First Post

Hey Everybody-
This is my first post on my first blog, so here goes. This blog will contain news about the military. This will vary from which technologies are being introduced and retired, to news from the front, and things in between.
My passion for history, especially the military side, comes from hearing stories about my grandfather. He served on the escort carrier U.S.S. St. Lo (CVE 63) during World War Two. This ship, along with many others, fought in the series of engagements now known as the Battle of Leyte Gulf in late October of 1944. St. Lo was involved in the Battle off Samar, where the U.S. lines were almost broken by a force of Japanese batttleships and heavy cruisers. These ships were turned back and St. Lo survived the engagement, only to become the first American warship sunk by kamikaze in World War Two later in the day.
My grandfather survived the battle, the kamikaze, and the sinking. He went on to be stationed on Okinawa after the war, then joined the army and became a drill sergeant. He married my grandmother and had nine children, the second youngest of which was my mother. I never met my grandfather. After surviving the largest war in human history, my grandfather died at a relatively young age from a heart attack in 1978. The stories of his time in the war come from my mother, who in turn heard them from him.
I am proud of this part of my family history because I believe that a person should serve their country when their country is in need. It reminds me of that famous line from JFK's inaugural address: "And so my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you-ask what you can do for your country." This country has given us so much, why not return the favor?