FYI

I got this in an email yesterday.

House Honors "Screaming Eagles"

WASHINGTON - U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield (KY-01) ushered through
Congress today a resolution recognizing the 101st Airborne Division,
known as the Screaming Eagles, as one of the great divisions in American
military history.

"As our nation continues to face a dangerous and relentless enemy on the
ground in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is the service men and women of the
U.S. military who carry the heavy burden of war on their backs,"
Whitfield said. "The brave soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division are
among these service members who have never hesitated to answer their
nation's call to duty and it is my great privilege to honor them."

The House of Representatives passed H.R.1080, a resolution authored by
Whitfield to honor the extraordinary service and exceptional sacrifice
of the 101st Airborne Division and their families. Whitfield took to the
floor of the House today to praise the Screaming Eagles and seek passage
of his resolution.

The 101st Airborne Division, based out of Fort Campbell, is the only air
assault division in the world. Since activation on August 15, 1942, the
Screaming Eagles have been serving on the front lines of battle during
many of the nation's darkest hours. They have served the United States
in five wars, with 19 of its members being awarded the highest military
decoration offered by the United States government - the Medal of Honor.


Since Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom began, tens
of thousands of members of the 101st Airborne Division have been
deployed no less than three times, performing dangerous
counter-insurgency operations and working to secure liberty in nations
that once served as safe-havens for terrorists. Despite the strains
these tours have on soldiers and their loved ones, 65% of those who
reenlist request to remain at Fort Campbell with full knowledge of
pending deployments. The Congressman believes this is both a testament
to the deep sense of duty these soldiers have and their true love for
Fort Campbell.

Tragically, over 6,000 Screaming Eagles have made the ultimate sacrifice
and countless others have been injured in service to the nation. Nearly
200 members of the 101st Division have lost their lives fighting the
Global War on Terrorism.

"Far too many soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division have made the
ultimate sacrifice in the name of freedom," Whitfield said.
"While we owe these soldiers a debt we can never fully repay, it is our duty to honor them."

Whitfield's resolution garnered 56 co-sponsors, including the entire
Kentucky and Tennessee Congressional Delegations.

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While double checking the correct spelling for Thua Thien Province in Vietnam I found this nugget of info at wikipedia - Prior to 1975, the province was known simply as Thua Thien.
The province is known as an area of heavy fighting during the Vietnam War. More U.S. soldiers died in this province than in any other province in Vietnam (2,893). It can be compared to Baghdad Province or Anbar Province in the Iraq War.

I must admit that blew my mind. Over 6,000 Screaming Eagles have died in five different conflicts starting with WWII and obviously a large percentage of them died in Thua Thien province. We all know it was a tough AO but I personally had no clue that historically speaking it was that bad.

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Today July 19th, 2008 marks another milestone for me. On this date in 1968 I landed at Bien Hoa airport in South Vietnam. Exactly one year later I x'd out my short timer calendar and landed at SEA-TAC airport in Washington state. Hmmm... certainly doesn't seem that long ago.

Joynt