It is July 27, 2013, and today is the 60th Anniversary of the Armistice that ended the Korean War. In honor of the day, I visited several Monuments/Memorials dedicated to the Veterans of the Korean Conflict. The cities that were on my Korean War Memorial Tour were Oaklyn, Audubon, Haddon Heights, Haddon Township and Collingswood. I had a huge surprise in Haddon Township when an actual Combat Veteran of the War showed up!
While I was filming at the fourth Memorial, a car pulled up, and out stepped the Veteran! He saw me by the Memorial and stopped his car so he could talk to me! As you will see, he walked into the view of the camcorder and started talking about his time in the War! Totally unscripted, unplanned and impromptu! I was and still am blown away! Very, very, very incredible!
I was initially a bit bewildered because the man who pulled up in the car was wearing a Korea Veteran hat and a Korea Veteran shirt and he appeared to look under 80 and under 70. In my mind I thought that he looked way too young to be a Veteran of the Korean War. As it turns out, he is 84 years of age! Here is my documentary video for the 60th Anniversary:
Here is the url for the above video (in case it does not embed properly): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBOn94Fi__E
Here are photographs of each town ...
Oaklyn:
Audubon:
Haddon Heights:
Haddon Township:
Here I am with Leo Tocco ... one of very few remaining Korean War Combat Veterans in the area:
Collingswood:
It was very important to observe this day and to remember the sacrifices and struggles of those involved in the Korean War ... the Service Personnel who returned home and the Service Personnel who did not return home. We must keep them all in our hearts and in our thoughts.
It is July 21, 2013, and the American Civil War Sesquicentennial continues. On this day, 150 years ago, Daniel McCook of the Fighting McCooks, passed away. He was wounded two days prior near Buffington Island, Ohio during Morgan's Raid involving Confederate General John Hunt Morgan. Daniel McCook had twelve children ... three daughters and nine sons. All nine sons signed up with the Union Army, and three of those sons died in combat. His brother and a number of his brother's sons were involved in the conflict as well.
It is very important for me to point out that Daniel McCook was 65 years of age when he was killed in combat ... certainly way above the average age of someone involved with the conflict. He was a Major and Paymaster and he was specifically given the role of Paymaster due to his age.
This blog entry is my personal tribute to Daniel McCook ... a man who gave his life for a cause that he believed in.
In this video, I am holding a Court Of Common Pleas document that dates to the year 1840 and was signed by Daniel McCook: Here is the url for the above video in case it does not embed properly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9fb2RP2So
Thank you Daniel McCook and thank you to all of you out there who are watching and reading.
When does life begin? Tonight, I have some personal history for all of you. On July 16, 1973, 40 years ago today, my Mother's water broke. That, typically, would not be a big deal. The problem was that the water broke six and a half months early during the first trimester. I was a threatened miscarriage. I was conceived in May. The water broke after only two and a half months in July. In his video, I discuss all of the medical details. In 1973, with the limited capabilities available, a baby could not survive that sort of scenario. For some reason, I did. This video reveals the truth.
On this day, 150 years ago, Camp William Penn was inaugurated and the first Members of the United States Colored Troops (U.S.C.T.), the Black Soldiers of the Union, arrived. In honor of the day and in honor of the overall Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, I travelled to Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, the location of Camp William Penn, to commemorate this occasion. That iron gate that you see is all that remains of the Camp. That gate is a century and a half old!
Unfortunately I could not record any video footage due to the heavy rain. I look to return to this site very, very soon.
In this video, I showcase a copy of a Baltimore Patriot newspaper from June 11, 1813 ... exactly 200 years ago today. It contains War Of 1812 news specifically the Battle Of Fort George. This is very special and very apropos for the War Of 1812 Bicentennial. You will note references to Colonel Winfield Scott, Major Benjamin Forsyth, Major General Morgan Lewis and Major General Henry Dearborn. Advertisements fill the front page including one advertisement about a stray cow and a "coloured" man!
Here is the url for the above video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWuX-HAMcfw Photographs ...
There you have it ... a newspaper with first-hand accounts of the War Of 1812 from the very day it was printed and published ... literally two centuries ago!
My Friends: I have a very special tribute for you this evening. On this day, 20 years ago, Jimmy Weston, lead vocalist of The Danleers, passed away. His voice can be heard on the big hit "One Summer Night", no doubt one of the quintessential songs that epitomized the Doo Wop Era.
June 10, 2013 ... two decades since the passing of Jimmy Weston. Gone. Certainly not forgotten.
I never got to see The Danleers in concert, and, to me, that is very unfortunate. Very sad.
The url for the above video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=li6vGLZ9SIs
Here I am with an original pressing of the single for "One Summer Night" (released in 1958):
On May 25, 2013, I attended the "Save The 2nd" Second Amendment Rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My view is very simple and succinct ... American Citizens have the Right "To Keep And Bear Arms". This is why I drove over from New Jersey to attend this demonstration. Peaceful and law-abiding gun owners should not be punished due to the actions of dregs and criminals. If the Second Amendment is dismantled, all of the other Amendments will follow. Without question, our freedoms and our liberty are at stake.
Here is a video of the rally [first, I give an introduction, and then there are clips of speeches by Stephani Scruggs (of 912 PAC), Sarah Merkle, Kris Ford (of Sons Of Guns) and Stephanie Hayden (of Sons Of Guns), and the end features an interruption by an anti-gun protester. Independence Hall can be seen at various times during this video.]:
Here I am with Independence Hall in the background (it was extremely windy out there ... I was lucky to get this photograph with the tricorn hat!!):
Here is a photograph of Sarah Merkle as she is speaking, and Alan Keyes can be seen in the foreground:
Here are Kris Ford and Stephanie Hayden (of Sons Of Guns) :
Here is Pastor George Cook:
Here is Talk Show Host Melody Burns:
Melody called for all of the ladies in attendance to come forward ...
The headliner!! The final speaker of the day ... former Presidential Candidate Alan Keyes:
Alan Keyes attained his Doctorate from Harvard University in 1979, became a United Nations Diplomat in 1979 and was appointed Ambassador to the United Nations Economic And Social Council in 1983. He and I had a very important and a very worthwhile discussion. Here we are:
This video features parts of Alan Keyes' Speech at the "Save The 2nd" Second Amendment Rally that was held in Philadelphia, PA on May 25, 2013. I combined four different parts so you will see some edits. This is because my memory card kept running out of space and I had to delete files before resuming. I am sure a video of his entire unedited speech is somewhere on the world wide web. Plus, as usual, my camera work is shaky ... even more so because it was cold at that point in the day. It was a great speech, and I did my best to record most of it.
Once again, and for the third year in a row, I attended the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I showed up on day two, Sunday, May 19, 2013. As usual, there were many people in attendance, street musicians and plenty of souvenirs to purchase. Here are shots of the large crowd ... I saw a guy dancing around and I, and a number of other people, took photographs and video footage of him ... Here are Tomato Pie slices of pizza. Toward the end of the event, I heard a vendor announce that all food is $1 each. I asked if the Tomato Pie is made with eggs or milk, and a co-worker told me no, it is totally vegan so I said, "I'll take three!". The business' card is included in the photo ...
Michael Mike was bringin' the Italian Swag to the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival: Here are some items that I bought (the CD is a bootleg or an incredibly low-budget disc by a supposed company called Roma): Information about the Market can be found at this url: http://www.italianmarketfestival.com
