TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED --MANY THANKS

Well so far I have not been real successful in taking this blog in the direction I wanted to go with the first few posts..Other than my brief story about Sgt. Riccio nothing else seemed to fit into place..First my friends who elected to remain silent about their war time experiences and now - the weather..

A few miles from my house is a HARLEY DAVIDSON dealer.. Being centrally located on a main road it is not uncommon to always see a large number of motorcycles there..The location has become a convenient meeting place (or assembly area) of local enthusiasts who then ride off in packs to join other groups at a final destination..Once there, they will assemble further then depart on a “run” that usually benefits one of many social organizations..

Being Memorial Day I had planned to be there snapping pictures of the YANKEE HARLEY DAVIDSON pack, but the morning rain and thunder destroyed my plans..Nearly every bike would have been flying the red white and blue, many would also be displaying the familiar MIA flag. There is a indefinable link between many bikers and the military, and a number of clubs have been formed whose membership is made up exclusively of veterans..Perhaps the men and women who have served, know better than most what it is to lose your freedom..To those who have defended it, freedom has a much fuller flavor..I doubt that any enjoy the freedom of the road and the feel of a good motorcycle more than the warrior turned biker..

I have a link to one such “RUN” that was organized by “OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER” very impressive, turn up your speakers and enjoy it..(click here)  

keep in mind that the procession was over four hours long!!

Memorial Boulevard lies in the center of my hometown, Bristol, Ct..There are monuments displayed the length of the roadway.. I have featured the Vietnam Memorial because a few of the names are known to me..To all veterans, past, present and to come—Thanks for your service..To Sgt. Ed Riccio Jr.-To my friend who carried a Browning automatic rifle across the frozen landscape of Korea-My friend who served alongside the Green Berets—My friend who served as a Marine Corps sniper—I am honored to have known you-I am honored to call you my friends..

NOTE FROM TIME TRAVELER--MY LINK MISSED-YOU WILL BE DIRECTED TO GOOGLE-DO IT-IT'S WORTH IT!!! (LONG VERSION -3 min)
CLICK ON PHOTOS FOR MORE DETAIL

WARRIOR--SERGEANT-- ED RICCIO JR.

TOP TURRENT GUNNER B-17--Ed Riccio Jr.--In the war-torn sky over Guadalcanal a B-17 bomber limps back to a muddy, ragged landing strip..Within the shrapnel torn aircraft three crewmembers lay fatally wounded.. The pilot lies dead on the floor of the cockpit; at the controls is a wounded young man of 22 who has never flown a plane before. The drone of the approaching aircraft reaches those who have been waiting on the ground, heads turn skyward. It lumbers towards the runway, wavering, unsteady, unsure, the aircraft itself, severely wounded. Fire trucks and their crews stand ready. Two Navy fighter planes had chased away the Japanese Zeros that were attempting to knock down the already crippled bomber. Now, after escorting the gigantic bird back, they circled above, awaiting the final outcome of what has been a long and painful balancing act between life and death...

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The morning of December 7, 1941---Curious as to what all the noise and commotion was about, Sergeant Riccio looks out of his barracks window to see Japanese Zeros strafing Pearl Harbor Naval base..His decision to exit the barracks and investigate further saves his life..Moments later a bomb crashed into the building, and ended the lives of 57 of the 60 soldiers who resided within..And so, on “a date which will live in infamy” began the series of events which placed Sergeant Riccio in his unenviable position..

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During a low pass over a Japanese held island, Sgt. Riccio  felt the sickening jolt of the plane as it took a severe hit from anti-aircraft fire..The “Flying Fortress” staggered as wind rushed into the interior..It began a slow dive..He made his way forward and found both the pilot and copilot dead-a great hole blasted through the nose of the plane, wires, gauges, all sort of debris flapping and flying madly about in the howling wind..Having once been an aircraft mechanic, he was somewhat familiar with the controls.. After unstrapping the pilot, he placed himself at the controls and pulled the plane out of its dive..And so, guided by the two Navy fighter planes, he was led back to the sky over Guadalcanal..

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Sgt. Riccio  would soon make his first attempt at landing, no practice runs, no instructor, no flight training, and, as he was about to learn,-no landing gear..The 74 foot, 18 ton aircraft made its way to the ground and merged with its shadow for the last time..Propellers kicked up mud and sparks, the plane screeching as the metal grating of the runway ground its belly away..Seconds that must have felt like hours, waiting for all to come to a halt…And the halt came, however, the young Sergeant only realized he had “made it” after he awoke in a hospital.. While there he declined an offer to be sent back to the states, instead opting for flight school..After recovering from his wounds he went on to become a highly regarded airman..He has been honored by the governors of Connecticut, the Connecticut General Assembly, the mayors of our home town and astronaut Alan Bean, who once walked on the moon, has presented him with an original oil painting. He has had a day of the year set aside in remembrance of him, and is one of the few remaining survivors of Pearl Harbor..Those of us who frequent the History Channel have caught occasional glimpses of him..

I thank his daughter JoAnn, and her husband Steve Larson, for arranging my meeting with him..I was VERY honored to have met and talked with this one of a kind man..His den is a mini museum of wartime aviation and nostalgia (his parachute is still packed and rests on a chair-he says he wouldn’t trust it now)..This ninety-one year old gentleman kept me enthralled for over three hours and I was eager to hear more.. Stay tuned for further adventures from this outstanding Airman..This Memorial Day we can all be thankful and proud of men like Ed Riccio Jr.—An exceptional American WARRIOR.    

NOTE FROM TIME TRAVELER::::BE SURE TO CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO EXAMINE THE PLANE  IN GREATER DETAIL

HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE !!

Greetings once again---First and foremost I must confess that my first post as well as this post have NOT gone as I had anticipated..With Memorial Day right around the corner I thought it would be appropriate to dwell on the first theme of my blog--WARRIORS..

I have met many, I served with many, I have laughed, cried, eaten, drank and riden alongside many..In our younger years whiskey and beer served to loosen our tougues and we spoke freely about our exploits..I listened attentively to their stories, often the conversations would just stop cold and the story never completed-like a safety valve of some sort had been activated, then, with pressure released, it shut off any further flow..

These were my generation of WARRIORS the Vietnam Veterans.. I had intended to introduce a few of my closer friends but have been met with stern refusals, in one case an unmistakeable air of hostility became evident..Almost as if I had betrayed an unspoken trust..Not a one felt compelled to share his story on this blog..Being a Vietnam era veteran I can easily recall the kind of lost feelings I had back then..I couldn't wait to come home on leave--then, after a day or two--I couldn't wait to be back on base..Friends that felt uncomfortable being seen with me (especially if I was in uniform)..Kind of a wierd time for us all I geuss..My failure to get these two posts going in the dirrection I wanted has tought me that forgiving-healing-and forgeting is HARDER THAN I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE...

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I picked up a new camera for this blog and thought I'd play around a bit with it.Check out my bike-still in winter mode (windshield). We've covered 23,000 miles together..2002 Low Rider..My tenth bike..I thought about it for a while "ten bikes, easy 10,000 miles plus on each one-lot of ground covered on two wheels.."

Hope to talk to you soon-Might not be about WARRIORS but we'll have something to say and the quality of my photography can only get better.Health and happiness to you and yours...

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Greetings::A small bit about myself...My name is Jaime Batista but almost everyone knows me as "Jim." My interests are varied and shift about as different scenarios come in and out of my life..A year ago this month (May 28 of 2010 to be exact) I had the pleasure of seeing my book in print..NO  NO  this is NOT a sales pitch for my book--BUT if you like science-fiction (time travel in particular) check it out..You'll find it at any major book seller on the web--"EPILOGUE: TIME MACHINE CHRONICLES"....
One passion that has stayed with me throughout the years has been motorcycles...I have been on them since 1971..I have been encouraged to share some of my experiences as well as bringing forth some of the personalities I have met along the way..A childhood friend has led me here (Thanks Brian) and I see this Blog as a outlet for my love of writing and as a vehicle to introduce you to to some of the "WARRIORS-BIKERS-PEOPLE-PLACES-THINGS" I have had the pleasure (and sometimes the misfortune) of meeting and seeing during my journey through life..Talk to you soon-Till then-Happiness to you and yours..