I have some very sad news this afternoon, for John Fallon just informed me that fellow 36th Engineer, John Zappitello has passed away, and shortly after his death, his wife followed him to that big place in the sky.
So, so hard to accept his passing, for he was a great friend to all the seahorses and helped run the reunions for decades in PA, along with his dear and sweet wife, Marguerite.
I had the fortune to get to know both, and had a grand time at many reunions with them. Lee and I even had the chance to meet up with John in Conneaut, Ohio and spent the afternoon with he and his daughter at a huge reenactors event, just a few years ago. The next morning before we left, we had breakfast with he and his wife and that unfortunately was the last time we saw them. Due to health issues, they were unable to attend the last few reunions. I did keep in touch via letters and phone calls and was planning on meeting up with them this fall, as Colin and I traveled back from the PA reunion, on our way to Michigan. We were really looking forward to our visit. Alas, it was not meant to be.
You both shall be missed. I'm glad we got to be friends.
Wanted to bring to your attention today, if you have not heard about it, of a new film that is to be released on November 4th, 2016 entitled "Hacksaw Ridge". This film is to portray the remarkable story of Medal of Honor winner PFC Desmond T. Doss. His award carries with it a couple of distinctions, the first being he was the only medic to be awarded the MoH in World War II. There were many deserving of the award but the army brass at the time had a certain "prejudice" or "reluctance" to give the award to medics, the brass could not discount his actions of May 1945 though. The second distinction is that PFC Doss is the very first conscientious objector ever to receive the MoH. He preferred the term "conscientious cooperator" though, for he gladly wanted to serve his country but because of his strong religious beliefs could not carry a weapon or kill anybody. Making him a medic was the solution.
I am anxiously waiting to see this film, hopefully they have presented this hero's story well. Time will tell. Have a good one everybody!
I'm sorry, but I just have to rant about this somewhere...
Yesterday morning I received an unfriendly email asking me what right I had sharing a WWII video on my YouTube page and it said, "Did you read the copyright on this film? Do you think it is right to rip off someone else's property?"
At first I'm like, what the hell is this and who is this person. You guys know I am a stickler for details and always respect copyrights. Heck I had to deal with all this when I created my documentary and had to contact all kinds of people including Universal Studios and sign contracts.
Well I go to take a look and lo and behold, a copy of this video was sent to me by the son of a WWII engineer, who wanted me to share this on my website, quite a while back. So I wrote to him and said, hey, you gave me permission, but if you want me to take it down I will. I didn't hear anything back.
So I wrote to him again last night and no reply. I said I will be removing it today and I showed him where the link was on my site. No reply!
Well I went into my YouTube account this morning and about went ballistic, for he turned me in and now my entire account is locked down for copyright infringement. You best believe that I am pissed. So I wrote to him again today and said, why didn't you just contact me directly. I would have gladly and willingly removed your video, but now I have to deal with this.
What it also means is that every WWII video that I have linked from my website, including my documentary excerpts, are on lock-down, which means no one can access them. Arggh!! Now I have to watch some STUPID video on YouTube and take a long test on copyright procedures in order to restore my account. Just like I have time for all this. Sorry, but I am simply incensed right now.
Maybe he didn't realize it was me, but I find that hard to believe, for my YouTube account says VI Corps. Even if he made a mistake, I surely deserve some kind of apology for all this nonsense.
