Memorial Day

Army Sergeant, J. S. McCourtney, Jr,.  
A father's service during World War II.

Serving under the 45th Infantry Division, the US Seventh Army commandered by Lt. General George S. Patton, my father's platoon landed on the shores of Sicily, July 10th, 1943.

Over a thousand miles, through 420 combat days, the 45th Infantry took everyone of their objectives - (Italy) Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Rome, (France) Alsace and the Vosges Mountains, (Germany) Bavaria, finally arriving triumphant in Munich, in May of 1945.


Sgt. J.S. McCourtney, Jr. (last row seated, on the far left)  3rd Platoon, L Company.

Sgt. McCourtney #17080808 - 45th Infantry Division, under Gen. Patton's US Seventh Army.

An Armored Infantry Battalion entering Germany at the time of my father's Platoon's German offensive. Spring of 1945. (stock photo).

After allied bombing and heavy artillery shelling - a note below a photo from my father's scrapbook reads, "A G.I.  And my tank guard a Main Street - snipers were still active but you wouldn't know it", Sgt. J. S. McCourtney. (April 16th-20th, Nuremberg, Germany).

Wikipedia: (a quirky back history)

The 45th division's original shoulder sleeve insignia, approved in August 1924,^[12] featured a swastika, a common Native American symbol, as a tribute to the Southwestern United States region which had a large population of Native Americans. However, with the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, with its infamous swastika symbol, the 45th Division stopped using the insignia.^[13]  

After a long process of reviewing design submissions, a design by Woody Big Bow, a Kiowa artist from Carnegie, Oklahoma, was chosen for the new shoulder sleeve insignia.^[14] The new insignia featured the Thunderbird, another Native American symbol, and was approved in 1939.^[1]

In Memoriam - Memorial Day Services, Munich, Germany - following the German defeat in early May.

Then, in a final note, a promoted Staff Sgt. McCourtney, was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement after successfully organizing a ten man squad of machine gunners, after being outflanked by several hundred SS Troops, during that final battle for Munich, Germany.

Over the course of it's military history (1920-1968), proud and brave, the 45th Infantry Division sustained over 25,000 costly battle casualties.

been reading

A comprehensive read spent (along with some other needed home repairs).

The Gulf, the Making of an American Sea.
Author; Jack E. Davis (2017) 592 pages.

One helluva history (lot of), including definitive environmental studies, historic land-grabs, acts of bravery and violent killings - sprinkled with a few warm narratives - and all written around a raw, non-fiction landscape.

War of the Worlds

A long held Siesta Key public beach access has beachfront neighbors fighting for perceived property rights. Fencing has gone up, then forced to come down through county compliance - now back up once again.

Years of petitions and numerous lawsuits, by opposing property owners, have dragged through the courts over concerns of access to a beach and it's rights for public usage. Complicating the matter, and due to the current pandemic, Sarasota County has shut-down all of it's own public beaches and their beach accesses.

With this heated on-going dispute, at the far north end of Siesta Key's Beach Road, the area is now being patrolled daily - morning, noon and night by officers from the Sarasota County Sheriff's Department.


A homeowner's beachfront solution - fencing.

The "Patriots Pier" has become a rallying point for an opposing next-door neighbor, with an installed flag pole, odd characters - and a posted 'proclamation of rights' supporting public access.

Somewhere in the middle, in-between their own installed fences, one lone property owner's supposed 'private' beachfront set-up, with their day's belongings.

UPDATE;  May 1st, Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 'Letters to the Editor'.

(April 27th) A couple, new to the area, wrote about an unpleasant encounter with a certain (above) property owner when they recently approached that owners fenced beachfront unknowingly. Apparently (the owner) began shouting to "get off of his property", became belligerent and aggressive, and with a deputy standing nearby, told them, "How would you feel if I put five bullets in your wife's head?"

the Three of us

Photographed through the 'looking glass' - my Dermatologist and his assistant amid the on-going coronavirus pandemic.  Finally, I'm dressed properly.

'Where Shopping Is A Pleasure'

Against the wishes of the family, I had made plans to go out shopping at our local Publix supermarket.  I felt much better, and now I felt prepared.

While shopping, a panicked look of having lost, misplaced (or the possibility of having someone taken one's cart) - my shopping cart.  Unfortunately, it happened.  Finally returning home with four bags and a favorite cherry pie.

Settling down by that light of day .....

peering outside from my not-feeling-so-well bed.  Outside where I would normally be.

To inside; where I viewed the last lingering light of the day. 

Got to feel better, got to get back outside - gardening possibly tomorrow.

supposed straight talk

 My wife was showing the outward symptoms, signs for the Covid-19 virus.

Slight fever, aches and pains, malaise and disoriented with deep, dry coughing and wheezing. She met with her primary care physician, and concerned, he sent her directly to one of our local ER's with a prescription, for her to be treated and specifically tested for the Coronavirus. 

There in the emergency room, she was placed on a respirator (her oxygen levels were low). After 4 hours of treatment and observation for the ongoing symptoms, she was released with a physician's 'script' for a strong steroid.  The final diagnosis - acute "bronchitis".  She would not be admitted because she did not show signs for their hospital's criteria - either that of being "life-threatening" and/or of needing "critical care".

The ER's recommendation: Call around to different facilities the following day for the CoVid-19 swab and testing procedures.  One facility after another told me, "Sorry, currently unavailable". Medical labs, local and state health departments, again her Primary Care doctor, and finally reaching out to our largest public hospital's, Emergency Care unit - all, testing unavailable.

Some personal information on the script (below) deleted for privacy.  Her 'flu' swab from the ER came back negative.

On the ER ward, my wife's room was closed and the blinds drawn with posted notices.

For me,  the hospital's provided disposable face mask.

For now, my wife has been put on a State's physicians, "notification list", per her primary care's order.