Six Minutes Of Total Respect

This morning began with a bit of misty wet weather. It had cleared up around lunch time.

The apartment complex went on our monthly outing to lunch at the nearest Denny’s, where as I watched out the window, I could see the interstate highway.

All of the overpasses were filled with people and American flags and signs.

The funeral procession for former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle went on for 200 miles until it reached the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

And there off of the highway and St. Johns, being able to watch everything that passed southbound on the highway.

All I wanted to do was feed the burning inside and run out to the overpass and be a part of everything that was going on. But I couldn’t do that. I was already engaged with several of the neighbors in the breaking of bread.

At 11:55 AM, local time, began this very long funeral procession heading south towards the State Cemetery. Scores and scores and scores of veterans riding on motorcycles as well as the Patriot Guard. That was followed by law enforcement vehicles with their bright lights flashing and then the rest of the processional.

It took a full six minutes for it all to pass by the Denny’s and continue on its journey.

What a very honorable yet solemn thing to experience. To know that the body of Chris Kyle had passed right by. A man who was trained by the Navy SEALS and was the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. His life tragically brought to a violent end last week. 

I literally had tears forming in my eyes. But they never fell down my cheeks.

The funeral was private. And rightly so. Although it is being reported that Chris Kyle is buried only a few feet away from Darrell K. Royal, a former coach of Texas Longhorn football fame.

I can only imagine how flooded the sides of the highways were on its journey through town. 200 miles is a long way. Lots of land for people to stand on the side of the road to show their respects or be a part of something special. 

I am hoping that his mourning family sees the throngs of people that are behind them. Support them. And then care about them.

Yet I wonder if and when the Texas State Cemetery would be open to the public and whether or not if I went there, whether or not I would be able to find his grave site and pay my own respects.

REST EASY.

 

Military Moments In History

 

“Only those who are willing to risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” ~ T.S Elliot

Okay guys- this one’s for you!! Well, maybe for the girls too. I know some of you women just love a man in uniform!

This being the 225th anniversary of Constitution Day of the United States of America, I decided to go dig into my military fascination with a story to post.

This is Craig Harrison. A member of the British Military. This 37 year old Canadian is note worthy because of his actions that occurred during war.

Using an Accuracy International L115A3, he killed two Taliban members with consecutive shots at a distance of 2.47 km (8,120 ft or about 1.54 miles) in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in November of 2009. He then fired a third shot and hit the Taliban’s PKM machinegun in perhaps the most prodigious feat of marksmanship in military history.

It is the longest recorded kill in history, and he did it TWICE consecutively!!

L115A3

This action found its way also into the Guinness Book of World Records.

There are many military records noted in the world. A lot of them dealing with a sniper’s kill count. But this is the longest shot made for a kill. I do not know what Harrison’s kill count is, but this really is an amazing accomplishment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where Were You Moments

Charles Whitman fires from University of Texas Clock Tower, 1966

It was 45 years ago today when former U.S. Marine Charles Whitman went up to the Clock Tower at the University of Texas in Austin and killed a total of 16 people. The most tragic school shooting in American history. He had killed his mother and wife prior to his sniper rampage before he was shot and killed by local police.

This shooting would continue to have the highest death toll until the shooting in 2007 at the University at Virginia Tech. Not even the death toll at Columbine had more than the Clock Tower shootings. Yet it is a more recent event and on the minds of everyone who was alive when it happened.

This particular incident though, always comes to the minds of people whenever they hear about the subject. Three of them actually come to mind: Virginia Tech, Columbine High School, and UT Clock Tower.

It sure does seem like a long time, but people today were talking about it. It is not really making a lot of headlines today, but it is being talked about by word of mouth. Particularly those who are old enough to remember it. Or were told about it from prior generations who lived through it.

I found myself swimming in various conversations today with people who actually can remember it. A lot of tears and emotions coming from them as they wiped their eyes. Some of them still haunted by the memory of what Charles Whitman had done. Literally putting Austin, Texas back on the map and in the public eye for this horrible event.

I have yet to talk to someone who might have known Whitman personally. Those people may have passed by now. But all you have to do is mention his name or say the words “UT Clock Tower” and you’ll find yourself engaging in very powerful and emotional conversation with those who remember.

This event, along with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy has become the two most notorious “Where were you” moments in their lives. This question being asked time and time again.

But this new generation in which we live in, have our own “Where were you” moments. We are too young to remember Kennedy’s assassination. We are too young to remember the Moon Landing. But there are those other events that have happened (like Columbine and Virginia Tech) that have become our own moments.

It will only be six weeks from the posting of this blog where America will begin to remember the events of 9/11. It being the tenth anniversary. That too, is also stuck in our minds and is also moments that we remember what we were doing when we heard about it. I for one, will be sure to post a blog when that day comes and give my story of where I was when it happened.

Still some Americans, and especially Texans are looking back on this day as they do each and every year. Being in downtown Austin today is a complete mess. And I do not suspect that will change for many anniversaries to come.