A letter to my Dad

Anyone who has read this blog for the past year knows that I found a box of my Dad’s old letters after he passed away and made them into a book called “Love Your Son Butch”. Those old letters were revealing about a man who served his country during a time of great fear – […]

“Love, Your Son Butch” Chapter 2–Early May 1945

This is a part of a continuing series based on letters my Dad wrote home during World War 2. For information about the series, see the introduction at: https://theleansubmariner.com/2013/04/20/love-your-son-butch-introduction-april-2013/ While John completed his boot camp training at Camp Sampson New York, the war continued to rage with a fierce level of energy. The Japanese knew […]

I love a parade…

I love a parade,the tramping of feet, I love every beat I hear of a drum. I love a parade, when I hear a band I just want to stand and cheer as they come. That rat-a tat-tat, the blare of a horn. That rat-a tat-tat, a bright uniform; The sight of a drill will […]

While America dismantles its forces, others prepare to fill the gap

I am relatively sure that the Chinese are not wasting any resources on sensitivity training as they view the world’s oceans and resources. I wonder if we are maintaining our vision for the last war as they prepare for the next one. China’s Growing Military Might: Top 4 Concerns For The Pentagon Christian Science […]

“Love, Your Son Butch” – Chapter 2

Just a short note before I return to the book. Today (April 27 2013) is the twentieth anniversary of the day John C. MacPherson met Jesus face to face. I’m not sure what time of day it was and frankly at this point it doesn’t matter. On the morning, I was up well before the […]

Love, Your Son Butch, Chapter One

Twenty years ago this month, my Dad finally lost his battle with heart disease and went to be with his Lord. The week after his death, I found a box in the basement of our old house that had all of his letters home from World War 2. Over the next ten years, I plugged […]

“Love, Your Son Butch” – Introduction (April 2013)

Introduction John C. MacPherson, Jr. was seventeen years old when he joined the United States Navy. Over the next seventeen months, he wrote a number of letters to his family. The letters were signed with John’s many names: Sonny, Foo, Butch, and Goofer. But in most cases they ended with two common phrases: “God be […]

USS Omaha (SSN 692) Memorial Park

April 19 is a special day for all former Omaha Crew members and the city of Omaha. There will be a dedication ceremony for the park at 3:30. I wish them well in recognizing this proud ship and crew. Navy’s USS Omaha Destined for New Memorial Park Ketv.com, April 18 OMAHA, Neb. – Key pieces […]

Submarine Force Issues 2013

Its probably no coincidence that submarines are the focus of this article during a week that marks the highs and lows of US Navy submarine history. Save Our Subs: Prioritizing The Attack Submarine By Rep. Randy Forbes and Rep. Joe Courtney AOL Defense, April 9, 2013 For a host of security and economic reasons, […]

Nothing Heroic?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/28/columnist-wants-end-military-funeral-honors-vets-w/ St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan published a column Wednesday, saying the U.S. military should do away with funeral honors, since “most veterans did nothing heroic” anyway. Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/28/columnist-wants-end-military-funeral-honors-vets-w/#ixzz2Owdi2kKW Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter I don’t know what planet this idiot comes from but to suggest that veterans did nothing heroic is one […]