Stories from the Front on Nov. 11th

As we celebrate Veterans Day today, I thought it would be a good idea to break out a post about some of the soldiers we've covered over the last year, and the stories we've told about the people we honour on this day. Note that many links and stories in our regular Iraq briefings or regular Winds of War feature are left out of this compilation.

Reading this makes me feel good about Winds. I suspect it will just make most of you feel good, and grateful. Fine day for it....

• Blackfive's "Someone You Should Know" category does nothing but profile (multinational) heroes from the front lines, and tell their stories. Someone has to, because you sure won't see it in the New York Times. Blackfive also has another category called Fallen But Never Forgotten, with another set of stories. Societies and civilizatons endure because they have enough people like this.

See Also:

• More Heroes
• Soldiers In Action
• Et. al...

More Heroes

• Thank you, Lt. Col. Stanislav Petrov of the Soviet Union. The Man Who Saved The World. No kidding.

• Sgt. Paul Smith, who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for his unbelievably brave defense at Baghdad airport, saving what some people estimate as over 100 lives. Here's the Flash re-enactment from the official Medal of Honor site, and video clips from people who knew him.

• Chief Wiggles, who began Toys for Iraq/ Operaton Give, has a book out about his experiences: Saving Babylon.

• The Shepherd and the SEAL tells the story of a Navy SEAL from Red Wing Down in Afghanistan, and how an Afghan shepherd saved him at substantial risk. Gulab, today we honour you, too.

• A tribute to Italian Brig. Giuseppe Coletta, killed in Iraq and awarded the Gold Medal of Merit with Swords by the Order of Malta (aka. Knights Hospitaler).

• Robin Burk covers the heroism of Staff Sgt. Serena Maren Di Virgilio in Iraq. Di Virgilio has since been awarded the Bronze Star with "V" for valor, a Purple Heart and a Combat Medic Badge. Don't mess with her.

• Lanier Phillips was a pioneer, the first black sonar technician in the U.S. Navy in an era where blacks were generally restricted to shining shoes for the officers et. al. What changed his life? An icy encounter with a bunch of Canadians.

• We miss ya, Hack. And it seems we're not alone.

Soldiers In Action

• Photos aplenty, set to beautiful music and folded into very fine tributes that are so very appropriate on this day.

• Lots of good stuff via Milblogging.com, if you want to hear from the folks on the front lines directly.

• Jack Kelly of IrishPennants.com offers us a story about love, purpose, the American dream, and courage. Thank you, Alexey Gvenetadze.

• Back in January, former SEAL Corpsman (a fighting member of Naval Special Forces who is also a battlefield medic) "Froggy Ruminations" describes his hectic adventures through Africa on a month-long humanitarian mission. Makes for fine reading. He also answers an important question about "going commando"

• At the time, the serving military was also conducting a major humanitarian effort where other could not or would not venture. Tsunami relief would later be followed up by similar services in Katrina's wake on the US Gulf Coast, and are ongoing right now after the Pakistan quake that killed over 70,000 people.

• It's a 2-milblogger patrol in Iraq!

• Gringo Unleashed conducted an in-person interview with Sgt. (E5) Mike Cannon, 1st Battalion, 23rd Marines, who just returned from Iraq. His wife is also part of the interview.

• Here's to good officers - even Trent was impressed.

• Speaking of which, a blogger salute to fellow blogger (4-star) Gen. Paul Cartwright, Commander, US Strategic Command. Yes, the people with all the nukes. When you read this, you'll be glad that he's a blogger, too.

• Winds reader Peyton Randolph shares the story of the "dumb" soldier under his command. This soldier may have been mentally slow, but events would prove that he wasn't the dumbest guy there. Kudos to a guy who really lived "be all that you can be."

• Music Videos from the front. The British Royal Dragoon Guards sing "Is This the Way to Armadillo," while The Norwegian Army's Telemark battalion keep ancient skald traditions alive with "Kosovo". We have video links, and lyrics.

• Fred Sminklemeyer of In Iraq for 365 describes the process of coming back, and dealing with his experiences.

• Arthur Chrenkoff has a photo collection that features troops from the many countries who have sent soldiers to Iraq. The photos are accompanied with quotes from national leaders, additional information, and/or links to news items.

Et. Al....

• Memo to Denzel Washinton: Thanks!

• Memo to bloggers who got "Gunner's Palace" reclassified to a PG-13 film so more people could see this documentary: Thanks!

• Actually, a big Hoo-ah, Oo-rah, or military shout-out of your choice to all of the Milbloggers out there!

• It was kind of cool when Winds team member Rev. Donald Sensing (aka. Maj. Donald Sensing, Ret.), went to USMC.MIL on the Corps' 230th birthday and found... a picture of Lance Corporal Stephen Sensing resting up at Camp Fallujah!

• Army Sgt. Robert Stout, wounded in Iraq, surely deserves our honour this day. He also deserves the chance to serve with honour. Proposal: replace "Don't ask, don't tell" with "Don't care!"

• Pat Tillman was a hero. His family deserves the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Period.

• I'll end on a lighter note. Soldiers are human - and often damned funny. Nobody does obituaries like the Brits, and... you've just gotta read this one.