Doris S. Bradley, LLB www.NutrispanVitamins.net "Best Vitamins In the World"
Dear Renee', Mr. Widener & Dot: Thanks Dot, for giving me 4 more websites where I can find my Daddy's & Ralph's songs, lyrics, & good information. Renee' I couldn't have said it better myself-Mr. Widener & everyone else who served in the armed forces in ANY war, & those family members whose sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, cousins served this country in any war-all of you, most especially the servicemen who went out there & protected our freedom, risked life & limb, were cold, hungry, tired & gave so much to protect EVERYONE OF US-you all deserve to take the BIGGEST of BOWS & to be the STARS of this country's whole show. Carter & Ralph Stanley BOTH served during World War II-Daddy was a "gunnery sargeant", & (I think, please don't scream at me if this isn't correct as Ralph himself would need to tell us EXACTLY what he did in the service) Ralph was a "storekeeper" or something like that. Daddy saw action & dodged bullets, I think Ralph was spared that fate & was able to stay out of the combat by being an inventory clerk or storekeeper or something that didn't cause him to be in the thick of battle. I've heard Daddy talk of his time in active combat as the most frightening time of his life up to then. I've spent the last 11 months visiting with my 80-year old father-in-law who served in the US Army right on the front lines & crossed the Rhine River at Oberwessel (I think that's right) the night of the "bloody Rhine River crossing" where SO MANY of our boys were killed & which was later found out to have been an unnecessary conquest of the Rhine River crossing area as it had already been crossed by another US infantry batallion just a few days prior to their crossing. Dad Bradley says only the grace of God saved him that night during the bloody Rhine River crossing. He was in the second group of soldiers who crossed at the safer, second location. Those who crossed FIRST were mostly killed, they didn't expect the armed resistance they received, & about 16 of every 21 to a lifeboat or so died or were very severely wounded that very night. His batallion's crossing was called the "bloody Rhine River crossing" & hearing my father-in-law speak of it has given me a new appreciation of the contribution every soldier in any war has had to make. Whether or not they saw combat, our youngest, brightest & best men & women were sent to the front lines, didn't know from one day to another whether they'd live or die, lived in foxholes for weeks at a time, & generally laid their lives on the line 24-7, ate substandard food, bathed infrequently, & generally made unbelievable sacrifices for us in return for so little payment in service wages that it's shameful they were expected to put their lives on the line that way. My oldest brother was in service during the Viet Nam war, but didn't have to go to Nam-we were scared all the time in 1966-69 as that war escalated so much that he'd have to go into armed combat. Thank God he never did. My younger brother was also in service 20 years, retiring in 1993 as a career Army officer-I don't know what his rank was then, but he also was lucky enough to have stayed out of the Vietnam coflict & also the Gulf War-but again, both times we were scared to death they'd have to fight. That's Carter Stanley, & 2 of his sons & also Ralph Stanley who put their lives on the line for us. That is a fairly enviable record of service to the USA, I'd say & they & every man, woman, or child who served or had relatives who served deserve far more credit than they'll probably ever get for keeping us safe. I'm glad they never asked ME to go to war-I'm too chicken!!! I told my father-in-law after watching some of the videos on the conditios & combat they endured in WW2 that I'd plain & simple have SHOT MY OWN FOOT OFF SO I COULD GET SENT HOME the 1st DAY they put me into such a situation! Everyone who ever served is a far better, braver person than I am & I am so grateful to you all. I pray my little grandson & nephews NEVER have to go to war. War doesn't solve anything & must be our LAST avenue of settling disputes because even the "winner/conquerer" loses far too much to fight unless we have NO OTHER CHOICE at all to settle something. Have a great holiday. Keep loving bluegrass music, it's the best music in the world! Cordially your friend, Doris Stanley Bradley Quoting James Widener <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: " " Dot, " " I lived near Maces Spring and Hilton, VA in the early 1950's. I think that " " was Scott County. I knew A. P. Carter. What a kind gentleman and neighbor. " " He visited our home a few times. " " J. Fred " " ----- Original Message ----- " " From: Dorothy Cross<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> " " To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> " " Sent: Saturday, May 28, 2005 5:33 PM " " Subject: BG: Re: From Mother's Arms " " " " " " James, " " My husband first heard the Stanley Brothers on a Bristol radio station. " " He found out much later that they had just gotten out of the Army and were " " only a few years old than himself. He says it was the most beautiful music " " he ever heard. He listened to them on his family's battery-powered radio in " " the mountains of Scott County, Tennessee. " " Dot Bluegrass Bulletin Board brought to you by the fan club of Dr Ralph Stanley & His Clinch Mountain Boys subscribe or unsubscribe at http://drralphstanley.com/
