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The name may not be familiar to you but it is
one known to the intelligence community of
the world and one feared by the Germans in
World War II. Colonel Aaron Bank was an officer of the United States Army and the founder of the Army Special Forces.
He is famous for his exploits as an OSS officer in
World War II. He parachuted into occupied France
in 1943 and recruited, coordinated, and led resistance
fighters against the Nazis. He personally led one
unsuccessful effort to assassinate Adolf Hitler.
The Colonel was proud to be called the 'Father of the
Green Berets.' He survived World War II and was
instrumental in forming guerrilla warfare units in
the Army. Bank died in Dana Point, California in 2004
at the age of 101.
The V-42 Stiletto knife was designed according to
the parameters of Colonel Bank and became a standard
issue item to Green Berets. The stacked leather handle
was designed to be easily handled in cold weather. The
double-edged stiletto was razor sharp and would pass
through tough materials with ease. The grip above the
guard was formed to keep the knife from slipping in
wet weather or when wearing gloves. The pointed end
of the handle made both ends of the stiletto lethal.
I served with the Special Forces at Phu Bai, South
Vietnam from January 1965 until March 1967. While the
Marines will swear by their K-Bar knives, I loved the
feel and handling characteristics of the V-42. I was
contacted by the company making this reproduction of
the V-42 about a commemorative model with Colonel Bank's
signature on it. Needless to say, I ordered one and it arrived
today.
Okay,...I am going to join in on the controversy
surrounding the Confederate Flag. I have no dog in this
hunt as my mother's side of the family came to America
from Ireland in 1879 and my father's father arrived at
Ellis Island in 1903 from Germany. Needless to say, the
War Between the States was fought in the 1860's.
Currently the State of Texas is considering license
plates to honor descendants of Confederate Veterans. To
deny these people would be an open door to shut off
other organizations such as the environmentalists, the sports
fans, political braggers, universities, and others from having
personalized license plates. If you refuse one, you have to refuse them all to be fair.
Since the United States has gone 'politically correct' on
everything, both Georgia and South Carolina have been
forced to remove the Confederate Flag from atop their
state capitol buildings. I can understand not having the Confederate
Flag fly from government and public buildings, but to try
and prohibit it altogether would be an attempt to deny the
war ever happened. In Germany today it is against the law
to manufacture, sell, or display the Nazi flag, but it continues
to show up at demonstrations across that country. You can not
deny an event in history ever happened. That would be the
same as saying the holocaust was pure fabrication and
eleven million Jews were not killed by the Nazis....but back
to the flag.
There is already too much divisiveness in our country.. Each
nationality wants to proclaim their heritage in such lingo as
African-American, Mexican-American, or Anglo-American.
I would speculate that most of those individuals have never
been to Africa, Mexico, or England....That brings up another
burr under my saddle,... Being a white dude, how come I am
an Anglo?? That term comes from being a member of the
Anglican Church of England. As stated above, my parents
came from Ireland and Germany, both of which are not exactly on
friendly terms with England.
When the United States entered World War I my grandfather
had been in this country twelve years, but left his family
because his country needed him in the fight against the very
country he immigrated from. In World War II my father was
joined by six uncles in the conflict and I am happy to say all
came home with only emotional battle scars. I, too, had to
answer the call when the Vietnam 'conflict' rolled around and
I came home without a Purple Heart, indicative of being wounded.
When we fly a flag at our home there is never any consideration
of the German or Spanish (wife's family from Spain) banner. We
are Americans and my family has paid the price to proudly make
that assertion. If some group wants to have the Confederate Flag on
their license plate, let them. Whose business is it what that
individual does with his automobile, home, or his personal property?
American is the land of the free....because of the brave. In all of recorded history, only two people have ever volunteered to die
for you... Jesus Christ died for your soul..and the American soldier
volunteered to die for your freedom..
Saturday, October 1st, the city of Denison cordoned
off five blocks of the downtown area for it's Annual Fall
Festival. Vendors, display merchants, food servers, and
musical groups were in abundance. The weather could not
have been more accommodating as clear skies and temperatures
in the 80's covered the entire proceedings.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and several
booths were set up to take in donations for this very worthy
charity. All of the workers in the booths were wearing 'pink
wigs' for easy identification.
The smell of caramel-flavored popcorn and hamburgers
permeated the air for blocks around. The lemonade and water
booths were making a killing in the warm temperatures.
The Annual Car Show is one aspect of the Fall Festival
that I really look forward to. This year was no dissappointment
as reconditioned and hopped-up cars from the past were all
on display for the large crowd to enjoy. I was impressed by the
1940 Ford Coupe painted a metallic maroon...and the green
1950 Chevrolet 2-door sedan. The Chevy looked like it just
rolled off the assembly line,...everything was all original.
The City of Denison has made an annual affair of this Fall
Festival and this about the tenth year it has been held. It is a
super activity and hopefully it will continue to grow and
attract a larger audience.
