I didn’t march today. But I did remember

Fifty years ago today I marched in the Elizabeth Pennsylvania Memorial Day Parade. It was a family tradition for a number of years and in 1972 it would be my last one as a civilian. I had already joined the Navy in the delayed entry program and would leave a few weeks later. I remember […]

2022 – A year’s worth of special days

April 2022 will mark the fiftieth year since I raised my hand for the first time to take an oath of allegiance to the United States of America. As a seventeen year old boy from Western Pennsylvania, I don’t really think I understood what I was doing other than to know that once I took the […]

Two Fine men

Two fine men. John MacPherson and John Dixon were proud veterans that served their community side by side for years. They lived in a time where segregation had been a part of their world growing up and they could have used that as a reason to never work together. But these two fine men set […]

The Battleship Ferryboats – Taking the Doughboys for a Ride

Taking care of the Army… Again Dedicated to my Army friend Phil When World War 1 ended, the United States had many soldiers that were stationed in France and Belgium. They had been sent there to help “Defeat the Hun” and now they were ready to come home. My Great Uncle Alex was an Army […]

A day to remember

I am old enough to remember when Memorial Day was held on the 30th of May. When I was a kid, the ceremonies were large and very well attended. There was always a competition between communities to see who would have the lager parade or the more elaborate service. There were always men in uniforms […]

I loved the ride

May is Military Appreciation Month. All month long, we are encouraged to let our brothers and sisters in arms how much they are appreciated. The month ends with a solemn remembrance of the ones who gave the ultimate sacrifice. One group that has always had a little trouble recognizing has been the Silent Service. Its […]

Now More Than Ever – a Strong Navy and Peace

The Navy League has been tireless in its mission to support the sea services throughout the last 116 years. From its founding in 1902, they have tried to always live the spirit that Theodore Roosevelt embodied when he said “A good Navy is not a provocative of war, it is the surest guarantee of peace.” Three […]

Attention on Deck: Mare Island Naval Cemetery Needs Your Help

It is fitting on Memorial Day weekend that we honor those who have died in service to our country. Many of us also remember those who served on active duty in peace or war time and have passed on to the final muster. This morning, I got an email from Nestor Aliga asking for help […]

The Line

As Memorial Day approaches, I know that all of us will be busy with tributes, ceremonies and parades of honor. At least I hope that we all would be so engaged. The truth is that many will be more focused on picnics and pools, parties and getaways, sales and sports. How far away from our […]

“My child is a submariner… I’ll sleep when they come home”

I will never forget that day in June 1972 when my parents came to Pittsburgh International Airport to see me off on my way to Boot Camp. I was not the first in my family to leave home (big brother went to a nearby college three years earlier) but I was the first to go […]