GREAT DAY TO BE A SOLDIER!

                                           by MG Julian "JB" Burns

GREAT DAY TO BE A BLACK HORSE SOLDIER!   ALLONS!

MAYOR LEIKEN, FROM SPRINGFIELD; MR. VAN CLEVE;  OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION, WHOSE HARD WORK THESE MANY YEARS YIELDED SO MUCH GOODNESS:  SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE YOUNGSTERS, THE 100 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, AND A TV DOCUMENTARY - - PRES OLLIE PICKRALL, VP JOHN SORICH, TREASURER BILL HOLFORD, SECRETARY FRANK CAMBRIA, AND DIRECTORS MIKE FORBES, ERIC NEWTON AND CHUCK SCHMIDT; THEN, ESPECIALLY, STEVE PAGE FROM THE REUNION COMMITTEE AND, OF COURSE, OUR BLACKHORSE TRUMPETER, ADRIAN VAALE, AND THE WHOLE EUGENE SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA, THE OFFICIAL SONGSTER, MRS SKINNER, AND OUR COLOR GUARD OF VETERANS BEHIND ME….ALL DESERVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

WONDERFUL TO BE AMONG SO MANY GENERATIONS OF CAVALRY TROOPERS AND FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF OUR TROOPERS.    THE ILLUSTRIOUS REGIMENT BLESSED WITH COMRADES HERE GATHERED, AND WITH MAGIC NAMES AMONG YOUR RANKS:  GEN DON STARRY AND FRED FRANKS, AND FORMER SECRETARY OF THE ARMY, TOM WHITE.  NAMES AND FLAGS AND COLORS AND UNITS THAT ARE ALWAYS UTTERED IN THE COMPANY OF SOLDIERS WITH RESPECT, DELIGHT, AND AWE.

SOLDIERS EVERYWHERE WOULD FEEL VERY MUCH AT HOME HERE.       THERE IS WELCOME WARMTH WITH WHICH WE GATHER TODAY IN THIS PLACE, AS A VISION PLACE BEFORE GOD ALMIGHTY FOR THE MEETING OF OUR VERY SOULS.  SOME OF OUR NUMBER ARE NOW IN FIDDLERS GREEN; SOME AMONG US HERE TODAY, AND STILL OTHERS FAR AWAY AND WHO ARE REMEMBERED NONETHELESS IN OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.

HAPPY INDEED TO BE AMONG SOME OF THE MOST LIVELY GROUPS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI, THE FAMOUS VETERANS OF THE 11TH CAVALRY.  THESE REUNIONS ARE IMPORTANT EVENTS.  MY FATHER WAS WITH FOURTH ARMOR AT THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE IN WW II, AND LOVED SUCH GATHERINGS FOR THE COMRADERIE, THE GOOD TIMES, AND REMEMBERING OF HISTORIC EVENTS FROM LONG AGO.  AND, LIKE YOU, HE ATTENDED THEIR OWN VERSION OF WHAT Y'ALL DID LAST NIGHT AT THE BUNKER PARTY - - THAT'S A GOOD NAME FOR WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU VETERANS MEET.

IT IS AN HONOR TO BE INVITED BY MY OLD FRIEND AND CHAPLAIN FROM BAD HERSFELD, GERMANY, LARRY HAWORTH, FROM WAY BACK IN 1972.   I MAY BE A GENERAL IN THE US ARMY, BUT WE ARE ALL PRIVATES IN HIS ARMY OF THE LORD.

FATHER LARRY, AS OUR LONG-SERVING CHAPLAIN OF THE BLACK HORSE AND OTHER VETERANS GROUPS, AND ON BEHALF OF US ALL, MY THANKS AND ADMIRATION.  SUCH DEVOTION IS A SACRED THING, AND A GREAT COMFORT AMONG THOSE WITH WHOM YOU SERVE AS PASTOR AND WE AS YOUR FLOCK.

I BRING YOU GREETINGS FROM ALL THE BLACK HORSE TROOPERS ON ACTIVE DUTY - - MG TERRY TUCKER AT FORT KNOX, AND LTG SCOTT WALLACE AND JOHN SYLVESTER; PLUS, WITH US TODAY, MG GUY SWAN...       THE YOUNGER GENERATION, TO WHOM THE BLACKHORSE COLORS AND BATTLE STREAMERS ARE PASSED.  THE COLORS THEMSELVES ARE IN SAFE KEEPING WITH THE REGIMENT AT FORT IRWIN, CALIFORNIA:  IN GOOD HANDS UNDER ITS 60TH COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT, COLONEL JOE MOORE...THE FEARED AND UNDEFEATED OPFOR AT THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER IN THE MOJAVE DESERT.

I BEGAN MY LONG LOVE AFFAIR AND LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP WITH THE 11TH CAV IN 1972 .  AS A LIEUTENANT, THEN, I COMMANDED THE REGIMENTAL COLOR GUARD IN FULDA WHEN THE COLORS OF 14TH ACR WERE FURLED AND CASED IN DIGNITY; AND, THE COLORS OF THE BLACKHORSE WERE FLOWN IN, DIRECT FROM VIETNAM, AND UNFURLED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE WWII IN GERMANY…ITS NEW HOME IN THE FULDA GAP, BUT THIS TIME WITH THE BATTLE STREAMERS THAT MANY OF YOU IN THIS GATHERING TODAY PUT ON THE FLAG STAFF AND GUIDONS:    THE FISH HOOK, THE TET OFFENSIVE, AND ELEVEN MORE, AS WELL AS SOME THAT ONLY YOU CAN NAME IN THE SILENCE OF YOUR HEARTS…SQUAD AND FIRE TEAM AND PLATOON ACTIONS WHERE MUCH OF THE FIGHTING AND DYING OCCURRED.

AND BEHIND ME TODAY IS A FITTING MEMORIAL FROM THE LOCAL VFW, WHO DEDICATED THIS MONUMENT TO THE WAR DEAD OF EUGENE FROM WW I TO THE PRESENT - - ON THERE YOU WILL SEE TWO YOUR OWN:  TIM OWNBY, AND TOM FARMER.

SINCE THEN, THOUSANDS HAVE WORN THE DISTINCTIVE RED, WHITE, AND BLACK PATCH.  AMONG WHICH, I AM PROUD TO NUMBER...MY BROTHER-IN-LAW, AND, MY WIFE, RUTH ANN, AS LIEUTENANTS.  WE HAVE ALL SERVED TOGETHER IN THE REGIMENT IN THE MEINEGEN GAP AND IN FULDA AND IN BAD HERSFELD.

OF COURSE, THOSE DAYS IN DEUTSCHLAND ARE NOW LONG GONE.  THE COLD WAR WON; THE BERLIN WALL NO MORE; AND, GERMANY RE-UNITED:  THE RUSSIANS NO LONGER A GLOBAL POWER ON THE DARK HORIZON.  YET, AS THE MISSION ON THE BORDER WAS DONE, THE REGIMENT WAS DISBANDED AT FULDA UNDER THE COMMAND OF COLONEL SCOTT WALLACE.  AND, ON THAT GLOOMY, EMOTIONAL DAY, THE CEREMONIAL CAVALRY HORSE WAS UNSADDLED AND, BARE BACK, LED AWAY FOREVER.  OUR FAMOUS COLORS WOULD, WE FEARED, NEVER FLY AGAIN.

NOT SO, THANKFULLY.      FOR, TODAY, THE REGIMENT IS ONCE AGAIN ON THE ACTIVE LIST AND IN GREAT SHAPE UNDER JOE MOORE AND CSM FLOOD.  IT IS THE AGGRESSOR REGIMENT AT NTC.   IT PROUDLY RETAINS A MAGNIFICENT REGIMENTAL DISPLAY IN THE REGIMENTAL MUSEUM - - THE LINEAGE AND HONORS IN THIS GRAND OLD OUTFIT PRESERVED AS A MEMORIAL TO A NEW GENERATION OF CAVALRY TROOPERS IN THE MOJAVE DESERT.

VERY MUCH LIKE THE STORY OF ANOTHER DESERT AND IN ANOTHER TIME, IN THE BIBLE'S OLD TESTAMENT STORY OF THE ANCIENT MEMORIAL IN ISRAEL, ON THE JORDAN RIVER.  AT WHAT IS KNOWN AS GILGAL, THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO.

JOSHUA, CHAPTERS 3 THRU 4.  IT IS THE STORY OF JOSHUA TAKING THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ISRAELITES FROM THE ELDERLY MOSES AS THEY ENTER INTO THE PROMISED LAND.

"AFTER THE WHOLE NATION HAD GONE ACROSS THE JORDAN RIVER, THE LORD SPOKE TO JOSHUA..."CHOOSE 12 MEN FROM AMONG THE PEOPLE.  CHOOSE ONE FROM EACH TRIBE.  TELL THEM TO GET 12 STONES FROM THE RIVER BED.  THEY MUST CARRY THE STONES OVER WITH ALL OF YOU…THE STONES WILL SERVE AS A REMINDER TO YOU.    IN DAYS TO COME, YOUR CHILDREN WILL ASK YOU, 'WHAT DO THE STONES MEAN?'  TELL THEM THAT  THE STONES WILL ALWAYS REMIND THE ISRAELITES OF WHAT HAPPENED THERE'…."...AND SO, …"JOSHUA SET UP THE 12 STONES AT GILGAL."...END QUOTE…I WILL TELL YOU FROM MY TOUR IN ISRAEL:  THAT MEMORIAL IS STILL THERE TODAY.

JOSHUA DID WHAT THE GOOD LORD SAID, AND USED STONES TO MARK THEIR PASSAGE.  BUT, IT WAS NOT JUST  THE PHYSICAL STONES SO MUCH AS THE SPIRITUAL MEMORIAL IN THE HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN AND IN THE HEARTS OF THEIR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN THROUGHOUT ALL THE AGES THAT WAS THE TRUE AND LASTING MEMORIAL...A MEMORIAL SO THAT THE OLD WAS NOT LEFT BEHIND, NOR THEIR SPIRIT OF SERVICE FORGOTTEN.

THROUGHOUT HISTORY, MEN AT ARMS JUST LIKE YOU HAVE LEFT SUCH MEMORIALS.  THE GREEKS AT THERMOPOLYAE, THE GRAVE OF PATTON IN LUXEMBOURG, THE VIETNAM WALL IN WASHINGTON, DC, AND THE BLACKHORSE MEMORIAL AT THE PATTON MUSEUM AT FORT KNOX.     AND, THERE ARE MEN IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY, LIKE DUKE DOUBLEDAY FROM ATLANTA, WHO HAVE WORKED TO PLACE MONUMENTS TO OUR VIETNAM WAR DEAD ALL OVER AMERICA - - JUST LIKE THE STATUES AND MARKERS AT GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD IN PENNSYLVANIA…THE WONDERFUL STATUES AND MARKERS OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR AT GETTYSBURG.

IT IS THERE AT GETTYSBURG THAT ANOTHER MAN OF WAR, ALSO NAMED JOSHUA, SAVED THE UNION IN BATTLE ON LITTLE ROUND TOP…THAT JOSHUA WAS JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN, COLONEL OF THE 2OTH MAINE.  AS YOU MAY KNOW, HOOD'S TEXAS DIVISION, AFTER TWO DAYS' FIGHTING IN THE WHEAT FIELD AND THE PEACH ORCHARD, SWEPT AWAY THE UNION LEFT FLANK, WASHED LIKE A TIDE OVER DEVILS DEN, AND THREATENED TO COLLAPSE THE UNION DEFENSE AND OPEN THE WAY TO WASHINGTON...BUT, JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN, SCHOOL TEACHER, LED HIS REGIMENT IN A COURAGEOUS BAYONET COUNTER-CHARGE, THAT BROKE THE CONFEDERATE ATTACK AND SAVED THE DAY.

IT WAS THIS FIGHT THAT WAS COMMEMORATED IN THE MOVIE, GETTYSBURG, AND IN MICHAEL SHAARA'S BOOK, THE KILLER ANGELS.


LIKE THE JOSHUA IN THE BIBLE, JOSHUA CHAMBERLAIN, LONG YEARS AFTER THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, ERECTED A STONE MARKER AT LITTLE ROUND TOP THAT IS STILL THERE TODAY...IN MEMORY OF THE 20TH MAINE.

AND, HE CONSECRATED IT WITH THESE WORDS…WORDS THAT APPLY TO YOU TODAY AT THIS MOMENT, ANOTHER SORT OF GILGAL, IN THIS HOLY GATHERING HERE TODAY AMONG THE LIVING, AND SURROUNDED BY THE SPIRITS OF OUR BLACKHORSE DEAD.  THIS IS WHAT HE SAID, AND I QUOTE:

"IN GREAT DEEDS SOMETHING ABIDES
ON GREAT FIELDS SOMETHING STAYS
FORMS CHANGE AND PASS
BODIES DISAPPEAR
BUT SPIRITS LINGER
TO CONSECRATE THE MOMENT FOR A VISION PLACE OF SOULS
AND REVERENT MEN AND WOMEN FROM AFAR
AND GENERATIONS THAT KNOW US NOT
HEART DRAWN TO SEE WHERE AND BY WHOM GREAT THINGS WERE SUFFERED AND DONE FOR THEM
SHALL COME TO THE DEATHLESS FIELDS OF BATTLE
TO PONDER AND TO DREAM
AND LO! THE SHADOW OF A MIGHTY PRESENCE SHALL WRAP THEM IN ITS BOSOM
AND THE POWER OF THE VISION PASS INTO THEIR SOULS."  END QUOTE

SO, HERE WE ARE IN OUR MODERN DAY "VISION PLACE FOR SOULS," OUR OWN GILGAL, LINKING THE OLD ACHIEVEMENTS WITH THE PROMISE OF NEW TRIALS FOR TODAY'S SOLDIERS - -  AND THERE IS VERY MUCH A WAR ON TODAY FOR THIS GENERATION OF AMERICAN YOUTH IN KABUL, SARAJEVO, BAGDAD, TONGDUCHONG, PRISTINA, AND - - LIKE THOSE OF YOU WHO SERVED IN 'NAM - - IN A HUNDRED PLACES THEIR MOTHERS-iN-LAW COULDN'T FIND ON A MAP...BUT NOURISHED BY THE LEGACY YOU LEFT FOR THEM AS PATRIOTS; AS AMERICANS.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR LEGACY?  SOME OF YOU WERE DRAFTED - -DID YOUR TIME - - TOOK YOUR LICKS AND MOVED ON.  OTHERS OF YOU SERVED A FULL CAREER, AND RETIRED AFTER LONG SERVICE.     YET, NO MATTER:     NONE OF THAT TIME GOES UNMARKED BY THE CURRENT GENERATION OF CAVALRY TROOPERS.  WE HONOR AND RESPECT YOU FOR YOUR SACRIFICE.   FOR, THERE IS THE OTHER MORE ENDURING MONUMENT - - LIKE THE ONE THAT JOSHUA COMMANDED HIS PEOPLE - - TO TELL THEIR CHILDREN AND GENERATIONS TO COME.  AND, SO, WE MUST CONTINUE TO TELL YOUR STORY, SOMETIMES AT REUNIONS, PERHAPS LUBRICATED WITH ALCOHOL, AND ALWAYS WITH REVERENCE FOR THE GENEROSITY OF THE CAVALRY SPIRIT YOU VIETNAM VETERANS SHOWED IN THAT WAR.

AND THE STANDARDS YOU SET ARE SEEN IN OUR MODERN DAY TROOPERS EVERYWHERE - - FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE LEADERSHIP OF MY COMRADE, SCOTT WALLACE, 55TH COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT.  IT WAS LTG WALLACE, A BLACKHORSE TROOPER, WHO LED THE ATTACK ON BAGDAD THIS PAST APRIL, AND WHO SECURED THE PEACE IN A LIGHTNING THRUST IN THE FINEST CAVALRY TRADITIONS OF COURAGE AND BOLDNESS.

SO, THERE ARE MEMORIALS, BOTH SEEN AND UNSEEN, MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL, TO THIS GREAT BLACKHORSE REGIMENT…YET, THE MOST LASTING OF TESTIMONIALS IS THE SPIRIT OF DETERMINED CAVALRYMEN WHO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS.

SO, I CLOSE BY REASSURING YOU - - IN STRONGEST TERMS - -THAT YOUR SERVICE AS VETERANS IS A DAILY EXAMPLE THAT WALKS UNSEEN IN THE DAYLIGHT, AND ON THE NIGHT WATCHES,  OR OUT ON POINT AMONG OUR ARMY RANKS TODAY…A LIVING MEMORIAL, BEFORE GOD HIMSELF, TO THE SACRIFICE OF YOU BRAVE MEN UNDER FIRE...THAT MONUMENT, IN THE HEARTS OF AMERICAN FIGHTING MEN AND WOMEN: THE FIGHTING SPIRIT OF THE MOUNTED ARM OF COMBAT, THE US CAVALRY.

WE, THE NEW GENERATION, AS WE MARCH OFF IN OUR TENS OF THOUSANDS TO WAR, SALUTE YOU.

ALLONS; BLACKHORSE!