....However, there is something happy to reflect on this Memorial Day weekend. Fittingly, West Pointers are graduating from the Military Academy tomorrow (Sat, May 22). The West Point Graduation Ceremony will be broadcast Live via the Internet. [Just click the Link.]

And last Wednesday, May 26th, a flotilla of 12 vessels strong sailed through the Narrows under the Verrazano Bridge and into the "Big Apple" port of call to celebrate our 17th Annual Fleet Week here in NYC. The USS Barry led the flotilla with the amphibious assault ships, the USS Iwo Jima, bringing up their rear. (The full compliment of ships are listed in the enclosed link.) They received a 21-guns salute from the gunnery battery at Fort Hamilton while fireboats sprayed a red, white and blue welcoming spray. They are docked over at Manhattan's Piers 86 & 88 on the West Side, and at Staten Island's Stapleton Pier. Eleven US Navy & two US Coast Guard vessels brought thousands of US Marines and sailors back home among us. Come on over and welcome them to New York The Fleet Week vessels will be open to the public from Noon to 5:00 P.M. during this weekend. Here's the NYC FLEET WEEK INFO

While all of America's sailors look forward to partying in Gotham, many exclaimed that they want to see first hand & up front why they are wearing military uniforms and fighting for us. The hallowed World Trade Center "Ground Hero" tops most of their lists. It was here that WWIII began on Feb. 26, 1993 when radical Islamic fundamentalists first attacked the Twin Towers. (9-11 was their promised "unfinished business" -- with yet another looming terrorist hit aimed at NYC. This may be the "capital of the world", but to Moslems it is America itself - the "bulls eye" of the globe.) Expect to see most of these 4,000 men and women silently praying their tributes to fallen comrades there this weekend.