Epiphany (Book) - 1/5/2012 2:41:40 PM
Wow, sounds very exciting. I can't wait to read the book!
Happy writing ~
Victoria Taylor Murray
Father of a Country Within a Country (Short Story) - 10/6/2016 8:14:39 PM
I also wish I had Jay's memorabilia wall, Gary. An inspiring, well-written story. Thanks!
Scott
Radio Days (Short Story) - 12/2/2012 5:38:34 AM
Nice job, Gary. Took me way back. I heard a lot of those programs on our military surplus short wave radio. Thanks for the 'memoiries' ...
Tall Tale No. 1: So Saith the Chief (Short Story) - 11/11/2009 9:02:53 AM
First of all, thank you for your service. Welcome home, soldier, welcome home.
Secondly, I was engrossed from word one of your excellently penned story. Well done, Sir.
(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.
Tall Tale No. 1: So Saith the Chief (Short Story) - 9/21/2009 6:07:07 PM
For those of us who were enlisted men in the military and subject to the orders of our officers, Gary Stephens' "Tall Tale No. 1: So Saith the Chief" has artfully captured a situation we all had to go through, sometimes safely, and sometimes not--the unavoidable encounter with a brand new 2nd Lieutenant with shiny gold bars on his shoulders. It was always a crap shoot whether he would be Napoleon reincarneted--youth coupled with ignorance, or a young man who was smart enough to pick the brains of the NCOs and Warrant Officers to learn all he could.
Warrent Officers were few when I was in the Air Force, but Mr. Stephens discription of them as an uncle spoken about in hushed tones is right on the money--they were both officers and enlisted men, and neither at the same time and we were taught to address them as "Mister." We could salute them--or not, but we knew they were specialists and the repository of knowledge we lower ranking grunts could tap if we were intelligent enough. And apparently, shapely female bartenders, too.
Excellent story.
Charles L. Lunsford
Author of "Departure Message" & "Boxcar Down: The Albanian Incident"
Thanks For The Memories (Short Story) - 7/15/2009 6:30:05 PM
"a couple of extras from Deliverance "
I had to laugh at the metaphor.....I live in Ga. near the "real" extras...a scary inbred lot they are. But these days there are more yuppies with million dollar houses dotting, (and ruining) the mountansides.
I enjoyed this nostalgic story.
Walt
Thanks For The Memories (Short Story) - 9/25/2008 7:13:39 PM
mmmm..now you made me recall my VW..icky green but a lifesaver!
Thanks for prompting MY memories..YAY!
Blessings,
Vesna :)
Father of a Country Within a Country (Short Story) - 9/25/2008 7:10:40 PM
I am stunned by the depth of this story..it truly has touched my soul.
I'm saving this one..thank you Gary!
Blessings,
Vesna :)
Father of a Country Within a Country (Short Story) - 8/14/2008 11:49:01 AM
This story is very beautiful...personal and brings the warmth out of a cold and dangerous time. Recently, while in Nashville, I had the privilege of meeting several Kurds who are attending classes at a local college, (in language learning classes) and many of their stories were difficult as well as brave. There is an increasing community of Kurdish people in TN, and it was my first time to experience something positive like this. Those "Walls" of honor/glory/ME...are well deserved... so never apologize for yours.. We are thankful and grateful, and this story about such a generous human being is a good one. thank you, lindalaw
Three Hours from Armageddon: Life at a Cold War Nike Missile Site (Article) - 3/2/2025 11:36:20 AM
Greetings,
I usually don't read memoirs, and wouldn't have yours, if the word Armageddon hadn't appeared in the title. I was simply going to inform you that Armageddon already took place between AD 63-70, when Israel, Jerusalem, the Jewish temple, and probably over a million people were destroyed.
Instead, I was blown away by your article, and I seldom give that praise to anyone. The technical jargon was a bit over the top, but Stephen King has nothing over your intense writing capability.
I remember as a kid, a group of my friends would ride our bikes up Nike road, to a a hilltop where a large sight west of Minneapolis MN was encased in a tall fence with barbed wire on top. There was no doubt even in our young minds there was at least one missile buried there, ready to launch.
We knew about nuclear weapons and were hoping one day on our journey we would see one launch, not caring in our naive minds what would happen on the other end.
Suprisingly, there wasn't much activity there, and nobody seemed to care if we rode our bikes around the barbed-wire fencing. It could have been at the stage of being dismantled.
One day, a jeep suddenly pulled out of one of the buildings with two servicemen inside, and one pointed towards us, and the jeep immediately veered in our direction.
We froze in our tracks, except one friend yelled, "Let's get outta here!" Before we could excape the jeep pulled up along side the fence, and one of the men said, "How are you boys today?" Saying we were shocked and suddenly mute would be an understatement. I finally smiled and my smart alecness smirked a "You gonna launch a missle today?"
It quickly become obvious that these two servicemen were well trained in PR towards young boys on Schwinn bicycles. They both chuckled and told us there were no missles here and was only a storage area for epuipment. That satisfied our couriosity, and we thanked them and never returned on our bikes.
I did read years later that the seviceman lied and at one time there was indeed misslles there, but perhaps not if the missles were already moved.
I sincerely want to thank you for your service, and I hope those words don't sound empty to you. I thank God men like you enlisted to keep my smart alec young ass safe every night.
You have a new assignment now; find that paradise beach to bum out in the rest of your days! Definitely well deserved!
Three Hours from Armageddon: Life at a Cold War Nike Missile Site (Article) - 8/14/2008 11:42:48 AM
Wow.. this is so exciting to read...and I learned so much as well. This was a very dangerous time for all, and I value and appreciate those who lived and toiled thru it. Excellent piece. Lindalaw
Three Hours from Armageddon: Life at a Cold War Nike Missile Site (Article) - 7/20/2008 11:52:44 AM
Don't understand lots of the terminology, but did read through this story. A good soldier he was to go to Iraq though. Thanks for explaining about the Nike Missile Site. It was really interesting and nothing I had known about. Thanks.
