FRIDAY FOTO (August 25, 2017)

Cascade of Clouds.

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Joseph Abrego)

The cascades mountain range and Mount Baker (we presume) come into view as a Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules aircraft conducts tactical navigation training near Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. The photo was taken on August 18, 2017. The aircraft is assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352.

FRIDAY FOTO (August 18, 2017)

… with wings as eagles.

(U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Daniel Love)

A bald eagle soars by a paratrooper descending from a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter over Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. The soldier is a member of the 25th Infantry Division’s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne). The photo was taken July 27, 2017.

If you’re curious about the quote in the headline above the photo, it comes from the Book of Isiah, 40:31. The King James Version, which is most often quoted version is below.

“But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

(Courtesy of Bible Hub: http://biblehub.com/isaiah/40-31.htm)

One Oscar-nominated film where the Bible verse played a prominent role is  Battleground, a 1949 film that, long before Band of Brothers, told the story of the 101st Airborne Division (the Screaming Eagles), when they were surrounded by the Germans at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge five years earlier.

We couldn’t find the film clip on YouTube where a dejected soldier played by Marshall Thompson quotes the verse — first, mockingly when there is no airdrop of badly needed supplies and ammo — and then joyously when the clouds break and relief comes through.

But here’s another famous scene from that film that seems to address some of the issues America faces today.

FRIDAY FOTO (August 11, 2017)

Blue Lightning.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman J.T. Armstrong)

Lightning strikes behind a B-52H Stratofortress at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota on August 8, 2017. The B-52 can conduct strategic attacks, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations. It can carry up to 70,000 pounds of bombs and has a range of 8,800 miles. If these planes were humans, some of them would qualify for Social Security. Yes, they’re that old.

This big bird is one of 58 B-52s still on active duty with the Air Force. Eighteen more are with the Air Force Reserve.

FRIDAY FOTO (August 4, 2017)

Night of the Drone.

(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Andrew Lee)

By now regular visitors to 4GWAR have seen many photos shot through a night vision device, but this one reminds us of a poster for a horror or science fiction movie.

Here we see Army Specialist Derek Opthof preparing to launch an RQ-11 Raven drone (unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV, is the military term). This photo was shot July 27 during exercise Panther Storm at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The deployment readiness exercise tests the 82nd Airborne Division‘s ability to rapidly deploy its Global Response Force anywhere in the world within a few hours.

About the Raven: Yes, even in this high tech, digital age, some smaller drones have to be launched by hand. Here’s a three-minute video on YouTube that shows how it works in daylight. Click on the RQ-11 Raven link above to learn more at the manufacturer, AeroVironment’s website.