National Journal Blog - 11 August 2010

http://security.nationaljournal.com/2010/08/gates-drops-a-bomb-on-norfolk.php#1614187

Comments

[former 11BPH]

OT but Good News

Missing in World War II, Unearthed in Germany and Now Back With His Family

Sixty-six years after riding a B-24J Liberator on a bombing mission over Berlin, John P. Bonnassiolle is finally home.

The remains of more than 72,000 Americans are still unaccounted for after World War II. Getting Sergeant Bonnassiolle’s name off that list required a combination of luck, dogged sleuthing and DNA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/11/us/11funeral.html?_r=1&ref=us

Some Further Good News

The Department of Defense POW / Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of two US servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors.

US Army 1st Lt Paul G. Magers of Sidney, Neb., will be buried on Aug. 27 in Laurel, Mont., and Army Chief Warrant Officer Donald L. Wann of Shawnee, Okla., will be buried on Aug. 21 in Fort Gibson, Okla.

On June 1, 1971, both men were flying aboard an AH-1 Cobra gunship in support of an emergency extraction of an Army ranger team in Quang Tri Province, South Vietnam. After the rangers were extracted, helicopters were ordered to destroy claymore mines which had been left behind in the landing zone. During this mission their helicopter was hit by ground fire, crashed and exploded. Pilots who witnessed the explosions concluded that no one could have survived the crash and explosions. Enemy activity in the area precluded a ground search.

http://www.defense.gov/releases/release.aspx?releaseid=13789

a shame that they lost their lives ( and helicopter ) over a few stupid claymore mines. wonder how the remf that issued that order felt when he heard the news of the shootdown.

[Norbert M. Salamon]

Politically such move by Mr. Gates might be called major.
With respect to the deficit [and overall ECONOMIC weakness] of the USA, and considering the bloated DoD budget [aside from war costs, Vet Affairs, Dept of Energy bomb squad, Homeland Security, 2000+ information/intelleigence gathering groups] the reality indicates that his is a drop in the Pacific Ocean.
The Colonel's comments are appropriate - though even that might leave too mush spending on "DEFENCE???".

[ServingPatriot]

JFCOM is no loss. It long ago became value negative activity (if it ever was value added that is). It mainly exists because there was no will to trim the flag officer ranks at the end of the Cold War. Establishing NORTHCOM was the nail in JFCOMs coffin.

Despite all the media play this little cut is generating, there really is no "there" there. Real cuts will become necessary soon; cuts that could radically affect force structure, procurement and the promises made to retired, injured and disabled. Hopefully, we can align our foreign policy first, then size the military. Sadly, I suspect we're headed for a Soviet style economic collapse - after which our foreign policies will be dictated by what's left over instead of what's designed.

SP