Fanfare for the common man

Falstaff · Jun 10, 2003, 12:30 AM

Subject: Navy CDR McIntyre's letter to Senator Byrd.

Navy CDR McIntyre's letter to Senator Byrd.

I know many of you have strong feelings on the subject of President
Bush's visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln, so I thought you might
appreciate CDR McIntyre's letter to Senator Byrd.

Senator Byrd,

As a retired Naval Officer, with two Gulf carrier deployments under my
belt, I find your criticism of President Bush's visit to the Lincoln
offensive in the extreme! This is the first time that the
Commander-in-Chief took time out of his busy wartime schedule to pay a
visit to thank those who served in the line of fire, in way that was
both dramatic and meaningful to those on the carrier. Perhaps if LBJ
got off his fat ass to do something similar, our troops' morale in
Vietnam might not have been so low. As a Naval officer, I am extremely
sensitive to styles of leadership. That is, after all, our stock in
trade. And it was not lost on me that the President spent about thirty
seconds shaking hands with the Admiral, CO, and CAG (If you don't know
these abbreviations just look them up in your Funk & Wagnalls!). He
then spent the next forty-five minutes putting himself at the disposal
of the people who make that ship work, the yellow shirts, the green
shirts, the purple shirts, the chiefs, the sailors. If you don't know
the significance of those colored shirts, look it up in your Blue
Jacket's Manual. Not dressed out in formal uniform (I understand at
Bush's request), but in their greasy, smelly, sweaty working
uniforms... working a flight deck is hot, hard work. And yet he, in
his flight suit, put himself at their disposal, this was their moment
for 19 or 20 something year old kids a few years out of high school,
to get a picture of themselves with the President of the United
States, his arm draped around their shoulder. That is a moment that
those kids never dreamed would ever happen to them, maybe not even
when they knew he was coming aboard. Surely, he would see the brass,
not the troops. But it was the troops to whom he gave his time... and
it was the most natural moment in the world. You might have thought it
was a family reunion, and in a way, it was... Bush is one of them, the
common man, and while he is still the most powerful man on the planet
right now, he hasn't lost his touch for them. Was it a political
moment? What moment of a president's life is NOT a political moment?
Was it grand standing, to come in to an OK pass to a 4 wire, a bit
high in close, correcting, left of centerline? Well, hell, he didn't
fly the approach anyway, though I understand from the pilots who flew
him that he did a pretty good job at formation flying, tucked in close
for a lead change. You can always tell a fighter pilot, you just can't
tell him very much. And apparently after thirty years, it all comes
back, with a little coaching, I am sure. Frankly, I would have liked
to see him come aboard in an FA-18, but the Secret Service vetoed
that, and Bush accepted their judgment... again, a mark of a good
leader. If you had spent some time in the service, instead of the
Klan, you might understand the significance of that moment to all the
men and women aboard the Lincoln, and indeed to all the men and women
in the service who shared that moment vicariously. But you chose the
bedsheet instead of the uniform, and so you don't.

I am half-tempted to move to West Virginia just so I could vote
against you in your next election.

Lewis F. McIntyre
CDR, USN (Ret)
14095 Burnt Store Rd
Hughesville, MD 20637
301-274-0975

For all those non Navy aviators that will receive this, when landing
on a carrier you make the following call. Ships name (Enterprise was
Climax), your call sign, your fuel, so they can "set" the arresting
gear and I have the "Ball." This means the mirror landing system which
looks like a bright yellow ball. Been done that way since we bombed
the Yamamoto. Now take a look at how the Prez landed on the Lincoln
the other day.

Nothing but xxxx hot.........
S-3 "Navy One" was on final approach for trap aboard CVN ABRAHAM
LINCOLN...the President made the radio call and said, "Lincoln, Navy
One, 12,500 lbs, I have the balls," It brought wild cheers from all
who heard it.
[COLOR=skyblue]thought this is worth a look, whether you like Bush or not..[/COLOR]

JavaFox · Jun 10, 2003, 01:57 AM

Bryd is a kook, a former Klansman, and a partisan that nobody should take seriously. I am sure Senator Bryd would have said the same things he said about Bush, about the Gettysburg Address.

Falstaff · Jun 10, 2003, 02:47 AM

will probably never be taken seriously by anyone....
Senator Byrd certainly gets his fair share of criticism, well deserved criticism...
Lincoln took a great deal criticism in his time, even from the wives of his generals..

Jun 10, 2003, 12:30 AM	#1
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Fanfare for the common man Subject: Navy CDR McIntyre's letter to Senator Byrd. Navy CDR McIntyre's letter to Senator Byrd. I know many of you have strong feelings on the subject of President Bush's visit to the USS Abraham Lincoln, so I thought you might appreciate CDR McIntyre's letter to Senator Byrd. Senator Byrd, As a retired Naval Officer, with two Gulf carrier deployments under my belt, I find your criticism of President Bush's visit to the Lincoln offensive in the extreme! This is the first time that the Commander-in-Chief took time out of his busy wartime schedule to pay a visit to thank those who served in the line of fire, in way that was both dramatic and meaningful to those on the carrier. Perhaps if LBJ got off his fat ass to do something similar, our troops' morale in Vietnam might not have been so low. As a Naval officer, I am extremely sensitive to styles of leadership. That is, after all, our stock in trade. And it was not lost on me that the President spent about thirty seconds shaking hands with the Admiral, CO, and CAG (If you don't know these abbreviations just look them up in your Funk & Wagnalls!). He then spent the next forty-five minutes putting himself at the disposal of the people who make that ship work, the yellow shirts, the green shirts, the purple shirts, the chiefs, the sailors. If you don't know the significance of those colored shirts, look it up in your Blue Jacket's Manual. Not dressed out in formal uniform (I understand at Bush's request), but in their greasy, smelly, sweaty working uniforms... working a flight deck is hot, hard work. And yet he, in his flight suit, put himself at their disposal, this was their moment for 19 or 20 something year old kids a few years out of high school, to get a picture of themselves with the President of the United States, his arm draped around their shoulder. That is a moment that those kids never dreamed would ever happen to them, maybe not even when they knew he was coming aboard. Surely, he would see the brass, not the troops. But it was the troops to whom he gave his time... and it was the most natural moment in the world. You might have thought it was a family reunion, and in a way, it was... Bush is one of them, the common man, and while he is still the most powerful man on the planet right now, he hasn't lost his touch for them. Was it a political moment? What moment of a president's life is NOT a political moment? Was it grand standing, to come in to an OK pass to a 4 wire, a bit high in close, correcting, left of centerline? Well, hell, he didn't fly the approach anyway, though I understand from the pilots who flew him that he did a pretty good job at formation flying, tucked in close for a lead change. You can always tell a fighter pilot, you just can't tell him very much. And apparently after thirty years, it all comes back, with a little coaching, I am sure. Frankly, I would have liked to see him come aboard in an FA-18, but the Secret Service vetoed that, and Bush accepted their judgment... again, a mark of a good leader. If you had spent some time in the service, instead of the Klan, you might understand the significance of that moment to all the men and women aboard the Lincoln, and indeed to all the men and women in the service who shared that moment vicariously. But you chose the bedsheet instead of the uniform, and so you don't. I am half-tempted to move to West Virginia just so I could vote against you in your next election. Lewis F. McIntyre CDR, USN (Ret) 14095 Burnt Store Rd Hughesville, MD 20637 301-274-0975 For all those non Navy aviators that will receive this, when landing on a carrier you make the following call. Ships name (Enterprise was Climax), your call sign, your fuel, so they can "set" the arresting gear and I have the "Ball." This means the mirror landing system which looks like a bright yellow ball. Been done that way since we bombed the Yamamoto. Now take a look at how the Prez landed on the Lincoln the other day. Nothing but xxxx hot......... S-3 "Navy One" was on final approach for trap aboard CVN ABRAHAM LINCOLN...the President made the radio call and said, "Lincoln, Navy One, 12,500 lbs, I have the balls," It brought wild cheers from all who heard it. [COLOR=skyblue]thought this is worth a look, whether you like Bush or not..[/COLOR] __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Jun 10, 2003, 02:47 AM	Thread Starter #3
Falstaff Old Codger Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: USAFA Posts: 19,048 Rep Power: 207	Senator Byrd will probably never be taken seriously by anyone.... Senator Byrd certainly gets his fair share of criticism, well deserved criticism... Lincoln took a great deal criticism in his time, even from the wives of his generals.. __________________ "Inspiration is always a surprising visitor."

Jun 10, 2003, 01:57 AM	#2
JavaFox E Pluribus Unum Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 3,203 Rep Power: 0	Bryd is a kook, a former Klansman, and a partisan that nobody should take seriously. I am sure Senator Bryd would have said the same things he said about Bush, about the Gettysburg Address.