Damn it feelz good to be a gangsta…

Damn it feels good to be a gangstaA real gangzta-azz nia plays his cards rightA real gangzta-azz nia never runs his fuckin mouthCuz real gangzta-azz niaz don't start fightsAnd niaz always gotta high capShowin' all his boys how he shot emBut real gangzta-ass niaz don't flex nutsCuz real gangzta-ass niaz know they got’emAnd everythings cool in the mind of a gangztaCuz gangzta-azz niaz think deepUp three-zixty-five a year 24/7Cuz real gangzta azz niaz don't sleep

It sure feelz good… doesn’t it… keeping it smooth… no strezzess… no problemz… no pain… no frontz… just stepp’n through life with ur’ Jordanz clean…

Haven’t updated this thing in a while… no it isn’t cuz I don’t want to… The army and their concern for the welfare of the troops decided Christmas time was about the right time to slap a filter on the site… so no eazie access to update this mug… But az you learn in real quick in ‘raq… Adapt, overcome, and press 179lbs in 6 setz…

I’m dangerouz… Crazier than a bag of Angel Dust… When I bust my gat… muthafu’kaz take dirt napz… I’m all that and a dime sac… Where the Paper AT?!??!?!

So did you read the article in the previous blog…? What did you think…? Depressing wasn’t it… I thought it was depressing and I work with those Rakkassans all the time… I thought it was depressing because how true it was… Nobody really wanted it to be Christmas here… We all wished there was another calendar… a calendar without holidays until we are home… Do not ask a deployed Soldier how was Christmas… it is like letting him listen to the voice of his family without the ability to open his eyes… the 25th of December is just another step closer to getting home… Then the real Christmas will occur…

A way of life…

You can see it in everyone’s eyes… the same look you get when you missed out on something… but no one will admit it… so solemn discussions occur in smoke pit areas of thing they would be doing at home… what they would eat… who they would kiss… or more… hehe…

Not your way of life…

Do not sympathize… Do not remorse… Do not pity… Do not feel bad… That they are here and you are there… Support… send dumb jokes… talk about the Lakers… no matter how much we complain about getting candy… keep sending it… But when we talk… we don’t want to talk about this country… we don’t want to talk about what a great thing we are doing here… remember… to us nothing about being here is good or patriotic… we are away from you and all that matters is the day we will see you again… you too…

SITREP

Rough waters ahead… the elections should be almost ready to announce the winners… and the bad guys have effectively cut off Baghdad’s oil… so not much oil there… They have been very busy since Christmas, blowing up pipelines and threatening the locals… eh… Tomorrow is New Yearz Eve… So long 2005... you will not be missed...

well freaking A'... the Army Outsmarted me... Well you are going to have to wait before I post the photos on this blog... till tomorrow...

is that a shooting star...? No... Just a flare...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10605734/

!Felisizzil Navidizzle!

Merry Christmas... And God Bless the Union Jack...

Leave it to the Britz... They know how to conduct a war in style... They made up that Christmas Tree and jazzed up their office real kind like... They been doing wars since before we were even thinking about how to butcher their language... Gotta love them... Cheers...

Jaramillo's... When will they cease to amaze me... My Momz loaded the latest care package full of candies and cakes... but these are straight up... We gotz the Jamaican Rum Cake MON... Gatta get a job...! Amaretto Cake... Contreau Cake... and lil' Chocolate bottles filled with Stoly, Malibu, Drambuie, SoCo, Jack Daniels, Galliano, Grand Marnier... 7.5% alcohol... Can we say General Order #1... Mom... MAJ Edison said...

I love You Mrs. Jaramillo!

So Christmas came and went... We went to Midnight Mass last night to bring things in Correct... Making sure thoze Three Kings... I think their names were... Mariuz, M-Lo, and Shazaan-O... made it to the crib in Beth'la alright... M-Lo and Shazaan-O came in tipsy... I wonder what they were doing...?

Down wit'da 2 Kingz... Salud!

So church was nice... One of my friends who is of the not so religious kind (like most of us) came... good to see that... I think it was kind of indicative of the morals behind the Christmas story... Well let me quote'th the man I admire most in the world, which pretty much sums it up...

As you know, the real meaning of Christmas is not about gifts it's about the birth of a savior. I think that when families get together to celebrate Christmas they leave out the most important part--baby Jesus. They worry mostly about what to get each other in gifts. However, at least they celebrate Christmas and maybe for a moment they think about what started it all and maybe that's part of God's plan--to get them to think about the true reason for Christmas.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you celebrate Christmas for the right reason, you can celebrate it anywhere in the world and we know that you will.

-Augustin "The Boss" Jaramillo

I couldn't have said it better myself Dad... Love you Papa... Couldn't have made it this far without you... B'Lee Dat... My Dad likes Fity'Cent just for you info...

I am not going to go into details about the Christmas Meal... there is a reason there are no photoz of that... Check Pleaze! But we did watch Nat'Lampoonz Christmas Vacation... Eddie...? All in all it was a good day... Did this that and the other thing... But the most important was that we were all together here... safe and sound... For a moment peace on FOB Speicher Reigned... Didn't even have to use my AK...

Let the Angels sing...

So I got my haircut today... and this is why I love God so much... CRAZY MAN... So I was sitting there... eyes closed as an Indian dude with smelly fingers shaves my cranial noggin... And I left... I left Iraq... I was far away... I wasn't home... I was in a dark place with only words... And the words said... follow the path... I looked at the words that I couldn't see... follow the path... and it all made sense... No I didn't find my Mojo... but that is ok... Because I would if I followed my path... Actively searching for my Mojo is not the path... Being in Iraq is my path... When I was younger I always knew I was going to go to a War... You thought I dressed up like a Marine for nothing Clint...? Being in the Air Force which is the farthest branch from warfare save for pilots... I always wondered how it would work out... I went to Korea because in the Air Force I thought that was as tough as it could get and as close to War as I could get... I did not want to kill... I just knew it was my place... But that yielded nothing in the end... I came home to California to ride out my days in the Military next to what I grew up with... thinking maybe I have been wrong about the whole War thing... But the path found me in LA... Gave me T-series order to go to the Army and I quote Darth Vader... FULLFILL MY DESTINY... and like Luke, I must let go of the hate and pain, and fall into where ever life leads me... all it took was some dude from India to rub my head... So that is why Ghandi was so wise... he kept his head clean shaven at all times... pimp

If you are a rational person... you think... Does Markos thing he has mystical powers or something... No I don't think I do... Even though lights turn off around me... that is a different story... No... You see... I believe in Angels... And I believe everyone has Angels with them... I believe I have two... I affectionately call them Wisdom and Courage... Not too sure what their names really are but I named them based on the type of advice they give me... How come you can't hear your Angels...? They are always talking to you... but their voices are usually drowned out in daily life... sometimes you can't hear them over your own thoughts... The trick as I found it is to find your place of peace... Center yourself... I have talked about this before if you remember... calm the mind... and listen... they speak in feelings and images... think I am crazy...? maybe... I am sure Insanity runs in Jaramillo blood... but you try living in this world without an Angels help... life is so crazy why should talking to Angels seem strange...? and no I haven't been smoking too much Hooka... juz a lil...

My Two Angels... wait that is Shazaan-O and Casita

Well Christmas has drawn to a close... but that is just a day on a Calendar... the spirit of it should be with you... always... Take this time to reflect and make your world anew with a baby of hope and promise in the manger of your heart... and when the 3 Kingz arrive... start the party...

Cuz the party doezn't stop till 6 in the morn'... So watcha wanna do...?

I flex my brasos hard core down for the clicka'

Who's that eminating funk through the speaka'

Bass gets to thumpin' ruckas get to pumpin'

Who's that rockin' got the party start jumpin'

Blastin' through hah no need for the booyaa

Right hammer with the one knuckle eye-shot through ya

Step to the crowd I feel the strain'

Throw chingasos in the mosh pit feel the pain

So don't get in my way baby

Because the huero loco came in here to play baby

My shit will pump up this jam hot damn it's the baddest

Tres Delinquentes

step into the madness...

I don't puff blunts... So I always got my breath... Neva had to battle with a bullet proof vest... Wait... Yes I have...haha... uhhh not funny... Now we on to new stuff... Well Happy Merry Christmas's eve... from the 'Raq... Well I have been just throwing some fluff-stylz on the blog for the past two... Did you go to BANG BANG BANG BANG.com...? Well... if not you are no friend of mine... GATTA COORDINATE...! And yes... my most perceptive cousin Clint'un has been correcto-mundo... I have RECEIVED THE PACKAGE... I just wanted the blog to be a lil special for the display... ja know... So the M-Lo el Wonderious LlAmA put the most excellent picture together above... of Ira'qz Tr'zDelinquentez mas boracho...! SI'MON!

And for my next number... I would like to return to the classics... perhaps the most famous classic in all the world of music...

bring in La Isla Bonita real slow... yea like that...

Que ondas muchacho I bienes te miro

si me tries bronca me enloco deatiro
me paro te tumbo no es tu rumbo

y con el lingo talvez te confundo

Oh shit it's the attack of the five foot ten

The blaxican once again with the cocked hair pin

As I emerge from the depths of the realm my son

I got the black gat fat track coke and rum

Otra vez ya lo vez and the crew somos tres

One blaxican on the squad you don't test

Hittin' hard like an Aztec swift like a Zulu

That's what it's like with a palm shot through you

My mannerism mild still the punks get piled

My number one assassin flips the mad funk styles

Me I play the back role but I'm delinquente

This is how I freak it when I'm...

...speaking to the gente...

Itz nothing... we drunk'n... we buzz'n... tonight we gon'be clubbin... thiz fxn... iz jumpn...

Well... I went to Bayji a day or so ago... wait that was yesterday... did i tell you this is the land of perpetual Groundhog dayz... well did I... Yea... Well road in some up armored UpArmored Land Cruisers... speeding through the streets of the bayji... dodgin and moving past piles of rocks... or are they... but you have heard all this before... nothing too eventful... the usual dull quick movements... then the sudden SCREEEEEEEETCH of tires... IED ahead... hmm... CC call to press... Hit the gas and fly right by... sucka MC trying to cause trouble... We get the Bayji Distribution Terminal where I meet with the Don of the facility... I present him with a token of our appreciation he has deserved by risking his life working with the CF (coalition forces ja know... ahh yea I jumped in the air train) ... Soon there after I received my first Man Kiss... Comparable to the kiss given by the Don Corleone... I guess I am in the family now... When do I start getting paid...? FOOL HIT YOU WITH THE GOLDEN RULE!

Our appreciation for risking your life... Free subscription to Ebony...!

Anyways... we got home alright... otherwise how would I be writting this... Then I got my most excellent package from Clint'un... I love packages with a SoundTrack... DJ SouthPaw put it down on this one... Another fine production from the RED ROOM STUDIOS... That'z COPYRIGHTED BEEECHAZ...! You have to listen to it to understand Beavis... so don't try... well what else came in this most rightious of care packages...?

All behold the power of EL PATO and THE VENERABLE P-38...

FYI...

During WWII, the Korean and Vietnam Wars when hungry GI's were ready to dive into their delicious meal of C-Rations they used their trusty P-38s to open the cans. No it wasn't the famous WWII fighter plane or a pistol, it was an amazingly simple little piece of 1-1/2 inch stamped metal that was developed in by the Subsistence Research Laboratory Chicago during the Summer of 1942. Unbelievably it was developed in just 30 days.
It's official designation has been 'US ARMY POCKET CAN OPENER' or 'OPENER, CAN, HAND, FOLDING, TYPE I', but it is more commonly know by its nickname the P-38 which it supposedly acquired from the 38 Punctures required to open a C-Ration can. It is also known by many as a "John Wayne" especially those in the Navy and Marines because he was opening a can of C-Rations using a P-38 in a WWII training film, from then on Marines or Sailors started referring to them as a "John Wayne".
Originally P-38s came wrapped in brown Kraft paper packets with a diagram and the directions how to use printed on it. About a dozen P-38s in their paper packets came packed in a case of C-Rations but eventually only 3 were included in a case. These handy gadgets have adorned the dog tag chains and key rings of WWII, Korean and Vietnam war vets ever since they opened their first cans of C-rats with them.
During WWII GIs would hold C-Ration can opening races using P-38s that were usually won by a GI who could open a C-rat can in less time than it takes to read this sentence.

well... I hope this blog was as good for you as it was for me...

That reminds me of joke that I heard on one Doggystylistic afternooon...

What do you call Nutz on a Wall...

Wallnutz Silly!

What do you call nutz on your llama's chest...?

CHESTNUTZ you nut...

So... hmm... what in the world you call nutz on your chin...?

Did you think I was going to say it...? Well all I know is I got a big sak'o nutz...

Lick'a Shot...!

Let the gat humm...

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep!

-baka'boyz

LIME ON YOUR COCONUT

discuss...

Swift like a zulu...

Step into the madness...

Get PhUnKy...

Supreme Nek'Protekta...

www.bangbangbangbang.com

This Bayji Box ain't strong enough to contain these afro'lox...

MOJO

Ya know... I was pushing up big weight today... (not really) ... and I was thinking... Besides what the hell was the life of pi all about... and what was I thinking in the past before I came here, next time walk away... and why do I like System of a Down track 11 so much...and how did I screw up Carne Asada and Ann's Whirrvlishdirvlish on the same vacation... and when am I going to watch Christmas vacation... and why are weights so heavy... and is torture such a bad thing... and why am I so worried about the ECD for a sour gas line... and if killing tookie was a good thing... and about the taste of a good merlot, or chianti, or Night Train for that matter... and why couldn't I prevent certain things from happening... and is today laundry day... and I was thinking... these thoughts are not healthy... only could end up under a box with a cheap Korean cigarette in my hand... mean while life is just passing by outside that damn 4in window...

And there are some pretty cool things that are happening out there... just have to appreciate them when they are in view... cuz it will be gone before you know it... needless to say... I am off kilter... Sp? I have lost something and I think I know what it is... I have lost my Mojo... I don't know where... maybe I left it in Los Angeles at a parking lot... or maybe in Korea under a trash bag... maybe it resides in the graveyard shift... I don't know where it at foo...! I know I need to find it soon... cuz I can't go on without it... I just don't know where to start... but the longer i don't have it the longer life will stick it's eagled tongue out at me...

Maybe it is just right in front of me and I just don't know how to read it...



Let me tell you... it is an awful feeling to lose your Mojo... Poor Austin... But I think everyone has to lose it just to appreciate it... or maybe I am just kidding myself... F'n Mojo... who would have thought... Dang'it Shazaan-O help me out here...! tired of talking... tired tired tired... What do you think M-Lo...? It haz been a shizzie couple of weeks... we gotta do something... hell if I know what to do... I am just a Captain...

follow the Llama...?

On the First Day of Christmas... An Airman gave to me...

Sunday... all four candles lit... One more to go... eh... So we talked about movies today... no not at church... In the TOC... Tactical Operation Center or something... We came up with a rating scale... Phenom... Great... Nice... Good... Sucks... You may think that this is a skewed rating scale... But when you are fine movie critics like us... It is very easy to fall into the Suck catagory... Most movies suck... that is for sho'... fo shizzle if you will... mah nizzle... It is much harder or more hard to rate movies that are good to FEEEENOMINAL!!!!!! Phenom is reserved for movies like Gladiator or Goodfellaz... I am here to amuze ju??? And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next!!! Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?Now there is a disturbance in the force... Comes in the form of an Orlando Bloom flick named Kingdom of Heaven... A movie about a wussy blacksmith that follows his dads way to attempt to bring peace in the middle of the crusades... You can see where I am going with this... I did not like this movie... I thought O'Bloom was a weak actor (aka maximus wussinus in Troy) in this one...

what to watch... mathew or orlando... the answer is up in the air...

Battle scenes bleh... Ending... woopy f'n do... It seems that I am alone in this one... There is apparently a hot chica in one of the roles... Sal ah Din's wifey... Now for you historically inclined personnel... Tikrit (the city I am in you forgetful ones) ... Is in Sal ah Din Province... Of course if you watch the news it could be spelled Sallahdin, Salah din, Sal lah Din, Saladin, etc,.. They haven't come up with a common spelling... Anyways... he was this Muslim General back in the day that fought King Richard the Lionhearted during the Crusades... Very smart and very honorable... I will just say it... he probably used these guys below (clone troopers) ... cuz he opened up a can of...

on the onward Christian Soldiers... And beat us back to the Vatican... But that is ok... cuz this place sucks and I heard Italy has some good vino... anyways... So yea... I am living in his home town, statues and crap... Saddam thought he was the incarnation of the guy... couldn't be further from the verdad... Anyways... back to this suck'feztiva of a movie... Apparently everyone thinks this movie is good except for u'rz troole... So... My job for y'allz bustaz is to watch this movie and let me know what the deal is... if you all say it is a "great" movie... I will watch it again... and give it another chance... if not... my deadpan movie sense are still kick'n li' co'chicken... ya stick'n?

And here is a picture of a g-strizzle being tossed in the air...

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED...?

m.d.m

P.S.

The picture of a few days ago... of me walking in the flames... That was the eternal flame in Kirkuk, Iraq... legend says it has been burning since the beginning of time... There are some biblical references to it so I was told... Also supposedly in Koran... So I decided to walk on it... Just kidding... well I mean I did... but that is ok... a blessing of sorts... pretty cool... if you kick the ground a flame will come out of it... The athiest look at it as a pocket of natural gas seeping out of the ground that continually feeds the flame... that is a boring point of view... Way better to think of it as Allah's lil bar-be-que pit... NO HOT DOGS or BRATZ !

Jah Jah JAY-Uooh-NET!

Happy Bir'fday Ann'a'banana...

I know you had a good one... have another one for us...

I know a very good Llama that risked life and limb to get this forbidden picture... I thought you would appreciate it the most...

and if you go... I want to go with you... tmldoml

-SoaD

Purple Haze...

A single vote is a victory... A countries vote is democracy... The elections are over... and some of you are wondering how many of these elections are there... Well for you CNN.com challenged people... This vote was the real deal... Not provencial vote for the time being... They just voted their congress for the next 4 years... That congress will vote a president and that president will nominate a Prime Minister... Jobs done... time to go home...

Or maybe not... Let me give you the soldier's perspective on things... Election day was just that... Election day... You wouldn't get much more excitement at an U.S. election... Work continues... The vehicle travel ban will end tomorrow... We will commence with our convoy's and patrols... IED's will burst... And people will continue to die... There is something different... we just haven't seen it yet...

I don't know... I am going to be honest with you... Things haven't been very motivating over here to say the least... I can feel the twilight of the blog upon me... Will there be a beginning for it again I don't... I know you are tired of reading about the same thing over and over again... And seriously I am sick of typing the same thing over and over again... Maybe it is the holiday depression... Harder and harder it is becoming to communicate with you all... It feels like I am viewing the world through a 4 inch thick window... Becoming too tough to care what is on the other side... Disassociation is a Bitch...

A day late...

Sorry Isabella... I am a day or two late on your birthday... I was caught up in a really sucky place near Bayji... But I didn't forget you... And for the rest of you... just in case you forgot who I am talking about...

Santa Isabella... :)

You can't help but smile at that picture... thank you Melena for sending me the pictures of your kids... They always bring a huge smile to my face... Especially the cheezer above...hehe she knows how cute she looks... Give her a Jaramillo Hug for me...

Well like said before... I was caught up in Bayji for a day or two... I don't know... We try not to keep track of time over here... Supposed to be just a day trip... But the helicopter never came that night... So I got to stay the next day or so at a base that makes ours look like the Hilton... Hua Rakkasans... uh yea... These guys are all bizzznasss and no play... I don't think I saw one of them smile the whole time I was there... Of course there isn't much to smile when you work next to a jacked up city like Bayji... A city that has already claimed more than it's share of American lives... So they get the Rakkasans... Bayji Bad Guys... you are screwed...

The guy not smiling is a Rakkassan...

Of course... You never go into a city like that alone... always bring protection... Llama skins... strapped for your pleasure...

grrr...

Of course it doesn't hurt to have some extra Rakkassans around...

I bet you he wasn't smiling...

And of course the reason why we were there...

Oil and Power...

Well after my little layover in that base in Bayji... I was able to have an Excellent ride in a Chinook... The twin blade helicopter that is pretty much a bus with guns... Too cool for school mos def... They fly with the back door wide open so the gunner can spit out lethal amounts of 7.62mm just in case the static gets real... It was nightime (we own the night) so I wasn't able to get a good pic... but I am sure I will be riding the green monster again...

Eat Some...!

cake... Happy Birthday my lil' Chilita!

One Step Closer...

Over and over again... Another lit candle... Another week closer... Another convoy to Bayji... we all have a piece to play... need to keep moving that piece closer to the end or you will waste your turn...

Even if it is going to hurt...

to the eternal flame...

Shadows on the Sand...

There are a few things that can evoke emotion out of me these days... Emotion is a dangerous human trait when unchecked... When you wrap it up tight you are just a robot... When you let it loose, you leave yourself exposed to pain and anxiety that life and people will bring you... You have to find your own balance and where you want invest your emotion... Protect yourself... and when all else fails... Trust your emotion to God, Yourself, and the U.S. Military...

U.S. Military...? Wha... I don't really mean that... or do I...? What stirred the plot of this blog was December 7th and the blind eye most us turn towards it... When CNN.COM has a two paragraph article on the anniversary that you practically be a slueth to find and a front page article on how John Lennon's death should be remembered... you can see where I am going with this... I am sure he was a great guy and stuff... made a song or two... gravy... Creating an atmosphere of love, peace and chicken grease... Nice concept... But don't forget that young 17 year old that was standing watch at his turrent on the U.S.S Arizona who died unknowningly to give us the opportunity to write songs about how great the world would be without the bombs that killed him... plus the 2,000+ that day... and the hundred of thousands that followed...

The War is Lost... We can't win... -Politics...

They don't know much... You don't know what they don't tell you... I don't know much but I can see what is going on here... I wish those politicians would leave us alone... Have they ever heard the saying... if you have nothing nice to say don't say anything at all... FACT: We are winning the war... You know what the real war is...? It is giving the Iraqi people a chance... If we couldn't give them that chance then you could say we have lost... We are giving the Iraqi people a chance at a life they could never imagine... what they do with that chance is up to them and not up to us... You can lead a horse to oil... but you can't make him refine it...

It is terrible what perception the media is giving you about the War... IEDs... VBIEDS... Beheadings... Kidnaps... Corruption... Death... and to tell you the truth those things are happening... You can read my past blogs for that kind of stuff... I guess they thought that War was people running around hitting each other with foam bats... People die or worse in War... that is why War sucks and should be avoided... But that doesn't mean it is unavoidable... We are trying to secure a future for a country that we have a vested interest in... and we are doing the unheard of in the history of War... We are rebuilding a country while in the midst of War... If the U.S. Military wanted to engage the insurgency in full scale War, it would be over within days... We are real good at that... But this is new... Reconstruction of a Nation... and the terrible thing of it all is that you don't know what is happening... I have a spreadsheet that I review everyday that has over a 1,000 reconstruction projects on it... at least $100K each in scope... and it is not just oil... Hundreds of Hospitals, Police Stations, Fire Stations, Courthouses, Emergency Control Centers (like 911), Water Wells, Water treatment plants, Sewage pipelines, Asphalt and Concrete Roads, Bridges, Modern Power Plants, Feeders, Substations, Railroads, Rail Stations, Pot hole repairs, etc... and Schools... Hundreds of Schools... Did you know during Saddam's Sunni Bathist regime that only the Sunni's could go to school... Dumb people are easier to rule than an educated people... So the Shi'a and the Kurds are not very educated here... We are giving them that chance... And this is just a small piece of the reconstruction effort in the northern half of Iraq... If you don't believe me I will be more than happy to send you the spreadsheet... Tell the media... Demand that they focus more attention on this... You know when you hear about the 2 soldiers killed today in an ambush or IED attack...? Do you think they go outside the wire just because that is what soldiers do during a War...? No... Everytime a soldier leaves the wire there is a mission attached to it... And the missions include to protect the work crews that are building the above mentioned...

We Pay the Cost to Let Them be the Boss...

I know of a good Lt that was killed and three soldiers critically injured yesterday to check on the progress of projects that will one day give these people an opportunity to learn... That is what this is all about... Let them know...

Have a Fun, Nice, and Relaxing Friday... That is why we get paid...

“The Iraqi people want jobs, security and basic services, and the president’s words will continue to ring hollow until these urgent needs are met,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. “Nearly half of the funds appropriated by Congress remain unspent and millions of dollars have been lost to corruption.”

-Pick up a rifle and shovel Ed... We would love to have you and your friends help out for once...

0755 DECEMBER 7, 1941

Yesterday, 7 December 1941-a date which will live in infamy-the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives were lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu. Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.
Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.
Last night Japanese forces attacked Wake Island.
This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us.

No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces-with the unbounded determination of our people-we will gain the inevitable triumph-so help us God.

7 Dec 41 KIA: 2,390

as of 7 Dec 05 KIA: 2,132

Honor all of those that have fallen...

they have all died for us.