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Pearl Harbor, Dutch Homage & ‘O’ Antiphons



Only a Few Remembered Pearl Harbor

TIA,

Below is a picture of our local tribute to those who fell at Pearl Harbor beneath the Big Guns of the U.S.S. Pennsylvania at her last port of call at the Military Shrine in Boalsburg, PA.

My few comments to the interviewer were reported along with those of others, so all bases were basically covered on a very cold blustery day in Central PA. I spoke to her of the history of military service in my family of my father and uncles who served in WWII with the Army Air Corps in the Aleutians, on Iwo Jima with the Marines, in the Philippines with the Army, and in Korea on a carrier with the Navy, and in the Air Force, and how important it was to defend our unalienable God-given rights of The Declaration of Independence.

In reply to her question, "Why are you here?" - I distinctly remember saying that the sacrifices of the fallen are forgotten by many today, which is why I am here for their sake in gratitude for what they did for us,

     Gary Morella

 men saluting, holding flags, and playing taps at the Pearl Harbor remembrance day Tribute, Pennsylvania Military Museum on Boalsburg


Gary Morella, a communications technician 2nd class in the Naval Security Group Command and Vietnam War veteran from 1968-1972, salutes during the playing of "Taps" during the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Tribute at The Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg, Pa. on Saturday, December 7, 2013.

Pearl Harbor Tribute honors thousands of lives lost

Carley Mossbrook

The country’s flag trembled in the crisp wind as community members and veterans gathered together Saturday afternoon to commemorate the 72nd anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Bundled under the guns of Battleship Pennsylvania, visitors at the Pennsylvania Military Museum in Boalsburg paid tribute to the thousands of lives lost many years ago.

“This was a really gruesome day; it’s nice to see people come out,” Navy veteran and Lemont resident Gary Morella said. “I feel a camaraderie, basically a military family.”

The Nittany Leathernecks Detachment 302 and State College’s American Legion Post 245 led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance before the event’s keynote speaker, retired U.S. Navy Captain James Bloom, wrapped up the brief ceremony.

“As Americans, we forget that the freedoms we enjoy aren’t in fact free. Seventy-two years ago, this very hour our nation came under assault,” Bloom said. “Who knows better than the lesson that freedom is not free than those who were at Pearl Harbor?”

Visitors mingled around, retelling their military stories and giving thanks to those who served before leaving the blistering cold.

“I come to honor my father’s memory. My father was a soldier in the Second World War and was a medic in the third army,” Ron Lenox, of State College, said. “It’s very necessary for us as a nation that we remember what [veterans] did for us.”


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A Dutch Tribute

TIA,

A friend of mime sent this to me.

How beautiful! In today's world the sacrifices of our military mean nothing to those who despise it.

Clearly, that is not the case in Holland!

     G.M.

TAPS... The Last Post


A few years ago, a friend visited the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial in the village of Margraten, about six miles from Maastricht. There lie buried 8,301 American soldiers killed in the battles to liberate Holland in the fall and winter of 1944-45. Sgt. Bill Dukeman, 101st Airborne Division, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Second Battalion, Company C (of "Band of Brothers fame) is buried there. He was killed in the battle of "The Crossroads" in northern Holland.

The Dutch hold an annual memorial concert every September at the above cemetery to remember and honor the Americans who died to free them in Operation Market Garden and subsequent efforts to eject the German army from Holland. Sgt. Dukeman, like many other fallen GIs, was "adopted" by a Dutch family. Dukeman's family in the States was contacted and hosted in Holland, and his grave site decorated each year by his Dutch "family." They keep his portrait in their home, displayed in a place of honor. Fathers pass this obligation down to their sons in Holland. This version of the original "taps" music is played by a 13 year old Dutch girl named Melissa Venema. The conductor of the orchestra is Andre Rieu from Holland .

Many of you may never have heard taps played in its entirety . The original version of Taps was called Last Post, and was written by Daniel Butterfield in 1801. It was rather lengthy and formal, as you will hear in this clip, so in 1862 it was shortened to 24 notes and re-named Taps. Melissa Venema is playing it on a trumpet whereby the original was played on a bugle.


Watch at this site, and go full screen.

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The Great ‘O’ Antiphons

TIA,

We thought you would want to remind your readers of the O Antiphons.

As Christmas approaches, the longing of Holy Mother the Church for the coming of our Infant King intensifies and is expressed by special antiphons which accompany the singing of the Magnificat at Vespers between December 17 – 23. These antiphons are called “Great” or “O” (because each begins with that exclamation) Antiphons. Each is a title which reveals a different aspect of the awaited Messiah and provides matter for prayer in preparation for the feast of the Nativity.

Dec. 17 - O Sapientia - O Wisdom, coming forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from end to end and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: Come and teach us the way of prudence. (Eccl. 24,5) (Wisdom 8,1)

Dec. 18 - O Adonai - O Lord, and leader of the House of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the fire of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: Come and redeem us with an outstretched arm. (Ex. 3,2 and Ex. 20,1)

Dec. 19 - O Radix Jesse - O Root of Jesse - standing as a sign among the peoples; before whom kings will shut their mouths, to whom the nations will make their prayer: Come and deliver us, and delay no longer. (Is. 11,10)

Dec. 20- O Clavis David - O Key of David and sceptre of the House of Israel; you open and no one can shut; you shut and no one can open: Come and bring forth from his prison-house, the captive that sits in darkness and in the shadow of death. (Is. 22,22; Apoc. 3, 7; Lk. 1,79)

Dec. 21 - O Oriens - O Dawn of the East, brightness of the light eternal, and Sun of Justice, come and enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. (Ps. 106,10)

Dec. 22 - O Rex Gentium - O King of the Gentiles and the desired of them, Thou cornerstone that makes both one, come and deliver man, whom Thou didst form out of the dust of the earth. (Agg. 2, 8; Eph. 2,14 and 20)

Dec. 23 - O Emmanuel - O God with us, our King and Lawgiver, the expected of the nations and their Savior, come to save us, O Lord our God. ( Is. 7,14; Is. 33,22)

     Servants of the Holy Family info@servi.org

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Posted December 17, 2013
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