Memorial Day 2023 – Remembering

I haven’t posted in a while. Life has been busier than I had expected in my 69th trip around the sun. It’s been a year since I went back to work as a Chief of Staff and it’s been nothing short of interesting. But time consuming. And a bit rough on my health. Memorial Day […]

Blemishes and all … The Country and the Navy in 1973

I am incredibly proud of being a Navy Veteran The US Navy has been a part of my family DNA for more than a hundred years. We have answered the nation’s call since the Great War and served as part of the greatest navy that has ever sailed the seas. Having said that, even the […]

Who Owns History?

I know, I know. It’s been a while. I have been very busy with my new job as Chief of Staff for County Commissioner Doug Chew in Westmoreland County PA since May and that has been pretty time consuming. Doug was a friend for a number of years and when his previous Chief decided to […]

Can I get an Amen? {Warning… not a blog on submarines or Lean Manufacturing}

Warning: this post is not about submarines or lean manufacturing. While there is some historical information buried in it, that is not the sole focus of the post. If talking about faith and beliefs triggers you, please return to your other favorite spots for the day. Can I get an Amen? Quiet day today. Debbie […]

Women went to war; I wonder what they wore ? – February 3 1942

My Mom celebrated her tenth birthday on February 3, 1942. She and I talked a few times about the war that was going on around her at that time and she did not have many memories. She was born into a well to do family and was isolated from the events that were transpiring […]

The Patriot Act… a bad idea for a Republic

When the terrorists attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, the country was shocked to see the depth of our vulnerability. It is the hallmark of any society steeped in personal liberty and freedom that a certain amount of risk will exist. People who have bad motives and evil intent will find the loopholes […]

The coming storm

Warning: If you don’t like posts about Patriotism, stop reading now. I was taking inventory of my life in the last few days and here is what I think I found. First, I was born an American which means that because of decisions my ancestors made, I wasn’t born in Scotland, England, Ireland, Germany, […]

Happy Birthday to the Only National Anthem of the Republic

I don’t know if they actually teach American history in schools anymore. I am sure there are cultural studies and social studies that talk about the diversity of the world. But I remember that most of the “history” we learned as children in the sixties was about the founding of this nation and the struggles […]

By any other name…

Fair warning… I have been avoiding politics but something has been on my mind recently. Stop reading now if this kind of stuff bothers you. (I am also in the early stages of Covid 19 and pretty exhausted… but I started working on this story before I got sick) I was born in May of […]

The confession followed an all-night grilling. Justice in America 1921

Note: This story was deeply disturbing for me to write. Not only because of the seeming failures of the Justice Department but because I am afraid the United States Navy participated in a horrendous miscarriage of justice in the persecution of one of its sailors. I encourage you to look at the story and see […]