Shadows of My World

Flossenburg Concentration Camp, GE

I went to Germany to support a unit there near the former East German and Czech border this year. The day we completed our mission, we were released early. A former officer and military historian with us noted we were close to Flossenburg death camp. We drove to the camp and spent hours viewing the site. I was at a loss for words as we toured the various displays. The images drawn by the inmates were haunting...no other word describes it. Looking back down from the path to the chapel, this was the valley of death. At the far end was the building containing the incinerator and a dissection room for a "doctor". The walled area on the far side of the small pyramid was the execution wall. Detainees were lined up and shot here. The pyramid is the remains of the ashes from incinerated bodies dumped in a pile here. The nearer area lined with blocks is a tribute, by country, to all who died here. This number includes Americans and British POWs. The pad directly in front is the memorial to the American units that liberated the camp. This is a place that will forever be etched in my memory.

Buffalo Soldier

As a cavalry soldier, I have been afforded many opportunities and been assigned to many units over the years. I first saw this memorial when I was at Fort Bliss in 2006 for the First Sergeant Course, prior to returning to Korea. It reminded me of my time in the 1st Squadron,10th Cavalry at Fort Knox in the old 194th Armored Brigade. Here on my second visit, I got to see it anew with a friend as we were working here on post. There are never too many memorials to our heritage.

Field of Honor

Whenever I travel, I seek out the military cemeteries. They draw me because of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our way of life. I know that one day I will be laid to rest in one like this...to rest among those who are far more worthy than I. One of the things I see when I do go there is families and loved ones visiting the gravesites of their military family members. It is always a sobering experience to walk these hallowed grounds and reflect on who is here and why they exist. I pray we never run out of those willing to give their all in the defense of this great nation.

JBLM Headquarters

On 1 February 2010 Fort Lewis and McChord AFB combined under a Base Re-Alignment and Closure

(BRAC 2005) action designed to streamline military operations costs and processes. It is a process that I have been involved with significantly over the last 14 months. On this date we saw the fruition of all of our countless hours of work when we cased the colors of the US Army Garrison Fort Lewis, and uncased the colors of US Army Garrison Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Just inside the double doors of this building is a display denoting the history of this building. It was formerly the post headquarters and later a Division HQ and beginning in the 1970s the ROTC Western Region HQ. The display includes a picture just like this of the building in 1954. As of 1 February 2010 it once again is the Garrison HQ of the new Joint Base. As a Lieutenant Colonel, Dwight D. Eisenhour occupied the office behind the bottom left window in the picture.

I used rephotographic techniques to try to recreate the image on display. For more information on the process of rephotography, see the Third View website at http://www.thirdview.org/3v/home/index.html.

It was great being a part of the history of this installation. I have spent 12 years here. That is more than 1/8th of the time this post has been in existence. I will truly miss it after retirement.

The Washington Capitol

On a recent trip to Olympia, Wa, I had occasion to drive through the Capitol Mall. I was very impressed with the number of monuments dedicated to the military and the sacrifices of the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines for this country. This is the approach to the Capitol Rotunda that you see in the center. It was damaged in the 2001 6.8 earthquake whose epicenter is just nine miles north of this point. To the left, the obelisk is a monument to all Congressional Medal of Honor awardees. The sculpture to the right front is to all sevicemembers who have served this country in WWI. In between where the ladies are standing is the POW/MIA Memorial. A left face from here would face the Washington State Vietnam Memorial. A walk through these grounds carries a significance and somber reminder that freedom is not free. From those who died or dedicated their lives to open up this territory to those who died in service to this nation in Iraq and Afghanistan, There is a price to be paid for all that we enjoy.

War Museum

I saw a photo for sale today and realized I had taken the same shot a couple of years ago. I searched and found it. Camp Casey, Korea is a small, cloistered place. On weekends, I would catch a train and subways into Seoul. My initial destination would always be around Yongsan. From there Iwould walk to th War Museum and then catch the subway to points of interest around the city. I once walked up the steps you see in the distance and had my entrance fee paid by an old Korean man to thank me for being there. It makes you feel as if what you are doing is worthwhile.

Apache Sunset

During my last tour in Korea, I was a First Sergeant for an Armor Company in an Infantry Battalion. In the past, I had been in a Cavalry unit and seen mostly OH-58D Kiowa Warriors. As part of a Combined Arms Battalion, we trained with an Attack Helicopter Squadron. On a maintenance day, with some awesome weather, I was able to capture this shot of an AH-64D Longbow Apache sitting on the pad. It is reminiscent of the image a few years before in exactly the same spot of the Kiowa.

Kiowa at Dusk

Another image from Korea. During my second tour in the ROK, we had several training events that took the 4th Squadron, 7th Cavalry up to the Rodriguez Multi-Purpose Range Complex. I took every opportunity to get out with a camera. Here is an OH-58D sitting on the landing pad at the MPRC. Oddly enough, I have a very similar image of an AH64 Apache taken 3 years later.