The 129th Rescue Wing, part of the California Air National Guard is located and flies out of…read moreMoffett Federal Airfield, In Mountain View, California. Its primary function is to serve the state of California in peacetime, however, In times of war It can be activated by the Federal government and would rejoin the USAF as part of the Air Combat Command as needed. The 129th can trace its lineage back to 1955 when it was established as the 129th Air Resupply Group. It has gone through a variety of missions and aircraft to its present day incarnation. The unit is available for humanitarian mission as rescue missions. Indeed it helped coordinate efforts in the aftermath of the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, and more recently it was used to take essential supplies and evac a critically ill patient from the Grand Princess during our present COVID-19 pandemic. The unit flies the following aircraft: HC-130J Combat King II: This C-130J variant is tasted with overwatch, SAR, and has the ability to refuel the units HH-60's in flight HH-60G Pave Hawk: A SAR version of the Blackhawk that is equipped with the USAF PAVE system of electronics and countermeasures. It is used for rescue and for Special Operations. While its hard to visit the base the planes can be observed practicing. They are a most welcome addition to our community here. I cannot than them enough for conducting a recent flyover saluting front line medical staff and first responders as we work through our Pandemic. It meand alot to us!

Being a Veteran, I feel its still my duty to try attend dedications, or any other veteran function…read morethat the city or state does. When your here, take a moment to read the names on the "wall". Nearly half a century later, an elegant hunk of black granite, etched with local names, might help the public finally honor those soldiers. Unlike today's revered soldiers, Vietnam era warriors were not lauded as heroes and had precious few chances to become revered figures in the public eye. Their sacrifices were shrouded in protests and shame. The location isn't the best. There are several "vagrants" or what I call mutants that wonder the area. Parking next the Shark Tank is best. Remember the 142 "Sons of San Jose" who lost their lives during the Vietnam War. These young men gave the ultimate sacrifice in order for us to continue to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Ronald Lee Aleshire Jimmie Marron Alvarez Warren Lester Anderson Joseph Antognini III Alonso Aragon Jr. Stephen Anthony Balters Jr. Jeffrey Thomas Beardsley Robert Eugene Beaumont Leslie Allen Bellrichard Thomas Howard Bergren Raymond Bernal Jr. Thomas George Brocker Kermit Edward Burkey Michael Edward Burns Gary William Butler Charles Byrd George J. Carrillo Jr. Timothy Michael Carroll Jackie Charles Carter Manuel Angel Castillo Gerald Cervantes Armando Chapa Jr. Roberto Cobarrubias James Miles Combs Christopher Corwin Cook William Donald Cook Jr. Richard James Coston Jimmy Douglas Curry Kenneth Alan Dahl David Michael Davison Thomas Joe Dawson Jr. Louis Scott Di Bari Wolf-Dieter Dietz Juan Leon Guerrere Duenas Richard Monroe Dyke Joseph Escamilla Jaime Esquivel Gerald Francis Filippi Edwardo Flores Richard Allan Forbes William Holt Fowler III Bruce Gary Friel Richard Garza Jr. Kenneth Gilbert Gellerman Robert Gonzales Michael John Grecu Scott Craig Griswold Dallas George Grundy Phillip O. Guillen Ernest Lemas Gutierrez Robert Ralph Hammer John Lewis Harley Dean Allen Harris Robert Earl Harris Michael Maxwell Hatzell Dan David Hayes Glenn Elden Heflin James Reeve Heimbold Leroy Hensley Robert Francis Hinkston Melvin Douglas Holcomb Fred Lee Hottinger Howard Eugene Hurst John William Irving Jr. Robert Allen Jans Robert Stevens Jernberg Larry Michael Jordan Theodore C Kappmeyer Daniel Duane Keyes Michael George Kindred Loyd Eugene Kinsworthy John Michael Koenig Walter Koeppe Jr. Russell Walter Krill Jeffery David Kuersten Marion Dominic La Rosa Joseph Ledesma John Edward Lopez Jr. Chester George Lyons Cesar Jabonillo Mamon William A. Mansergh Jr. Ernesto Martinez Robert Susumu Masuda John Albert McGehee William David McGivern Richard Harold McGuire David Phillip Medina Rudolph Melendez Joseph Louis Mendoza Michael Mereno Robert Gail Miller Angelo Raymond Morales Carlos Garcia Munoz Tony Valdez Nastor Kenneth Lawrence Neal Steve Masao Ohara Jack Coleman Owens William Allen Palenske Richard Michael Patrick Raymond Allan Petersen Donald Ray Phipps John Richard Poso Timothy Cole Proudfoot Miguel Angel Puentes Alex Leon Quiroga John Arthur Ramirez Lynn Murray Randall Rudolph Sotelo Renteria Duane Lawrence Richard Jose Anto Rivera-Bermudez William S. Robertson III Floyd Irwin Robinson Joe Ignacio Rodriguez Gilbert Ruiz David Frank Santa-Cruz Gilbert Serrano Samuel Arthur Sharp Jr. David Howard Shoemaker Rosendo Flores Silbas Charles Lenet Smith James Douglas Smith John Calvin Smith Matthew Edward Smith Eusebio Solis Kenneth Lyle Spitzer Daniel Edwin Strobbe Jon Tasch Kenneth Carl Titsworth Grady Thomas Triplett Richard Lee Trisler Homer Urrabazo Patrick John Vasquez Jose Louis Vieras Donald James Wade George Allen Waldron Thomas James Walker Craig Leslie Walton Larry Ellis Williams Donald Ray Williamson Dennis Harold Wright Murray John Wyman Augusto Maria Xavier Thank you for reading.

Sad to say but the U.S Government killed these people for greed…read more They died for profits.

Many have seen the movie "Lone Survivor". It details some of the events of Operation Redwings and…read moretrial of a 4 man SEAL Team in Afghanistan. Of the 4 man team, only one made it out. In addition 19 others died when their Chinook chopper was downed in a valiant effort to rescue them/ While I realize that both the book and the movie take some Hollywood liberties, I was struck by the fate of SO2 Matthew Axelson who died valiantly defending his fellow team against an overwhelming Taliban force. After doing some digging I was stunned to find out that SO2 Axelson was a native of the Bay Area. Indeed he grew up in Cupertino, CA and a memorial was in place honoring him and a another team member, SO2 James E. Suh (who died in the rescue attempt) , as well as all of the Veterans of the city. The memorial is located in Memorial Park, and the centerpiece is a statue of both SO2 Axelson, and SO2 Suh, back to back, protecting each other while they engage hostile targets. My family would like to thank SO2 Axelson and all of those lost in Operation Redwings an their families for their service and sacrifice. For those who served and for those who never came home: Taps: Day is done, Gone the sun, From the lake, From the hill, From the sky. All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh. Thanks and praise, For our days, Neath the sun, Neath the stars, Neath the sky, As we go, This we know, God is nigh. Fades the light; And afar Goeth day, And the stars Shineth bright, Fare thee well; Day has gone, Night is on. Go to sleep, Peaceful sleep, May the Soldier or Sailor, God keep. On the land or the deep, Safe in sleep. Love, good night, Must thou go, When the day, And the night Need thee so? All is well. Speedeth all To their rest

One of the more Iconic fixtures of the Peninsula, Hanger 1 served a variety of roles through…read morepresent day. The Hanger was built in 1933 to act as a shelter for the USS Macon, a rigid airship that would later tragically crash around Big Sur in 1935. It remains one of the worlds largest freestanding structures cover well over 8 acres. It served through the cold war when Moffett was a P-3 Orion base. The clam-shell doors weigh over 200 tons The hanger was used several times for episodes of the TV show Mythbusters. After the naval base was closed, several plans were put in place to convert the space to a science center etc. However, testing in 2003 revealed that the Hanger was leaching a toxic soup of lead, PCB's etc, into the surrounding marshland and water table. Various plans to scrap the entire hanger were discussed, but eventually they stripped the external paneling (the source of most of the pollution) and left the skeleton of the structure in place. Google Inc, has agreed to re-clad the Hanger . The hope is that it will be complete in 2025. Having grown up in Palo Alto, Hanger one has always been a fixture in my life. It was always there. When my father was stationed at the base, we had access to it and could spend hours just running the catwalks up and down its length. When Moffett had its airshow we often would make the climb to the observation deck at its top and watch the show from above.

Looking for something different to do to ? Come to Hanger 1 for a tour & tasting. Wesley did a…read moregreat job educating us on the ins and outs of how vodka is made. He graciously answered all of our many questions. :0) We then went upstairs to the bar to enjoycocktails, the beautiful view, and great conversations.

On April 11, 1853 the paddle Steamboat Jenny Lind departed San Francisco for the port of Alviso. As…read moreit neared its destination it suffered a boiler exposure. Passengers had just set down for dinner. The majority of the 31 killed were women and children. The explosion was the impetus to build a railroad between San Francisco and San Jose. That rail line is the present CALTRAIN trackage. The memorial is the only reminder of this disaster forgotten to history. It is located in the western part of the parking lot of the Alviso Marina County Park. The views of the Bay looking north are fantastic however, and it located at the entry point to the trail system. As with most things like this it is better part of a larger trip than a destination untoo itself

Update: I was biking buy the old site and noticed that one fo the old gates was open to park Google…read moreBuses. I headed on in and and took some pictures which I have posted up. I was marveling at the huge slabs of concrete that are rumored to 6 feet thick and were simply left in place when the demolished the base when I stumbled across something unexpected I was poking around and found hidden behind some bushes, a previously unknown memorial to the Astronauts of STS-107 aka The Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster. Markers for Brown, Chawla, and Husband were still visible, and 4 missing one were clearly for McCool, Ramon, Anderson and Clark. Its a kind of a cool little find. The monument is is really bad shape and I'm hoping to contact the community collage that now controls the land and see if either they or The Moffett Field Museum are interested in preserving the remaining markers. Previous review included below: One of the things people tend to forget with all of our Silicon Valley and dot com hype is that this area also was host to huge advances in aviation and space exploration. From the first spy satellites to submarine launched ballistic missiles it covers a lot of territory. While Southern California rightfully gets most of the spotlight in aviation, the Bay remains an unheralded pioneer. Onizuka AFS, is one such hub. Named after Air Force Lt. Colonel Ellison S. Onizuka, who died in the Challenger disaster, the base served as a primary control station for military satellites. In aviation circles (and conspiracy circles too) the station was simply known as 'The Blue Cube' The Blue Cube using its 3 satellite dishes controlled vast areas of space and served as an NSA downlink node as well. Its windowless walls and mysterious function was the stuff of legends. Multiple power sources, super thick concrete walls (To prevent electronic eavesdropping) , limited access all added to its lore. Even my father who was a navy engineer, had to be re-cleared to provide engineering services there and was always escorted such was the nature of the goings on there. The base closed in 2010 as part of BRAC and its functions were swapped over to Vandenberg AFB and the structure was subsequently demolished. However, it remains part of the Bay Area's link to Space.

I've been coming here for the past few weeks and I cannot get enough. This is one of the few…read morelocations on the San José State University campus that is so powerful. I recommend coming any day and taking the statue in for yourself. Go up to the statue and read the plaque in the front that gives a little of the history of these amazing folks; Tommie Smith and John Carlos. These two olympians raised their fists while getting awarded their Gold and Bronze medals at the Mexico City Olympics. This was a true act of power, activism, and advocacy. The story of their work and the repercussions during the Olympics is one to read and tell. I'm glad they were honored and given their glory. Come by and feel the power by laying on the lawn and relaxing under the summer sun.

I knew this statue was located on the San Jose State University Campus and it was really tall but…read moreit took us a bit to locate ( and directions from a few friendly students) Just around the bend from the student union, nestled in between buildings in a grassy area stands the 23' tall historical statue of the protest at the podium at the 1968 Olympics. San Jose State student athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the podium after winning gold and bronze in the 200m With their fists raised in leather gloves, black socks with their shoes off in a silent protest in the civil rights movement. A very powerful statement. The statue is beautiful and so well done, a definite stop when visiting San Jose.

I stood at this Gold Star Families Memorial Monument with my family as we forever remember, love,…read morerecognize, honor, respect, and grieve with the Gold Star Families. Dying for Freedom isn't the worst thing that can happen. Being forgotten is. --Georgie Carter-Krell, Gold Star Mother of Medal of Honor (America's highest military award) recipient Private First Class Bruce W. Carter, US Marine Corps, who at age 19 was killed in action during the Viet Nam war. Being a Gold Star Family member is a distinction no one wants. For a Gold Star Family member has a GI family member who died defending the Freedoms our US Constitution guarantees while Serving in a branch of the US Armed Forces. Before the mind snaps, or the heart breaks, it gathers. It might even be said one pulls oneself together as a Blue Star Family member then to disintegrate into a Gold Star Family member at the news of the death of a Fallen GI. May the sacrifices of the families of Fallen GIs always be respected. All Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments are a personal conversation held in a public space to give remembrance to when a Military Family sees its military men and women sent to defend the Constitution and not return. Here's a pilgrimage site that evokes feelings of reverence from and for Military Families. Here is Hallowed and Sacred ground. That means never is yelling or playing done here. That includes but is not limited to pokemon players. This Gold Star Families Memorial Monument is located at Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose, California USA. Here is crafted an elegiac ode to loss as the Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments feature the haunting shape of a saluting GI's outline in a representative missing space in the two-sided black granite. The space represents the hole left in the lives of Gold Star Families. Fallen GIs gave their tomorrows for our today as the highest obligation and privilege of Citizenship is that of bearing arms for one's country. A Gold Star Family can display a Gold Star Service Flag for family GIs killed or died from causes other than dishonorable. The number of gold stars on the flag corresponds with the number of GI family members who were killed or died. A gold star is placed over the blue star on a Blue Star Service Flag so that the blue forms a border and creates the Gold Star Service Flag. The US Department of Defense issues these flags as well as Gold Star lapel pins to immediate family members of Fallen GIs. The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument was created and designed by bold, innovative and himself Medal of Honor recipient Hershel "Woody" Williams to Remember and Honor our Gold Star Families. Anytime you take a life, there's always some aftermath to that if you've got any heart at all. --Hershel "Woody" Williams, US. Marine Corps, WWII Veteran, Medal of Honor recipient. Williams later served as a US Department of Veterans Affairs "VA" Veterans Service Officer "VSO" , retiring after 33 years of federal service and retiring as US Marine Corps Reserve Chief Warrant Officer 4. Williams was the last surviving Marine from World War II to wear the Medal of Honor. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 "When I received the medal, I became a public figure representing not myself, but representing them. From that day on, my life took on a completely new path that I never dreamed I would be on," said Williams. We the living are the voices of those who lost their voices or are too hurt to speak. These Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments are lovingly and reverently created as part of the mission of the Hershel "Woody" Williams Congressional Medal of Honor Education Foundation, Inc. Williams established it to honor Gold Star Families by building these monuments designed by Williams, providing scholarships to Gold Star Children, sponsoring outreach programs and events, and educating communities about Gold Star Families and the sacrifice they have endured and continue to endure. 5 April is National Gold Star Spouse Day The last Sunday of each September is Gold Star Mother's and Family Day. My family is a Gold Star Family. P.S. Don't message me because in spite of several complaints to yelp for YEARS, I am UNABLE to open 'em.