Our President, George Walker Bush, needs no introduction. Neither, for that matter, does his gallant father, the youngest pilot in the Navy during World War II!
The elder Bush flew an "Avenger Dive-Bomber" from the decks of the Carrier San Jacinto, and was himself splashed (shot down), and also completed some 58 combat missions! In this incident, two of "Bush Sr.?s Crew" did not survive, and but for an act of God (and/or fate), the man who normally manned the turret gun on Bush?s plane, was not present on that flight, and is still with us today!
Well, the exploits of "George Herbert Walker Bush", the man who would become our 41st President, and who?s son, would later become the Governor of Texas and the 43rd President, are well known! As a matter of fact, the Old Man even put in a stint with the CIA, one of the Agencies that supplied LSD during MK ULTRA EXPERIMENTATION! There is, however, one point of fact (?) that is not as well known about the younger Bush!?
Back during World War II, one of the most famous war correspondents of all times, Ernest Taylor Pyle (the famous Ernie Pyle), later killed in that War, busted his ass to acquire ?Combat Pay? for grunts!
Quote Indiana Historical Society:
?Ernie Pyle?, born in 1900, and known as ?The Hoosier Reporter?, not only described the soldiers' hardships, but also spoke out on their behalf.
In a column from Italy in 1944, Pyle proposed that "Combat Soldiers" be given "Fight Pay", similar to an airman's flight pay! And in May of that year, Congress acted on Pyle's suggestion, giving soldiers 50 percent extra pay for combat duty. The legislation was nicknamed "The Ernie Pyle Bill."
Now, however, almost six decades later, George Bush Jr. (?), or grossly misguided members of his entourage (some in the Pentagon included), according to some media sources (?), are seeking to get Combat Pay for those out in ?Harm?s Way? reduced!?
If (?) this is true, then this move reminds me of a young state-level politico that I once met, who won election, partially in the shadows of his father?s air-combat experience in World War II!
While running (for office that is), this talented youngster always made it a point to have a photo of his dad, in WWII flight gear, and standing in front of a fighter-plane, prominently displayed right behind him!
Well, this talented young kid is not his father, none of us are, and in Bush?s case, I find it somewhat troubling that (according to some sources), that because of economic concerns etc, President Bush (or a few members of his Administration), are seeking to reduce combat pay for our troopers in the bloody field????
And might I add, that at the same time that some are touting
"Combat Pay Reductions", or other restrictions to retirement benefits, (as well as a slimming down of veteran?s medical benefits), elements of our government are still seeking huge middle of the night pay raises, and are living high off of the pork grown on the hog's ass!
"Ernie Pyle", who because of his age, did not have to serve close to the front lines, did so anyway and by choice! Of course, he would have been much safer had he restricted his activities to stateside reporting, pandering in front of a studio camera like some news-hawks now do, or National Guard duties on the ever-dangerous home front!?
The little extra pay
?EARNED? by those who let it all hang out in combat, is a small enough way for a country to express it?s gratitude, ?don?t you think!?? And the VA benefits earned by men who served honorably, either in combat or not, should also be considered untouchable by those to whom hardship consists of a choice between domestic or imported bubbly!
But then, when one spends a fortune in "Supporting Half Of The Semi-Friendly Nations On Earth", and their "Big Brothers" at the United Nations, as well as the humongous administrative costs of certain (oft-time) nasty bureaucracies (one alone well over $60,000,000,000 a year, and they are low on the totem-pole), that leaves precious damned little to
?GENUINELY? take care of our own, now does it!
?NOW COMES THE EXCUSES, THE LIES, THE ALIBIS and THE PURE POLITICAL BULL SHIT, RIGHT!? Bull Shit, I might add, that will be politically flavored with sugar and spice, in about 13 months or so!! (MY OPINIONS)
VERITAS