PIEDMONT, S.C. — On New Year’s Eve 1968, just before the dawn of 1969, two Marines were holed up in a bunker in the Marble Mountains of Vietnam.
Rockets and mortars were raining down all around Master Sgt. William H. Cox and his buddy, First Sgt. James "Hollie" Hollingsworth.
“Charlie (the nickname for the North Vietnamese) was really putting on a fireworks show for us,” Cox said.
As the two Marines hunkered down, they made a pact: “If we survived this attack or survived Vietnam, we would contact each other every year on New Year’s,” Cox said.
For nearly five decades, Cox, who lives in Piedmont, S.C., and Hollingsworth of Hephzibah, Ga., kept their promise.
And earlier this year, Cox kept another promise: He stood guard at Hollingsworth’s casket and then delivered the eulogy at his funeral.
“I said, ‘Boy, that’s a rough mission you’re assigning me' (to deliver the eulogy at his Marine buddy's funeral).”
Standing guard, without the cane that the 83-year-old normally uses, Cox was paying tribute, one Marine to another.
But in giving the eulogy, he fulfilled his final vow to his 80-year-old friend.
When Cox learned that Hollingsworth was terminally ill, Cox traveled the 125 miles to visit. Hollingsworth asked Cox to give the eulogy at his funeral.
The military forges strong bonds among the men and women who serve, but for Marines, that connection is even stronger.
“There’s a bond between Marines that’s different from any other branch of service. We’re like brothers,” Cox said.
The two men met on their way to Vietnam in 1968.
After his service, Hollingsworth settled outside of Augusta, Ga. Cox spent 20 years in the Marine Corps and went on to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.
They served in VMO-2, a Marine helicopter squadron, where Hollingsworth was a mechanic and a door gunner, and Cox was an ordnance chief and a door gunner.
They flew many combat missions together, and at the end of each mission, they had a saying, which Cox repeated at the close of Hollingsworth’s eulogy:
“Hollie, you keep ‘em flying, and I’ll keep ‘em firing.”
Now $260,000! That's awesome..... I hope the guy doesn't have to pay taxes on it. Do you have to pay taxes on cash gifts in the US? I would think not, since it would be double dipping, but it's the IRA, so...
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Now $260,000! That's awesome..... I hope the guy doesn't have to pay taxes on it. Do you have to pay taxes on cash gifts in the US? I would think not, since it would be double dipping, but it's the IRA, so...
Yes you do pay taxes on cash gifts in the U.S. More then likely someone will administer the funds as a trust.
Now $260,000! That's awesome..... I hope the guy doesn't have to pay taxes on it. Do you have to pay taxes on cash gifts in the US? I would think not, since it would be double dipping, but it's the IRA, so...
Yes you do pay taxes on cash gifts in the U.S. More then likely someone will administer the funds as a trust.
That is some serious bullshit. Seems so unfair to me - even immoral. I'm so glad Canada doesn't tax such things.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy. ~ Desiderata
Mikayla Holmgren made history Sunday night at the Miss Minnesota USA pageant, where she became the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in a state Miss USA pageant.
The 22-year-old Bethel University student from Stillwater, Minnesota, also won two awards: the Spirit of Miss USA Award and the Director’s Award.
Denise Wallace Heitkamp, the executive state director of Miss Minnesota USA, presented Holmgren with the Spirit Award and told the contestant that she makes people cheer and smile every time she speaks.
“You exude the spirit of Miss USA by always being true to yourself and putting others first,” Heitkamp said, according to Pioneer Press. “You have selflessness, humility and the ability to overcome obstacles with a smile on your face and excitement in your heart.”
Holmgren, who competed in the special needs pageant Minnesota Miss Amazing in 2015, told BuzzFeed that she was overwhelmed to be participating in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant.
“I was super shocked, I was in tears,” she said. “I went from a special needs pageant to the biggest pageant in the world. It’s kind of crazy.”
Holmgren’s mother, Sandi, told CBS News that she’s proud of her daughter for forging a new path. “She’s going to be a leader and [she] stands firms for others that don’t maybe know how to achieve things,” she said.
Holmgren, who has been dancing since she was 6 years old, performed a dance routine for the pageant’s talent portion.
“Dancing is a good outlet for me. It’s how I express myself,” she told BuzzFeed. “It’s my talent and I want to show people what I can do and how I can give more.”
Washington (CNN)The Pentagon confirmed Monday that the first transgender person has signed a contract to join the US military, a development made possible after a federal judge ruled that the military must accept transgender recruits. The ruling came after President Donald Trump announced his desire to prevent transgender people from serving in a July tweet.
"The Department of Defense confirms that as of February 23, 2018, there is one transgender individual under contract for service in the US Military," Maj. Dave Eastburn told CNN.
The individual has met all the standards for serving in the military and signed a contract but has not yet begun basic training.
Comments
Actually brought me happy tears.
(and loved seeing Bernie Sanders around the 3:00 mark
Thank you for sharing.
I had the same reaction.
Two American women were lost at sea for months. Then came the Navy — and ‘pure relief.’
The moment the two women and their dogs were finally rescued is captured on video, taken from the deck of a Navy boat.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/10/26/two-american-women-were-lost-at-sea-for-months-then-came-the-navy-and-pure-relief/?utm_term=.4e86712843f4
You might like this book (I loved it!):
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
One of the best things I have seen in a long time.
The power of science.
This really made me cry some happy tears!
Finally something good what fills my heart with happiness! Thank you for that
Full article here : https://www.statnews.com/2017/11/08/stem-cells-epidermolysis-bullosa/
PIEDMONT, S.C. — On New Year’s Eve 1968, just before the dawn of 1969, two Marines were holed up in a bunker in the Marble Mountains of Vietnam.
Rockets and mortars were raining down all around Master Sgt. William H. Cox and his buddy, First Sgt. James "Hollie" Hollingsworth.
“Charlie (the nickname for the North Vietnamese) was really putting on a fireworks show for us,” Cox said.
As the two Marines hunkered down, they made a pact: “If we survived this attack or survived Vietnam, we would contact each other every year on New Year’s,” Cox said.
For nearly five decades, Cox, who lives in Piedmont, S.C., and Hollingsworth of Hephzibah, Ga., kept their promise.
And earlier this year, Cox kept another promise: He stood guard at Hollingsworth’s casket and then delivered the eulogy at his funeral.
“I said, ‘Boy, that’s a rough mission you’re assigning me' (to deliver the eulogy at his Marine buddy's funeral).”
Standing guard, without the cane that the 83-year-old normally uses, Cox was paying tribute, one Marine to another.
But in giving the eulogy, he fulfilled his final vow to his 80-year-old friend.
When Cox learned that Hollingsworth was terminally ill, Cox traveled the 125 miles to visit. Hollingsworth asked Cox to give the eulogy at his funeral.
The military forges strong bonds among the men and women who serve, but for Marines, that connection is even stronger.
“There’s a bond between Marines that’s different from any other branch of service. We’re like brothers,” Cox said.
The two men met on their way to Vietnam in 1968.
After his service, Hollingsworth settled outside of Augusta, Ga. Cox spent 20 years in the Marine Corps and went on to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service.
They served in VMO-2, a Marine helicopter squadron, where Hollingsworth was a mechanic and a door gunner, and Cox was an ordnance chief and a door gunner.
They flew many combat missions together, and at the end of each mission, they had a saying, which Cox repeated at the close of Hollingsworth’s eulogy:
“Hollie, you keep ‘em flying, and I’ll keep ‘em firing.”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/11/15/marines-promise/866570001/
Got a lump in my throat from that.
Woman helps raise more than $40,000 for homeless veteran who gave her his last $20
More then likely someone will administer the funds as a trust.
Mikayla Holmgren made history Sunday night at the Miss Minnesota USA pageant, where she became the first woman with Down syndrome to compete in a state Miss USA pageant.
The 22-year-old Bethel University student from Stillwater, Minnesota, also won two awards: the Spirit of Miss USA Award and the Director’s Award.
Denise Wallace Heitkamp, the executive state director of Miss Minnesota USA, presented Holmgren with the Spirit Award and told the contestant that she makes people cheer and smile every time she speaks.
“You exude the spirit of Miss USA by always being true to yourself and putting others first,” Heitkamp said, according to Pioneer Press. “You have selflessness, humility and the ability to overcome obstacles with a smile on your face and excitement in your heart.”
Holmgren, who competed in the special needs pageant Minnesota Miss Amazing in 2015, told BuzzFeed that she was overwhelmed to be participating in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant.
“I was super shocked, I was in tears,” she said. “I went from a special needs pageant to the biggest pageant in the world. It’s kind of crazy.”
Holmgren’s mother, Sandi, told CBS News that she’s proud of her daughter for forging a new path. “She’s going to be a leader and [she] stands firms for others that don’t maybe know how to achieve things,” she said.
Holmgren, who has been dancing since she was 6 years old, performed a dance routine for the pageant’s talent portion.
“Dancing is a good outlet for me. It’s how I express myself,” she told BuzzFeed. “It’s my talent and I want to show people what I can do and how I can give more.”
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mikayla-holmgren-down-syndrome-miss-minnesota-usa_us_5a1d6c20e4b04e8b2a845e2d?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Washington (CNN)The Pentagon confirmed Monday that the first transgender person has signed a contract to join the US military, a development made possible after a federal judge ruled that the military must accept transgender recruits. The ruling came after President Donald Trump announced his desire to prevent transgender people from serving in a July tweet.