Let’s start this out with Groundhog Day which is on Tuesday, 2 February. Will we have a long or short winter? Who cares. That is for Yankees anyway! Down here in Texas we celebrate the day as “Bee Cave Bob Day.” Bee Cave Bob is a local Armadillo that does the same sort of thing as that ol’ Groundhog does. This event is usually held over in the Bee Cave area. Watch for it!
REMINDER- Do not forget 14 February, whatever you do. Do not forget! Go and buy your honey some flowers, and candy, and get her/him a Valentine Day Card. This is very important so don’t forget.
There are a couple of important Presidential Birthdays to remember: Lincoln on 12 February and our first President and the first Commander-in-Chief of our Continental Army, GEN George Washington on 22 February. The US now just rolls all this up into one big President’s Day on Monday, 15 February. By the way, 2021 is NOT a leap year.
Wednesday, 17 February is ASH Wednesday and it starts the Season of Lent. Seven more weeks until Easter.
I am sure that something big happened in February militarily. Let me think. Now I remember. I was stationed at Ft. Polk, LA as a Basic Training Officer in February 1969. Some time early that month I got a set of orders that read: Assigned to Jungle Warfare School, Panama Canal Zone, enroute to RVN. By late February or early March 1969 I landed at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Vietnam and began my career as an Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader in the 9th Infantry Division down in the Mekong Delta. The most nasty and most filthy place on the face of the earth!
We operated out of a small Fire Support Base (FSB) with some artillery and mortars. I had about 35 young riflemen, grenadiers, and machine gunners with me. We had infantrymen who were also radio operators, medics, and demo men. We took the fight to the enemy each and every day. We patrolled by foot, we airmobiled, we ambushed, and we attacked the enemy whenever and wherever we found him. Never underestimate the fighting ability of a young American soldier.
It was the adventure of a lifetime. 52 years later I give thanks to all those soldiers, sailors, and airmen who supported us in every way. A great combined arms team working together. We were young, and full of vim and vigor. Those were the days!
Have a great February and I hope that each and every one of our members have a safe, successful, and prosperous year in 2021. Spring is just around the corner. And do not forget to get those flowers!