I've been wracking my brain, trying to think of something to write about, and a friend simply told me to write what I know. So here goes nothing:
We have a rendezvous with destiny.
Our strength and courage strike the spark that will always make men free.
Assault right down through the skies of blue; keep your eyes on the job to be done.
We're the soldiers of the 101st; we'll fight til the battle's won.
These are the words to "Screaming Eagles," the 101st Airborne Division's official song. It is a song that every soldier must learn when assigned to the 101st. It was written in the 1940s, and the tune can seem a little outdated (it sounds like an old college fight song), but the words are something that everyone who serves in the division, takes to heart. The first line is taken directly from the Division motto: Rendezvous with Destiny. In his first address to the newly formed unit, Major General William C. Lee told the troops, "The 101st has no history...but we have a rendezvous with destiny..." and that the division would be called on when the need was "immediate and extreme."
And they were. Repeatedly. And not just in combat. The 101st has gone from a division with "no history," to one of the most decorated units in U.S. Army history. From their crucial role in the invasion of Normandy, to protecting a group of high school students in a racially divided south, all the way to their recent service in Iraq and Afghanistan; the 101st now has a long and storied history. And it's a history I'm overwhelmingly proud to be a part of. For a pretty mediocre kid from Ohio, it was awe-inspiring to be a part of an organization that has always stood for what is good and right in the world. Maybe it was my own naiveté, but getting assigned to a unit like The Screaming Eagles, was like getting called up to the Majors from a farm team.
We were always told to remember, whenever you are off-base, deployed over-seas, or even home on leave, you are representing your country and your Division. It's something I always took seriously, and still do. I wore old Abe (yes, the Eagle has a name) on both sleeves for 2 1/2 years, and will wear it forever on my arm; and the last thing I want to do is bring shame on my old unit. They really were, and still are, my second family. So for anyone who has interacted with me via comments, chats, etc. and has thought, "This guy is a phony ass," keep in mind that I was once a little kid that watched too many war movies, and idealized the concept of The American Soldier. I still believe they are the closest thing the real world has to super heroes. (also keep in mind that while I am cordial and respectful, I was also trained by the U.S. Government to drop a bitch cold 😂😂😂🤨)
Anyway, if this seems disjointed and incoherent, I started this blog sober on a Friday, and finished it drunk, on a very early Sunday morning.
Below is my very own "Band of Brothers". While I may not like some of them very much, I love every single one of them to my core. We fought, sacrificed, and bled together.
