AWARD WINNING PICTURES

[Iron_Gook]

TweetI got this in an email this afternoon and wanted to share them with you all:

Here are two pictures that were awarded first and second place at the picture of the year international this year. Very very touching photos.

First Place.

First Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
When 2nd Lt. James Cathey's body arrived at the Reno Airport, Marines climbed into the cargo hold of the plane and draped the flag over his casket as passengers watched the family gather on the tarmac. During the arrival of another Marine's casket last year at Denver International Airport, Major Steve Beck described the scene as one of the most powerful in the process: "See the people in the windows? They'll sit right there in the plane, watching those Marines. You gotta wonder what's going through their minds, knowing that they're on the plane that brought him home," he said. "They're going to remember being on that plane for the rest of their lives. They're going to remember bringing that Marine home. And they should."

[Iron_Gook]

TweetSecond Place
Todd Heisler The Rocky Mountain News
The night before the burial of her husband's body, Katherine Cathey refused to leave the casket, asking to sleep next to his body for the last time. The Marines made a bed for her, tucking in the sheets below the flag. Before she fell asleep, she opened her laptop computer and played songs that reminded her of 'Cat,' and one of the Marines asked if she wanted them to continue standing watch as she slept. "I think it would be kind of nice if you kept
doing it," she said. "I think that's what he would have done..........

[Iron_Gook]

TweetI ask that you all say a prayer and thank those men and women who are in harms way as you sleep safely in your bed tonight... be thankful of their sacrafics so that you may have your freedom...

IG

[Waterboy]

TweetThese are stunning pictures.
May God watch over all that are placing themselves in harms way to ensure our way of life and our freedoms

[TestRip7]

TweetThanks for those photo's IG, they are incredible.

I pray for the soldiers of our country every night, that they may successfully do their duty for god and country and return to their famlies and loved ones.

[DJDIGGLER]

TweetWow....I'm all choked up! That's so horrible what those men, woman & families are going thru! I respect every one of them and pray they make it home safe. For those of them that die I pray it is a painless and fearless death. I hope fear is not the last thing that goes thru their minds, but love from their families is.

One of my best friends a Army reservist is over their again for the fifth time.

God bless them!

[Iron_Gook]

Tweet

Thanks for those photo's IG, they are incredible.

I pray for the soldiers of our country every night, that they may successfully do their duty for god and country and return to their famlies and loved ones.

God Bless...

IG

[LilFella]

TweetDamn I don't even know what to say

[lxorl]

Tweetgreat photos... actually made me a little sad.

[daved150]

TweetGREAT PIC'S BRO....I WISH FOR THE SAFE RETURN OF ALL OUR MEN AND WOMEN OVERSEA'S. THANK YOU ALL!

[mrthnhmn]

TweetI feel sad for the families and pray for all of the soldiers there. RIP for all those who fell. We all should feel proud & give thanks for what there doing for the USA.

If I was one of those passengers on the plane I would have been proud 2 bring home 1 our own...

[Lily]

TweetWOW!! My eyes are tearing!

[mtnmedic]

TweetMakes my blood boil ! all this for nothing......

[T-Man007]

Tweet

Wow....I'm all choked up! That's so horrible what those men, woman & families are going thru! I respect every one of them and pray they make it home safe. For those of them that die I pray it is a painless and fearless death. I hope fear is not the last thing that goes thru their minds, but love from their families is.

One of my best friends a Army reservist is over their again for the fifth time.

God bless them!

Ditto! I got tears in my eyes from reading that sceond one. It takes a very special person to do what they do and God bless them for it. Without them, the whole world could have been under German and Japanese control.

Did you know that Japan signed the peace treaty as the German jet plane was literally on it's was to be delivered to them? Pretty scary stuff, huh? Imagine if we waited to drop those bombs and Japan had acquired jet planes. They could have shot our bombers down way before they ever got to land, not to mention all the other havac that would have come from the axis powers having superior air attack. It was the Marines who kicked ass all over Japan to enable us the opportunity to get those bobmers in place.

[Aphrodite]

TweetI am so moved..........**tears**