President Trump hosts Mother's Day event..

... for military families and those Momma Bears.

The Sergeant Major knew his family was in good hands when he was deployed...

Patriotic message: Never mess with an army mama bear.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o64_zbecJlc

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2026/05/first-lady-melania-trump-honors-military-mothers-the-soul-of-our-nation/

The Sergeant Major knew his family was in good hands when he was deployed...

Soldier climbing icy mountain with gear.

Infantrymen must be able to fight on multiple battlefields.

SGT Daw's initial active duty assignment, the Rocky Mountains, provided great training for a young buck sergeant from North Carolina. This Southern Manly Man would exploit the skills and leadership abilities, provided by his experience with the North Carolina National Guard, in such a manner that Army leadership at Fort Carson was alerted.

SGT Daw's platoon leader, company commander and battalion commander quickly recognized this young Eleven Bravo warfighter was special, indeed.

General Manhart, the Post commander, through his chain of command, relayed President Kennedy's instructions to him:

"I want the very best!"

NASA had let the Russians take the lead in space technology, particularly in rocket boosters.

Sputnik was the first artificial Earth satellite; President Kennedy was adamant that the United States would be the first to put a man on the moon.

Toward that end, he knew where to find the best astronaut candidates -

Fort Carson, Colorado, home of the Fourth Infantry Division.

The race was on !

The Sergeant Major knew his family was in good hands when he was deployed...

BG Ashton Herbert Manhart

Astronaut exploring a rocky extraterrestrial landscape with a large planet in the sky.

Wiki:

President John F. Kennedy's push for a manned Moon landing was part of a broader effort to enhance the United States' position in the Space Race, particularly against the Soviet Union.

Kennedy's administration expanded NASA and initiated the Apollo program, which included selecting astronauts from military backgrounds, as they were often seen as ideal candidates for space missions due to their training and discipline.

And Brigadier General Manhart (soon to be Major General...) knew how to identify "the best of the best".

BG Ashton Herbert Manhart

This West Point commissioned officer was a stud, indeed.

Ashton Manhart graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of 1932. He retired with disability in 1967 as a U.S. Army Lieutenant General.

Army DSM...

Awarded as a Lieutentant

General.

And the Nation's third highest award...

Gallantry In Action

Silver Star in World War II

The Sergeant Major was awarded the Silver Star as well...

My father and his ammo bearer were recognized for their incredible actions during Tet.

The onslaught of Chinese, North Vietnamese and Viet

Cong overwhelmed ARVN and US forces in that surprise attack in January 1968.

Indirect mortar fire preceded a direct assault of SGT Daw's FOB.

SGT Daw and his ammo bearer wreaked havoc on the enemy, providing egress for their fellow soldiers.

According to the narrative accompanying the Silver Star, SGT Daw's blazing gun position resulted in more than two hundred of the enemy killed or captured.

7.62 mm rounds at 800 rpm can do that.

The Tet Offensive resulted in nearly four thousand US soldiers killed.

It was, however, a military defeat for the communist forces, as they could not hold the territory they seized.

Tet also provided a most challenging situation for my father...

... his desperate attempt to contact my mother before that black sedan pulled into her driveway as she held down the fort in North Carolina.