Category Archives: Military

Feelin’ patriotic today? Go check out this rock

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On a day when America is celebrating the fact that Osama bin Laden has achieved room temperature, I thought I’d re-post some photos of one of my favorite local patriotic landmarks. This enormous rock, about five feet tall and parked in a very remote location outside of Bismarck, has more patriotism than the American left. The owner of the land on which it sits, I presume, has adorned it with an American flag, the names of some North Dakota soldiers killed in the global war on terrorism, and the following quote from our President:


“We will not waver; we will not falter; and we will not fail.
Peace and freedom will prevail.” President George W Bush

It’s just a shame that very few people will ever see this rock; I stumbled upon it by accident while out getting the truck dirty. Can you imagine the heartfelt pride in our soldiers the artist must have felt as they painted this tribute to their sacrifice? It’s very moving and I had to tell you about it. At the bottom of this post I’ll give you directions on how to find it; it’s not that hard, really.


To visit this rock, something that might be especially appropriate this Memorial Day, simply take Expressway north from where it intersects with Century Avenue. When you reach 57th Avenue, take a right and head east. It’s at the end of the road a short while later with a little cul de sac where you can park and/or turn around. Here’s a little map I put together:


View Bismarck-Mandan Blog in a larger map
Today is a day of great pride in our nation and its armed forces, but we shouldn’t let that pride wane on any other day. Landmarks like this one are a great reminder of that. Pay it a visit!

One way to protect your abandoned missile launch facility

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When the 321st Missile Wing was deactivated, its silos were imploded, communications lines cut, and underground launch control facilities filled. The above ground portion of its facilities were turned over to private landowners. I’ve visited many of these, and sadly many are in a state of decay. Then there’s this one.

I got quite a laugh after pulling up to the gate. You may remember that I have a strict NO TRESPASSING rule in my photography, so the gate is as far as we went. There was something odd about this building, and my eyes quickly honed in on a shape in one of the windows, behind the former security desk:

Thankfully one of the lenses I carry is a long telephoto, which allowed me to see what the spooky shape was: a manikin! Boo! The sight of that head just barely peeking over the counter is probably spooky enough to dissuade any potential trespassers…especially since it reminds me of that bald chick from the first Star Trek movie.

By the way, if you’re interested in more of the sights I saw on this trip, check out some older posts:

“Cold War Mancation”, Part One

“Cold War Mancation”, Part Two

“Cold War Mancation”, Part Three

“Cold War Mancation”, Part Four

“Cold War Mancation”, Part Five:

Watching the watchers

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While working in the Joint Operations Center a while back I couldn’t help but notice the large wooden Samurai standing in the far corner next to the monitors. Once we wrapped up I was given permission to take a couple of quick cell phone pics so I could do some background checking later. This particular statue is very important.

The Samurai portrayed here is Kusunoki Masashige, a warrior who was a legend and an inspiration to Kamikaze pilots during World War II. This particular statue originally stood in a Tokyo military school and was claimed by a North Dakota unit, the 164h Infantry Regiment, as a war souvenir. Given to the State Historical Society, it spent nearly forty years in their care and adorned the Liberty Memorial building on the capitol grounds. In 1986 it returned to the National Guard and now sits in a very high-tech setting at the JOC, one suitable for such a revered warrior.

Busy day at the Memorial

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I didn’t think I’d make it to the memorial at the capitol today, but I did. I had plenty of company. Showing up twenty minutes early turned out to be a pretty good plan, as it really packed in with people (including a LOT of kids) waiting to see the phenomenon!

This is the circular beam of light which is cast by the sun thanks to a tube in the side of the memorial (see the post immediately below this one). At 11:00 it is centered on North Dakota, which is a raised and somewhat polished portion of brass on the globe in the monument’s center.

The globe itself has seen better days. The brass North Dakota is tarnished and needs to be polished & coated. There are also bird droppings on it, something I figured would be corrected before Veterans’ Day arrived. I figured wrong. If a volunteer is needed, I’ll put my name on the list.

This was a neat event, but let’s not forget that today is about the nation’s soldiers. Please read on to the post below this one for more on that. Thank every veteran and soldier you encounter today!

On this day of remembrance

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I’m sure many of you will recognize the All Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the North Dakota state capitol. With today being Veterans’ Day, there will be a lot of visitors here. This memorial does something special on this day, although a cloudy day may hamper that a little. So far the forecast has been wrong and the skies are clear, so perhaps all can proceed as planned.

For anyone who doesn’t know, the top of this memorial is only square on the outside; the inside is a spherical dome. That’s important for many reasons, which are evident when you’re there. At the center of the monument is a globe on a pedestal.

As the placard describes, something special happens here at 11 o’clock on the eleventh hour of the eleventh month every year, in commemoration of Veterans’ Day.

At precisely that time, the rays of the sun travel down this hole in the dome of the monument, beaming their way directly toward the globe at its center. I was kinda hoping that someone would be able to clean that stain off the wall where water sometimes drips through the tunnel.

On the globe, North Dakota is raised and polished above the surrounding terrain. The light of the sun strikes it directly for a brief period of time every Veterans’ Day at 11 am, lighting it up for those in attendance.

I’m not sure my schedule will allow me to attend today, so I thought I’d share some images of this phenomenon from years past. Judging by the number of people waiting to catch a glimpse of this once-a-year happening, I can see it’s no secret.

This is the base upon which the globe sits. Note that the inscription says “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day.” That’s significant because World War I ended at 11:00 on 11/11/1918.

In addition to this memorial and the ones at each end of the new Memorial Bridge, there is also the Global War on Terror Memorial in west Bismarck. Sadly, names have been added to the roster here in 2010 as we continue to stand vigilant against terrorist adversaries.

Dedicated on September 11th, this memorial specifically honors those who have sacrificed all in the war on global terrorism. While September 11th is of important significance at this memorial, so too is November 11th. In my opinion we can’t have enough days honoring our soldiers. 365 per year seems about right.

Today is about one thing: remembrance of the American soldier. Millions have served this great nation over the past couple hundred years and every one of them sacrificed a great deal, even if they didn’t lose their life or suffer physical injury in battle. We should hold them in high regard and thank them for the freedoms we enjoy because of their commitment to duty. Regardless of whether the sun appears today these Memorials are always worth a visit. Then take some time to peruse the names on those metal placards and consider the men and women who protect this great nation.

I’d like to pass along my personal thanks to all veterans and their families, who sacrifice along with them. Closest to me are my friends Reed and Tony, although I’ve met many others and owe my freedom to millions of ’em. Military service is not something to be taken lightly, and neither is the sacrifice of a soldier’s family. Today’s a good day to take some time and express our thanks.

Cold War Mancation, Part Five: Minot

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No, I didn’t find myself on the tarmac looking at the flight line on our Cold War Mancation™…this photo is from another time. We did, however, wrap up the Mancation with a stop in Minot. I wanted to make it to the vicinity of MAFB and gaze over/through the fence, but it was getting late. There is, however, one place along the highway en route to the Air Force base that was worth visiting.

This is a view from inside the Dakota Territory Air Museum just north of Minot, appropriately adjacent to the airport. On our trip we ended up arriving a little too late to get in, so I brought my toddlers up later. What you’re looking at is one of the few flying Japanese “Zero” aircraft, named “The Last Samurai.” Read more about it by clicking here. This thing is an amazing work of art and detail. It’s a carrier model, with wing tips that fold up to allow greater aircraft capacity on the carrier.

Facing off against the Zero is this brilliant restoration, a P-51 Mustang. On the day when we arrived, the engine and other tasty bits were exposed for all to see. It’s interesting how a tool of warfare can be so striking and beautiful. I’m not the kind of guy who gets all wound up about old cars and stuff, but this machine is just downright breathtaking.

Also breathtaking are the dual .50 caliber Browning wing guns! We were lucky in that the panels covering the aircraft’s armament were open as well. I’m pretty sure there are plenty of problems whose best solution is a belt-fed .50 cal!

This is where we wrapped up the Cold War Mancation™. We put our noses to the glass a little bit and pointed the truck back toward Bismarck-Mandan. These pics aren’t from that exact visit, but hopefully you get the idea. There are plenty of other really cool photos from this road trip, including some other striking landmarks, that I’ll be trickling out as time allows.

By the way, you really need to visit the Dakota Territory Air Museum. It’s not just a hangar full of planes; it’s three buildings of history and more! I’ve got lots of pics that I took with my toddlers that I’ll post down the road as well.

One other thing: I believe the Minot Air Force Base is hosting their biennial Northern Neighbors Day air show & more this summer! Stay tuned for more…

Bismarck-Mandan will never forget: Global War on Terror Memorial (service today at 2pm)

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By now you’re likely to have seen the signs declaring the location of the state’s Global War On Terrorism memorial. It’s just off Memorial Highway, adjacent to the entrance of the Fraine Barracks complex (named after late Brigadier General John H. Fraine). In fact, it’s just a stone’s throw away from the Liberty Memorial Bridge.

This beautiful memorial stands prominently to help ensure that we remember what’s at stake in this 21st century war. It’s a memorial to North Dakota military personnel who perished during the Global War on Terrorism. In fact, it was dedicated this very day last year.

I was especially pleased to see the term “GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM” on this monument because so many pusillanimous liberal multi-culturalist apologists, in their suicidal quest to love our enemies and hate our nation and its allies, have abhorred this term since its inception. Our current President, for example, has ordered that the term not be used in the federal government. North Dakotans, however, see it for what it is.


All gave some. Some gave all. Some names are about to be added here…
 

At 2pm today there will be a service honoring three more fallen North Dakota soldiers. The Patriot Guard Riders will be in attendance. Sadly I cannot be among them today as I have a freelance job scheduled all day. Afterward I’ll still try to find time to stop by and ponder their sacrifice. You may wish to spend a little time this September 11th to do the same.

Cold War Mancation Part Four: Cavalier Air Station

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Heading east on highway 5, you can see this giant concrete cube (with a slanted north side) from the road long before you’re near it. Then the road drops down a hill and you can’t see this thing at all, since the Cavalier Air Station (at times named Cavalier Air Force Station) is surrounded by trees. I found out the hard way that this site is very much active and there’s a young man with a firearm at the front gate. I wasn’t getting in for pictures here. That’s okay…as you can tell by the awful light in this shot, sunlight was scarce anyway and it was time to set up the campsite.

After a beautiful stay in lovely Icelandic State Park overnight, we managed to get some really nice light in order to feature the PAR array. I’m told that this thing can spot an object the size of a basketball coming over the North Pole! Wild.

This PAR system is also part of the larger Stanley Mickelson Safeguard Complex, which included the now abandoned Nekoma facility I posted about earlier. It had its missiles removed long ago, but this giant array still watches the northern skies. I could tell you more about this site, but probably not without ripping off David Novak’s site, www.srmsc.org. He’s got all kinds of links and photos of these facilities and how they served. Please visit this site!

I haven’t exhausted the Cold War Mancation photo series yet…stay tuned.

Major General C. Emerson Murry laid to rest at the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery

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If you were unable to attend the Memorial Day services at the Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery this year, you missed the stirring words of C. Emerson Murry, former Major General of the ND National Guard. He was the keynote speaker of the event, and a very memorable one at that.

The words that struck me the most from his keynote address are best paraphrased as follows: “To be born free is an accident. To live free is a responsibility. To die free is an absolute obligation.” That made me set my camera in the grass and hastily type it into my phone so I wouldn’t forget it. Maj Gen Murry fulfilled that obligation, and it’s due to such men and women of our armed forces that we enjoy the freedoms we take for granted.

You ought to take the time to read about the life of this remarkable man by clicking here.

Cold War Mancation, Part Three: the tower formerly known as OMEGA

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Actually the second stop on what we later termed “the Cold War Mancation™” was here: NCTAMS LANT DET LaMoure. Leave it to the military to throw more acronyms at something than you can shake a 1,200 foot stick at. This is that 1,200 foot stick, by the way.

As this sign indicates, the alphabet soup above stands for Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area, Master Station Atlantic…DETachment LaMoure. This is as close as you’ll probably ever get to it, too. It’s surrounded by signage typical of a national security site, and a guy on duty here assured me that civilians are definitely NOT allowed access.

This tower used to be part of the OMEGA Radionavigation system. This was a worldwide navigation system for aircraft which was begun in the 1960s and 1970s. It operated at a very low frequency, around 14kHz. Compare that with the beginning of your AM radio dial, which starts at 530kHz, and you’ll see how low that is. One of the first things you may notice about this tower is the odd attachments on the guy wires. They look like insulators, and I think I know why…more on that in a second.

One other feature is the “top hat” of guy wires attached to the top of the tower. I believe some of the guy wires on this “umbrella type” tower become part of the array. I think that has a lot to do with the additional care to insulate the wires. If they’re not insulated, they can affect the capacitative load of the tower, making it very hard to tune. This may be even more difficult with VLF (very low frequency) signals, I’m not sure.

Depending on who you ask, there were only eight or nine OMEGA towers functioning around the world when GPS stuck a fork in it. The only other one in the USA was/is in Hawaii. These towers were no longer needed for navigation, since GPS assumed that responsibility. Instead of the Coast Guard operating this facility, the Navy now runs operations here.

So what does this tower do now? It still sends VLF frequencies, but it’s used to guide submarines now at I think 150kHz. Some of the other former Omega towers were destroyed when we started switching to GPS, this one was fortunate enough to survive and serve our nation’s submarine fleet.

In a way, it’s sad that this facility has been retasked. The Omega Inn in LaMoure? Renamed. Omega Cafe? Couldn’t find it. There is an Omega Cinema in the mall, however, and a listing for an “Omega room” on the mall directory board. Since the term “Omega” no longer applies, I suppose that’s to be expected.

Here’s some background information about NCTAMS. (Link)

I’ve also added this place to my Google Maps, too. Click here for an aerial view. (This has been fixed.)

Never fear, there’s more Cold War Mancation™ coming soon!