.com SecurityAdvisoryTeam.com
SiriGuruGranthSahib.guru ReligionDemographics.com
RaMaDaSaMeditation.com TimeForCraftsmanship.com
UniversityOfDiversity.com FirstSikhOfSikhDharma.com
YogiTeaByYogiBhajan.com
AkalCommitteeThirteen.com
DispensingGuidelines.com HealthEqualsHappiness.com
CourageousDialogues.com GoodGuysWearTurbans.com
SatKriyaByYogiBhajan.com AquarianAgeBeganHere.com
IfYouKnowWhoYouAre.com ButterflyEffectExplained.com
EyeExaminationOnline.com FirstTeachersAreWomen.com
GlassesOnlineWarning.com SugarIsAFourLetterWord.com
IDoNotEatDeadAnimals.com SikhWomenWearTurbans.com
MoreThanYouCanKnow.com WomenWimpsOrWarriors.com
OpticiansForThePeople.com CosmicCyclesAndCircles.com
OnsiteFamilyHealthcare.com TheAfterDeathExperience.com
SantSipahiAdvisoryTeam.com IAmABornAgainAmerican.com
KirtanKriyaByYogiBhajan.com TestYourKnowledgeOnline.com
SatHanumanSinghKhalsa.com LifeAccordingToYogiBhajan.com
TextingAndDrivingIsCrazy.com NowYouKnowThatYouKnow.com
ItsAllAboutMeNotAboutYou.com KundaliniYogaByYogiBhajan.com
WordsOfWisdomAndHumor.com
IfYourDadDoesntHaveABeard.com
CrucifixionByAnEyewitness.com EndOfPrideAndPrejudiceIsNigh.com
GodAndMeMeAndGodAreOne.com EkOngKarSatNamSiriWaheGuru.com
ReachOutAndTouchSomebody.com TheTechnologyOfConsciousness.com
ConsciousCommunicationGuidelines.com OneIsTheAnswerWhatIsTheQuestion.com

 

 

ABOUT US       CONTACT US       DISCLAIMER       HOME PAGE       NEWS AND VIEWS       SEARCH       UNIVERSITY OF DIVERSITY