Memorial Day 2009-Our Fallen

Dan Iverson standing on his Dauntless Dive Bomber. Just imagine the sights and sounds of diving that thing full bore into the hornet's nest of Japanese anti-aircraft fire. Truly the greatest generation.

As we stop today to reflect on the sacrifices of so many, I wanted to share of our own family's heroism with you. I bear his name with pride.

Dan or Danny as his buddies called him survived the surprise atack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese encroachment on Guadalcanal where he received Purple Heart and Silver Star, and delivered a decisive punch to the Japanese in the battle that turned the tide of WWII, Midway. He was also wounded at Midway. Sadly, his life was cut short when he was killed off the coast of Florida in a midair collision.

His official citation I pulled from his military record:

NAVY CROSS

IVERSON, DANIEL T.Citation:The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Daniel T. Iverson (0-6418), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Scout-Bombing Squadron TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-241), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 and 5 June 1942. In the first attack on an enemy carrier and in the face of withering fire from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft batteries, Lieutenant Iverson pressed home his attack to a release altitude of three hundred feet. His plane received 219 hits in different places from machine gun bullets and shrapnel and was so badly damaged that he was forced to make a landing on one wheel upon his return to the base. On the night of 4 June 1942, he participated in a search and attack mission against an enemy carrier and brought his plane back to its base under extremely adverse weather conditions. On 4 June, 1942, he, after less than four hours sleep, participated in an attack through heavy anti-aircraft fire on an enemy battleship in which it was damaged severely. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service. Home Town: Miami, Florida

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Enjoy Memorial Day. Cast your politics aside for today. But remember our dead. I'm proud of all our veterans, but especially my namesake. God Bless.

Daniel

P.S. For more information, read this write up done on his plane which was discovered on the bottom of Lake Michigan. It's the dive bomber in the Pensacola Naval Air Museum.

http://www.midwaysaircraft.org/DAUNTLESSreport2106.pdf

The Meaning of Memorial Day

I usually send out a little piece via email every Memorial Day reminding my family of one our own family heroes, Major Daniel Iverson, Jr., USMC who served gallantly at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, and Midway. I plan on saying a bit about Dan on Memorial Day again per tradition, and I will post that tomorrow.  But leading up to Memorial Day Weekend I wanted to try to frame Memorial Day in the proper perspective. I hope you'll bear with me and read what I have written. I have tried to make it apolitical and it comes from the bottom of my heart. I hope you'll take a few minutes to read it.

I still remember where I was when the twin towers were struck. We probably all do. I was walking in an underground corridor beneath the Naval Academy library on my way back to my dormitory. Not that I didn't understand what the military was about, but the gravity of the situation was not lost on my class of 2002 that fall. As we were all finding out whether we would be jet jocks or Marines or SEALs or submariners or surface guys after graduation, the event's of 9/11 certainly reframed the issue of commissioned service for me and my classmates. A few months later, as I sat with my classmates in the burning sun at my graduation, the phrase that kept popping into my head was part of our class motto: In harm's way. When our class voted on our class motto as idealistic plebes we probably did so because it sounded cool or something ridiculous. Four years later, we stood ready to accept our commissions and head into harm's way.

As I sat and thought about the personal connection and cost to me of the 'War on Terror' or Iraq War or whatever you choose to call what is going on, I was rather astounded at how many people I knew, drank beers with, studied with, played with, and lived with at Annapolis had been injured in combat. More than I fathomed. By the grace of God no one I personally know well has died, and all have largely recovered from their combat wounds. For other Academy graduates, and scores of other servicemembers from all services, though, this is not the case.

Unfortunately for them, and others before them, Memorial Day has become clouded with the political rhetoric of activists and politicians. For many other Americans it simply means the start of summer fever: a trip to the beach, the lake, barbeque, and beer. One's support for the Iraq War or conversely disdain for the Bush Administration does not matter. Whether you voted for John McCain, Hillary Clinton, Barrack Obama or Ron Paul does not matter. This was once a sancrosanct holiday with reverence and reflection. It was created specifically to remember those who DIED under and for the flag of our country. I for one, believe that the scope of America, from its conception - present, right or wrong, smooth or rough in the implementation of its foreign policy, is a worthy recipient of one's service and sacrifice. Service members don't get to pick what battles we fight or in what wars we participate; we simply serve. This simple act of service and often death are worthy of our remembrance and reflection. So, as we head into Memorial Day Weekend, please take time at meals, with your spouse, your children, to share, reflect and talk about what Memorial Day really means. There are several ways you can mark this occassion every year:

-by visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
-by visiting memorials.
-by flying the U.S. Flag at half-staff until noon.
-by flying the 'POW/MIA Flag' as well (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
-by participating in a "National Moment of Remembrance": at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
-by renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our falled dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.

I hope that maybe some of you will consider one or more of these ways to honor our dead warriors and make it a family tradition, something that will bring you together in a common purpose. These are simple but meaningful expressions of thanks for generations present and past that have given all for the freedoms we enjoy. On the last note, I understand that money is tight right now but I ask you to consider being a part of a generation that gives freely. There are several organizations for which I am particularly fond of that fulfill the intent of that last bullet:aiding the widows, widowers, families, and orphans of our fallen. Please take a moment to look at these websites and at least become aware of the types of reputable organizations out there and the scope of what they are doing for our injured and dead. They are:

semperfifund.org

sealfund.org

woundedwarriorproject.com

specialops.org

woundedwarrior.org

In the military, we do a CFC (combined federal campaign) annually that makes it easy enough to set up an allotment for a few dollars a month for virtually any charity one can imagine. Joy and I have dealt with the Semper Fi Fund, SEAL Fund, and the Special Ops Fund. I have not done anything with the other two, but in doing some research, they look very good. I especially like the wounded warrior one that specifically cares for the family of injured and fallen comrades. Please take 5 mins of your day to peruse the websites and if the spirit moves you, consider making a one time donation to one of these worthy organizations that honor, help, and sustain the wounded, fallen and their families. Maybe it is something you or your family might consider doing to commemorate our fallen.

I have personally seen the impact of the Semper Fi Fund on Marines with whom I have served in San Diego. An officer on my last ship has a good friend from high school who was married to a Navy SEAL killed in action. This friend and her son have been provided for from the SEAL Fund to include scholarship money for the child's college. These are really important organizations that can make an impact for our veterans and the families of those left behind.

Thanks for taking the time to read this message. It is important to me. I hope in the days leading up to Memorial Day you will consider some of the things I have highlighted and you will also consider signing a petition to revert the Memorial Day Holiday back to May 30 so that it is a singular day of somber observance rather than a weekend to kick off summer. You can sign the petition here: http://www.usmemorialday.org/act.html

Don't get me wrong; I'll definitely have a beer or two this weekend, but let's keep the focus where it should be: our fallen warriors.

God Bless.

Daniel

Herschel's Last Patrol and Emma's 1st Birthday

Good evening from lovely monterey, Ca.

I'm sitting here alone...Family is on the road heading to GA.  I still have a few weeks left here and I'm trying to fight off boredom and loneliness by writing on this blog for once...I feel like I'm just starting to sleep after a fun-filled weekend of duty (I had the privilege of handling arrested sailors and not sleeping among other things) and a day of immersion in Arabic...oh, yeah...packing out.  I have to tip my hat to the movers----we haven't had a bad military move yet, and this was no exception. Very professional.  Very quick.  Very helpful.  Joy did a great job organizing, too, so I'm sure that will pay off on the other end.

Anyway, I guess I don't have much else to say right now, so I'll just get to the pictures:

Here Aiden and Emma have some Daddy time in downtown after hot chocolate and and a muffin at our favorite little Italian cafe downtown.

Aiden just being Aiden---and Emma loving every bit of it.  Her hero.

Aiden is very sweet in his instruction of Emma. He's always happy to show her how to do something.

Play time.

Aiden helped his Mama make some special cookies.  He loves to cook, too.

Still a ham. "CHEESE!!!!"

This is Aiden getting caught red-handed, or cookie-handed as the case is here.

Enjoy the naked time while you can, I guess. The kiddos and mama enjoy an afternoon in the sun.

Waiting for Daddy to get home from work.

"Is he here yet?"

Two of a kind..

Aiden takes a pause during a recent hike to examine a rollie pollie up close.

Taking it all in...Aiden at Lover's Point eyeing BIGGER rocks to climb...seriously. That's what he was requesting.

Super-Aiden!!!  All boy...all the time.

We found a nice area of wildflowers along the rocky coast near Lover's Point just south of Monterey proper...the kids are doing their best to appease their parents' incessant badgering for a super cute picture...

Aiden simultaneously cheeses and pulls Emma's arms back like Gumbi.

My little princess.

Aiden and Mama share a tender moment during our hike.

i'm not sure what he's up to, but he manages to pull it off well...

i'm sorry if this is boring...i'm totally uninspired right now...I guess it's obvious I'm just pushing through this...I'll try to pull it together.

So I was walking Herschel the other day and I almost walked right by this abandoned lot with a horse...between the deli and the japanese hair salon...I have no idea. It was there for 3 days. Aiden even went and petted it.

H-bomb obliges me with a pose on his last patrol through the old neighborhood, stopping to greet his fans one last time, pee on a few of his favorite fire hydrants, the usual...

And...it's nap time. wa shukran.

Emma's 1. can you believe it.  By comparison, Emma is leaving monterey at the age Aiden was when we arrived...wow.  Aiden can be a little shy for the camera.  Don't know where he got that gene from...I for one was never shy from the camera when i was a little boy... but anyways, Emma looks for the camera ALWAYS.

YAY! weird, block thingies...ahh, whatever...she loves them.

goofy.

The pink blocks were a small attempt to prevent Emma from always stealing Aiden's "boy" blocks.  

The Hancock Girls.

Daddy's little girl.

Aiden always wants to hold her now...he's doing well so far.  He's a great big bro.

As always, Joy did a marvelous job with the cake.

Aiden is asking to help blow out the candle and Emma is going for a handful.

"Yummy."

"Dad...DAAAAAADDDD...DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDD....I want a Star Wars birthday."  Oh, really, Aiden.  I just didn't know that.

Yeah....she got kinda messy.

Messy girl.

And now we rub it in the eyes...that can't feel good.

Ahhh...this got out of order. Oh well...

"Daddy...I need a bath."

Emma is ALMOST giving me smoochers.  love her.

Look at that smile. Beautiful.

Ok, like i said, not the most impressive or inciteful or imaginative post ever, but i'm just uninspired right now.  Joy and the kids are in Colorado staying with friends.  Herschel is at the tail end of a long week of travel across the country to my parents' house.  I'm trying to get my request for early graduation approved.  I'm trying to mentally prepare for taking the DLPT again as well as the Oral Proficiency Interview, both requirements for graduation from DLI.  I'm living out of a Honda Civic, crashing at various friends' houses.  I know it could be worse.  But it's somewhat taxing, still.  I'm just ready to be done.  You could see the visible relief on Joy's face as she pulled away from Monterey.  I feel just as done, but I have to find a way to put my game face on and go perform at a high level on a few more very big tests.  So, pray for that.  Tentatively schedule is as follows:  July 10, OPI (speaking test) July 16/17  DLPT (Defense Language Proficiency Test-Listening/Reading).

This summer will be crazy, for me at least.  I'll drive across the country end of June or beginning of July, get a few weeks in Augusta with the family before reporting for 2 months of duty in Dahlgren, VA...after that, I'll fly down to Augusta, drive the family up to RI.  We'll be in Rhode Island from October - May.  Finally, Jax.

Well, that's about it for now. If you'll be at Edward's wedding, we'll see you there.  Looking forward to seeing everyone, especially Steve, Amy and the kids.

Daniel