"Call for Photos"; Remembering the USS Cole; Insurgents in Afghanistan Make Tactical Mistakes; NYPD Honors 5 Heroes; "Act of Valor" Using Real Navy Seals; Fallen Firefighters Honored This Weekend

"Army: A Body of Men Assembled To Rectify The Mistake of Diplomats."---Josephus Daniels


Straight from the Headlines:


The Philadelphia Inquirer reported The Vietnam Veterans Memorial and History Channel, in a "Call for Photos," have been trying to match every one of the 58,272 names on the Memorial Wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in D.C. To date, the fund has been able to secure more than 21,000 photos. Anyone with photos is urged to contact the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Contact: 202.393.0029.


This week marked the 11th anniversary of the attack upon the USS Cole on Oct. 12, 2000 which killed 17 sailors and wounded 37. The USS Cole was in the process of refueling at the Yemeni port of Aden at the time of the bombing by al-Qaeda.


Four NYPD police officers were honored by NY City this week for their rescue of two West Point cadets last February. "Despite the dangers of extremely high turbulent winds and precision hovering close to the steep rising terrain the aircrew steadied the helicopter in a high hover," according to an NYPD spokesperson. NYPD pilot Steve Browning, 53, had flown Black Hawks in the Army. In addition to Browning, the other officers honored included Michael Sileo, Fernando Almeida, Chris Condon and William Stevens. They were all recipients of the 10 Annual Liberty Medal Award. (New York Post)



From ISAF Regional Command East:


"Tactical mistakes by insurgents in Eastern Afghanistan over the past weeks resulted in at least three failed attacks against Afghans and coalition targets." And NATO reported that insurgent attacks have fallen by 26% from the previous summer.


Film News:


A new film, "Act of Valor," will star actual Navy Seals. "Act of Valor" is a fictional account of Navy Seals on the hunt for terrorists plotting an attack on the U.S. Release date is scheduled for February of 2012.(Perhaps with the use of genuine heroes, Hollywood might get this film right---a rarity for Hollywood in recent years--editor).


Fallen Firefighters Honored:


This past weekend, fallen firefighters honored 72 firefighters who lost their lives in 2010. Deaths resulted from vehicle accidents en route to or returning from emergency calls, building collapses, natural disaster response, falling, drowning, heart attacks, burns and smoke inhalation. Dedicated to Heroes honors all of these fallen firefighters. RIP.