Some People I'd Like You To Meet
There are some people I'd like to introduce you to this Holiday weekend. The first one is USMC GYSGT Galen F. Humphrey. Some of you might have met him here in the past. I've mentioned him on Memorial Day before and on February 1st. His plane was shot down on that date in 1966. I never got to meet him in person but I wear a stainless steel bracelet with his name on it. I got the bracelet at Skidmore, Missouri's Freedom Fest a few years ago. After I decided I wanted to wear a POW/MIA bracelet I told the person that made it I wanted it to have the name of someone from the Saint Joseph, Missouri area on it. I was told that GYSGT Galen F. Humphrey was the only person from this area that served in Vietnam that is still missing. Since that time I have met his wife and children, that gives my bracelet a lot more meaning. A couple of things that stand out in his bio, Jim B. tells that GYSGT Humphrey wasn't even supposed to be on the plane that day. He bumped someone so he could go pick up gifts he had ordered for his children. Half way around the world serving his country in time of war and he put his children before himself, what can you say. The bio also says that no wreckage of the plane was found and no bodies were recovered. So the United States government has not proved to me that they are dead, only that they are missing. So I will continue to wear this bracelet and make every day Memorial Day for GYSGT Humphrey and all of our other POW/MIA's.
I also want to introduce you to my Uncle, Richard L. Goforth, Killed In Action on June 19, 1944 while serving on the U.S.S. South Dakota. I knew that he had boxed in the Golden Gloves and that he planned on getting married after the war ended. I never really knew a lot about my Uncle until I found out about a site that was set up by the family of Larry J. Maday, Sr. to remember the crew members of the U.S.S. South Dakota and their ship. Through that site (I hope you'll check it out this Memorial Day) I met some of the ships crew members that remember my Uncle (His photo can be found by clicking on Photos-Page 3 sixth row down, second from the left). They told me about him being a part of the ships boxing team and that he was well liked by his ship mates. At the time of his death he was below deck with a team of men waiting to respond to any emergency. A 500 pound bomb came through the deck and exploded right in the middle of them. I hope you will spend a part of your Memorial Day visiting the U.S.S. South Dakota and her crew. God Bless Them All.
Please don't forget to answer this weeks Question Of The Week. The message below this one. Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day
God Bless America, God Save The Republic
I also want to introduce you to my Uncle, Richard L. Goforth, Killed In Action on June 19, 1944 while serving on the U.S.S. South Dakota. I knew that he had boxed in the Golden Gloves and that he planned on getting married after the war ended. I never really knew a lot about my Uncle until I found out about a site that was set up by the family of Larry J. Maday, Sr. to remember the crew members of the U.S.S. South Dakota and their ship. Through that site (I hope you'll check it out this Memorial Day) I met some of the ships crew members that remember my Uncle (His photo can be found by clicking on Photos-Page 3 sixth row down, second from the left). They told me about him being a part of the ships boxing team and that he was well liked by his ship mates. At the time of his death he was below deck with a team of men waiting to respond to any emergency. A 500 pound bomb came through the deck and exploded right in the middle of them. I hope you will spend a part of your Memorial Day visiting the U.S.S. South Dakota and her crew. God Bless Them All.
Please don't forget to answer this weeks Question Of The Week. The message below this one. Have a Safe and Happy Memorial Day
God Bless America, God Save The Republic
posted by David Schantz | 1:33 PM
10 Comments:
The music is a very nice touch. I'm surprised at how many of these Memorial sites have music connected to them. Perhaps I didn't notice last year because my computer just wasn't up to it.
Thanks for this tribute..it makes this day all the more human and real.
Thank you for remembering. My hat goes off to those who perished in the line of fire. As long as they are remembered, they live on.
David, God Bless ya and thank you for your support for the troops. Thank God you got to know your uncle, even if it was only via electronic/digital means. He was a great man indeed and his ultimate sacrifice for our Freedom and Liberty has not gone unnoted, thank God. Appreciate you, Sir. I wish there were SO MANY MORE like yourself who cared as deeply as you do for our Veterans.
Do you have Rolling Thunder in your area? They come here on their motorcycles on Memorial Day Sunday. On their bikes, they have the American flag and the POW/MIA flag.
AOL ask, "Do you have Rolling Thunder in your area?" I don't know that there is a chapter in the area but they are always represented very well at Skidmore, Missouri's Freedom Fest (see the link in the text of Original Post) an event my family attends every year. You can always count on seeing the Rev. John Steer there. The Rev. Steer rides in with the United States Flag and the POW/MIA Flag both flying from the back of his bike. He lost his right arm and had one leg seriously injured while serving in Vietnam. You can learn more about him by typing the Rev. John Steer into about any search engine. Anyone that is trying to get a grassroots organization going could take lessons from Rolling Thunder. I've heard that before they were organized most of our elected officials stayed in the D.C. area over the Memorial Day weekend. I guess elected officials are pretty scarce in D.C. at that time of year now that the Rolling Thunder Parade has become an annual event. Our elected officials don't want to face True American Patriots! God Bless the members of Rolling Thunder.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
Sorry abot that Always On Watch, I didn't mean to call you AOL.
God Bless America, God Save The Republic.
David,
I've been called "AOL" more than once. No problem.
I'm not sure about the details, but I heard the GWB didn't give the promised support to Rolling Thunder this year.
In general, our elected officials don't have much contact with Rolling Thunder, all of whom are unabashedly patriotic.
Dear David, Thanks so much for your mention of our USS SOUTH DAKOTA website. It was my dad's wish that we never forget the greatest generation. We think we are fulfilling his wish thanks to people like you. I am so glad you have been contacted by some of the remaining crew. God Bless.
Diana L. (MADAY) Johnson
MailCAll Editor and Treasurer
Your uncle... In South Dakota. When did it happen? In Saipan or Philippines?
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