National Aviation Day – Aug. 19, 2020

On 19 Aug 2020 By SCLMRoseIn Blogging1 Comment

B-17 Chino Air Show 2014 – Photo Credit – Wikimedia

This poem is part of “We Swoop at Dawn” and written by a pilot from Jay Zeamer’s old 22^nd Bomb Group. The poem had been copied and passed around to airmen in theater, many of whom flew with it stuffed into a pocket of their boilersuits. The poem went on for 18 more stanzas and included the line “We’ll all go to town and get drunk as a skunk.”

No matter how many missions a man may fly,

He never gets over being afraid to die.

It’s a funny feeling, hard to explain,

You tighten all up from your toes to your brain

Your stomach’s all empty, and your face feels drawn.

When you hear the old cry, “WE SWOOP AT DAWN.”

But the men who went out into the morning cold

Thought not of medals and heroes bold.

Most likely they thought of their girls and their homes

And the hell they’d give those yellow gnomes

For causing the war, the pain, and the strife,

And for taking away the best years of their life.

I salute all the airmen past and present! You did a wonderful service to our country.

You can read the complete poem at International Historical Research Associates. Here is the link.

https://airwarworldwar2.wordpress.com/2017/09/29/we-swoop-at-dawn/

What kind of books do I read?

On 13 Aug 201527 Apr 2016 By SCLMRoseIn Author's Life, Blogging, Book Genre, Goodreads, Memoirs, Reading Challenge, WWIILeave a comment

I always want to learn something new. Since I did not have much time to read during my working days, I’m trying to catch up on my search for knowledge. I feel I missed something along the way. There are so much to learn in one’s lifetime and to do this, I have to read more to supplement what I already know. History book in itself written in a textbook form can be so boring but written within the context of a historical fiction can be both entertaining and educational. So as much as possible, I veer toward historical fiction.

I also like memoirs especially with an inspirational theme. Historical novels and memoirs are my favorite genres and they are also the genres that I write. Both the books I have published so far are in historical fiction category based on real-life events.

Iron Butterfly

BAHALA NA (Come What May)

Both books are available at www.amazon.com/author/rosalindarmorgan.

You can check the books I read at www.goodreads.com.

What kind of books do you read? Leave a comment.

BAHALA NA (Come What May) FREE Download at KINDLE LENDING LIBRARY on 9-29-2013

On 27 Sep 201329 Sep 2013 By SCLMRoseIn BAHALA NA (Come What May), Free Promotion, Philippine History, Philippines, War in the Philipines, WWIILeave a comment

To honor the Gold Star Mothers and in observance of the Gold Star Mother’s Day on Sunday, Sept. 29, you can download FREE “BAHALA NA (Come What May): A WWII Story of Faith, Love, Courage, Determination and Survival” on 9/29/13 at Kindle Lending Library starting at approximately 12 AM Pacific Standard Time to approximately 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time.

When World War II starts, Benjamin is caught in a place 465 kilometers away from home as the Japanese are landing everywhere. How will he get home? What happens if he encounters the Japanese on the way? Will he see his family again? How about the girl he cares deeply? These are questions looming in his head as he starts his long journey back home.

“Bahala Na (Come What May)” is a fresh look at the traditions and social mores of the era just before and during World War II. It also describes eyewitness accounts of World War II events that were never written before. “Bahala Na (Come What May)” is a WWII novel, full of human drama, suspense and action and dedicated to WWII veterans.

Please leave a review at http://www.amazon.com/author/rosalindarmorgan after you finish reading the book. Thank you.

Collaborate, Collaborator, Collaboration, Collaborationism

On 26 Aug 2013 By SCLMRoseIn BAHALA NA (Come What May), English Language, Philippines, War in the Philipines, WWIILeave a comment

According to my 1983 Webster Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary , collaborate came from the word collaboratus (Late Latin), with a past participle of collaborare meaning to labor together, from Latin com-+ laborare to labor. Collaborate means 1. to work jointly with others or together exp. in an intellectual endeavor. 2. to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one’s country and esp. an occupying force. 3. to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected. Collaborationism is the advocacy or practice of collaboration with an enemy.

The 1933 version of the Oxford English Dictionary listed only one definition for collaborate: “To work in conjunction with another or others, to co-operate; esp, in a literary or artistic production, or the like.” In those days, when one thought of collaboration, what came to mind was Gilbert and Sullivan. In the 1972 supplement of that dictionary, a second definition appeared – “To co-operate traitorously with the enemy”. The word had been used in that way since World War II.

The first definition both at Oxford English Dictionary and at Webster New Collegiate Dictionary is obviously inappropriate for books written about war in the Philippines. The other definitions are similar, but, a little different. The OED definition uses the word traitorously, and is rather restrictive. It refers only to those whose cooperation is traitorous; hence, it does not apply to those whose cooperation falls short of traitorous behavior. Webster’s definition is also restrictive in a different way. By using the words usu. willingly, Webster’s is making a judgment about attitude – a judgment that the OED does not appear to make. One can, after all, act traitorously but feel otherwise.

In my book, “BAHALA NA, (Come What May)”, I used the definition meaning simply to cooperate with the enemy.