From a personal standpoint, it has been a very chaotic, but productive year for me. Despite the “move” from my apartment remodeling, I’ve captured another 10,000-plus photos, attended and preserved the memories of over a dozen final honors at Arlington National Cemetery; extended the line of heraldry cards to encompass many other US Army divisions, regiments and even added the US Coast Guard with a surprise present I gave to a friend for Christmas.
My website still languishes with many critical that I should make it easier to navigate and buy things from … all I can say … “I’m working on it…”
The thanks I’ve received from the families who have received the ANC Memorial Book of their loved one’s final honors has been overly gratifying. I reflected back to 2005 when I took over the full production of what has become as one of my advisors has said “an art form“
Since June, I have been following and researching the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3d Infantry Regiment, one of the elite platoons in this … “The Old Guard”
In my ever on-going mission to learn as much as I can about the history, the impact and significance of the military, I’ve constantly scoured the Internet and read the accounts of different units and the heroes in them. In 2005, I photographed the final honors of a Major General – a “two star” and it was only recently I realized how his career crossed many paths and avenues I’ve recently explored.
Many of you reading this don’t know what a coastal artillery fort is, but they lined the US Coasts built by the US Army to defend America long ago. Although there were 200 of them planned, because of the outbreak of the Civil Way, only 30 were constructed. Many of them still serve in manners that honor their past. For instance … look at the base of the Statue of Liberty … it’s a coastal artillery fort.
Other notable ones are – Fort Sumter, Charleston South Carolina, Fort McHenry in the Baltimore Harbor, Fortress Monroe – Hampton Virginia (engineered by Robert E. Lee – but I was informed by a Civil War re-enactor “that was not my first work!”) Fort Pulaski, near Savannah Georgia (that was his first work! Made from red brick, it still has some of the indentations where the cannonballs hit during the Civil War. The Southeast corner where the wall was breached by Union rifled-cannon has been replaced/repaired- see below. Robert E. Lee also supervised the construction of Fort Carroll in Maryland) .
Posted 4 years, 4 months ago at 11:00 pm. Add a comment
About a year ago, I discovered Any Soldier http://www.anysoldier.com/ a website where one can find a way to “give back” and provide something special to those in our US military who are deployed away from their loved ones and defending the freedoms we enjoy here in the United States.
I created a rather large package that I sent to a unit of the 82d Airborne Division to help them reach back to those they love and express their sentiments of this time of year. Perhaps you might be a lucky one to receive something from that package.
Posted 4 years, 5 months ago at 6:37 am. Add a comment
If you’ve been reading my blog, you’ll recall that I’ve recently sent out a mailing of over 300 solicitations / invites for personalized notecards, Christmas cards and the JFK meets BG Wm P. Yarborough.
The phone rang this morning and a voice at the other end asked if I could produce a different version of the collage with the description of what appears on the back of the card appearing where it could be read….
This is my initial and latest take on it
Just an FYI, the response from the mailing has been “minimal” but encouraging — perhaps they’re also accounting for the beginning of the growing red dots on the map — (see the earlier post about Clustr Maps)
Posted 4 years, 5 months ago at 11:30 pm. Add a comment
The details of this will follow — I just wanted to get this photo up on the blog — I’m still reeling from the awarding of it.
Posted 4 years, 5 months ago at 11:30 pm. Add a comment
As many of you who read my posts know, I’ve realized very well the importance of the US military to the United States. Many people take our freedom for granted and don’t realize the role that over time they have played to allow the citizens of the US to enjoy things that the rest of the world is very envious.. Envious enough that they violate our borders either by land or by air to come here ILLEGALLY! (send them home!)
You may not agree with the “wars” we are waging, I don’t either, but I support our men and women in uniform for what they are doing.
Any way, on this eve of Thanksgiving. as we go into the holiday season, I’d ask you to check out the website http://www.anysoldier.com/ to find a request that you can make someone a bit more comfortable away from home. Over the past several months, I’ve sent several packages of books, cards, writing items, music CDs or whatever else they’ve asked for.
Open up your heart and SUPPORT OUR TROOPS!
Posted 4 years, 6 months ago at 8:45 pm. Add a comment
Since 2000, when I was first called upon to photograph my first military funeral – final honors, I’ve been very fortunate and blessed to see and learn more about the US military than most of the average civilians. From that exposure, I’ve gained a better appreciation for just how valuable and the many significant contributions that the US Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy and Marines have and continue to make to the US.
Posted 4 years, 6 months ago at 12:56 am. Add a comment
I spent two “wonderful” days on Post – Fort Myer, VA sharing the products of my photography with the fine FMMC community… traffic was brisk and I was happy with the results of the two day event. It complemented the event on Friday at the National Guard Readiness Center. There was a great receptiveness to the work I’m doing in military heraldry and photographing the final honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
Posted 4 years, 6 months ago at 3:10 pm. Add a comment
The ENIAC was the first computer! ENIAC stood for Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer.
It’s hardly known, but in my research about the guns of the esteemed Presidential Salute Battery of the 3d Infantry Regiment of the US Army – “THE OLD GUARD”, I came across what I believe is the true “Father of Computers” – Major General G. M. Barnes, US Army who was the Chief of the Research and Development of the Army Ordnance Department during WW II and beyond. It was under his leadership that the project was sponsored and led us into the computer age. Think about it, the ENIAC computer was created (with its 19,000 vacuum tubes) to address the complicated calculations of trajectory for firing of cannon and other artillery… from that room-sized behemoth, we now have computers that make life better.
Again the US Army – the Army Research Lab (ARL) has contributed greatly to the world and has gotten little recognition.
I located an old photo in the National Archives that shows the General along with others of the ENIAC Team.
In the photo you will find — Left to Right: J. Presper Eckert, Jr., Chief Engineer; Professor J. G. Brainerd, Supervisor; Sam Feltman, Chief Engineer for Ballistics, Ordnance Department; Captain H. H. Goldstine, Liaison Officer; Dr. J. W. Mauchly, Consulting Engineer; Dean Harold Pender, Moore School of Electrical Engineering, University of Pennsylvania; General G. M. Barnes, Chief of the Ordnance Research and Development Service; Colonel Paul N. Gillon, Chief, Research Branch of the Army Ordnance Research and Development Service.
GHTime Code(s): nc nc Posted 4 years, 6 months ago at 12:26 am. 2 comments
It’s been a busy week, very busy! As the holiday season kicks into high gear, I’ve polished off the graphic design hat and taken off the photography one for now. The outcome has been a flurry of results that highlight the richness and splendor of heraldry of the US Army – 3d Infantry Regiment “THE OLD GUARD”, Special Forces, Airborne, and more, the OSS Society.
I’ve included a new slideshow highlighting the dozens of cards that are now available. There are flyers that are available to get your cards before Thanksgiving… Personalized even with your name on the front…
Posted 4 years, 6 months ago at 2:39 pm. Add a comment
A History Flashback —
It was 46 years ago today that an historic event occurred on Ft. Bragg, NC — President John F. Kennedy and then BG William P. Yarborough met while the President was reviewing the US Army Special Forces. Arranged through the cooperation of General Yarborough’s West Point classmate, then MG Chester V. Clifton, Jr., who was the military aide to the President, the meeting had several signifcant outcomes. The photo to the left is an image of the autographed collage that JFK sent to General Yarborough after the meeting. The collage hung in the general’s home office for over 30 years.
A significant part of US Army military history, for it was that day, JFK recognized the importance of the Special Forces and funding was secured to continue the mission to make them a crucial part of the US Army. Now some 50 years later, the US Army Special Forces are the elite … the best of the best!
It was also the day that the Special Forces were all in their green berets a distinction that the President himself authorized as part of their official uniform, since they are really Special!
Before the collage was donated to hang in a museum, John M
ichael was allowed to scan the original to carry out his mission of “Preserving the memories, so others will remember…” From that high resolution image, to commemorate this event, John Michael has created a selection of notecards, greeting cards, photo cards — or even reprints of the collage. The story about the event and it’s significance is printed on the back of the cards. The text appears in an image to the right.
A portion of the profits from the sale of these items is donated to the Special Forces Association.
GHTime Code(s): 3c053 Posted 4 years, 7 months ago at 9:02 am. Add a comment
