2nd Lt. Jacob Kazar! Huzzah!

(left to right:  Jacob K, me and Joseph K. 2007)

Dear Jacob,

Congratulations on your recent graduation from the Air Force Academy!

I remember when you made your decision to attend the academy.

I remember how difficult it was adjusting to the regimen that is the AFA and how over the last four years you rose to the challenges that were presented to you.

I remember when you were a baby, a young boy and a teen and I remember hearing all the stories of you growing up and seeing the gleam in your parents' eyes whenever they mentioned their children. How fortunate I have been to be able to peek into your family's life, watching the four of you grow together.

I remember thinking many times, "What great kids those Kazar boys are."

2nd Lt. Jacob Kazar – I am proud of what you've accomplished and excited for you to begin this new journey. I'm fortunate to know a few academy graduates from other branches of the military…what you've accomplished is quite the feat. Moments in life are fleeting – it really is all about "the journey". Enjoy this journey. I do not share this sentiment lightly – but, you know, if I had had a son, I would be perfectly content if he were just like you. I wish you God's speed while in the service of our country.

Most of all though, remember…that I wish you love.

"Aim High" — "Fly-Fight-Win."
Love,
Uncle Irc

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Separated at Birth? U.S. Army PFC Lawrence S. Gordon & Tom Hanks.

U.S. Army PFC Lawrence S. Gordon (top) & Tom Hanks in "Saving Private Ryan". Probably one of the best SAB's I've come up with.

Lawrence Gordon was killed while fighting during WWII. His remains will finally be brought home. Read the story here.

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Pearl Harbor.

 

During this festive season, take a moment to remember those who gave their lives today - December 7, 1941. 2,402 lives lost in sacrifice to our country. 

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Veterans Day.

 

Veterans Day is today. Take a moment to remember those who served and died for our country. Those with us still - and those who have left us. That includes my father - James Anthony Ircink - who served about the USS Shangri-LA (CV-38) from 1957-61, a long-haul, Essex-class carrier, the 2nd largest in the fleet at the time. Thanks for your service, Pappy!

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Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard and his Purple Heart. Psych!

L. Ron Hubbard's questionable military records isn't breaking news. It does resurface in the recent The New Yorker as Lawrence Wright discusses director Paul Haggis' departure from Scientology in 2009 and why the Church of Scientology is relentless in passing off Walter Mitty's - I mean, Hubbard's military documents as factual when they don't jive with the documents the military has in its possession.

Now, unless you've served in the military or you're running for office or you lie about it on a job application, lying about military service, in the big scheme, isn't a big deal. I mean, it's wrong and I don't condone it, obviously.

However, Hubbard's war service is significant regarding the history of the Church of Scientology and how it relates to Hubbard's set of ideas and practices known as, Dianetics.

So, if Hubbard's military record (the one provided by the Church of Scientology that has Hubbard serving on ships that never existed, awarded medals that never existed and has document signatures of officers who never existed) is very, very - oh my God - vastly different then the one the military provided Lawrence Wright and his five fact-checkers, wouldn't that cast some dispersion on Dianetics and Scientology as an idea and religion?

Click here for one 1999 document comparing and contrasting the Church of Scientology's copy of Hubbard's military record and the military's copy of the military record. Laugh-o-rama!

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My cousin is off to war.

2nd Lt. Mark Weigel will be heading off to Iraq pretty quick-like. I want my cousin to come back safely. I want his two boys to see their father again. May God be with you, Mark. Be careful and I'll see you when I see you. Love, Jeff

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Gettysburg and "casualites".

I'm watching "Gods and Generals", the prequel to "Gettysburg".

The Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War is considered to be the bloodiest 3-day battle in American history. But just to clarify, the casualty count INCLUDES wounded, captured and missing - it's not all those killed). It's always bothered me that "casualties" is slightly misleading - people think over 50,000+ soldiers died in three days at Gettysburg. Almost 8,000 were killed. That's a big difference.

Union casualties were 23,055 (3,155 killed, 14,531 wounded, 5,369 captured or missing). Confederate casualties are more difficult to estimate. Many authors cite about 28,000 overall casualties, but the definitive 2005 work, Regimental Strengths and Losses, documents 23,231 (4,708 killed, 12,693 wounded, 5,830 captured or missing).

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Veterans Day - November 11, 2008

For the men and women who have served our country - and for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, PASSION = TRUTH salutes you all.

A special gratitude goes out to members of my family: my father - James Ircink, my father's brother - Tom Ircink, their Uncle Ervin Krause and former Muskego police chief, their first cousins - Paul and Chuck Ircink who served in Vietnam, 2nd cousin Bernie Schroedl, my friends Jim Sickels and Jim Keller, cousin Mark Weigel, who'll be deployed in Iraq in January 2009, high school classmate Dan Titze who served in the first Iraq War in the early 90's, and my friend Maria McCann's (here in CA) father - Mr. McCann.

All have served. And all have returned, thank God.

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Remember Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941

66 years ago - a day which will live in infamny - Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan, propelling the U.S. into WWII.

"Pearl Harbor 0755...While the Giant Slept" by Dru Blair

Sunday 0755 hours. Time to wake up the "Sleeping Giant". Battleship Row lays peacefully below moments before Lt. Commander Takahashi's Aichi D3A1 Type 99 "Val" Dive bomber rolls in on Hangar 6 on the southern tip of Ford Island. By accident, Takahashi was the first to drop his ordnance because of a mistake in interpreting the signal flares beginning the attack. Takahashi's bomb struck the water's edge in front of hangar 6 located at 5 o'clock in this picture.

For more information on Pearl Harbor, go to http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/pearlharbor/. Also, check out http://acesofww2.com/Bombers/Bombers_1941.htm for more paintings on Aces of WWII like the above Dru Blair painting.

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