13 Most Patriotic Movies Ever: ‘Rocky IV,’ ‘Independence Day’ and More

From 1942’s Yankee Doodle Dandy to Tom Cruise’s Top Gun to the Will Smith blockbuster Independence Day. (A friend's husband made #5: Invasion U.S.A.!)

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A 12-year-old boy, a pilot, and a P-51

Old Aviators and Old Airplanes

This is a good little story about a vivid memory of a P-51 and its pilot, by a fellow who was 12 years old in Canada in 1967. It was to take to the air. They said it had flown in during the night from some U.S. Airport, the pilot had been tired.

I marveled at the size of the plane dwarfing the Pipers and Canucks tied down by her. It was much larger than in the movies. She glistened in the sun like a bulwark of security from days gone by.

The pilot arrived by cab, paid the driver, and then stepped into the pilot's lounge. He was an older man; his wavy hair was gray and tossed. It looked like it might have been combed, say, around the turn of the century. His flight jacket was checked, creased and worn - it smelled old and genuine. Old Glory was prominently sewn to its shoulders. He projected a quiet air of proficiency and pride devoid of arrogance. He filed a quick flight plan to Montreal (Expo-67, Air Show) then walked across the tarmac.

After taking several minutes to perform his walk-around check the pilot returned to the flight lounge to ask if anyone would be available to stand by with fire extinguishers while he "flashed the old bird up, just to be safe."


Though only 12 at the time I was allowed to stand by with an extinguisher after brief instruction on its use -- "If you see a fire, point, then pull this lever!" I later became a firefighter, but that's another story. The air around the exhaust manifolds shimmered like a mirror from fuel fumes as the huge prop started to rotate. One manifold, then another, and yet another barked -- I stepped back with the others. In moments the Packard-built Merlin engine came to life with a thunderous roar, blue flames knifed from her manifolds. I looked at the others' faces, there was no concern. I lowered the bell of my extinguisher. One of the guys signaled to walk back to the lounge. We did.

Several minutes later we could hear the pilot doing his pre-flight run-up. He'd taxied to the end of runway 19, out of sight. All went quiet for several seconds; we raced from the lounge to the second story deck to see if we could catch a glimpse of the P-51 as she started down the runway. We could not. There we stood, eyes fixed to a spot half way down 19. Then a roar ripped across the field, much louder than before, like a furious hell spawn set loose---something mighty this way was coming. "Listen to that thing!" said the controller.

In seconds the Mustang burst into our line of sight. Its tail was already off and it was moving faster than anything I'd ever seen by that point on 19. Two-thirds the way down 19 the Mustang was airborne with her gear going up. The prop tips were supersonic; we clasped our ears as the Mustang climbed hellish fast into the circuit to be eaten up by the dog-day haze.

We stood for a few moments in stunned silence trying to digest what we'd just seen. The radio controller rushed by me to the radio. Kingston tower calling Mustang?" He looked back to us as he waited for an acknowledgment. The radio crackled, "Go ahead Kingston."

"Roger Mustang. Kingston tower would like to advise the circuit is clear for a low level pass." I stood in shock because the controller had, more or less, just asked the pilot to return for an impromptu air show! The controller looked at us. "What?" He asked. "I can't let that guy go without asking. I couldn't forgive myself!"


The radio crackled once again, Kingston, do I have permission for a low level pass, east to west, across the field?" "Roger Mustang, the circuit is clear for an east to west pass."

"Roger, Kingston, I'm coming out of 3000 feet, stand by." We rushed back onto the second-story deck, eyes fixed toward the eastern haze. The sound was subtle at first, a high-pitched whine, a muffled screech, a distant scream.

Moments later the P-51 burst through the haze. Her air frame straining against positive Gs and gravity, wing tips spilling contrails of condensed air, prop-tips again supersonic as the burnished bird blasted across the eastern margin of the field shredding and tearing the air.

At about 500 mph and 150 yards from where we stood she passed with the old American pilot saluting. Imagine. A salute! I felt like laughing, I felt like crying, she glistened, she screamed, the building shook, my heart pounded.

Then the old pilot pulled her up and rolled, and rolled, and rolled out of sight into the broken clouds and indelibly into my memory.

I've never wanted to be an American more than on that day. It was a time when many nations in the world looked to America as their big brother, a steady and even-handed beacon of security who navigated difficult political water with grace and style; not unlike the pilot who'd just flown into my memory. He was proud, not arrogant, humble, not a braggart, old and honest, projecting an aura of America at its best. That America will return one day, I know it will. Until that time, I'll just send off this story; call it a reciprocal salute, to the old American pilot who wove a memory for a young Canadian that's lasted a lifetime.

[Forward to your Aviator Friends, and anyone who would enjoy a patriotic story. WE ARE: "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Anyone Who Threatens It"]

Yes, there are moderate (more precisely, passive) Muslims--there's just no such thing as moderate Islam.

Did you know:

Muslims aren't just the main source of terror overseas, they're the main source of it in our own backyard. Muslims represent just 1% of the U.S. population, yet account for 82% of all domestic terrorism convictions.

How about this:

We are told our Muslims are patriotic. Except did you know that Muslim leaders in this country prohibit sending food and other aid to U.S. troops? The Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America has ruled it a "sin."

Did you also know that:

• According to the U.S. government, virtually every major Muslim organization in this country is controlled by Muslims who believe "jihad is our way and death for the glory of Allah is our greatest ambition"?

• These "mainstream" Muslim groups were set up in America with millions of dollars in Saudi cash for the purpose of "destroying" America "from within"?

• Our Muslim establishment has raised millions for al-Qaida and Hamas here inside America?

• Roughly 80% of the more than 15,000 jihadist websites ID'd by the FBI operate off servers based inside the U.S.?

• "Honor killings" — murders of Muslim girls by relatives who claim the victim brought shame to the family — are on the rise in America? Just kissing a boy can trigger a justifiable homicide in Islam.

FINALLY TIRED OF ASSUMING THE BEST ABOUT MUSLIMS?

A Soldier's Deck of Cards

HOLLYWOOD REPORTER EXCLUSIVE

Patriotism and traditional values, like those displayed in "Thor," "The Artist," "Soul Surfer" and "Hugo," are what moviegoers want, says a group that will honor such films at an awards gala Friday.

Study: 'Conservative' Movies Make More Money Than 'Liberal' Movies (Exclusive)

Thank You Soldiers

Yes, I know Veteran's Day is over...but this is too beautiful not to share!

PATRIOT POST
joyfulnoiseministries.com

UPDATE:
The National Christian Choir sings "Thank You Soldiers"

VIDEO: In God We Trust

Great new song plus request to help spread the word!

You could have heard a pin drop

At a time when our president and other politicians tend to apologize for our country's prior actions, here's a refresher on how some of our former patriots handled negative comments about our country:

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early 60's when DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible.


Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"


DeGaulle did not respond.


You could have heard a pin drop.

When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.


He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return."


You could have heard a pin drop.

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, one of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?"


A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?"


You could have heard a pin drop.

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?"


Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."


You could have heard a pin drop.

AND THIS STORY FITS RIGHT IN WITH THE ABOVE...

Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on.


"You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically.


Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously.


"Then you should know enough to have your passport ready."


The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it."


"Impossible...Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France!"


The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."


You could have heard a pin drop.

AHHH...THE GOOD OLD DAYS!

My Dad was crazy about Kate Smith...

...and so were MILLIONS of Americans!



Thanks to Stephen Frank's California Political News and Views

CHANGE?

Received an email today...here it is:

Not long ago I read a joke. It said all the politicians running for president are promising change to the American people:

We send them billions and billions of tax dollars and they send us the change.

Funny?

Not really. There's too much truth in it to be very funny.

That got me to thinking: Hey all promise change...how about if they run on a promise of restoration rather than change! A restoration that would take us back in time to a place where things ran better, smoother and life was more enjoyable.

Change? That, in truth, is what they have been giving us all along.

• We used to have a strong dollar--politicians changed that.
  
  
• Marriage used to be sacred--politicians are changing that.
  
  
• We used to be respected around the world--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to have a strong manufacturing economy--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to have lower tax structures--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to enjoy more freedoms--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to be a large exporter of American made goods--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to teach patriotism in schools--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to educate children in schools--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to enforce LEGAL citizenship--politicians changed that.
  
  
• We used to have affordable food & gas prices--politicians changed that, too

One could go on and on with this list.

What hasn't been changed, politicians are promising to change that as well, if you will elect them. When, oh when, is America going to sit back with open eyes and look at what we once were and where we have come and say, enough is enough?

The trouble is, America 's youthful voters today don't know of the great America that existed forty and fifty years ago. They see the world as if it has always existed, as it is now.

When will we wake up?

Tomorrow may be too late. When will America realize--politicians are what is wrong with America?

What is needed is for the constitution to be amended to limit all Senators and Representatives to TWO terms in office like the president.

Oh, by the way, no big pension either, social security just like the rest of us. Being a politician shouldn't be a persons life work but rather a call to service then back to being an honest hard working citizen.

PASS THIS ONE AROUND ---FOR A CHANGE

Why Obama is no patriot

11 well-documented points

British author wonders: Why does president pantywaist (Obama) hate America so badly?

If al-Qaeda, the Taliban and the rest of the Looney Tunes brigade want to kick America to death, they had better move in quickly and grab a piece of the action before Barack Obama finishes the job himself. Never in the history of the United States has a president worked so actively against the interests of his own people - not even Jimmy Carter.

Obama's problem is that he does not know who the enemy is.

Read more

HAT TIP: Gateway Pundit

There goes the neighborhood

Student leaders at a California college have touched off a furor by banning the Pledge of Allegiance at their meetings, saying they see no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government.

The move by Orange Coast College student trustees, the latest clash over patriotism and religion in American schools, has infuriated some of their classmates...

Students at Calif. College ban Pledge of Allegiance

Hmmm..."no reason to publicly swear loyalty to God and the U.S. government"...

This means that the teachers are incompetent and should be fired. Anyone who really knows the history of the United States of America would know not just one, but many, reasons to swear loyalty to those who made their own freedom (for which they obviously have no regard) possible.

They should be publicly humiliated, also, for being leeches who take money and young minds from taxpayers who entrust their children's education and for being cannibals who devour their own kind without regard for their rights.

And if it is, in fact, not the teachers at all but only just the students (certain students that is) then they should be shoveled back to their respective countries into the dirt from which they rose.

A civics lesson from Michael Moore

5 Good Reasons to Vote Today ... a letter from Michael Moore
Date: Tue, 7 Nov 2006 02:51:28 -0800

IT'S A NATIONAL REFERENDUM. Although candidates' names will be on the ballot today, this election is NOT about this candidate or that candidate. Make no mistake about it: This election is nothing less than a National Referendum on George W. Bush and his War. Don't waste your time trying to learn about who the schlump is that's running for office. You know they're all pretty much the same, a few are better than others, but... please. They is who they is. THIS election is not about them. It's a simple up or down vote on staying the course.