Blackhorse E-Newsletter July 2009

Glenn Snodgrass, Tom Smart, Steve Steininger, Bob Sunell, Wes Walters, Bob Grossman, Dave Cowan, John Botts, Buddy Clark, Greg Wilcox, Hans Duerr, Bill Wray, Chris Conrad and others on the American side did a magnificent job.

Lord Mayor Moeller, Renate Stieber, the German-American Kontakt Club, the German-American Wives Club and the German-American Business and Cultural Association rolled out the red carpet for us at every event – volksmarches in Fulda, Bad Hersfeld and Bad Kissingen, visits to our old garrisons, visits to OP Alpha, Romeo and Camp Lee, terrain walks along the old border, enjoying the wonderful brew at the Kreuzburg, eating the wonderful wurst at Café Budenz, Bad Kissingen Tour, dedication of a Border Legion Monument at McPheeter’s Barracks, visiting the Blackhorse Museum at Sickles and even a wagon ride through the Eiterfeld Bowl. 1st Armored Division Band entertained us at OP Alpha, Stadtschloss and at our banquet. Great fun and a gracious reception at every venue.

I would be remiss if I did not give a special note of thanks to Renate Stieber, Rudi Karras, Winfried and Karin Jager and the many others on the German team.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who made this such a great event.

HOUSTON 2010 REUNION- Start planning now to join us in Houston from 9-13 June 2010. Watch the website for details and registration details.

Allons! and Blackhorse Forever!
John Sherman Crow
Pres. 2008-2009

REMARKS BY GENERAL DONN A. STARRY, 41ST COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT. VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA, 1969-1970

LORD MAYOR MULLER, FRAU MULLER, MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF THE REGIMENT.

FOR THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS WE HAVE ENJOYED MEETING OLD FRIENDS AND COMRADES, RELIVING EXPERIENCES OF TIMES LONG PAST, AND HEARING ELOQUENTLY PROFOUND WORDS ABOUT THAT GLORIOUS PAST.

AS THE CABOOSE ON THIS TRAIN, MAY I JUST ADD A BRIEF BENEDICTION, HOPEFULLY EQUALLY AS PROFOUND, ABOUT THE FUTURE. FOR UNDERSTANDING THE FUTURE IS DEEPLY DEPENDENT ON FULLY COMPREHENDING THE PAST.

MANY YEARS AGO THOMAS JEFFERSON WROTE THESE IMMORTAL LINES:

WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF EVIDENT. THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL, THAT THEY ARE ENDOWED BY THEIR CREATOR WITH CERTAIN UNALIENABLE RIGHTS. THAT AMONG THESE ARE LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS.

IN THE WAKE OF THAT ELOQUENT PRONOUNCEMENT SEVERAL TOUGH YEARS WERE REQUIRED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE FREEDOM SO GRANDLY DESCRIBED WAS NOT IN FACT FREE. THAT WHILE OUR SOCIETY REQUIRES VERY LITTLE OF MOST OF ITS’ CITIZENS, IT DEMANDS A GREAT DEAL OF A VERY SPECIAL FEW. SO IT IS THAT WHILE WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, WE DO SO ONLY BECAUSE THAT LAND WAS AT THE BEGINNING, AND HAS EVER SINCE REMAINED, THE HOME OF THE BRAVE-THE VERY SPECIAL FEW.

THOSE VERY SPECIAL FEW ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN-EVER THE BRAVE WARRIORS, WHO HAVE ANSWERED THEIR NATION’S CALL, GONE WHERE THEY WERE ASKED TO GO, DONE WHAT THEY WERE ASKED TO DO. IN THE DOING SOME DIED. BUT THEY DIED FOR WHAT WARRIORS HAVE ALWAYS DIED FOR, THEY DIED FOR ONE ANOTHER, IN ACTS OF ENDURING LOVE, ACTS WHICH SHALL FOREVER ENRICH THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

LISTEN TO THE LONELY WINDS IN THE BEAUTIFUL HILLS OUTSIDE. ON THOSE WINDS ONE CAN HEAR THE VOICES OF THE BRAVE WARRIORS WHO HAVE DIED IN OUR NATION’S THREE CENTURIES OF WAR. THEY HAVE DIED IN MANY PLACES, MANY WITH STRANG AND UNFAMILIAR NAMES; IN A SUNKEN ROAD NEAR ANTIETAM, IN THE TANGLED UNDERBRUSH OF THE ARGONNE FOREST, IN THE MOUNTAIN CAVES OF IWO JIMA, IN THE DARK SKIES ABOVE AND ALONG THE DEEP SNOW COVERED RIDGES OF THE SNEE EIFEL, IN THE FROZEN WASTES OF THE CHOSIN RESERVOIR, ON THE BLOODY FLOOR OF THE IA DRANG VALLEY, AND NOW IN THE HOSTILE WASTE LANDS AND OTHER TERRORIST HANGOUTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. ALL SO THAT WE, TOGETHER WITH OUR ALLIES, CAN ENJOY FREEDOM. FREEDOM FROM FEAR, FREEDOM FROM POVERTY, FREEDOM FROM THE MANIFOLD INJUSTICES THAT SEEM EVER TO CHARCTERIZE LIFE ON THIS TROUBLED PLANET.

WHILE WARS ARE FOUGHT FOR MANY CAUSES, MOST OFTEN THOSE OF US WHO HAVE FOUGHT COME TO BELIEVE THAT WAR’S MESSAGE IS LIKELY MORE DIVINE THAN IT IS PROFANE. THAT IN BATTLE’S EVER-PRESENT UNCERTAINTIES OF TERROR, AND DESTRUCTION, THE ONLY THINGS WORTH REMEMBERING ARE THE LEADERS, THE BRAVE WARRIORS WHO ARE OUR COMRADES IN ARMS. AND OUR BRAVE ALLIES WHO SHARE OUR RISKS.

FOR IF WAR HAS ANY REAL VALUE, IT MUST BE THAT IT FORCES ITS’ WARRIORS TO STRETCH THEMSELVES AS FAR AS THEIR CAPABILITIES WILL ALLOW IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH A MIRACLE-THE ABILITY TO LIFT THEMSELVES ABOVE THE COMMONPLACE BY THE MIGHT OF THEIR OWN WILL, TO FACE ANNIHILIATION, BASED SOLELY ON FAITH; FAITH IN THEIR GOD. FAITH IN THEIR LEADERS, FAITH IN THEIR FELLOW WARRIORS, FAITH IN THEIR ALLIES WHO EMBRACE THE SAME CAUSES AND FACE THE SAME THREATS AS DO THEY THEMSELVES.

TODAY’S PHALANX OF BRAVE WARRIORS HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE EXTENDED FAMILIES. FOREMOST AMONG MEMBERS OF THOSE EXTENDED FAMILIES ARE THE LOVELY LADIES WHO SEND US GUYS OFF TO WAR-EVER WITH A BIG KISS, EVER WITH A BEAUTTIFUL SMILE, ALWAYS WITH A QUIET ADMONITION TO, “PLEASE DO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.”

AND SO AWAY THEY SEND US, AND WITH LETTERS OF LOVE THEY SUSTAIN US WHILE WE ARE GONE. THEN THEY WELCOME US HOME; AGAIN WITH A BIG KISS, AGAIN WITH A BEAUTIFUL SMILE, BUT NOW WITH AN EVER-GROWING APPREHENSION DEEP IN THEIR HEART OF HEARTS THAT ALL TOO SOON THEY MAY HAVE TO SEND US OFF TO WAR AGAIN. OF ALL THE BRAVE WARRIORS THOSE LOVELY LADIES ARE THE MOST BRAVE.

FOR THE STRUGGLES FOR FREEDOM, FOR SECURITY, FOR THE TRIUMPH OF HONOR OVER LIES, FOR VIABLE, STABLE, AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY LIFE, OVER CONFUSION, DARKNESS AND EVIL-THOSE STRUGGLES MAY NEVER END.

AND SO WE ASK GOD’S BLESSING ON OUR INTREPID WARRIORS AND OUR FAITHFUL ALLIES AS THEY STRIVE TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH THE NECESSARY CONSTANT VIGILANCE REQUIRED TO PRESERVE, PROTECT AND DEFEND OUR GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS . WE PRAY IN CHRIST’S NAME.

AMEN