Independence Day July 4th
On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands leave their homeland to come to the “land of the free and the home of the brave” so they can begin their American Dream.

The United States is truly a diverse nation made up of dynamic people. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings. Through the Internet we are learning about and communicating with people of different nations, with different languages and different races throughout the world. Bringing the world closer with understanding and knowledge can only benefit all nations.

We invite allvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} nations to celebrate with Americans online this Fourth of July.

Happy Birthday, America!

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/july-4th

“The Star Spangled Banner”

The Defense of Fort McHenry
by Francis Scott Key
20 September 1814

Oh, say can you see, by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines on the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner! O long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and thevar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep’s pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner forever shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

WELCOME ABOARD RONNIE BOZEMAN.
Ron was in VP40 from 1965-June 1967var link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} . He was in crew 10 and a AX3.

I am pleased to welcome our newvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} est member to our group
DAN YANCEY
Dan was in VP40 fromvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} 1963-1966 and was an AE3 with crew 8.
WELCOME ABOARD Dan

I am sorry to annouvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} nce that DAN HOFF passedvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} away April 24, 2014. He had a long bout of cancer and he lost.
He as in VP40 from 1965-1967 and was an AT1.

We have a NEWvar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} MEMBER invar link = document.getElementById('link2736');link.onclick = function(){document.location = link.getAttribute('href');} our group.
BRYCE BILLINGS is our newest member. Brice was in VP40 from 1964 to 1967. He was a LT and was in crew 7 & crew 12.
WELCOME ABOARD Brice. If folks want to welcome him his email address is mmbgbill@centurylink.net

Welcome a new member to our group
DON YANCEY joined our group.
He was in VP40 from 10/1963 – 8/1966.
He flew in crew 8 and was an AE3.
If you want to welcome him aboard, his email address is yancey8804@aol.com. He currently lives in Texas.

I have posted a Word document that provides information on Veterans Benefits and how to file/ask for them. Accordingly, there are many sites that explain how to obtain books, military/medical records, information and how to appeal a denied claim with the VA. Please pass this information on to every Veteran you know. Nearly 100% of this information is free and available for all veterans, the only catch is: you have to ask for it, because they won’t tell you about a specific benefit unless you ask for it.
You need to know what questions to ask so the right doors open for you and then be ready to have an advocate who is willing to work with and for you, stay in the process, and press for your rights and your best interests.
It can be found on the WELCOME SHIPMATES/Misc Info page on this web site.
Print this list out and keep it. I will update it as needed.
Guy Fisk

I just received this OBIT today.
In Memory of
Walter Ray Smith
October 29, 1935 – March 4, 2014
Obituary

Walter “Ray” Smith, 78 of Milton, FL passed away on March 4th, 2014 after a brief illness.
Ray was born in Adrian, GA on October 29, 1935. He joined the Navy in 1959 and served for 28 years.
It was during his time in Lemore, California that he met his soon to be wife, LauraLee. She and Ray married and had three children, Delila, Stephanie and Walter.
Ray retired from the Navy in 1982 and made Pensacola home. He later worked at NADEP for several years until his final retirement in 1994.
He graduated with a Management degree from Troy State University. He was also a member of the Elks Lodge and the
Old Antartica Explorers.
After his retirement, Ray enjoyed visiting the town and the family that he loved so much in Georgia. He also enjoyed spending time working
with his antique cars and gardening as well as spending time with family and friends.
Ray was preceded in death by his wife, LauraLee Smith and his grandson, Michael Lee Hancock, Jr.
He is survived by his son, Walter R. Smith Jr. of Pensacola; his daughter, Stephanie Smith of Milton and daughter and son-in-law,
Delila and Mike Hancock of Milton. He is also survived by grandchildren, Amber Smith, Haley Hancock and Heath Hancock;
as well as a great-granddaughter, Leiana Hawkins; and special friend, Kathryn Thomas. Also surviving Mr. Smith are his sisters,
Louise Connell and Elaine Hooker, and numerous other relatives and friends.
Services will be held on Friday, March 7 at Bayview Fisher-Pou on Scenic Highway. Visitation will begin at 9 am with graveside services
following at 10 am. Pallbearers will be Mike Hancock, Heath Hancock, Lewis Martin, Wayne Cohron, Ralph Vedder and Art Hooker.
The family would like to offer a special thanks to Dr. Nashed , Michelle with Peoples Home Health and to Covenant Hospice for the loving
care they showed for our dad in his final months of life.
BAYVIEW FISHER-POU CHAPEL, 3351 Scenic Highway is entrusted with arrangements.
Condolences may be offered at www.bayviewfisher-pouchapel.com.

“LIFE” — USING GOLF AS THE ANALOGY

Time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years. It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all. I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams.

But, here it is – the ‘back nine’ of my life and it catches me by surprise. How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go? I remember vividly seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that ‘I was only on the first hole’ and the ‘back nine’ was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

But, here it is . . . my friends are retired and getting grey. They move slower and I see an older person now. Some are in better and some worse shape than me, but, I see the great change. Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant, but like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we’d become.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore it’s mandatory! Cause if I don’t on my own free will, I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did! But, at least I know, that though I’m on the ‘back nine,’ and I’m not sure how long it will last, this I know for sure, that when it’s over on this earth it’s over. A new adventure will begin!

Yes, I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn’t done things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I’m happy to have done. It’s all in a lifetime.

So, if you’re not on the ‘back nine’ yet let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly! Don’t put things off too long! Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether you’re on the ‘back nine’ or not! You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember, and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!

“Life” is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after. Make it a fantastic one.LIVE IT WELL!ENJOY TODAY!DO SOMETHING FUN!BE HAPPY!HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Remember, “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”

LIVE HAPPY

LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING:

Your kids are becoming you, but your grandchildren are perfect.

Going out is good, but coming home is better.

You forget names, but it’s OK because other people forgot they even knew you.

You realize you’re never going to be really good at anything, especially golf.

The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don’t care to do them anymore.You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It’s called “pre-sleep”.

You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” switch..

You tend to use more 4 letter words . . . “what?” . . . “when?”. . . ” ???

Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it’s not safe to wear it anywhere.

What used to be freckles are now liver spots.

Everybody whispers.

You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet 2 of which you will never wear.

But Old is good in some things ~~~ Old Songs, Old Movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS

Stay well, “OLD FRIEND!”

Send this on to other “Old Friends” and let them laugh in AGREEMENT

It’s Not What You Gather, But What You Scatter That Tells What Kind Of Life You Have Lived.

TODAY IS THE OLDEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE, TODAY IS ALSO THE YOUNGEST YOU’LL BE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.

SO ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

FAA Says U-2 Spy Plane Definitely Scrambled Air Traffic Control Computers
By Danielle Wiener-Bronner
May 6, 2014
After some confusion over whether a Soviet-era spy plane caused delays at a number of airports across the U.S. last week, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the U-2 plane was, indeed, at fault. The Air Force had previously denied that their plane was the one to blame.
According to NBC News, which broke the story, the FAA admitted the error in a statement, saying that the air traffic system they use, called ERAM, “experienced problems while processing a flight plan filed for a U-2 aircraft that operates at very high altitudes under visual flight rules.” The statement continued to explain that though the high-altitude plane was flying at about 60,000 feet, the computer responded as though it was flying at about 10,000 feet which, apparently, made it malfunction:
The computer system interpreted the flight as a more typical low altitude operation, and began processing it for a route below 10,000 feet. The extensive number of routings that would have been required to de-conflict the aircraft with lower-altitude flights used a large amount of available memory and interrupted the computer’s other flight-processing functions.
This seems to mean that if an uncharted plane was actually at risk of colliding with others, the L.A. Air Route Traffic Control Center in Southern California’s main computer system might respond by having the computer version of a panic attack. Which, obviously, is not ideal.
The Wall Street Journal reports that this is not the first time the computer system has caused problems for the L.A. Center. According to the Wall Street Journal, the ERAM computer system is an essential, but problematic, part of American aviation:
Considered the backbone of the nationwide traffic-control upgrade, ERAM replaces a 1970s-era hardware and software system written in now-obsolete programming language and used at many of the 20 “en route” control centers that generally handle air traffic at altitudes over 10,000 feet…. Congressional investigators have criticized the FAA for seemingly focusing only on getting ERAM operational with its “core functionality,” while leaving important and complex safety and capacity “enhancements” for later.
The Journal adds that this is not the first time the computer system has caused problems for the L.A. Center, but that FAA officials say they are confident it will be the last. We certainly hope so.