The Dog Days of Summer? / The Painting Project Continues

Things usually slow down in the heat of summer, even in the political infested dump called Washington DC...but not with our resident Marxist-in-Chief, Barry Soetoro in Charge. Barry and his willing accomplices in the press and Congress are moving full speed ahead with the disaster called "Mandatory Health Care"...a $1.5 trillion, that's with 12 zeros folks, boondoggle, that will help break the bank and the backs of American Taxpayers. You(at least 53%) wanted the "Change" this SOB is bringing, make sure you don't choke on it, because the Health Bill hasn't been passed just yet

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Meanwhile my house painting projects continues at a slow and steady pace. I've moved onto the east side and I've have noticed one thing...when you have paint mixed, it never is exactly the same as the last batch. This usually can mean a problem, especially if you use a different store to buy the mix, or have "left overs" from the past painting project, which is the case for me.

Now, I wasn't going to let go to waste a 5 gallon bucket of the turtle green that I had left over from my last go at this in 2004. With a house that is 80% wood from 1923 and 20% from 1945, the paint may say "15 Year Severe Storm", but if you get 5 years(on the sunny side of the house) or more, you consider yourself lucky. Anyhow, I had one bucket left over, a 5 gallon bucket at that...at $20 a gallon these days, I was not going to let that go to waste. Thus I figured to paint the back part of the house and the garage with that amount, that way, if the colors didn't match exactly, few would notice, except me and Patricia....I want the house to look good, but no perfectionist am I...besides the thing will need painted again in about 2015.

Anyway, got the back done last week, as well as the side of the garage facing the back yard. So it was off to Menards(bought the last batch in 04 at Lowe's)...took my samples and had the Menard Girls mix up a batch of 7 gallons of my Turtle Green...one 5 gallon bucket and 2 single gallon buckets, I also got another gallon of the beige trim, and one of October Red...I had purchased a gallon of flat white for the upper trim earlier.

I started on the east side with the new mix on Monday...as you can see by photo at the top, the color is a little lighter than the old mix....lucky for me, there is enough in the 7 gallons that I should finish the house without having to dip back into the old 5 gallon bucket, except for maybe the remainder of the garage...my completion date is Labor Day, or that is my hope. Football begins in late August, and September is the busiest month, and painting in not on the priority list, once football starts.

Today I will see if the rain passes or misses us, if the approaching storm dumps on us{and we can still use it}, I will hold off. Tomorrow my 6 month doctor's appointment is on the schedule, to check blood pressure etc{probably still high} and the rest of me, so if no painting today, it may be awhile before I get back at it....perhaps over the weekend.

Dawg Days of Summer____

July and August are usually referred to in the Midwest as "The Dog Days"...usually hot and humid to the extent that even your dog doesn't want to get up and chase rabbits, they and you just want to sit around under the apple trees and try to catch a breeze, or better yet, sit on your ass in the Air Conditioned house or work place. With the Chicken Little Wacky Left crying "Global Warming" at every turn, it should even be worse this year, right? Hardly...this so far has been the coolest summer I can remember since the family left Florida in 1962. Mind you I'm not complaining, the low humidity, combined with the less than 90 degree temps, mean not having to use the central A/C as much, and with the Sky Rocketing Obama induced energy costs, is good news.

It's also good news when it comes to working outdoors, especially painting, is also more enjoyable{if one can call outdoor house painting enjoyable}, when the humidity and temperature levels are lower...so Global Warming be dammed! I plan on enjoying the respite from the heat and humidity....I can only hope it lasts through the remainder of the painting and into the early fall football season.

Speaking of Football___

With baseball winding down, just a couple more tournaments to go, Football season is on the horizon. Sam and I got our 2009-10 material from the State(OHSAA) yesterday. Rule Books, Changes, State Meeting Materials, etc. Which means, it won't be long, August will see the football rules and scrimmage begin, with the full High School season beginning as the month hits the 3 week mark....not really ready for it, but give me some time and I will try to get my mind and body(a little more physical than baseball work, a little less than basketball officiating) ready for the gridiron.

Waiting on the rain, or to paint...meanwhile I'll have another cup of coffee.....

back later>>>>

Photos-The Paint...left is the new shade(lighter) vs the old shade on the right side. The "Dog Days" not so much this year, so far anyway. And the packet of football rule changes and other material from the Ohio High School Athletic Association{OHSAA}...The change from baseball to football begins in August.

The Morning Walk, a face from 65, and Nha Trang's Movie House 1969

The Morning Walk___

Got up around 7 this morning, let the Airedale out and decided to get out and walk a couple miles. I made my way up to Docksider's Marathon, grabbed a cup of coffee and made my way to the intersection of US 127(Main Street) and Lake Shore Drive...With the Lake Festival just 2 weeks away, the concrete pouring for the Lake revitalization projects are continuing. I'm a skeptic on the worth of these taxpayer funded projects, but the City is going to go forward with them, whether the majority of folks want them or not....the Lakesters and out of town yuppies have spoken, and they are going to happen, if for no other reason than to please the local "movers and shakers", Realtors, and folks who have invested in Condos around Grand Lake. Grand Lake our big{13,000 acre} Green Algae Pond...as the agriculture runoffs grow, the lake gets greener, the fish population smaller, and the smell more pronounced.

Anyway, back to the walk...The sun was shining, the temperature barley above 50{more Global Warming?}, it was a nice morning to walk a couple of miles....I took about an hour and made it home by 8:30. Now I can think about getting back to painting after I'm done here.

A face from 1965___

Early yesterday afternoon, I had just moved from the back yard to the east side of the house, and had began scrapping the excess paint and was doing some trimming in able to get the ladders behind the bushes, so I could paint the hard to reach places. As I was standing on the porch and see a couple ride by on a nice Harley, and thought to myself, "Now that's a nice bike". I head back to the garage to turn up the radio and listen to the "Rush Limbaugh Show"...I notice the couple on the Harley walking up my driveway. "Pat, it's Don Boise" the man says to me. Don Boise, a name and face from my childhood, way back in time for sure.

Don was one of my original classmates at Celina Junior High School when my family moved from Venice, Florida, to Ohio, back in the fall of 1962. Don, the son of a preacher man, was also my neighbor's, Bob and Jerry Jones buddy...they attended Beaver Chapel, the church Don's father was with. Don was pretty much a fixture at the Jones' house in our area of Montezuma, for the first couple of years of high school....Don's family moved across the state line during our sophomore or junior, to Geneva, Indiana, about 25 miles away. It had been 44 years since I last talked with him....talk about water under the bridge, Don and wife and I talked for a good hour, before they climbed back on the Harley in search of other folks from the area.

And the reason Don was able to look me up? He recognized my house from the Blog!! They had been following the blog and recognized photos of me, the Jones boys, and the house. That was interesting... and it was a good hour. Always good to see folks that you knew from a lifetime away, are still alive and kicking. I was to busy talking, I should have got some photos, but that passed right passed the old brain. Don does have an old photo of some of the gang from years ago that he plans on e-mailing me...looking forward to that.

July 1969 @ The Movies___

By mid July 1969, the summer of the original "Moon Walk", the summer of Woodstock, and my summer at Nha Trang, I had pretty much settled into my routine. Working 6 days a week, with Tuesday being my day off, early morning until late afternoon. As Security Police guys, we had a few perks that others did not have.

One was we had our own movie house...a little shack back of Base Police, where the guys on alert and those off duty could watch NFL Films, current movies, and down a few sodas and snacks. Our barracks were also right on "Main Street"...of course Nha Trang Air Base only had 3 regular paved streets...the rest were shoot offs and made of mud and clay. But we had nice digs and our barracks were across the street for the BX{the 1969 version of the Convenience store} complete with snacks, a barber shop, clothes, and a place where you could purchase electronic equipment, and get your photos developed.

Also right across the street was our "Open Air" outdoor movie theater....you could sit on benches under a tin roof, and watch the latest movies and hope to catch a breeze off the South China Sea, during the humid east central Vietnam nights. Although, not as nice as the modern base theater that I would use when at Tan Son Nhut....it was decent, and the movies were pretty current...albeit, some of them sucked pretty bad. I remember a movie starring "The Monkees" called Head...I liked the group's music, but that movie pretty much soured me on them...their old hokie TV show was much better.

Also on the list of things that passed as entertainment, not including the days downtown at the bars and bathhouses, was the NCO Club....you could always head there, down a few cold ones, and play the Slot Machines. And of course there was always The Beach. Yep, there was a difference between being an Air Force guy, even a Sky Cop, despite the supposed dangers, than a grunt or ground pounder in the Army Infantry or Marines....That Summer Of 69, I really had no complaints.

Back to the Painting....and

back later>>>>

Photos-(1) The corner of Lake Shore Drive, West Bank Road, and US 127 this morning as I took my walk, which passed our west side Light House.(2) The open air Movie Theater at Nha Trang in 1969...Taken by Tony Niemotka.(3) The "QC" Patches, the Crossed Pistols of the Vietnam Security Police...these patches were worn by boy Air Force Cops and our counterparts in the Vietnam Air Force.

Rain, Hackers, and another weekend by the boards

Finally we got some rain over the weekend....after a month long dry spell, more or less, we received anywhere from 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches of rain in west central Ohio on Saturday. Celina, somewhere in the middle, with an in and a half or so. Enough down in Minster to postpone my games, thus cancelling out my weekend schedule at the Districts...not sure how that worked out, but I needed the break anyway. 98 games since March with another handful to go, will probably end up with somewhere around 105-110 contests for the season, a full 20 more than last year...this is slowing down?

Since the rain cancelled out Saturday evenings baseball umpire gig, Patricia, Anissa, and I, headed south to meet up with Hal....he had some items he needed, SS Card, Birth Certificate, etc, for his job search now that his Masters Degree at Wright State is completed....so he joins his mom with a Masters in Education, now for finding a job in this Obamanation of an economy. He does have a job interview in the small city of Eaton tomorrow morning...in the meantime he does have an offer on the table, and can also continue to work for Celina Moving as he needs...so things for him are not that desperate. But I know he does want to or would like to teach High School full time, if he can find the right fit for this fall.

Anyway, we met up at the local Applebees near Troy, Ohio, and had a meal there, before parting ways, him south 30 miles and we back north our 60 miles or so. The rain had ended by this time, so we took the back roads home to Celina.

Yesterday started out foggy, but the sun quickly burst through....I grabbed my wallet, stopped by mom's, while Patricia and Anissa headed for Church....I had a mission to buy the rest of the paint for the house, and look at a new mid-sized ladder....I was tired of lugging around the old 30 foot wooden one, with Sam having to come out and help each time it needed moved....some $300 later, with the paint from Menard's, and a new 16 foot aluminum ladder from Wally World, I headed home...beer/cigar money gone, but ready to get back at the painting, which I had already decided that would wait until today.

I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting out back, fired up a couple of cigars and put a six pack down as I listened to the Reds lose another one and the afternoon faded into setting sun.

Hackers take over my GMail____

Not to bore with details, but on Friday night my Gmail account, and thus Blogger, were hacked into...my own dumbass mistake was at fault. Google took care of the problem, and a new password was taken care of in less than 2 hours....if not for that, I would have lost access to this blog, and all my e-mail addresses that run through my GMail...what a pain in the ass that would have been. Anyway, thanks to the Google Team{the real one, not the one that hacked into my account} for the quick work, thus saving me this blog, plus many hours, if not days, which it would have taken to get things back to "normal".

Be aware however, if you have GMail, make sure you dump any mail coming from "The GMail Team" into the Spam folder...I am a little surprised that Google hasn't already done this....because, even after I got my act back together, the fake "team" is still back trying to hack my account....so I've invented new ways to slap them back, and waste their time.

That's gonna do it for this Monday, I'll be back with another post about my 40th anniversary in Vietnam....speaking of which, where were you 40 years ago next week, when my west central Ohio "homie" Neil Armstrong{from nearby Wapakoneta} stepped foot on the Moon?

Back Later>>>>

Photos-Neil Armstrong from nearby Wapakoneta salutes the flag on the Moon, July 20, 1969...The rain over the weekend helps my Mammoth Sunflower stalks grown to 8 feet, now it's about time the flowers themselves come out, and Hackers took over my Gmail account for a couple of hours on Friday, but quick action saved the day.

GOOGLE HACKER ALERT!!

Just a quick HEADS UP!!

For all Google Gmail users, who also have accounts on Blooger. A heads up to watch out for someone calling themselves The GMail Team. It doesn't come through as Spam and you will get threats and questions, they use a GMail address....

Dump it into your Spam Box as soon as you get it....I almost paid the price tonight...quick work by Google and GMail saved one big pain-in-the-ass. When I got back with help from the real google, I discovered a letter in my Draft Mail Box that was being sent out to receipents asking for Money because someone in England had lost their wallet.....and they need 1500 pounds to get them through.

Hope nobody fell for that one!

Feeling Like a Dumbass.....

PRH

Final American Legion Game for this Season

Summer is back...I awoke not until 9 this morning, very, very, late for me. Usually somewhere between 7-7:30 is my pop out of bed time....but after doing a 2 1/2 hour American Legion game behind the plate last night, and not hitting the sack until after Midnight, my body decided to stay in the sack and my mind agreed.

Have not even got back to the painting today...though about a couple of different avenues to go, but just didn't have the energy or will to get at it. With a baseball double header slated at the Minster ACME Distict tomorrow, and a drive towards Dayton to meet up with Hal on Sunday, it may be Monday before I get back at it...but then again, I did say this project was going to take at least 2 months....don't want to rush my finish date> :)

Speaking of Hal, he called this morning and said he does have his first High School job interview...that will take place at Eaton, Ohio, down US 127 some 60 miles from here, on Tuesday morning. Hopefully one of many interviews, or maybe just the only one he will need. Good Luck Hal! He also finished up his Masters of Eduction degree work this past Wednesday....so Congratulations Hal...after the party and dinner for his Bachelors last June, this year you get your car insurance paid for until you get a full time job....but that's it in the Obama economy we are currently saddled with.

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Gene Stechschulte, Coach, Ottawa American Legion Post #63

Sam and I headed to Van Wert late yesterday afternoon to work our final scheduled American Legion game of the season....The hometown team would take on the squad from Ottawa, Ohio. Van Wert had received the top seed in this weekend's district at St Marys, a District that has been reduced to 3 teams after having 6 in years past...this would be a warm up game for both squads. Ottawa is coached by former St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Gene Stechschulte. Stechschulte, from near by Kalida, had a 3 year career with the Cards back in the early 2000s before 3 arm surgeries effectively ended his playing days. His top season with St. Louis was 2002, when he had 6 saves in 67 relief appearances...he also is the only pitcher who, as a pinch hitter, homered on the first pitch he ever saw as a major league hitter. One of his assistance is my old buddy/adversary from Fort Jennings, the head spring coach, Jeff Zwick. Meanwhile Van Wert assistant John Archer, who was coaching alone last night, is an old buddy of mine from Rockford, who I worked and hung around with in the early and mid 1970s. An interesting cast of caricatures...anyway, with Van Wert going with "Johnny Wholestaff" while preparing for this weekends District, Ottawa jumped out early and cruised to a 14-2, 7 inning win. Ottawa starts their northern District next week.

That about does it for this week....I'll be back with more from my year in Vietnam on Monday, and a update on the painting project...come to think of it, I may head out and do some trim work right now, just so I don't lose the "touch"

Have a great weekend!

back later>>>>

Photo-Former St. Louis Card hurler and current Ottawa Legion coach and independent baseball trainer in Northwest Ohio, Gene Stechschulte.

Stats are here:

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=stechge01

More Paint, Less A/C and getting down to work at Nha Trang July 1969

Just a short one today....

I put in another 4 to 5 hours painting yesterday...did the west side of the Garage, and painted the white edges on the "kitchen" part of the back of the house, that alone took at least 2 hours, and it was a small bit, but had to be done. Today, with an American Legion baseball game at Van Wert tonight, I will do some more trim, this time the beige supports...like I said, it will be a long process...you paint 5 hours, you drink a six pack and smoke a cigar that evening in the back yard admiring your work....that is my plan.

Meanwhile the high yesterday never got out of the 70s, so another day saving the A/C and keeping the Skyrocketing Utility Bills at bay...today dawns cloudy, but the rain missed us again, the yard is pretty much in it's annual "no mow in July mode".

The American Legion game tonight, will mark the end of 3 straight days of no baseball, the longest stretch since the handful of days between Spring District and Regional action back in mid and late May....a double header at the ACME District on Saturday, and then some more rest...I have to say, I am glad to see it wind down. Last season I did about 85 games. This year, counting scrimmages, regular High School season, Tournaments, and the summer games, it appears I will have done at least 100 by the end of July...plenty of work for this 60 year old body. Then a couple of weeks off, and it's on to football season.

Nha Trang July 1969___Getting to work

By the time I had been at Nha Trang a week, I was fully into the everyday workings of Law Enforcement...those workings included how to hide from the brass when I was on patrol duty, when to call for a latrine break mid mornings, and how to BS with the local kids that hung around our gate shacks, and which parts of the C-Rations to give those kids. They always appreciated whatever leftovers we had. One thing about the kids(from those just learning to walk to the mid teens), they may not have liked all of us GI types, but they at least faked it, because they knew, if they even pretended to like us...we would usually give them a snack or something. Sky Cops, for the most part, were softies, at least for the kids.

The first guys I remember working with{those that I can remember their names and faces} were Marcos Payen and Harry Bevan:

http://harrysrantsandraves.blogspot.com/

Marc was from El Paso and has been a federal agent for many years down on that border city...Harry went home after the Air Force to become a Philadelphia cop, and worked with the K-9s at the Philly Airport, although not a dog handler when in Nam.

I also met guys like Bruce Thompson, Tony Niemotka(who sent me yesterday's firing range photos}, Johnny Claflin...and my supervisors, Phil Lange and Melvin Sloan. Tom Johnson was there at the same time as well, and every once in awhile another name and/or face pops into my brain...amazing that 40 years later, that I can have a good amount of recall on those I knew for only a short time. Of course many of us have hooked up via the VSPA, otherwise these names and some of the memories may have been lost forever. Phil just passed on, and I have yet to find Melvin Sloan{who would be in his mid 70s I am guessing}...but in this large world, the amount of old contacts is surpassed only by the number of new friends I have made through the Vietnam Security Police Association:

http://www.vspa.com/

Off to a few hours of painting the trim, shower, baseball, and maybe a few beers to top off the evening....

back later>>>>

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photos--Szack and Beven, Szack(with the gun) passed away a few years ago, Harry Beven is alive and well and on a vacation cruise to Alaska with his wife Anna, whom he married before heading to Vietnam. Horse play was something we did, and probably shouldn't have, especially with the weapons, but we lost nobody despite it all....The second photo is me on Jeep Patrol, and yes, even though it's hard to tell, I was pointing my .38 Special towards the camera{amazing we all survived our tours}, and #3 is Marc Payan, QC Sgt Ky of the South Vietnam Army, and Harry Bevan..maining the main gate at Nha Trang, probably the one place a Sky Cop couldn't screw around, too many brass passing through and eyeballing you. This LE Post you were in the view of just about everybody who passed through Nha Trang.

A Cool July Breeze, Painting Project....and that "Dog" Gone Firing Range at Nha Trang

Well yesterday I started, finally started the outside painting project on the old house....the roof is finished, the gutters and downspouts are done{although the removal of the gutters from the driveway never was completed, so Patricia and I moved those to the side of the garage, out of site for now}, and it was time for me to get at the painting. A project I figure will take me 2 or more months....Could I get it done quicker? Would Patricia be glad to help? The answer to both questions is probably yes....but this is a project I want to do when I want to, take time off when I want, and move at my own pace, one designed for my 60 year old body....which means slow and sometimes steady.

I finished up the Green on the back side of the house, scarped some of the beige trim, and will get with some of the white trim today on the bare facing. The Amish crew put up white facing, so instead of 3 colors, the base green and 2 trims{beige and red}, this time around it will be 3 trim colors, with the added white. I still have to get some more green mixed, and hope it matches pretty close{meaning I will have to make sure that different sides of the house are painted with different 5 gallon buckets of paint{long story}.

Anyway, I'm about 15% done, and that only took 5 hours{using a brush, not a spray gun}....not sure if the rest will go so quick, and I'm betting it won't,

July weather____

53 this morning when I woke up...the A/C has been off all but a few hours for the past week...which is good considering the utility bill was almost $300 last month...THANK YOU PRESIDENT OBAMA and the City of Celina...YOU REALLY DO SUCK! Anyway, a nice breeze and a high of 77 for today....77 for a High? On July 8th? I will take it! Good weather for painting, baseball, and getting in some road work. In preparation for the finish of baseball and the beginning of football season, I figure I needed to get back to walking and push ups, along with some light weights...so that began yesterday as well. Now about dropping those 25 pounds which I was supposed to do this spring ?.....wish me luck, or I'm gonna need it come football and especially basketball season.

That "Dog(s) Gone" Firing Range at Nha Trang, RVN____July 1969

I had been at Nha Trang for about a week. I had been assigned to "A" Flight Law Enforcement, and TSgt Phil Lange was my NCOIC....Law Enforcement at Nha Trang consisted of the following: Jeep Patrol...you drove the streets of Nha Trang AB, issuing tickets{seldom}, checking on the posts being manned by other LE guys, and giving them lunch or latrine breaks...it was basically the "gravy" job of Law Enforcement, and probably every body's favorite. In addition to Jeep Patrol, the grunts of LE also manned gates, including the base Main Gate, entry control points for civilian workers, and some guard shacks sprinkled throughout the base....it was by all accounts, the best job I ever had during my Air Force tour of duty.

One morning a group of us "Newbies", guys who had been in country less than a few weeks, were loaded up in a deuce and a half truck, with a boat load of weapons...Grenade Launchers. M-16s, M-50s, M-60s, hand grenades, etc, and were hauled off to the Firing Range north of Nha Trang City.....this was to be our baptism of fire and quick learn of the various weapons we would be handling in case of a manned attack on the Air Base. I kind of figured, if the VC got past the Green Berets at Camp McDermott, and our Security guys on the perimeter, we LE guys were shit out of luck anyway...but what the Hell? I loved firing these weapons.

After unloading, the dozen or so guys and the handful on instructors set up our "equipment" and began firing at marked targets on the rocks...I remember 2 things from that day that are as clear as yesterday in my mind. The sky was a mass of grey clouds, and it was humid....then there were the "Dogs". Wild feral dogs in Vietnam were not pets by any stretch of the imagination...the carried rabies, they were mean, and they were scavengers. This pack of 6 to 8 dogs of various sizes made the mistake that day of coming into the firing range area, while a bunch of Air Force Security Police guys were learning weapons training and doing target practice...it was the last thing most, if not all, would ever do.

Given permission by the lead instructor...a dozen or so trigger happy Sky Cops opened fire on these local mutts...the dogs never had a chance. Now given the fact I have had dogs all my life and raised Airedales for many years, speaks to the fact that I love dogs...but as I said, these "dogs" were really nothing more that "wolf lite". Did I feel guilty that I joined the rest of the guys in opening up on them? Not at the time, it seemed like the thing to do....all these years later, I probably would not do my share of shooting to kill, but at the time, I joined in....we seemed to enjoy it way to much.

After this I was fully "qualified" to shoot the weapons of choice...however, being in Law Enforcement, I was only assigned to carry my .38 S&W Police Special, and my M-16...but Hell, I did get to ride around in the V-100(See Photo of me leaning up against one at the top of the blog) on occasion...which contained some big guns.

OK, that's it for today...time to head outside and continue the painting project.

back later>>>>

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Photos-The Vietnam shots are from my buddy Tony Niemotka, who was stationed at Nha Trang with the 14th SPS at the same time as me...he arrived a little earlier and was sent home about the time I was heading for Tan Son Nhut{Saigon}. The two photos are among several that Tony sent out yesterday...they show him firing a Grenade Launcher(top) and doing the prone position with .50 cal machine gun....both photos were taken at the same firing range that we "dogged" it a few months later.

And the back of the house after the main green part has been completed...today I will start with some trim before moving on to the area above the kitchen...it will be a roof work day.

Sarah Palin Resigns....The Media goes bonkers and 40 years ago this week.

The 4th of July weekend in west central Ohio varied from cool sunshine on Friday, with afternoon rains and drizzle on Saturday(the 4th) and back to more sunshine with nice breezes for yesterday to wrap up the weekend.

Sam was off to Pittsburgh, Hal was home on Friday night and Saturday morning before returning to the Dayton area. I finished off my string of 46 baseball games in 34 days(out of a possible 36 days) since June 1st. Now things will slow down, at least hardball wise. I've got some American Legion games to do, and help out in a couple of Pony League tournaments, which I do once a summer, and then wrap things up the final weekend(July 31 through August 2nd) with some Little League work at the local Celina Tournament. Have not done the little league thing in about 10 years, will in interesting to see how my legs and back hold up after doing 3 double headers in 3 nights with my legs being lowered to calling balls and strikes on kids 5 feet or less tall.

Anyhow, some days off until this Thursday, so I can get at the paint and some other yard work. Maybe, now that I'm not facing games each night, I can get off my procrastination highway and do something besides baseball and beer drinking...although the beer drinking won't be completely given up on.

Sarah Palin says...."I'm outta here"____

Friday afternoon Sarah Palin, the hero of the true Conservative movement, and the Anti Christ of the Left Wing Loons, in and out of the press, announced she was stepping down as Governor of Alaska on July 26th, she was not going to run again. Immediately the press, left wing and other wise, began to question her motives. Was she going on a speaking tour, planning her early run for President in 2012, running from scandal? Just what was/were her motives?

I say, anything that can drive the left wing bonkers, with rumors, gnashing of teeth, and shrill squawks, is good enough for me. Personally I hope she sticks around and begins to build a new or within an old(Constitution, Conservative etc) Political Party that believes in less Government, killing terrorists, and that Barack Obama is one evil son of a bitch, that is out to destroy the Republic.

Go Sarah, and tell the Media to "Stuff It" no matter what your plans are, some of us have your back, while the Country Club GOP types and the loony left tries to stick a knife in it. It will be interesting to see what the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh have to say about her stepping down, both have been fans since before she ran for VP on that disaster called The John McCain Campaign.

Early July 1969____my tour at Nha Trang begins___After stepping out of the C-130 Hercules on the metal runway next to the control tower and terminal at Nha Trang Air Base, I walked towards a desk staffed by a A1C(Airman First Class, same as me at that time). Showing him my orders, he pointed me towards base police. Not that far away, so I slung my duffel bag over my shoulder and walked back out into the hot and humid afternoon sun....it had rained earlier in the day, and Nha Trang at this point, reminded me of my old home in Venice, Florida....July's that were hot, humid, and with rain mixed in...and I was to find out that Nha Trang, like Venice, would be sitting on a beach, on this beach was on the South China Sea, not the Gulf of Mexico.

I walked into Base Police and eventually was greeted by a Buck Sgt(3 stripper) named Clarence Wilson...we chatted and Wilson told me that I had been assigned to Law Enforcement and would be working "A" Shift...that being Day Time Law Enforcement patrols and guard and gate shacks, wearing the infamous Blue Helmet or piss pot as well called them. That worked for me...never had worked LE, and would not again after I left Nha Trang, I was destined for Security for over 3 years of my almost 4 year hitch in Uncle Sam's Air Force. Since I had screwed off my final months back at Dover AFB, Delaware. I was assigned to Wilson for my "training"...which of course would be training in name only....basically reading a few books, pamphlets, with questions and answers intact, and heading off to the Firing Range, located off base and north of Nha Trang City, to learn how to shoot the various weapons we were assigned to carry.

For the next couple of days I would be assigned to get my "Jungle Gear"..that being camouflage uniforms, olive greens with black letters, patches and name tags, Jungle Boots, and get settled into my barracks assignment. I would be placed on the lower floor of the 2 story concrete barracks, right across the street from the base theater and not far from Base Police.....I don't remember much about my first few days "On Duty" but I did get to know a collection of folks that their names and faces remain a part of my life until this very day....That part of the story next.

Back Later>>>>

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Photos-(1) What next for Sarah Palin?(2) Me on a South China Sea beach at Nha Trang, South Vietnam, photo dated 6 July 1969...40 years ago today. Notice I still have my stateside fatigues, the new Jungle Outfit had not yet been returned from the "tailors"(3) Duffel Bag like the type we carried during my Air Force years(4) A Huey lands on Nha Trang's metal out runway...although the main landing areas were concrete, the out areas and the areas near the terminal were made from "breathing metals" with holes to allow drainage.

"Happy ____Dependence Day" 2009

Most of the weekend will be spend umpiring baseball, from American Legion Tournament action{yesterday and tomorrow} down to today's Junior ACME{summer JV High School ball} tournament double header at Rockford. The incoming rain may have something to say about today's games however....actually we need the rain, and if it doesn't rain today or tonight, we have none slated for the next 10 days. I'm guessing a nice steady rain for about 8 hours around 9pm would be nice.

I will get back to my year in Vietnam on Monday....Today I thought I give my short opinion on July 4th....does in mean what it used to, are we truly, independent?

My guess is the answer to both questions is NO! There are exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, from cradle to grave, we have become used to Government intrusion in our lives...from getting a Social Security number at birth, plus a blood test, our DNA is given out to the bureaucratic stooges at the local, state, and federal levels. Permits and licenses, at a cost of course, are required for just about everything, including the ones required to flush your toilet. Life in these United States in not as half free as we would like to think it is...and if that Kenyan born son of a bitch in the White House has his way...what little freedoms we have, including the 1st and 2nd Amendments, will be gone as well.

This is no longer the nation of Washington, Jefferson, and Reagan, it has become the world of the Bushes, Clintons, Pelosi, and and illegal, Kenyan born half breed, calling himself Barack Hussein Obama....{Real Name Barry Soetoro, Islamic educated resident of Indonesia, born somewhere outside the US, Kenya? Perhaps}

Is there time to take this country back? Yes! Do we have the soul and will to do it? Some of us yes, some no, and others like it this way, where the Government is their Lord and Nanny...which side do you fall on?

Happy Dependence Day America....will we ever see true Independence again?

July 2, 1969....The Flight to Nha Trang

Sam and I headed to Van Wert last night to umpire the elimination game of the Van Wert County ACME Tournament.....the host team scored on a hit batter in the bottom of the 7th to defeat Delphos St. Johns by a 6-5 count...thus moving on to the finals tonight where they will meet up with top seed Crestview, regardless of the outcome, both Van Wert and the Knights will move on to District play next week...St Johns closes out it summer run. This afternoon we are together again, this time at Lima Central Catholic for a ACME Sectional double header. I will have the first game behind the plate, featuring Elida and Lima Bath, the second contest, with Sam doing the dish, will have Lima Senior against the host team. The first game kicks off at 4PM, so another late night is in store. Over the weekend I will switch between the American Legion St Marys Tournament, and the District Junior ACME at Parkway...Sam will be off in Pittsburgh doing whatever....I could use some baseball free time off myself, and that will eventually come around.

Yesterday's high reached only 68, rare indeed for a July 1st in this neck of the woods...pretty nice stuff to umpire in...today a little warmer, with a high of 73 and the humidity back . The next week after today looks dry and mild(around 80 for the highs 60s for the lows) for this time of year. I will finally get around to prepping the back side of the house for the painting...which of course I have been putting off as long as baseball is taking up so much time.

Tan Son Nhut to Nha Trang_____

I spent the night of July 2, 1969, in the Transit Barrack at Tan Son Nhut on the outskirts of Saigon...as I mentioned, the sounds and the anticipation left me with little sleep, and the events of early the next day are pretty cloudy 40 years hence. What I do rememberr is that I walked on to that concrete runway at TSN, and got on board a Military Plane for the first time...I had been a member of the Air Force for a year by this time, but had never flown in a Air Force aircraft...all my flights had been civilian to this point.

Once again, I was lone wolf...nobody else from that Transit Barracks was heading to Nha Trang, north 250 miles on the South China Sea. I would fly out in a Hercules C130 prop driven cargo plane...I remember it was loud, there were 5 or 6 crew members, and I and one old Mama son were the passengers...in my memory I think I remember she had a couple of freaking goats with her...but then again, that flight was interesting enough, without the livestock, and maybe I just imagined those goats in my memory banks, all these years later.

We lumbered off in the noise, heat, and humidity....I suspect the flight to Nha Trang took something over an hour, but really, I can't say for sure. I do know I could see the vast jungles of Vietnam out the portals...and I remember thinking to myself..."I wish we were flying a little higher over these damn jungles".

Although I took quite a few photos, especially in Nha Trang{not so many while stationed at Tan Son Nhut later on}, I wish I had taken and saved more....It took me a few days to buy a camera at the Base BX, and start shooting.

The 130 finally landed safe and sound on Nha Trang's runway...a combination of open metal, and concrete....me, the mama son{and the goats?}, safe and sound in the sunshine, heat, and humidity...noon or early afternoon on July 3, 1969 it was. Into the small terminal building at Nha Trang I went, dressed in my Khakis for the final time for the next year....it would be fatigues, jungle camos, and green underwear from here on out....that and the ever present Blue Piss Pot Helmets that would be with me for my 6 month stay at Nha Trang, at least when on duty. It was July 3rd, I would be here until December 27th, when I would head back to Tan Son Nhut for the rest of my stay.

I headed on foot(that's how small the Air Base at Nha Trang was} to Base Police, to sign it, get my "room assignment" at the 14th SPS Barracks, and settle in before meeting those in charge and receiving my police assignment. I had no clue as to what shift I would be working, or whether it was to be in Security or Law Enforcement...I am sure as I walked into the Base Police office, I had that Deer-in-the-Headlight look....regardless, my favorite year in the Air Force was about to begin.

Next Up---Assignments, names, and faces____

I will continue my look at this year, 40 years ago, in Vietnam after the weekend____baseball and the 4th of July is coming up. Hal returns home for the day tomorrow, his Masters work at Wright State is finished next Wednesday, he will work at Celina Moving and begin his full press look for a High School teaching job within the next week or 10 days, he will need good luck, especially in today's economy, the older teachers are hanging on to their jobs, uncertain what awaits them or the rest of us, under this ObamaNation. Thank God I'm 60...not too much Barack and his minions can do to me....Fock Em'. Pay Back is Hell, I suspect they will find out not all the American people are as dumb as his wild eyed, slave like supporters.

Have a great 4th of July, celebrate the America that was, and can be again, not the America that we have turned into under this Administration.

back later>>>>

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Photos-(1) The C130 Hercules, much like the one I flew in from Tan Son Nhut to Nha Trang in early July 1969(2) Map of Vietnam, with Nha Trang sitting some 250 miles north and east of Saigon{yes I know the freaking Reds call it something else today, but it will always be Saigon, they can stick Uncle Ho up their asses}.(3) Me, decked out in my Blue Helmet at the entry control point early in my assignment at Nha Trang(4) And finally, a view from above at the base at Nha Trang on the South China Sea{this photo from Wikpedia was taken in June of 1968}....without exception, my favorite duty station during my 4 year Air Force tour.

Baseball, Gutters, and July 1, 1969

Finished up the Junior ACME Sectional at Crestview last night, with fellow umpire Jim R behind the plate, in the first game. Van Wert eliminated Wapakoneta 4-3, scoring 2 runs in the bottom of the 7th, the winning run on a bases loaded walk. I did the plate in the 2nd game as Crestview took the nightcap 14-3 in 6 innings, to win the title. Both Van Wert and Crestview move on to the District at Rockford...I know at least Celina will be joining them, not sure of the remaining teams.

The cool temperatures and cloud cover were welcome. Tonight Sam and I do a ACME Sectional game at Van Wert...tomorrow a 4PM ACME Sectional double header at Lima Central Catholic. The rest of the 4th of July weekend will be filled with games, ACME, JR ACME, and a weekend American Legion Tournament at St. Marys will keep me busy...maybe too busy. I have to admit, I am getting burnt out after 3 1/2 months of solid baseball. In June alone, I worked 27 of the 30 days, July, after a fast start will be less hectic, but I will still do plenty of baseball, before getting some early August off before football begins. The money is good, so I'm not complaining, but my 60 year old legs and back are feeling the effects.

Gutters---Done!

The crew from Lima came over yesterday and did the gutter work. So the roof, and downspouts are finis' Now, all I have to do is begin the painting...something I have been putting off. Now with white added to the green, beige, and red trim.....I am guessing this may take until October, depending on my bones, procrastination, and the heat.

The road to Vietnam--7/1/69____

I sat in a lounge at Honolulu International Airport for maybe an hour, had a couple of beers(back when it was legal for a 20 year old to down alcoholic beverages)...then climbed on the orange Braniff International 707 and we flew west towards the International Date Line:

June 30th became July 1st in the blink of an eye....by the time I would land at Tan Son Nhut(Saigon Airport) it would be July 2nd. But stops had to be made...First Guam, an American controlled island country, home of Andersen Air Force Base, and boat loads of Brown Snakes....I can't recall if we ever deplaned, but we refueled and across the great blue Pacific we continued, next stop was Clark AFB in the Philippines. We did get off for a brief stop at Clark, saw some of the base, and grabbed a bite to eat....climbing back on the plane, I knew what was coming____Next Stop Vietnam!

I was lucky enough to have a window seat, as we approached the Airport at Saigon, a place that would be my future home, some 6 months down the road...but not now, the great base at Tan Son Nhut, would be my processing place for a day and night, then it would be off to Nha Trang, on the South China Sea. I looked over the vast jungle of foliage of the forests that covered this war torn country that we were fighting and dying in...the reasons were still unclear then, as they are 40 years later.

The Arrival____

The plane sat down in the late morning of July 2nd...I did some early processing at the terminal, received some orders, my flight schedule to Nha Trang, a meal ticket for the Chow Hall, and some linen for my night's stay at the Transit Barracks.

I remember that night well...my first night in this "war". I didn't sleep well at all. I thought of home, what I would be doing at Nha Trang, the dangers, how I would get there, and if my flight would actually make it. Alone, unlike those sent in full outfits with squadrons, etc...I was by myself, the only one from Dover AFB Security Police to be sent to Nha Trang, I would come to realize soon, just how lucky I was to be sent there, but on this night of July 2, 1969, I had no clue.

Then there was the sound of rockets and incoming in the distance...how far away I didn't know, but regardless, I didn't sleep well that night.

Next, the flight to Nha Trang_____

Back Later

Correction from Yesterday's Post____

My old hometown buddy, Bill Marshall, a fellow VSPA Sky Cop also from the small berg of Scott, Ohio, wrote to tell me he liked the story, but had a correction for me....no way I could have went past Hearst Castle on my way from San Fran International to Travis AFB, unless we went 150 miles out of the way....right he was. As I didn't have pictures or notes from that day, I guess I had imagined that it was Hearst. I know we went by Candlestick Park and another large estate, that the bus driver mentioned...Hearst it was not, but it, whatever it was, was impressive, and stuck in my mind...thanks Billy. Bill Marshall has lived in Southern California since shortly after his days in the Air Force ended.

Photos-(1) top left...The inside of the Terminal Building at Tan Son Nhut, where thousands of us processed when entering and leaving Vietnam.(2) The Roof and east side gutters/spouting are complete, now my part of the job, the painting, begins(3)/(4) Entry control, where the Law Enforcement guys of Security Police were in charge...Andersen AFB Guam, and Clark AFB's main gate.(5)Tan Son Nhut aerial view, a base and it's perimeter that I would become very familiar with in 1970.