Operation Just Cause... December 1999
The Last Moonduster Chronicles of the Century
I would like to wish Happy Holidays to all the members of Operation Just Cause and to all of you who have helped me put together "The Moonduster Chronicles" this past year. I also want to wish all of you a Happy and Healthy New Year as we move onto the next century.
Many things have changed in the past 100 years, but one thing that has remained is the dedication and pride that lives on in the hearts and minds of this great country's veterans. Citizens of the United States of America have enjoyed another 100 years of freedom because of the courageous men and women of our country's Armed Forces.
I wish for everlasting peace throughout the world for the next century and for centuries to come.
Looking back on the events of the 20th century, I think first of the decade of the 60's because that is the time I grew up in. The Vietnam War, the Kennedy assasinations, Martin Luther King's assasination, the Civil Rights Movement, and many other events changed this country and all of us forever. Whenever I think about those years, I think about Gunny's website The Meadow Years. If you grew up in that turbulent decade, then you understand why. It is the website that prompted me to become involved in OJC and it brought back a lot of memories that I had not thought about for a long time.
Remembering the 20th Century for me will make me think of the 60's. I believe it was a turning point for this country. I would love to hear what our readers will think of when we approach the year 2000 while looking back at where we have been.
Speaking of looking back; as this century draws to a close I would like to see our Vietnam Veterans get restitution for the way they were treated when they returned home from the war. Even if it is only something in the form of an apology. It would not make up for the irreputable damage that was caused, but it would be a start. Our behavior was inexcusable and it it something I think we will be ashamed of for a long time to come. This is strictly my own words. I am not speaking on behalf of Operation Just Cause, the Operation Just Cause Staff, or its members as a whole. Your opinons and thoughts are welcome.
- Barbara Fitzgerald-Malone
12/25/65 Ruben Bailon
12/25/67 Frederick J. Burns USMC Merrick, NY
12/25/68 Charles D King USAF Muscatine, IA
12/25/67 Terry T. Koonce bsp USAF San Antonio, TX
12/25/68 Gustav A. Mehrer ARMY Leoben, Austria
12/25/65 Stephen M. O'Laughlin CIV Salma, AL
12/25/72 Dwight G. Rickman USMC Joplin, MO
What would you leave in a time capsule (to be opened at the next millennium) if you could only leave one item? Click below to find out what others would leave.
I would like to thank Karl Kristiansen for the Millennium Time Capsule idea
At this time last year, many of you were engaged in two
great missions: providing relief and rescue to the people
of Central America in the wake of Hurricane Mitch; and
standing up to Saddam Hussein and his weapons program in
Operation Desert Fox.
Indeed, whether patrolling the dangerous no-fly zones over
Iraq, standing vigilant on the Korean Peninsula or serving
at bases here at home, all of you have been working without
pause to give the greatest gift of all, the gift of peace.
Last year, I wrote that because you are always there for
America, America is determined to always be there for you.
This year, I can point to a recognition for you and your
families that takes note of your remarkable service: the
largest increase in military pay and benefits in a
generation. This includes increased rewards for
performance, targeted pay raises and bonuses, and the
restoration of retirement benefits by returning you to 50
percent at 20 years of service. We can never pay you enough
for what you do. But we can, and we will, pay you more.
So wherever you are serving today, know that all Americans
are eternally indebted to each of you for your service.
Wherever you serve in the coming year, know that you are in
our prayers. On behalf of a grateful nation, have a
wonderful holiday season. God bless you and your families,
and God bless the United States of America.
Your courage, dedication and hard work reaffirmed the highest
traditions of the United States and added another glorious
chapter to the proud history of our military. Your awe-
inspiring performances and selfless efforts have earned the
respect and gratitude of your fellow citizens and the world
community.
Henry H. Shelton
This site includes an email address to write to get the shipping address
Dennis has received an email from Jodi Harris. She has finished therapy and is
on to follow up testing. Dennis has asked that we keep Jodi in our thoughts and prayers!
Dennis Johnson
Veterans Voice of Austin
Check for upcoming dates and scheduled guests.
I would like to encourage all OJC members to support the competition by
voting.
This is an annual competition between military and veteran related
sites
and gets us some pretty good exposure.
There are several categories and you can vote in each category each day
(at
least, I think it is limited to 1 vote per category per day.)
If you aren't voting, you should take a look at the various categories.
Voting for an OJC member's or staff members' site can boost our POW/MIA
exposure.
The URL for all categories is:
TopGun on the Net
Gunny is listed in category 106 (Welcome to the Meadow Years).
Kim (Lest We Forget) and
Dennis (Raptor's Nest) and Chris (USS Enterprise) are running in 406.
Steve (OJC POW Forum) is running in category 408
Willie (Voice of Austin) is running in category 409
The winner of each category will run for the best of group. The best of
group will then run for the best of net.
Thanks for considering these sites!
Good Luck
to all
of us!
Did you ever stop to think of how strange it is that we call
that formidable fighting machine on treads, with its canon,
machine guns and armor, a "tank," as if it were filled with
water? That's an amazingly benign name for such a powerful
weapon.
As it turns out, the name was meant to sound incongruous with
the thing itself. It was used by the British as a code name
for their new armored vehicles in World War I. They wanted to
preserve the element of surprise, and so they referred to it
by this innocuous name, which surprisingly took hold and has
lasted through the present.
"The truth of the matter is that you always know the right thing to do. The hard part is doing it."
- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
"The hardest struggle of all is to be someting different from
what the average man is."
- Charles Schwab
Back issues of "The Moonduster Chronicles" 1998
Feel free to use this banner to link back to The Moonduster Chronicles' Main Page:
Credits
Thanks to Karl Kristiansen for the Moonduster Chronicles Banner, the Moonduster Chronicles Recognition Award, and the POW/MIA Related News
Graphic Thanks to
Ron's POW/MIA and Patriotic Graphics
Trivia and Quotes Courtesy of Mailbits.com
is updated daily to include new items of interest, new announcements, and new submissions. So be sure to bookmark this page and stop by every day for the latest version of the Operation Just Cause Newsletter.
William S. Cohen
Greetings. Every year, it is my pleasure to take a moment
during the holiday season to review the events of the past
year and to reflect on the meaning of the season as well as
on the meaning of your service.
Since then, many of you have taken part in or supported the
largest military operation in Europe since the Second World
War. You turned back aggression in Kosovo. You offered a
hand of help and hope to refugees across that region. Now
you are keeping the peace across Kosovo.
As 1999 draws to a close, and friends and family gather
together to enjoy the holiday season, every soldier, sailor,
airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, and DOD civilian can reflect
on a year of extraordinary accomplishments. Whether carrying
out operations in the Balkans, providing disaster relief to
victims of Hurricane Mitch in Central America, guarding against
aggression in Korea, or enforcing the UN sanctions against
Iraq, you met every challenge, no matter how difficult or
dangerous.
While many of you are far from home during this holiday season,
you are never far from the hearts of the people you protect.
Americans realize that the blessings of liberty and peace they
enjoy spring from your sacrifice and service.
During this very special time of the year, Carolyn and I wish
all of you, and your families, a happy and safe holiday season
and the best for the coming year.
Chairmanof the Joint Chiefs of Staff
{Send a Care Package}
This is a site called Momma Main's Christmas Campaign
to send a "care"
package to our troops in Bosnia.
December 1999
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**Updated regularly**
Moonduster Chronicle is proud to start a new column this month called POW/MIA Of The Month. In doing this we want to bring attention to a POW/MIA and the incident that brought him into that classification. When and wherever possible we would like to have input from his family and people who knew him.
CDR Richard Rich, USN
30 and 35 years ago
POW/MIA Related News
Special Announcement From Dennis Johnson
We (Operation Just Cause) are entered in category 308.
Kim (Our Dad) and Diane (The Circle of Life)
are all listed in category 402 so that's going to be tough!
Dennis
How did that military vehicle get to be called a tank?
"Each time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others...he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current that can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." ...Robert Francis Kennedy (1925-1968)
There are ways for us to work together to start tearing down those 'mighty walls of oppression and resistance' and gain a full accountability of our POW/MIA's.
Please feel free to browse through the following links to see what you can do to help.
1999
http://www.ojc.org/NL
"The Moonduster Chronicles"
NL@ojc.org
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