September 11, 2010
In Honor of a Hero
As part of the Project 2996 - I have always remembered, and honored the victims of the September 11 attacks. I don't know the status of the Project this year, but I couldn't not make the post, I couldn't forget John this year.
never enough of it
time marches on
trickles away
each day
dies
and
each day
a new dawn
time marches on
never enough of it
John Chipura knew how precious life was. He learned that lesson at age 21, on October 23, 1983 as a Marine in Beirut.
John was a 21 year old radio operator on his second tour as a member of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. He was stationed in Beirut when terrorists with a truck bomb took out the battalion headquarters barracks and killed 241 of his fellow leathernecks and service men.
John dodged death and came home from that tragedy. He didn't speak much about it, he didn't dwell on the fact that he survived because he was leaving the barracks early to assume his post as a radio operator when the bomb exploded. He didn't dwell on the fact that the man walking just behind him was killed.
John's brother, Gerard Chipura, a fireman with Ladder Company 148, said his brother never forgot his experiences as a Marine. "We didn’t know it, but John kept in touch with all the families from the bombing," his brother Gerard said, "I don't think John ever thought he would live to see anything worse than what he saw that day in Beirut."
He was marked by the experience. "When he came back, he was more of a hugging person. He knew how precious life was because it could all be over in a second." - Nancy Chipura, John's sister
His brother Gerard said John was missing for three whole days in Beirut before he was able to get through to the family and let them know he was fine. He said the 9/11 deja-vu experience was painfully "surreal." "My sister said, 'I'm going to give him three days.' But he hasn't shown up yet. Not this time," said his brother.
John lived his life to the end as a hero.
Gerard and his family find solace in the words that John wrote in November 2000, on the occasion of the Corps 225 birthday: "We Marines are truly blessed. We get to enjoy the sweet taste of this Freedom because we know its price."
“He was a true Marine" . - FDNY Lt. John Atwell
After his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1987, John desired to continue serving the community and joined the city Police Department in 1987. He was assigned to the 72nd Precinct in his old neighborhood, Sunset Park, for seven years. John devoted three years service in Brooklyn South Narcotics and then returned to the 72nd Precinct as a detective.
“As a police officer he was always looking to clean up the neighborhood and help other families. He was very caring, and nothing got in his way or bothered him.” - Gina DeFalco, John's Fiancee.
After 12 years of service to the NYPD, John yearned for the camaraderie of the firehouse; his brother, Gerard, was a fireman, as their father, Anthony, had been. In August, 1998, John achieved his dream.
Following the footsteps of his father, Anthony Chipura, John joined the city Fire Department. "He knew you work as a team, as a unit in the Fire Department -- he liked that,' said his brother. "He always thought people call the Police Department when there's a problem, to get somebody bad, but you call the Fire Department when people needed help."
Graduating from firefighter training in 1998, John Chipura was assigned to Engine Co. 219, Brooklyn, for one year. He then rotated through Ladder Co. 81, South Beach, and Engine Co. 80 in Manhattan. John had recently returned to Engine Co. 219 to once again serve Downtown Brooklyn.
On Sept. 11, he arrived at Engine 219 to work the day tour and was detailed to Ladder Co. 105, which is housed in the same location. After reports of the first attack, he called his sister, Nancy Chipura, who worked on the 69th Floor of Tower 1. He was unable to make contact. Just before responding to the World Trade Center, John called his fiancee, Gina DeFalco, who also worked Downtown, for more information about Nancy. He received no word about his sister when he arrived at the scene at 8:45 a.m. with Ladder 105. “There wasn’t any news,” said Ms. DeFalco, “but later, when I heard that Nancy was safe, I called John to tell him. But his ladder company had already left.” John and the five other firefighters in the truck have not been heard from since.
Witnesses told the family he was last seen assisting in the evacuation of many people from Tower 2. "He was inside when it collapsed," said his brother. "I know he was looking for my sister."
Mr. Chipura and Ms. DeFalco, who met through a friend in the Fire Department, had planned to marry just six weeks after Sept. 11. "Getting married was the sole focus of his being for the last few months," said his brother. "He was 39-years-old and finally found the right girl. He held her so close to his heart."
Gerard Chipura said his brother was always trying to help people and make them "feel good." "He wanted to make everybody happy. He didn't want anybody to be upset," said his brother. "When John was not serving the community, he was serving his family and friends. He was a great conversationalist, problem solver, hard worker and friend," said his brother. "John embraced hobbies such as country dancing and motorcycling because he liked the sense of community he found."
John Chipura was a mentor for many at Boy Scout Troop 21. He was a member of the troop since 1974 and went on to serve as assist scout master until he was lost in the attack. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Iwo Jima Association and the Beirut Veterans Memorial Association. John was also a member of St. Joseph and St. Thomas Parish, Pleasant Plains.
His mother, Jane Chipura, died in 1994 and his father, Anthony, died in 1996. In addition to his brother, Gerard, and his sister, Nancy Chipura, surviving are his twin sister, Susan Cohen; another sister, Eileen Cella; and several nieces and nephews. John also left behind the love of his life, Gina DeFalco.
Dear John,
In the blink of an eye
Our lives went awry
Not a day has gone by
That we all do not cry
For what we had
For what was planned
For what took place
For what was yet to be
For births, promotions, holidays, birthdays,
graduations, bar mitzvahs
Celebrated without you, but always thinking of you
Another blink of an eye
And a year has gone by
How can it be?
It went so fast and yet so much has passed
So many tears, can it only be a year?
Lives went on, go on, different, not the same
We try, we share, we wonder why
We try to make sense of that blink of an eye
We try to make each blink count
We try to do what you would want us to
We try to make that blink of an eye
Mean something.
Help us, show us, tell us
Be there as you always were
In our hearts, in our thoughts
In every blink of our eyes.
With all our love always,
Your family, friends, fiancé and Mom-to-be
Except for the short poem at the beginning of this post, none of these words are mine. They are culled from various articles on the internet. I have never met John Chipura, but I wish I had the opportunity to do so. In life, John touched so many lives, not only his family and friends, but also, every person he came into contact with. Serving as a Marine, John protected our freedom, and as police officer and a fireman, John helped make so many people safe.
I feel a special kind of love for John Chipura, and I thank G-d for men like him.
This Tribute was originally posted on September 11, 2006, again on September 11, 2008, and is reposted today as part of this year's Project 2996. The original post can be found here.
His resting place shall be in the Garden of Eden.
Therefore, the Master of mercy will care for him
under the protection of His wings for all time
And bind his soul in the bond of everlasting life.
God is his inheritance and he will rest in peace
and let us say Amen.
This is Legacy.com's Tribute to John Chipura, and the Guestbook, if you care to leave a message there.
Never Forget.
Posted by LindaSoG at 09:33 AM | Comments (8)
September 11, 2009
In Honor of a Hero
As part of the Project 2996 - today we remember, and honor the victims of the September 11 attacks.
never enough of it
time marches on
trickles away
each day
dies
and
each day
a new dawn
time marches on
never enough of it
John Chipura knew how precious life was. He learned that lesson at age 21, on October 23, 1983 as a Marine in Beirut.
John was a 21 year old radio operator on his second tour as a member of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. He was stationed in Beirut when terrorists with a truck bomb took out the battalion headquarters barracks and killed 241 of his fellow leathernecks and service men.
John dodged death and came home from that tragedy. He didn't speak much about it, he didn't dwell on the fact that he survived because he was leaving the barracks early to assume his post as a radio operator when the bomb exploded. He didn't dwell on the fact that the man walking just behind him was killed.
John's brother, Gerard Chipura, a fireman with Ladder Company 148, said his brother never forgot his experiences as a Marine. "We didn’t know it, but John kept in touch with all the families from the bombing," his brother Gerard said, "I don't think John ever thought he would live to see anything worse than what he saw that day in Beirut."
He was marked by the experience. "When he came back, he was more of a hugging person. He knew how precious life was because it could all be over in a second." - Nancy Chipura, John's sister
His brother Gerard said John was missing for three whole days in Beirut before he was able to get through to the family and let them know he was fine. He said the 9/11 deja-vu experience was painfully "surreal." "My sister said, 'I'm going to give him three days.' But he hasn't shown up yet. Not this time," said his brother.
John lived his life to the end as a hero.
Gerard and his family find solace in the words that John wrote in November 2000, on the occasion of the Corps 225 birthday: "We Marines are truly blessed. We get to enjoy the sweet taste of this Freedom because we know its price."
“He was a true Marine" . - FDNY Lt. John Atwell
After his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1987, John desired to continue serving the community and joined the city Police Department in 1987. He was assigned to the 72nd Precinct in his old neighborhood, Sunset Park, for seven years. John devoted three years service in Brooklyn South Narcotics and then returned to the 72nd Precinct as a detective.
“As a police officer he was always looking to clean up the neighborhood and help other families. He was very caring, and nothing got in his way or bothered him.” - Gina DeFalco, John's Fiancee.
After 12 years of service to the NYPD, John yearned for the camaraderie of the firehouse; his brother, Gerard, was a fireman, as their father, Anthony, had been. In August, 1998, John achieved his dream.
Following the footsteps of his father, Anthony Chipura, John joined the city Fire Department. "He knew you work as a team, as a unit in the Fire Department -- he liked that,' said his brother. "He always thought people call the Police Department when there's a problem, to get somebody bad, but you call the Fire Department when people needed help."
Graduating from firefighter training in 1998, John Chipura was assigned to Engine Co. 219, Brooklyn, for one year. He then rotated through Ladder Co. 81, South Beach, and Engine Co. 80 in Manhattan. John had recently returned to Engine Co. 219 to once again serve Downtown Brooklyn.
On Sept. 11, he arrived at Engine 219 to work the day tour and was detailed to Ladder Co. 105, which is housed in the same location. After reports of the first attack, he called his sister, Nancy Chipura, who worked on the 69th Floor of Tower 1. He was unable to make contact. Just before responding to the World Trade Center, John called his fiancee, Gina DeFalco, who also worked Downtown, for more information about Nancy. He received no word about his sister when he arrived at the scene at 8:45 a.m. with Ladder 105. “There wasn’t any news,” said Ms. DeFalco, “but later, when I heard that Nancy was safe, I called John to tell him. But his ladder company had already left.” John and the five other firefighters in the truck have not been heard from since.
Witnesses told the family he was last seen assisting in the evacuation of many people from Tower 2. "He was inside when it collapsed," said his brother. "I know he was looking for my sister."
Mr. Chipura and Ms. DeFalco, who met through a friend in the Fire Department, had planned to marry just six weeks after Sept. 11. "Getting married was the sole focus of his being for the last few months," said his brother. "He was 39-years-old and finally found the right girl. He held her so close to his heart."
Gerard Chipura said his brother was always trying to help people and make them "feel good." "He wanted to make everybody happy. He didn't want anybody to be upset," said his brother. "When John was not serving the community, he was serving his family and friends. He was a great conversationalist, problem solver, hard worker and friend," said his brother. "John embraced hobbies such as country dancing and motorcycling because he liked the sense of community he found."
John Chipura was a mentor for many at Boy Scout Troop 21. He was a member of the troop since 1974 and went on to serve as assist scout master until he was lost in the attack. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Iwo Jima Association and the Beirut Veterans Memorial Association. John was also a member of St. Joseph and St. Thomas Parish, Pleasant Plains.
His mother, Jane Chipura, died in 1994 and his father, Anthony, died in 1996. In addition to his brother, Gerard, and his sister, Nancy Chipura, surviving are his twin sister, Susan Cohen; another sister, Eileen Cella; and several nieces and nephews. John also left behind the love of his life, Gina DeFalco.
Dear John,
In the blink of an eye
Our lives went awry
Not a day has gone by
That we all do not cry
For what we had
For what was planned
For what took place
For what was yet to be
For births, promotions, holidays, birthdays,
graduations, bar mitzvahs
Celebrated without you, but always thinking of you
Another blink of an eye
And a year has gone by
How can it be?
It went so fast and yet so much has passed
So many tears, can it only be a year?
Lives went on, go on, different, not the same
We try, we share, we wonder why
We try to make sense of that blink of an eye
We try to make each blink count
We try to do what you would want us to
We try to make that blink of an eye
Mean something.
Help us, show us, tell us
Be there as you always were
In our hearts, in our thoughts
In every blink of our eyes.
With all our love always,
Your family, friends, fiancé and Mom-to-be
Except for the short poem at the beginning of this post, none of these words are mine. They are culled from various articles on the internet. I have never met John Chipura, but I wish I had the opportunity to do so. In life, John touched so many lives, not only his family and friends, but also, every person he came into contact with. Serving as a Marine, John protected our freedom, and as police officer and a fireman, John helped make so many people safe.
I feel a special kind of love for John Chipura, and I thank G-d for men like him.
This Tribute was originally posted on September 11, 2006, again on September 11, 2008, and is reposted today as part of this year's Project 2996. The original post can be found here.
His resting place shall be in the Garden of Eden.
Therefore, the Master of mercy will care for him
under the protection of His wings for all time
And bind his soul in the bond of everlasting life.
God is his inheritance and he will rest in peace
and let us say Amen.
This is Legacy.com's Tribute to John Chipura, and the Guestbook, if you care to leave a message there.
Posted by LindaSoG at 06:17 AM | Comments (8) | TrackBack
June 07, 2009
Code Name: Opera
In the late 1970s, Iraq purchased an "Osiris class" nuclear reactor from France. Israeli military intelligence assumed this was for the purpose of plutonium production to further an Iraqi nuclear weapons program. Israeli intelligence also believed that the summer of 1981 would be the last chance to destroy the reactor without exposing the Iraqi civilian population to nuclear fallout. After that point, the reactor would be loaded with nuclear fuel.
Israel had learned that Iraq was about to receive a shipment of enriched uranium for its reactor near Baghdad -- enough to build four or five Hiroshima-size bombs, the reactor was 600 miles from Israel.
On June 7, 1981, a squadron of Israeli F-16A fighter aircraft, with an escort of F-15As, bombed and heavily damaged the Osirak reactor.
Then Prime Minister Menachem Begin ordered the attack to occur before the uranium arrived and the reactor went "hot," at which point bombing would have scattered radioactive waste over Baghdad.
Eight Israeli F-16’s took off in the late afternoon from an Israeli air base in the Sinai. Behind them six Israeli F-15’s took off, as well, to provide cover for a very special and important mission. Flying low and in a tight formation, the fighter jets passed through Jordanian and Saudi Arabian airspace undetected.
Finally, the jets enter Iraqi airspace. At 5:35 in the evening, about an hour and a half after the jets took off, they reach their target. Two minutes later Operation Opera comes to a successful conclusion. The Iraqi nuclear reactor, Osirak, has been totally destroyed.
From Lieutenant-Colonel's Ze'ev Raz - (squadron's leader and leader of the attack) briefing :
The route: "We are about to fly a course over Eilat and Aquaba, and then south of Jordan along Saudi-Arabia's border. This route is planned to avoid Arab villages and cities where we might be discovered, so we will fly over desert area until Baghdad. This is not the shortest path to fly, but it would avoid radar detection, so we will remain undetected just until we get over target. On the way to the target we will fly at an altitude of 150 ft. On our way back we will fly at high altitude. We are short on fuel ! Those who get engaged in dogfights won't make it back !"
The bombing technique: "About 20 km east to the reactor we will ignite the afterburner to full power and start a climb. At the peak we will roll over, identify the target and dive at the speed of 600 knots at 35 degrees. Release the bombs at an altitude of 3,500 feet, aiming at the base of the structure, and release flares to avoid hits by ground fire. All pilots will drop their bombs in intervals of 5 seconds - You will drop 16 bombs in total, but a hit of 8 bombs could do the job !"
The weapons : "You will be armed with two 1,000 kg "iron" bombs, equipped with delay fuses, to ensure explosion deep in the reactors core to maximize the damage."
Target defense : "The reactor has its own air defense system, combined of AAA guns and missiles. Target is surrounded by high earth ramparts."
Code-named Opera, the raid was a spectacular success.
While this operation was initially almost universally condemned by the world community, in retrospect this Israeli operation is highly praised by many.
Opera was not Israel's first preemptive act against Iraq's attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. In April 1979 unidentified saboteurs blew up reactor parts at a French port, parts awaiting shipment to Iraq. In August 1980 an Egyptian-born nuclear physicist important to Iraq's nuclear program was killed in Paris.
News of the audacious raid did not actually emerge until 24 hours later when Israel made its announcement. Only then did Iraq admit it had happened and express indignation.
One of the pilots involved was Colonel Ilan Ramon who trained as Israel's first astronaut but was killed in the Columbia shuttle disaster in 2003. He flew in Number 4 of the first formation and described the flight:
"We fly deep within Iraq, It is all desert around us while we pass another marking point on our route. I try to concentrate on flying my F-16, but from time to time I think about the target we are about to attack, and the responsibility we've got. It's the first time in my life that I really feel responsible for the destiny of a whole nation. The view changes - a blue river in the middle of the desert. We have been here 2500 years ago... I see buildings and a deserted airfield. Somebody calls over the radio : "Watch out for AAA fire !" and the sky gets filled with flashes of exploding rounds. I light the afterburner and pull up. Just in front of my eyes I see the earth ramparts and behind it - you can't miss - the silver dome of the reactor...
"Eshkol 8" sounds the radio, "Everybody Charlie!" - Charlie was the code name meaning all pilots have dropped their bombs.
It was amazing - I managed to see how the bombs of the pilots in front of me hit the target and the dome collapsed into the structure ! The hits were excellent, and now we fly at high altitude back to our base. I hope they didn't start a chase, to run us out of fuel...
We cross the Arava and we are back in Israel. The IAF commander calls on the radio, and says: "All you have to do now is land"...
Lest we forget, against all odds, on her own and on her own initiative, with complete secrecy and complete success, Israel removed a grave threat to her existence. And in doing so, Israel also removed a threat that endangered the entire free world.
Posted by LindaSoG at 08:48 AM | Comments (4)
November 10, 2008
It Came From Within
Seventy years ago, on November 9, 1938, Nazis looted and burned synagogues as well as Jewish-owned stores and houses in Germany and Austria in what became known as "Kristallnacht."
The term "Kristallnacht" ('Night of Broken Glass") refers to the organized anti-Jewish riots in Germany and Austria, November 9-10, 1938. These riots marked a major transition in Nazi policy, and were, in many ways, a harbinger of the "Final Solution."
Seventeen year old Herschel Grynszpan was living in Paris in the autumn of 1938 when his family in Hannover - father, mother, sister and brother - were among ten thousand Jews ruthlessly removed from their homes and deported to Poland in boxcars. His sister Berta managed to send a postcard to Herschel in Paris, describing the torments his family went through. Enraged by what he read, Herschel bought a pistol and went to the German Embassy in Paris on November 7, 1938, to take revenge and kill the ambassador, Count von Welczek. But the Third Secretary, Ernst vom Rath, was sent out to see what the young man wanted and Herschel shot him.
Herschel Grynszpan was arrested and in a poignant statement taken immediately after the arrest the young Jew told the police: "Being a Jew is not a crime. I am not a dog. I have a right to live and the Jewish people have a right to exist on this earth. Wherever I have been I have been chased like an animal." He declared that he had to avenge the Jews, to draw the attention of the world to what was happening in Germany.
For Adolf Hitler, the shooting in Paris provided an opportunity to incite Germans to "rise in bloody vengeance against the Jews." It supplied the pretext for massive Nazi pogroms launched against Jews in Germany, Austria and the Sudetenland - the orgy of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. The tide of anti-Semitism under Nazi rule was given impetus: in the next 24 hours Nazi storm troopers along with members of the SS and Hitler Youth beat and murdered Jews, broke into and wrecked Jewish homes, brutalized Jewish women and children, destroyed 265 synagogues, looted 7,500 Jewish businesses, smashed Jewish cemeteries, hospitals and schools. At least 96 Jews were killed and hundreds more injured, more than 1,000 synagogues were burned (and possibly as many as 2,000), almost 7,500 Jewish businesses were destroyed, cemeteries and schools were vandalized, and 30,000 Jews were arrested and sent to concentration camps.
The official German position on these events, was that they were spontaneous outbursts. The Fuehrer, Goebbels reported to Party officials in Munich, "has decided that such demonstrations are not to be prepared or organized by the party, but so far as they originate spontaneously, they are not to be discouraged either."
Kristallnacht was a crucial turning point in German policy regarding the Jews and may be considered as the actual beginning of what is now called the Holocaust.
Yad Vashem has created a special online exhibition, It Came From Within, which provides an informative and experiential context to the events surrounding Kristallnacht, because there are important lessons to be drawn from Kristallnacht, it served as a bridge experience for both Jews and Nazis.
For the Jews, there was the terrifying realization that political antisemitism can lead to violence, even in Western Civilization. It also demonstrated that apathy can still pervade the world when the lives of Jews or other minorities are threatened.
For the Nazis, Kristallnacht taught that while the world might condemn their pogroms, it would not actively oppose them. World opinion, however, taught the Nazis the value of secrecy in the perpetration of future actions against Jews. Added to the complaints of Germans offended by the random violence of Kristallnacht, the stage was set for the "Final Solution"--the organized, bureaucratically efficient genocide of 6,000,000 men, women, and children.
In retrospect, Kristallnacht was more than the shattering of windows and illusions. It portended the physical destruction of European Jewry. As such, this commemoration must be observed both as a memorial and as a warning. -- Simon Wiesenthal Center
I urge you to visit It Came From Within, so you know what really happened in our past, so that you might better protect our future. If we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Never again are not just words.
Posted by LindaSoG at 07:13 AM | Comments (2)
October 23, 2008
They came in Peace
Twenty-five years ago today, Hezbullah, under what is believed to be the direct orders of Iran, made their largest and most successful attack against America.
"Their loss is not in vain and we will not break faith with them in the tasks we have ahead... We did not know they would be the first casualties -- among the first -- in the war on terrorism" - Lt. Gen. Jan C. Huly, USMC
In Lebanon, we have some 1,600 Marines, part of a multinational force that's trying to help the people of Lebanon restore order and stability to that troubled land. Our Marines are assigned to the south of the city of Beirut, near the only airport operating in Lebanon. Just a mile or so to the north is the Italian contingent and not far from them, the French and a company of British soldiers.
This past Sunday, at 22 minutes after 6 Beirut time, with dawn just breaking a truck, looking like a lot of other vehicles in the city, approached the airport on a busy, main road. There was nothing in its appearance to suggest it was any different than the trucks or cars that were normally seen on and around the airport. But this one was different. At the wheel was a young man on a suicide mission.
The truck carried some 2,000 pounds of explosives, but there was no way our Marine guards could know this. Their first warning that something was wrong came when the truck crashed through a series of barriers, including a chain-link fence and barbed wire entanglements. The guards opened fire, but it was too late. The truck smashed through the doors of the headquarters building in which our Marines were sleeping and instantly exploded. The four-story concrete building collapsed in a pile of rubble.
More than 200 of the sleeping men were killed in that one hideous, insane attack. Many others suffered injury and are hospitalized here or in Europe. This was not the end of the horror. At almost the same instant, another vehicle on a suicide and murder mission crashed into the headquarters of the French peacekeeping force, an eight-story building, destroying it and killing more than 50 French soldiers.
President Ronald Reagan, 27th Oct. 1983,
Our Marines on sentry duty had their ammunition clips in their pockets. There were no barriers around the barracks, other than a bit of wood and plaster. When the bomb blew, the building was lifted off its foundation. When it came down, it collapsed in a heap of cinder blocks, plaster, and dust. All told, 241 Americans lost their lives in the blast. It was the worst day for the Marines since the battle of Iwo Jima and the worst day for the US military since the first day of the Tet Offensive in Viet Nam.
25 years have come and gone. Our first duty is to remember.
If you have a minute, visit the Beirut Veterans Organization, and lend your support to the Beirut Stamp Initiative.
Thank you Kevin.
Posted by LindaSoG at 08:56 PM | Comments (2)
September 11, 2008
In Honor of a Hero
As part of the Project 2996 - today we remember, and honor the victims of the September 11 attacks.
never enough of it
time marches on
trickles away
each day
dies
and
each day
a new dawn
time marches on
never enough of it
John Chipura knew how precious life was. He learned that lesson at age 21, on October 23, 1983 as a Marine in Beirut.
John was a 21 year old radio operator on his second tour as a member of the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment 24th Marine Amphibious Unit. He was stationed in Beirut when terrorists with a truck bomb took out the battalion headquarters barracks and killed 241 of his fellow leathernecks and service men.
John dodged death and came home from that tragedy. He didn't speak much about it, he didn't dwell on the fact that he survived because he was leaving the barracks early to assume his post as a radio operator when the bomb exploded. He didn't dwell on the fact that the man walking just behind him was killed.
John's brother, Gerard Chipura, a fireman with Ladder Company 148, said his brother never forgot his experiences as a Marine. "We didn’t know it, but John kept in touch with all the families from the bombing," his brother Gerard said, "I don't think John ever thought he would live to see anything worse than what he saw that day in Beirut."
He was marked by the experience. "When he came back, he was more of a hugging person. He knew how precious life was because it could all be over in a second." - Nancy Chipura, John's sister
His brother Gerard said John was missing for three whole days in Beirut before he was able to get through to the family and let them know he was fine. He said the 9/11 deja-vu experience was painfully "surreal." "My sister said, 'I'm going to give him three days.' But he hasn't shown up yet. Not this time," said his brother.
John lived his life to the end as a hero.
Gerard and his family find solace in the words that John wrote in November 2000, on the occasion of the Corps 225 birthday: "We Marines are truly blessed. We get to enjoy the sweet taste of this Freedom because we know its price."
“He was a true Marine" . - FDNY Lt. John Atwell
After his honorable discharge from the Marines in 1987, John desired to continue serving the community and joined the city Police Department in 1987. He was assigned to the 72nd Precinct in his old neighborhood, Sunset Park, for seven years. John devoted three years service in Brooklyn South Narcotics and then returned to the 72nd Precinct as a detective.
“As a police officer he was always looking to clean up the neighborhood and help other families. He was very caring, and nothing got in his way or bothered him.” - Gina DeFalco, John's Fiancee.
After 12 years of service to the NYPD, John yearned for the camaraderie of the firehouse; his brother, Gerard, was a fireman, as their father, Anthony, had been. In August, 1998, John achieved his dream.
Following the footsteps of his father, Anthony Chipura, John joined the city Fire Department. "He knew you work as a team, as a unit in the Fire Department -- he liked that,' said his brother. "He always thought people call the Police Department when there's a problem, to get somebody bad, but you call the Fire Department when people needed help."
Graduating from firefighter training in 1998, John Chipura was assigned to Engine Co. 219, Brooklyn, for one year. He then rotated through Ladder Co. 81, South Beach, and Engine Co. 80 in Manhattan. John had recently returned to Engine Co. 219 to once again serve Downtown Brooklyn.
On Sept. 11, he arrived at Engine 219 to work the day tour and was detailed to Ladder Co. 105, which is housed in the same location. After reports of the first attack, he called his sister, Nancy Chipura, who worked on the 69th Floor of Tower 1. He was unable to make contact. Just before responding to the World Trade Center, John called his fiancee, Gina DeFalco, who also worked Downtown, for more information about Nancy. He received no word about his sister when he arrived at the scene at 8:45 a.m. with Ladder 105. “There wasn’t any news,” said Ms. DeFalco, “but later, when I heard that Nancy was safe, I called John to tell him. But his ladder company had already left.” John and the five other firefighters in the truck have not been heard from since.
Witnesses told the family he was last seen assisting in the evacuation of many people from Tower 2. "He was inside when it collapsed," said his brother. "I know he was looking for my sister."
Mr. Chipura and Ms. DeFalco, who met through a friend in the Fire Department, had planned to marry just six weeks after Sept. 11. "Getting married was the sole focus of his being for the last few months," said his brother. "He was 39-years-old and finally found the right girl. He held her so close to his heart."
Gerard Chipura said his brother was always trying to help people and make them "feel good." "He wanted to make everybody happy. He didn't want anybody to be upset," said his brother. "When John was not serving the community, he was serving his family and friends. He was a great conversationalist, problem solver, hard worker and friend," said his brother. "John embraced hobbies such as country dancing and motorcycling because he liked the sense of community he found."
John Chipura was a mentor for many at Boy Scout Troop 21. He was a member of the troop since 1974 and went on to serve as assist scout master until he was lost in the attack. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion, the Iwo Jima Association and the Beirut Veterans Memorial Association. John was also a member of St. Joseph and St. Thomas Parish, Pleasant Plains.
His mother, Jane Chipura, died in 1994 and his father, Anthony, died in 1996. In addition to his brother, Gerard, and his sister, Nancy Chipura, surviving are his twin sister, Susan Cohen; another sister, Eileen Cella; and several nieces and nephews. John also left behind the love of his life, Gina DeFalco.
Dear John,
In the blink of an eye
Our lives went awry
Not a day has gone by
That we all do not cry
For what we had
For what was planned
For what took place
For what was yet to be
For births, promotions, holidays, birthdays,
graduations, bar mitzvahs
Celebrated without you, but always thinking of you
Another blink of an eye
And a year has gone by
How can it be?
It went so fast and yet so much has passed
So many tears, can it only be a year?
Lives went on, go on, different, not the same
We try, we share, we wonder why
We try to make sense of that blink of an eye
We try to make each blink count
We try to do what you would want us to
We try to make that blink of an eye
Mean something.
Help us, show us, tell us
Be there as you always were
In our hearts, in our thoughts
In every blink of our eyes.
With all our love always,
Your family, friends, fiancé and Mom-to-be
Except for the short poem at the beginning of this post, none of these words are mine. They are culled from various articles on the internet. I have never met John Chipura, but I wish I had the opportunity to do so. In life, John touched so many lives, not only his family and friends, but also, every person he came into contact with. Serving as a Marine, John protected our freedom, and as police officer and a fireman, John helped make so many people safe.
I feel a special kind of love for John Chipura, and I thank G-d for men like him.
This Tribute was originally posted on September 11, 2006, and is reposted today as part of this year's Project 2996. The original post can be found here.
His resting place shall be in the Garden of Eden.
Therefore, the Master of mercy will care for him
under the protection of His wings for all time
And bind his soul in the bond of everlasting life.
God is his inheritance and he will rest in peace
and let us say Amen.
Posted by LindaSoG at 12:01 AM | Comments (7)
December 07, 2007
Hostilities Exist
U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, December 8, 1941:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
But always will our full national remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
A complete list of those lost: Never forget the brave.
Posted by LindaSoG at 05:01 AM | Comments (1)
December 07, 2006
Hostilities Exist
U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, December 8, 1941:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American Island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
But always will our full national remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
A complete list of those lost: Never forget the brave.
---
The Emporer remembers and compares, as only the Emporer can do. Compass Point compares a different aspect. Theodore's World has a tribute up. Cappy's Cogitations has an excellent post up, and Raven at And Rightly So has a bunch of stuff up today, here, here, and here. Beth at Yeah, Right, Whatever also has a tribute and The Bullwinkle Blog has the news reel posted, don't miss it!
Posted by LindaSoG at 07:07 AM | Comments (2)
March 15, 2006
The Shameful Truth
The History of Republican Evil
The Republican Party was formed in 1854 specifically to oppose the Democrats, and for more than 150 years, they have done everything they could to block the Democrat agenda. In their abuses of power, they have even used threats and military violence to thwart the Democrat Party’s attempts to make this a progressive country. As you read the following Republican atrocities that span three centuries, imagine if you will, what a far different nation the United States would be had not the Republicans been around to block the Democrats’ efforts.
Of course, much of this occured before I was born, and/or most of these things were done by Republicans I was too young to vote for. But still, the things detailed in this list were an outrage, and I thank G-d that most of the attempts were blocked and that those politicians who suggested them were defeated.
Still, I feel ashamed that such things were even suggested in the United States of America. If you have any morals, scruples, or plain common decency, you will feel ashamed too, whatever party you claim as your own.
H/T: The Mighty Righty
Posted by LindaSoG at 07:27 AM | Comments (2)
December 07, 2005
If It Happened Today
Hat tip to Evening Star.
Posted by LindaSoG at 08:35 PM | Comments (0)
A Day of Infamy
U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, December 8, 1941:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."
A complete list of those lost: Never forget the brave.
Posted by LindaSoG at 07:58 AM | Comments (1)
November 28, 2005
Illegal Voting
On November 28, 1872, a U.S. deputy marshall came to Susan B. Anthony's door and arrested her. The crime: on November 5, 1872, Susan B. Anthony cast her vote in the Presidential Elections. The charge: Illegal voting.
The Fourteenth Amendment, adopted in 1868, had declared that all people born in the United States were citizens and that no legal privileges could be denied to any citizen. Anthony decided to challenge this amendment. Saying that women were citizens and the amendment did not restrict the privilege of voting to men, she registered to vote in Rochester, New York, on November 1, 1872. Four days later, she and fifteen other women voted in the presidential election. All sixteen women were arrested, but only Anthony was brought before a court.
Her trial, United States v. Susan B. Anthony, began on June 17, 1873. The presiding judge opposed women's suffrage and wrote his decision before the trial even had started. Refusing to let Anthony testify, he ordered the jury to find her guilty, then sentenced her to pay a $100 fine. She refused to pay "a dollar of your unjust penalty," and no further action was taken against her.
Anthony spent the next fifty-plus years of her life fighting for the right to vote. She would work tirelessly: giving speeches, petitioning Congress and state legislatures, publishing a feminist newspaper--all for a cause that would not succeed until the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment fourteen years after her death in 1906.
Posted by LindaSoG at 06:05 AM | Comments (2)
November 06, 2005
Today's Nazi Moment
On this day in 1943, Itailan Jews in Florence, Milan and Venice are arrested for deportation to Auschwitz.
These men were chosen for slave labor.
Posted by LindaSoG at 06:57 AM | Comments (0)
June 05, 2005
Ronald Wilson Reagan
"Whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty’s lamp guiding your steps and opportunity’s arm steadying your way."
LIFE
I wonder what it's all about, and why
We suffer so, when little things go wrong?
We make our life a struggle,
When life should be a song.
Our troubles break and drench us,
Like spray on the cleaving prow
Of some trim Gloucester schooner
As it dips in a graceful bow.
Our troubles break and drench us
But like that cleaving prow,
The wind will fan and dry us.
And we'll watch some other bow.
But why does sorrow drench us
When our fellow passes on?
He's just exchanged life's dreary dirge
For an eternal life of song.
What is the inborn human trait
That frowns on a life of song?
That makes us weep at the journey's end,
When the journey was oft-times wrong?
Weep when we reach the door
That opens to let us in,
And brings to us eternal peace
As it closes again on sin.
Millions have gone before us,
And millions will come behind.
So why do we curse and fight
At a fate both wise and kind.
We hang onto a jaded life
A life full of sorrow and pain.
A life that warps and breaks us,
And we try to run through it again.
Ronald Reagan
February 6, 1911 ~ June 5, 2004
Posted by LindaSoG at 02:16 PM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2004
What do you know about Vietnam?
John Kerry brought Vietnam back into the Nation's eye this year, when he "reported for duty" based on his veteran status from the Vietnam War. Much ado was made by the left about the "battles" he fought and the "medals" he earned in Vietnam. John Kerry ran for president of the United States based upon his "hero" status, status he stole from the multitude of POWs whose lives he endangered, and the Veterans he denounced, abused and degraded in his climb to personal glory.
Kerry "reported for duty" in July of 2004, and four months later, he was sent back into obscurity, rejected by 61 million Americans. Ironically, his infamous four months of duty so long ago equals the duration of his infamous run for the White House.
In stark contrast to Kerry's self-glorification of his service in Vietnam is his own vilification of the Veterans who served with him. John Kerry shaped public opinion of the Vietnam War to his liking, without basis in fact, through his lies and his repeating of the lies of others, solicited by him in a naked grab for glory. He failed.
During the months before the election, I received many articles concerning the Vietnam War, what happened before, during and after, some written by veterans, others not. Opinion pieces, personal stories, poetry, humor, tirades, I read everything I received, and in fact, wrote a few myself.
At one point during those hectic months before the election, I received an article about the Vietnam War, written by K. G. Sears, Ph.D. I hesitated to share it at that time for one reason, and one reason alone, I did not want it to be looked at as just another anti-Kerry article by a Vietnam Veteran, because that is exactly what it is not.
This article, titled "Vietnam: Looking Back - At the Facts" by K. G. Sears, Ph.D. shatters the myths concerning the politics of the Vietnam War, and the duty and honor shown by the Veterans who fought the Vietnam War. What you think you know about Vietnam is wrong.
The article is part of an on-going work by Dr. Sears, and it is posted here with the permission of the author. All the usual yadda yadda applies, i.e., Dr. Sears is not affiliated with me, or with lindasog.com, I make no claim to copywrite or ownership of the article, it is the work of Dr. Sears, and it may not be reproduced or reprinted, in whole or in part, without the express permission of Dr. Sears.
If you so choose, you may post comments concerning this article here, they will be forwarded to Dr. Sears.
Without further ado: "Vietnam: Looking Back - At the Facts" by K. G. Sears, Ph.D.
Posted by LindaSoG at 08:42 AM | Comments (4)
October 13, 2004
Looking back
On this day in
1775, the United States Navy had its origins as the Continental Congress ordered the construction of a naval fleet.
1792, the cornerstone of the executive mansion, later known as the White House, was laid during a ceremony in the District of Columbia.
1843, B'nai B'rith was founded in New York City.
1845, Texas ratified a state constitution.
1943, Italy declared war on Germany, its one-time Axis partner.
1944, American troops entered Aachen, Germany.
1994, Pro-British Protestant paramilitaries in Northern Ireland announced a cease-fire matching the Irish Republican Army's six-week-old truce.
Posted by LindaSoG at 10:43 AM
October 12, 2004
Looking Back
On this day in
1933, bank robber John Dillinger escaped from a jail in Allen County, Ohio, with the help of his gang, who killed the sheriff.
1942, during World War II, American naval forces defeated the Japanese in the Battle of Cape Esperance.
1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a "fireside chat" in which he recommended the drafting of 18- and 19-year-old men.
1960, Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev disrupted a U.N. General Assembly session by pounding his desk with a shoe during a dispute.
1964, the Soviet Union launched a Voskhod space capsule with a three-man crew on the first manned mission involving more than one crew member.
1973, President Nixon nominated House minority leader Gerald R. Ford of Michigan to succeed Spiro T. Agnew as vice president.
2002, a bomb blamed on Islamic terrorists destroyed a nightclub on the Indonesian island of Bali, killing 202 people, many of them foreign tourists.
Posted by LindaSoG at 08:00 AM