America. Never let it be said I gave up on you, I won't.

My oath to you 41 years ago as a new Navy inductee still stands today. Not for one moment do I believe this criminal crew will walk away from all this as free men and women. Too think otherwise would be for me to say I believe we have lost our Democracy, I can't do that.

sometime reading about how these crooks are going to simply walk away drives me nuts. This is America after all, the home of the Brave and home of the Free, thats us.

Im moving in two weeks as soon as I find an apartment in Canada. See you guys.

America is home to you as it is to all of us here. You can't just walk away and leave us this mess to clean up all by our lonely. What about the family, the friends? What America stands for will be worth the effort it takes to get her back

I am pursuing the American dream by seeking out that nation with the most upwards mobility and freedom (freedom from sickness, from fear, from war). And that is being an American, just as the earlier settlers fled Europe with the hope and optimism of being able to lift themselves out of the mud that their nation cast them in. Did they leave friends and family? Did they abandon the opportunity to help their native land? Absolutely. But did the majority think twice about this decision? Probably not, being that America grew and thrived. So now I am mining the deeper roots and foundations of our very country, in search of my own dream.

The reality is that I have a family (children). I will not be a soldier in a war (symbolic or perhaps eventually material) which will die, evolve, change, and become a snake that eats its own tail in a perpetual struggle. I am a human (before an American), driven by the purest and most fundemental human emotion (selfishness). It is time to escape the perpetual cycle of class warfare, and contributing to a global hegemony--while at the same time seeking out a better life for my family. I am forgoing any opportunity to fight and change what I see as (internally) unchangeable, just as the early American settlers did.

So in terms of this country, I give up.

You can have your revolution (I'll sit it out). Maybe no one will be hurt (although people are hurting), but I wont take that chance. Maybe one day Ill be back when Canda's own society follows our bleak, dark path.

"To keep it in your mind and not fergit
That it is not he or she or them or it
That you belong to." - Dylan

We gotta believe and make sure our elected reps understand. I took the same oath about 7 years earlier than you. At the time I thought it was all bullshit. But we really have something too good here to let these thieves and murderers screw it up.

I believe I will live to see the day the jail door slams shut on these bastards.

as my sig line says so say I

now, however, when I think they are more stubborn than I am, and a lot less tired.

see you got that, tho.
right there with ya, friend. tired, but determined.

As I look back I never expected life to be easy and true to form it hasn't but I've always expected to fight to the bitter end if and when the time came. I'm too old to do anything except take a stand and fight it out now.

yeah, i know there is that giddy kid kind. couldn't help having that answer to your subject.
i always expected to fight to the end cuz i wouldn't know what else to do.

a friend of mine, who has really been through the government ringer, ran across this the other day, says it really lightened her mood.

about 43 years ago. I'm with you, and proud to answer your post. I'm new here as a poster, but I've been a lurking groupie for a couple of years. Posts like yours are what gave me a kick in the butt to start getting involved in more ways than just reading and bitching.

USS Sampson DDG-10
Fortes Fortuna Juvat

Happy to see you come aboard. I spent 37 months and a few days in the US Navy but never stepped foot on a ship. Spent my time in survival training school, s.e.r.e. and Vietnam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Sampson_%28DDG-10%29

Following shakedown off Guantanamo Bay in September, Sampson tested and evaluated the Tartar missile system off Puerto Rico. Homeported at Norfolk, Virginia, she conducted further tests and trials in early 1962 before joining Destroyer Squadron 18 (DesRon 18) and Destroyer Division 182 (DesDiv 182) in July. Composed completely of missile ships, DesRon 18 was then the most modern squadron in the Navy. Further radar and missile tests followed in 1963; and, in July, Sampson operated in the Midshipman Training Squadron. Finally, in January 1964, Sampson fired two Tartar missiles under simulated combat conditions. During 1964, she also underwent her first regular overhaul, and received missile replenishment at sea from helicopters.

In January 1965, Sampson sailed for her first Mediterranean deployment, but an electrical fire on the night of 14 January caused extensive damage to her fire control capability and forced her to abbreviate her deployment and enter the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for repairs on 15 March.

The destroyer returned to fleet duties on 24 June. While conducting gunnery exercises, on 17 July, Sampson spotted the 50-foot sailing sloop, Cecelia Anna, flying distress signals and rescued her 6 crewmen and mascot puppy moments before the sloop sank. In 1966, Sampson conducted gunnery exercises and escort duties near Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; then, in March, she deployed to the Mediterranean for extensive operations with the 6th Fleet. She returned to Norfolk in August. On 28 November, following three weeks of exercises in the Caribbean and additional tests, Sampson got underway to participate in exercise “Lantflex 66” in which she provided ASW and AAW services for the ASW carrier, Wasp (CVS-18), and conducted exercises in the Puerto Rico operating area before returning to Norfolk in December.

Sampson re-deployed to the Mediterranean in mid-1967. While there, a Sampson radarman rescued a German seaman from the harbor at Ferrol, Spain. Leaving the 6th Fleet at the end of August 1967, Sampson steamed back to the United States, and soon shifted to her new home port of Charleston, South Carolina.

Sampson operated out of Charleston in the Atlantic and Caribbean during 1968 until again deploying to the Mediterranean in October. She returned to Charleston in January 1969 and resumed operations in the Atlantic and the Caribbean until redeploying to the Mediterranean in October of that year. After six months with the 6th Fleet, she returned to Charleston on 28 March 1970.

Madokie, I had no idea there was so much information on Wikipedia about the Sampson. Brings back memories, but I'll tell you I didn't remember all those details. It's been a while. Thanks for the info! I understand it was scrapped in the mid-90's - boy that'll make you feel older.

nominated