Bravo Zulu to the participants in Kandahar's second annual Charity run for Father's Day. While the majority of fathers in Canada waited in bed till the breakfast of the day was delivered by their little ones. The guys in Kandahar rose early as usual but this time to take part in the Loop for the Troop Combat packs were hoisted and the run began in Temperatures already reaching the 20's.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan - Dozens of Canadian soldiers and some civilians arose early on Father's Day for a different kind of mission: a charity run around part of Kandahar Airfield.Weighed down by flak vests, helmets, guns and water, they tackled the 6.5 kilometre Loop for the Troop with a gusto inspired by the promise of free coffee at the finish line. It was the second annual run, and the first time it was held in Kandahar. The event was initiated by Michael Hornburg in memory of his son Cpl. Nathan Hornburg, who was killed in Afghanistan in September 2007 when he got out of a disabled tank and was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.
The 94 runners and walkers, including a trio of groggy reporters, raised close to US$6,000 for various military-related efforts, including a wall of honour for fallen soldiers in Calgary, where more than a thousand people were expected to take part in a similar event on Sunday.
Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance, Canada's senior commander in Afghanistan, led the way from Kandahar's boardwalk on a route that followed one of the few tarred roads on the sprawling air base to minimize dust. Despite the early morning temperatures in the low 20s, participants sweated and puffed their way, drinking copious amounts of water and spurring each other on. After the final stragglers had made it back to the boardwalk and helped themselves to free Tim Hortons coffee - real half-and-half cream optional - Vance briefly addressed the motley, panting throng.
No soldier dies in vain, he said in reference to Hornburg.
He also paid tribute to the race winner - Maj. Joey Boland, a soldier-athlete close to Olympic calibre, who finished in around 29 minutes despite the heavy gear. The money raised also goes to support a veterans hospital, scholarships and cadets.
Brig.-Gen. Jonathan Vance Thanking the runners
The following story was sent to me by a fellow veteran and reader of this Blog Rex out in good old Alberta Thanks Rex.
I have done my verification via snopes:
This is a true story http://www.snopes.com/military/charliebrown.asp
Look carefully at the B-17 and note how shot up it is - one engine dead, tail, horizontal stabilizer and nose shot up.. It was ready to fall out of the sky. (This is a painting done by an artist from the description of both pilots many years later.) Then realize that there is a German ME-109 fighter flying next to it. Now read the story below. I think you'll be surprised..... Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton , England . His B-17 was called 'Ye Old Pub' and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters. The compass was damaged and they were flying deeper over enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.After flying the B-17 over an enemy airfield, a German pilot named Franz Steigler was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17. When he got near the B-17, he could not believe his eyes. In his words, he 'had never seen a plane in such a bad state'. The tail and rear section was severely damaged, and the tail gunner wounded. The top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage. The nose was smashed and there were holes everywhere.Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at Charlie Brown, the pilot. Brown was scared and struggling to control hisdamaged and blood-stained plane.
BF-109 pilot Franz Stigler
Nil Sine Labore
Robby
B-17 pilot Charlie Brown.
Aware that they had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn 180 degrees. Franz escorted and guided the stricken plane to, and slightly over, the North Sea towards England . He then saluted Charlie Brown and turned away, back to Europe . When Franz landed he told the CO that the plane had been shot down over the sea, and never told the truth to anybody. Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told all at their briefing, but were ordered never to talk about it.
More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the Luftwaffe pilot who saved the crew. After years of research, Franz was found. He had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions.
They met in the USA at a 379th Bomber Group reunion, together with 25 people who are alive now - all because Franz never fired his guns that day.
5 Days till you can show your support at the Red Rally in Charlottetown come out and show your support for our Troops. Remember Everyone Deployed ! ! !
(L-R) German Ace Franz Stigler, artist Ernie Boyett, and B-17 pilot Charlie Brown. When asked why he didn't shoot them down, Stigler later said, I didn't have the heart to finish those brave men. I flew beside them for a long time. They were trying desperately to get home and I was going to let them do that. I could not have shot at them. It would have been the same as shooting at a man in a parachute.
Both men died in 2008.
THIS WAS BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN THERE WAS HONOR IN BEING A WARRIOR...THEY PROUDLY WORE UNIFORMS, AND THEY DIDN'T HIDE IN AMBUSH INSIDE A MOSQUE, OR BEHIND WOMEN AND CHILDREN, NOR DID THEY USE WOMEN AS SUICIDE BOMBERS TO TARGET AND KILL INNOCENT CIVILIANS...HOW TIMES HAVE CHANGED......
