A Memorial Day Tribute

"In Flanders Fields"

By Lt. John McCrae, 1872-1918
Canadian Army, KIA 1918

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

"Taking Chance" - the HBO film

It’s fair to say that there have been few worthwhile movies coming out of Hollywood about the war in Iraq. Most have been liberal rants directed against George Bush, and with the exception of HBO’s “Generation Kill”, most disappeared quickly from view.

But “Taking Chance” is different, and you need to see it.
In April 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, USMC, came across the name of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps, a young Marine killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province. . Strobl, a Desert Storm veteran with 17 years of military service, requested that he be assigned for military escort duty to accompany Chance’s remains to his family in Dubois, Wyo.

Surprised by the spontaneous outpouring of support and respect for the fallen Marine - from the groundskeepers along the road to the cargo handlers at the airport - Strobl was moved to capture the experience in a journal. His first-person account, which began as an official trip report, gives an insight into the military’s policy of providing a uniformed escort for all casualties.
This is as much a story of the American people’s love and respect for their fallen Marines as it is a story of bringing LCPL Phelps home. It’s powerful it’s emotional, and if you have any sense of gratitude for what our young men and women have done over there, you want to watch “Taking Chance,” and reflect on the reaction of the American people as LtCol Strobl escorted LCPL Phelps back to Wyoming.

And say a quiet prayer for Cpl Justin Noyes, USMC and HM3 Chris “Doc” Anderson, two friends of mine; I trust you both received the same volume of love and respect on your final journey home. Semper Fi.


Date/Time Channel Titl
2/26 12:00 PM HBO2 - West
2/26 3:00 PM HBO2 - WEST
2/26 8:30 PM HBO2 - EAST
2/26 11:30 PM HBO2 - WEST

3/1 2:30 PM HBO LATINO - EAST
3/1 2:30 PM HBO - EAST
3/1 5:30 PM HBO - WEST
3/1 5:30 PM HBO LATINO - WEST

3/2 12:00 AM HBO - EAST
3/2 12:00 AM HBO LATINO - EAST
3/2 3:00 AM HBO - WEST
3/2 3:00 AM HBO LATINO - WEST