But best of all I think is
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| LTG Formica and Mayor Tommy Battle |
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| Congressman Mo Brooks and the Rabbi |
Konrad Dannenberg b. August 5, 1912 d. February 16, 2009, a Rocket Scientist who helped Germany bomb London during World War II, then helped America put a man on the moon, go figure...Other people at the observance included Congressman Mo Brooks of the 5th Congressional District of Alabama, Mayor of Huntsville Tommy Battle and Lieutenant General Formica, Commanding General of the Army's Space Command (and a devout Christian).
flying squirrels sighted! So I'm sitting next to the Rabbi in my winter warm new Army Service Uniform with the tie and coat, and the all too necessary black WOOL beret in the beautiful 90+ degree sunny heat. Sweat is poring of us all - even in the shade. Somebody asked me the other day if I liked Huntsville and I had to say, "Not yet!" We arrived here in snow and cold, winds blowing, then rain almost constant with a back yard holding a foots depth of leaves from last year and then the small pond that forms back there every time it rains...then we get hit with TORNADOES! of all things about three weeks ago...Com'n!!! Okay-I'm back from ADHD land...
Coolest though was being able to sit in front of Mike Durant, the pilot shot down over Mogadishu, Somalia in 1993 during Bill Clintons ill-fated and useless waste of American lives by trying to capture two of Warlord Mohamed Farah Aidid's senior subordinates in the Bakara Market Mogadishu, Somalia (They got those two by the way).
What an honor! http://www.mikedurant.com/ He autographed my book and we reminisced about our time together at Fort Campbell, KY.
After I gave the invocation and the program got under way, the 500+ people were there to pay tribute to the ones who gave so much in defense of the country and our cause. The people bore that heat better than you can imagine considering the humidity. There was a band, speeches, and presentations. The sound system was screwed up but LTG Formica said that is nothing to worry about - why we were there mattered (well said). A lot of the program dealt with presenting wreaths on behalf of various military organizations. The elderly from the 8th Air Force Association, the Marine League, the Submariners (in Alabama?), the VFW, American Legion, Saints all of them, coming forward to present their wreath and then step back a few feet to salute their fallen brothers and sisters in arms. Moving. 
Then something caught my eye. I looked to my right and a little girl was being led up the street by a lady. I didn't think anything of it - a little kid got restless and mommy was helping her get away from it all...until LTG Formica started his remarks. He thanked everyone for their attendance and for being there. He then said he wanted to recognize a very special family in the audience. About two rows back from me sat a young lady and two elderly people. Turns out the little girl was the daughter and granddaughter of those people.  |
| Allison Hall - wife of Jeffrey, talking to the media |
Allison was her mother's name. Her father??? Staff Sergeant Jeffrey Alan Hall, born 1 April 1981, DIED, 1 June 2009. Audrey was 1 year old when her daddy died.
He died along with two other soldiers on June 1 in Nerkh, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near their vehicle.
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| Audrey Faith Hall looking at her dad's grave |
Audrey is three now and talking. She was over by her dad's headstone with her grandpa after the Observance. She was bashful and wouldn't let me take her picture. But in a fleeting moment I got it...She had just turned to look at the people around her dad's grave. Right then she said, "What are they doing grandpa?" Grandpa replied, "They are here for your daddy." Audrey replied, (God's Honest Truth), "That's a good thing."
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| Staff Sergeant Hall's Monument in the Maple Hill, Huntsville, Alabama Cemetery St Michael, Patron Saint of the Beloved Airborne, watching over him |
