GOLCH CENTRAL'S RAMBLING STUFF: Wednesday's Hero

ABOUT THE HAMMERED DULCIMER

The hammered dulcimer is an ancient trapezoidal musical instrument played by striking the strings with wooden hammers.

Originating in the Middle East about 2000 years ago, English soldiers brought the instrument back to England after their failed attempt to conquer Persia during the Crusades about 1000 years ago. Dulcimers have many names in many lands: santur in the Middle East, yang q'in in China, hackbrett in Austria, zither in Germany, and cymbalom in Hungary. The name "dulcimer" is derived from Latin, meaning "sweet sound". Hammered dulcimers were popular in England during the reign of James I, when the Bible was translated into English as the King James Bible. The dulcimer was mentioned in the Book of Daniel 3:5 among other instruments "..the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music..." The dulcimer was later mechanized to become what we now know as the harpsichord which later evolved in the piano.

THE SERENITY PRAYER

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen. - Reinhold Niebuhr (1892-1971)

NATIONAL SUICIDE PROVENTION LIFELINE

With Help Comes Hope

Veterans Hotline & Online Chat
Are you a veteran in emotional distress? Please call 1-800-273-TALK and press 1 to be routed to the Veterans Suicide Prevention Hotline.
OR Veterans chat live with a counselor.

Are you in crisis? Please call 1-800-273-TALK
Are you feeling desperate, alone or hopeless? Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), a free, 24-hour hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Your call will be routed to the nearest crisis center to you.

I URGE ANYONE THAT NEEDS TO MAKE THIS CALL TO PLEASE DO SO.YOU ARE A PRECIOUS HUMAN BEING,YOU ARE SOMEONE'S LOVED ONE. GOD KNOWS WE ALL GO THROUGH A CRISIS AND NEED THE HELP.PLEASE CHOOSE LIFE!

I URGE ANYONE THAT NEEDS TO MAKE THIS CALL TO PLEASE DO SO.YOU ARE A PRECIOUS HUMAN BEING,YOU ARE SOMEONE'S LOVED ONE. GOD KNOWS WE ALL GO THROUGH A CRISIS AND NEED THE HELP. PLEASE CHOOSE LIFE.

THIS IS HERE TO REMIND ME AS WELL AS EVERYONE ELSE THAT LIFE IS IMPORTANT.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Wednesday's Hero

This Post Was Suggested By Michael

SEAL Chief Petty Officer Donald McFaul

SEAL Chief Petty Officer Donald McFaul
32 years old from Bend, Oregon
Sea-Air-Land Team 4 (SEAL-4), Golf Platoon, Naval Special Warfare Task Unit PAPA
December 20, 1989

Donald McFaul enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1975 and began working as engine specialist. In 1978 he began his Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL(BUD/S) training and was assigned to SEAL Team One upon graduation did three tours of duty conducting special operations. He left the Navy in 1985 but returned in '88 and was assigned to SEAL Team 4. He was deployed to Panama in December of 1989. On December 20 he was KIA during the capture of Paitilla Airfield in Panama City. For his action that day he was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross. And in 1998 the USS McFaul was commissioned.

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Chief Engineman Donald L. McFaul (NSN: 541641184), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Platoon Chief Petty Officer of Sea-Air-Land Team FOUR (SEAL-4), GOLF Platoon during Operation JUST CAUSE at Paitilla Airfield, Republic of Panama on 20 December 1989. Chief Petty Officer McFaul's platoon was an element of Naval Special Warfare Task Unit PAPA, whose crucial mission was to deny to General Noriega and his associates the use of Paitilla Airfield as an avenue of escape from Panama. After insertion from sea by rubber raiding craft, Golf Platoon was patrolling toward their objective, a hangar housing General Noriega's aircraft, when they were engaged by heavy small arms fire. Realizing that most of the first squad, 25 meters north of his position, had been wounded, he left the relative safety of his own position in order to assist the wounded lying helplessly exposed. Under heavy enemy fire and with total disregard for his personal safety, Chief Petty Officer McFaul moved forward into the kill zone and began carrying a seriously wounded platoon member to safety. As he was nearing the safety of his own force's perimeter, he was mortally wounded by enemy fire. Chief Petty Officer McFaul's heroic actions and courage under fire saved his teammate's life and were an inspiration for other acts of heroism as the assault force prevailed in this decisive battle. By his extraordinary bravery, personal sacrifice, and inspiring devotion to duty, Chief Petty Officer McFaul reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives just so others may get to enjoy freedom. For that I am proud to call them Hero.
Those Who Say That We're In A Time When There Are No Heroes, They Just Don't Know Where To Look

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