Tap ‘er light.
Our “old smokejumpers” coffee group always met at the Red Atlas on Tuesday’s at 10AM. At one meeting, sometime before the Covid pandemic caused us to stop meeting out of care for each other, Jack Atkins told us he wouldn’t be coming the following week for personal reasons. Then on national television, most of the rest of us saw Jack, with his wife Elaine, accept a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor from President Donald Trump for their son Travis who was killed in action in Iraq on June 1, 2007. When he got back the next week, we didn’t say much about it, except to ask, “Did President Trump treat you respectfully?” With the answer, “Yes,” we went back to entertaining each other with smokejumper stories.
This Monday, November 18, 2024, Colonel Ray Read, Director of the Montana Military Museum, called and asked me to arrange placement of Army Staff Sergeant Travis A Atkins citation into Montana’s Congressional Medal of Honor Grove west of Helena, at Fort Harrison, home of the First Special Service Force, the Devil’s Brigade. This morning I received word from Jack that he and his wife will have no objection.
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of the Congressional Medal of Honor to
STAFF SERGEANT TRAVIS W. ATKINS United States Army
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
“While manning a static observation post in the town of Abu Samak, Iraq, Staff Sergeant Atkins, was notified that four suspicious individuals, walking in two pairs, were crossing an intersection not far from his position. Staff Sergeant Atkins immediately moved his squad to interdict the individuals. One of the individuals began behaving erratically, prompting Staff Sergeant Atkins to disembark from his patrol vehicle and approach to conduct a search. Both individuals responded belligerently toward Staff Sergeant Atkins, who then engaged the individual he had intended to search in hand-to-hand combat. Staff Sergeant Atkins tried to wrestle the insurgent’s arms behind his back. When he noticed the insurgent was reaching for something under his clothes, Staff Sergeant Atkins immediately wrapped him in a bear hug and threw him to the ground, away from his fellow soldiers. Staff Sergeant Atkins maintained his hold on the insurgent, placing his body on top of him, further sheltering his patrol. With Staff Sergeant Atkins on top of him, the insurgent detonated a bomb strapped to his body, killing Staff Sergeant Atkins. Staff Sergeant Atkins acted with complete disregard for his own safety. In this critical and selfless act of valor, Staff Sergeant Atkins saved the lives of the three other soldiers who were with him and gallantly gave his life for his country. Staff Sergeant Atkins' undaunted courage, warrior spirit, and steadfast devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 2d Brigade Combat Team, and the United States Army.”
The iconic photo of Vukasin in The Bulge serves as an early example of weaponizing images in battle-space. Eight years after Vukasin died, his photograph taken by a U.S. Army Signal Corps cameraman and preserved by our National Archives, was used by the NRA to narrate its firearms oriented point of view. The picture, properly sourced and credited, belongs to all of us, each for our own reasons, as I am using it here to ask a question: “Did anyone care then or now whether SGT Vukasin was a Republican or a Democrat? No! We cared that he was a calm and courageous American soldier who could shoot straight.
That’s because during WWII our leaders did everything possible to bring us together, instead of doing everything possible to aggravate divisions that split us from each other to disempower us. Fear is being used to harden our hearts. Whether or not we order Pizza with anchovies and who we talk to on FaceBook help to precisely target messages to our minds, which is far better than an enemy’s bullet to our brains. Now we are where we’ve come to be, and only by learning and relearning in our best respective ways will we recover from the November 5, 2024, battle-space defeat of our country.
4:00 PM, 11/03/2024: Completed the first 84 pages of this book. Decided to read it because Darrell Valance thought I should read it. A young former infantryman (8 years) in Hobson was trying to tell me something but I could tell he thought it wise to tip-toe around all that he wanted to say because I’m a Democrat, but he told me enough. We were having the conversation because I am trying as hard as I can to understand why former officers like Sheehy, Zinke and Downing, sworn to protect our U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic, support so clearly a threat to our constitution as Trump. The movie War Games, starring Steve Bullock, was produced in part by a group called VetVoice, and, when they were interviewed I could see that they are concerned about the radicalization of some of their fellow soldiers and marines. And, the military is facing a recruiting problem. I am familiar with readiness issues because I used to be the officer responsible for monitoring the readiness of our army guard units. The challenge of meeting readiness standards so that fighting units go off to war ready to fight is HARD. This book is bringing me up to date on the additional challenges.
I easily agreed with the authors criticism of the shuffle of general officers to the board rooms of military industry’s with which they used to deal. Though I sense a little male whining at having to make cultural changes, it’s not so much. I think it’s a helpful book and I’m looking forward to finishing the last 144 pages. We need to get every branch of our armed forces into tip top fighting condition while never again wasting them on wars of choice like Iraq.
MT2 Campaign Expenses:
Filing fee: $1,740
Democrat Hat: $20 ( No Receipt)
Gas @ Forsyth $45.58 (Miles City/Glendive )
Gas @ Miles City $$24.35 (MC/Glendive trip)
Gas @ Helena. $38.63 (MC/Glendive trip)
Running Sub-Total: $128.55 plus Filing Fee
Gas@Helena $29.55 (Great Falls Debate)
Gas@Helena $9.04 (Boulder Speech)
Dinner Tickets $50.00 Boulder Speech)
Running Sub-Total: $217.14 plus Filing Fee
Gas @ Havre $39.44
Gas @ Helena $26.24
Havre Dinner Ticket $35.00 (No Receipt)
Running Sub-Total: $318.02
Remaining Balance: $2941.98
AFL-CIO Interview gas. $44.29 (Hamilton Gas)
Running Sub-Total: $362.31
Remaining Balance: $2897.69
American Legion Speech: $154.60 (NoWhere)
$42.59 (Jordan)
$16.76. (Miles City)
$25.63.(Billings)
$41.47. (Helena)
$281.05 (Trip)
Running Sub-Total: $643.36
Remaining Balance: $2616.64
Sidney Community Stage Speech
Gas @Cook City: $43.35
Shower @Lockwood $15 (Friday)
Shower @Lockwood $15 (Saturday)
Gas @Lockwood $28.74
Ingomar Rodeo $10.00
Shower @Lockwood $15.00 (Sunday)
Parking Ticket @Billings $10.00
Gas @circle K Billings $48.15
Shower @Lockwood $15.00
Gas @Fort Smith $45.38
Gas @Custer $40.89
Camp spot Makishika $9.00
Shower @Glendive $10.00
Richland Fair @Sidney $2.00
Gas @Glendive (Trailstart) $49.16
Gas @Columbus $41:30
Gas @Helena $28.42
Trip total: $426.38
Running Sub-total: $1,069.75
Remaining Balance: $2,190.25
Donation to HCTV: $100.00
Remaining Balance: $2,090.25
Jefferson County Swing: $23.85 (S. Helena)
Remaining Balance: $2,066.40
6th swing:
Gas @Brady: $33.25
Remaining Balance: $2,033.15
Shower @Shelby: $15.00
Remaining Balance: $2,018.15
Gas @Whitefish: $41.76
Running Balance: $1,976.39
Gas @Sweetgrass: $39.93
Running Balance: $1,936.46
Shower @Shelby: $1,921.46
Gas@Inverness: $26.00
Running Balance: 1,896.46
Gas @Helena: $43.39
Running Balance: $1,853.07
Gas@Park City: $36.82
Running Balance: $1,816.25
Gas @Big Timber: $50.57
Running Balance: $1,765.68
5:15 Gas @ Townsend: $52.36
Running Balance: $1713.32
6:04 Gas @Helena: $4.08
Running Balance: $1709.24
6:10 : Home
0700 Shower at Lockwood: $15.00
08:45 Gas at Lame Deer $48.56
9/14 Remaining Balance: $1645.68
8:30 overnight Medicine Rocks: $9.00
9/14 remaining Balance: $1,636.68
9/15 Gas at Baker: $37.21
9/15 Remaining Balance: $1,608.47
9/15 Gas at Plentywood: $46.99
9/15 Remaining Balance $1,561.48
9/16 gas at Scoby; $23.60
9/16 Remaining Balance: $1,537.88
9/16 gas at Malta: $25.99
9/16 Remaining Balance: $1,511.89
9/17 Gas at Helena:$43.47
9/17 Remaining Balance: $1,468.42
9/21 Gas at Geraldine: $30.67
9/21 remaining Balance: $1,437.75
9/21 contribution to Hill County Dems: $5.00
9/21 Remaining Balance: $1,432.75
9/23 Gas at Fort Benton: $39.57
9/23 Remaining Balance: $1,393.18
9/23 Gas at Helena: $22.41
9/23: Remaining Balance: $1,370.77
9/23: Deductible for deer wreck: $500.00
9/23: Remaining Balance: $870.77
9/30: Gas at Belt: $32:35
10/1: Remaining Balance:$838.42
10/1: Gas at Chinook: $48.52
10/1 Remaining Balance: $789.90
10/1 Gas at Glasgow:$40.00
10/1: Remaining Balance: $749.00
10/02: Gas at Saco: $47.01
10/02:Remaining Balance: $701.99
10/02: Sleeping Buffalo Hot Springs: $13.00
10/02: Remaining Balance: $688.99
10/03: Gas at Roundup: $31.22
10/03:Remaining Balance: $657.77
10/03: Lockwood shower: $15.00
10/03: Remaining Balance: $642.77
10/03: Gas at Three Forks: $46.15
10/03: remaining Balance: $596.62
10/04: Gas at Helena $7.61
10/04: Remaining balance: $589.01
10/15: Finds remaining for MT2: $589.01
10/16: Gas at Red Lodge: $44.34
10/16: Remaining Balance: $544.67
10/17: Shower at Lockwood Truckstop: $15:00
10/17: Remaining Balance: $529.57
10/17: Gas at Broadview: $45.00
10/17: Remaining Balance: $484.57
10/17: Overnight at Ackley State Park: $7.50
10/17: Remaining Balance: $477.07
10/18: Gas at Helena: $42.78
10/18: Remaining Balance:$441.79
01/01: Autobody Shop Credit Card Charge: $15.00
01/01: Remaining Balance: $426.79
Journalism made the difference. Americans were reading and hearing plain language assessments of the happenings in Germany. One of those journalists was syndicated columnist Dorothy Thompson. She had been writing columns between 1936 and 1939 when she summarized them in a book titled Let The Record Speak.
“This it seems to me, is the lesson of the news in the last three years, National Socialism, or Nazism in Germany, will become the most world-disturbing event of the century, though Nazism is not, in its nature, only a German phenomenon. Nazism is a fusion of elements that are present in the minds of men and women everywhere, and it does offer one answer to political, social, and economic problems that everywhere press for solutions.” She argued, “Americans must understand there is a fundamental incompatibility between any form of social order based upon political and economic freedom, and the dynamic aggrandizing of Fascism, or National Socialism. Nazism is a total Revolution.”
Himmler in Germany was calling Nazism “Counter-Revolutionary” in that it aimed to reverse all the change, including the American Revolution, that had happened since the European Enlightenment. Thompson described Nazism as a break with Reason, with Humanism, and with the Christian ethics that are at the base of America’s Liberal Democracy. She saw Nationalism as similar to Communism in that they both broke with the ethic or science that elevates the search for truth into the noblest of human passions. She thought Nationalism was worse than Communism, because it denies the concept of the inviolability of the human being. She saw Nazism, unlike Communism, as treating all of life as the unremitting struggle of tribal groups for biological survival. “In this struggle telling lies is openly accepted as a useful means to an end, which is dealing with what Nazis believe to be naïve and decadent democracies.” Since Nazis subjugate and destroy the common sense that grows out of human experience, the columnist wrote, “National Socialism is the enemy of whatever is sunny, reasonable, pragmatic, common sense, freedom-loving, life-affirming, form-seeking, and conscious of tradition.”
Thompson predicted, “Therefore I believe that the conflict will be conjoined, certainly in the realm of ideas and probably by force, not in the East but in the West. And I have believed that, sooner or later, by force or diplomacy, by political means or military means, the western world will have to take a stand against the Nazi challenge. It’s too late to answer the slogans of Fascism with the slogans of Democracy. It’s too late to hope that we shall preserve Democracy without effort, intelligence, responsibility, character and great sacrifice. In the next decade there will be no free rides to freedom; it will not be preserved by geography or by the insistent chant, that no matter where else it is raining, it is bound to be sunny here---if not today, then tomorrow.”
As Americans absorbed these journalist impressions by 1940, Montana’s Army National Guard, the 163rd Infantry Regiment, received federal orders. During August 1940, the Pacific Northwest had been experiencing its largest concentration of troops since WWI. Over 14,000 soldiers comprising the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and the National Guard’s 41st Infantry Division, made up of regiments from Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington, practiced maneuvering against each other along the Nisqually River. When the guardsmen went home from their usual summer training, they left much of their equipment and tents at Camp Murray near Fort Lewis. On August 27 the 1750 members of the 163rd Infantry Regiment received letters advising them to be at full strength for induction into federal military service September 16. This meant discharging some for age, health and dependent status and filling their positions with reservists and new recruits from dusty towns and impoverished farms. The day of induction for one year of active duty with the 41st Infantry came on the same day as the first peacetime draft became law. Six weeks after Montana’s 163rd Infantry Regiment entrained, all men between the ages of 21 and 36 were required to register with the Selective Service. Local draft boards were authorized to review physical, mental, moral, marital and occupational details for every man in that age group befor ranking each for mandatory induction into the military. Already yielding to the portents of war, 62 percent of Montanans favored conscription.
Wether inducted by federalization, voluntary enlistment or the draft, future soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen from Montana began flowing to military service from family homesteads on narrow twisting roads lined by crooked fence posts, often guarding more agates and arrowheads than fencing out neighbors cows. Compared with today’s 1,132,812 people, the 1940 census counted only 559,456 of us living in our same 56 counties. Changes in other parts of the world caused a huge exodus of workers out of Montana to coastal defense industries and another 57,000 Montanans, including 567 women left our state for military service. At least 1869 Montana men and women were eventually killed.
