Veterans Administration Mortgage

Rest in peace, Colonel Edward Shames.

Edward Shames, Last 'Band of Brothers' Officer, Dies at 99 Easy Company was the subject of Stephen Ambrose’s 1992 book, “Band of Brothers,” upon which the HBO miniseries was based.

Rest in peace, Robert Joseph Dole (July 22, 1923 – December 5, 2021). The first link gives you an idea of how tough a soldier and man he was. The second summarizes his entire life and career.
https://www.military.com/history/army-capt-bob-dole.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45667690

Veteran Republican leader Bob Dole dies Long-serving senator, who recovered from terrible injuries to run for president, dies at 98

Renovations and updates don't always pay for themselves. Selling soon, contact us for more advice.

Six renovations that don’t add value to your home Some renos make financial sense while offers little opportunity to recover the costs when it's time to sell

MG Rogers, cool under fire. I am so glad to have come across your story.

When the Fire Base was about to be over run by NVA, he met them with a Bayonet & an Assault Rifle!
When asked to conjure in one’s imagination the image of a fearless soldier, fighting with fervent ferocity in hand-to-hand combat and battling relentlessly against wave after wave of attacks despite suffering multiple wounds, one would not usually associate the image of such a warrior with the stereotype of a college mathematics major or an aspiring priest.
Yet in the heat of a close quarters battle, in the thick of a furious firefight in which life and death hang by the most fragile and tenuous of threads, stereotypes often fall to pieces, and indeed can be blown completely apart.
The math major and aspiring priest in question was Major General (then Lieutenant Colonel) Charles Calvin Rogers, and the battle in which he earned a Medal of Honor for his tremendous valor, fortitude, and courage occurred in the Vietnam War, on November 1, 1968.
Rogers had joined the United States Army in 1952. By the time of his tour of duty in Vietnam, he was serving as the commanding officer of 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division.
In 1968 he was thirty-nine years old, and while he had served in the army for some years, front line combat was not something he had seen very much of, at least not up until the fateful evening of October 31.
That, however, was something that would change very drastically when the clock ticked past midnight that night.
Stationed at Fire Base Rita, a forward fire base in the jungle near the Cambodian border, Charles Rogers’ main duty was to provide artillery support to infantry.
Little did he know that he and the artillery troops under his command would end up involved in as ferocious and savage a bout of fighting as any jungle patrol was likely to see.
Shortly after midnight, the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) launched an all-out assault on Fire Base Rita, determined to overrun it and take control of the artillery weapons stationed there.
If this objective proved unattainable, then their secondary goal was chillingly simple: obliterate the fire base entirely, along with all American troops there.
In the dead of night, Fire Base Rita was subjected to a sudden and vicious bombardment of mortars, rockets and RPGs, launched from the surrounding jungle.
As if the mortar and rocket assault wasn’t terrifying enough, the surreal red glow of hundreds of flares revealed an even more horrifying spectacle: a full frontal infantry assault was being launched.
Hundreds of battle-hardened North Vietnamese troops poured out of the jungle in waves in a near-suicidal frenzy, utterly determined to overrun the base, whatever the cost.
Lieutenant-Colonel Rogers, however, displayed unflappable calm in the face of this madness, and set about directing and positioning his howitzer batteries to counter the ground assault with anti-personnel fire and return mortar fire at the NVA positions.
Despite his best efforts, however, NVA combat engineers made it to a section of the American barricade, and managed to blow open that section of the outer defenses with explosives. Now that the perimeter had been breached, there was an imminent danger that the fire base would indeed be completely overrun.
Rogers, however, was determined to prevent this from happening. Picking up his helmet and his M-16, he charged straight across to the front line position, rallying the troops who had been dazed by the force of the explosions and personally redirecting howitzer fire to the appropriate positions.
An enemy mortar round exploded near him, knocking him off his feet and wounding him with shrapnel, but he got up immediately and led a charge against the NVA troops pouring into the base.
Despite being wounded, Rogers got into the thick of the fighting, personally killing a number of the enemy and helping drive the others out of the base.
Once this first wave of attackers had been repelled, he and his men set about patching the breached defenses. Owing to the urgent nature of this task, Rogers refused medical assistance for his wounds–keeping his men alive and keeping the base in American hands was his only concern.
Sure enough, as expected, the NVA launched another furious assault on the base. Again Rogers led from the front, engaging in ferocious close range firefights with the enemy while moving along the line and providing encouragement to his beleaguered troops. Again, against all odds, he and his men were able to repel the assault.
The NVA were still not ready to admit defeat, however. They launched a third assault at dawn.
Yet again Fire Base Rita was subjected to a hail of mortar, rocket and RPG fire, and as before, this was accompanied by a wave of infantry pouring out of the jungle. Again, under heavy fire, Rogers directed his howitzer counter-fire with collected precision.
Even when a Vietnamese heavy mortar round burst on his gun parapet, riddling his body with shrapnel and rendering him unable to continue fighting, he kept on yelling out support and encouragement to his troops, who ultimately managed to hold the line.
Thanks to Rogers’ courageous leadership and refusal to yield even in the face of near-certain destruction, Fire Base Rita remained in American hands.
In 1970, Rogers was awarded the Medal of Honor for his valor during this battle. Having this highest honor bestowed on him was undoubtedly one of the highlights of a long and proud military career–a path he had been inspired to take by his father, who had served in the First World War.
In addition to relentlessly battling whatever enemies he encountered on the battlefield, Rogers also fought tirelessly for other noble causes.
Despite initially facing discrimination, which Rogers described as “overt,” from both his fellow soldiers and commanding officers, he kept his chin up and served with pride, retaining his unflagging determination to be the best he could be.
In the process, Charles Calvin Rogers proved the critics – those who were opposed to desegregation of the military, claiming it would decrease fighting effectiveness – wrong.
Not only did Rogers lead by proud example, but as his career advanced and he gained more clout in the Armed Forces, he also made it a personal priority to ensure there were equal opportunities in career development and promotions for both minorities and women in the US Army.
Rogers retired from the Army in 1984, after having attained the rank of Major General. During his career he was decorated with the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star (with three oak leaf clusters), the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit, and the Medal of Honor, among other medals.
He thus became the highest ranking African-American officer to receive the Medal of Honor.
Upon retirement, he was finally able to fulfill an entirely different but nonetheless long-standing dream: he was ordained as a Baptist minister, and ministered to American troops stationed in Germany until his death in 1990.
The Giant Killer book & page honors these incredible war heroes making sure their stories of valor and sacrifice are never forgotten. God Bless our Vets!🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Story by Jay Hemming

Hmmm... I had no idea.

During World War 2, U.S. Army Air Forces Staff Sergeant Maynard "Snuffy" Smith was so undisciplined as a soldier that he was late for his own Medal of Honor ceremony.....

Smith was known to be cantankerous, attitudinal, and did not take well to military discipline, so he was in trouble a lot.

But then during a bombing raid over France in 1943, Smith's B-17 (on which he served as ball-turret gunner, so, maybe part of the reason for his attitude, or vice-versa) took several direct hits that ruptured the fuel tanks and cause a massive fireball that blew out pieces of the fuselage. Two crewmen were seriously wounded, and three bailed out of the crippled aircraft (they were never found).

While the pilot struggled to keep the plane in the air, Smith was everywhere at once: he tended the badly wounded men WHILE fighting off enemy fighters with the waist-guns WHILE trying to put out the fire.

And when all the fire extinguishers on board were empty, Smith finally got the fire under control by "relieving" himself on it.

When the battered B-17 finally touched down on the runway in England, it broke completely in half. The plane had been shot to bits, but it brought its crew home.

A few months later, U.S. Secretary of War Henry Stimson showed up at the base to present Smith the Medal of Honor. The unit was assembled, the band was ready, and everyone was in place, but no one seemed to know where Smith was.

They finally found him at the kitchen scraping breakfast leftovers off the food trays into the garbage - he had been put on KP Duty for yet another infraction of military discipline: he'd missed a mandatory briefing.

DIY Landscapers: Don't Make These 6 Mistakes When Using Mulch in Your Yard Did you know there's a right way to mulch? It can be beneficial to your plants and trees and add beauty to your yard—but not if you're making these errors.

....and we know the lenders who can help you. Please call or message us.

When 2+2=5: How mortgage calculators are misleading Online mortgage calculators are free and easy to use, yet many fall short of giving all the information you need to estimate a house payment.

Minimize Water Damage with Smart Home Technology | HomeTips Expert guide to smart home technologies that can detect water leaks and alert you before significant damage occurs. Includes water sensors, smart valves, freeze detectors, and more.

This may restart the cycle of lending to under-qualified and unqualified buyers.... Not the best news, if the standards continue to drop.

Mortgage Market Reopens to Risky Borrowers The risky mortgage is making a comeback. More than a decade after home loans triggered the worst financial crisis in a generation, the strict lending requirements put in place during

A fixer-upper or regular property can be a great investment, especially as a rental (long term or short term), but know your abilities. One key to profitability is finishing the repairs/upgrades quickly so the property can generate income. If you need a recommendation for General Contractors, Realtors, or Mortgage Lenders -- we can help. Message us or call 719.641.3327.

Everything You Need to Know to Renovate a House Our essential guide to renovating.

Really, we're dealing with low rates. Despite prices, it's a good time to buy if it makes sense for you. Let us know how we can help.

Some of y'all have never experienced double digit interest rates and it really shows.

We can also find the right experts to help you buy or sell a home.

7 Quick and Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home on a Budget Revamp Your Decor Without Spending a Lot of Money With These 7 Quick and Easy Ways to Refresh Your Home on a Budget.

Just Listed: Listing Report | Mark Ahnen Looking for Just Listed? Kick-start your search with our real estate guide and home search. With interactive maps and charts, we provide a comprehensive overview of market trends, schools, demographics, and lifestyle data to help you learn all about Just Listed real estate.

I passed on inspection when buying an investment home in a competitive market -- twice. I weighed my risks -- and was lucky.

Council Post: 10 Tips To Prepare For Your Property Inspection Property inspections can be quite nerve-wracking, especially for inexperienced sellers. If you follow these tips, you can get through the entire process with ease.

I love living in Colorado Springs. I'd also love to help you find a home so you can live here, too!

We are excited to have Good Morning America feature the new Pikes Peak Summit Visitor Center tomorrow morning(July 2)! If you plan to visit the summit of Pikes Peak this summer, there are some things you “know before you go.” We have them listed for you at https://coloradosprings.gov/pikes-peak-americas-mountain/article/news/new-pikes-peak-summit-visitor

17 Designer Details To Use In Your Kitchen A kitchen designer points out the surprising details that can make a difference

First-Time Home Buyer Nightmare: Why It's Taking Longer to Find the Perfect Home Snagging the right home for the right price is a challenging task at the best of times. And it's even worse for first-time buyers.

Moving? Get your free List of VA-Eligible Homes for your (Next) Base? https://www.veteransadministrationmortgage.com/search-for-homes.html

United States Military Bases - Home Search l Purchase and Refinance Loan Search for homes on or near United States Military Bases. Discover the benefits for Veterans in purchasing a home.

Everything You Need to Know About Shopping for Light Bulbs Watts the difference?

Happy Birthday to the US Army!

Investment Real Estate Investment real estate is property owned to generate income or is otherwise used for investment purposes instead of as a primary residence.

Yep, working with a realtor will cost a little money -- but without a realtor, the costs will usually be much higher.

Why Selling Your House on Your Own in 2021 Is a Mistake | Keeping Current Matters There are many benefits to working with a real estate professional when selling your house.

In 1951, 20-year-old Army Private 1st Class Leonard Kravitz gave his life so his fellow soldiers wouldn't be overwhelmed on a Korean hillside. Initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, but a childhood friend kept fighting for Kravitz. https://www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/Story/Article/2530886/medal-of-honor-monday-army-pfc-leonard-kravitz/

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Pfc. Leonard Kravitz Army Private 1st Class Leonard Kravitz gave his life to save his fellow soldiers on a hillside in Korea. Thanks to decades of work by a childhood friend, Kravitz was finally awarded the Medal of Honor

Reversal of Fortune: The Mortgage Mistake That Could Cost One Woman Her Longtime Home Despite decades of experience in real estate, Sharon Voss expects to lose her home at an auction this month. The reason: a reverse mortgage.

(Notice: course humor - not for everyone) This USAF guy retired years ago, but my two years with the US Army at Yongsan Garrison in Seoul South Korea are unforgettable for so many reasons. https://www.militarytimes.com/off-duty/military-culture/2021/03/12/the-etymology-of-fck-and-the-war-that-popularized-it/?fbclid=IwAR2xx6Ta_2Cdmh5TlsOSdg4_rQdkgZsJ8t5DSZDAEczfEgXT350lo8vZZWg

The etymology of ‘f*ck’ and the war that popularized it “If I hear another f*cking G.I. say ‘f*cking’ once more, I’ll cut my f*cking throat.”

We have very few of the Greatest Generation left. Honor them and learn from them. God bless you, Mr. Weidenbach.

(MAR 12, 2021) FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS – It is with a heavy heart, we learn the news that Normandy WWII veteran Mr. Eugene Raymond Weidenbach, of Scotland, South Dakota, passed away peacefully at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Memorial Hospital in Sioux Falls, surrounded by his wife and children. He was 100.

Living a long, full life, Eugene was born on December 17, 1920, to Herbert and Lea (Auch) Weidenbach in a small farmhouse in Odessa Township in Yankton County. He was baptized January 30, 1921, at the Odessa Reform Church in Yankton County and confirmed July 6, 1935, at Bethany Reformed Church. Eugene attended Odessa School District 24 through the 8th grade and then served in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from the fall of 1937 through the spring of 1938.

In September 1942, Eugene was drafted into the U.S. Army at the age of 21 and served as a tank mechanic in the 533rd Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company. “The army had many vehicles,” he said. “They needed mechanics, and they decided I should be a mechanic, so they sent me to school at Bloomington, Illinois.” He would also go to Flint, Michigan, for further mechanical training and complete basic training before being sent to England in February 1944. “It took us ten days to cross the Atlantic, and we had a convoy of 600 ships all going to England,” he said. It would only be a matter of months before Weidenbach would be making his way across the English Channel onto the shores of continental Europe.

Weidenbach was on duty as D-Day began to unfold. “I was on guard that night when the 101st and 82nd Airborne flew in on June 5 at 11 that night,” he said. He was also one of 10 soldiers from his company put on detached service from ordinance to an engineering company to build two bridges over the Rhine River, and he maintained a tank that had a searchlight on it to keep watch for German sabotage attempts. Weidenbach said that a newspaper could be read with ease by the light of their searchlight a mile away.

Eugene Weidenbach served 22 months overseas in Europe––receiving the French Jubilee of Liberty Medal for his service in the Battle of Normandy, American Theater Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Theater Service Medal, and Good Conduct Medal 44. He was discharged and returned home on December 12, 1945.

After the war, Eugene met the beautiful Lorene (Behl) and was married on September 8, 1946, at the Methodist Church in Scotland, South Dakota. Eugene proudly owned the original farmland that was homesteaded by his great-grandfather in 1873, and Eugene and Lorene spent many of their years on the farm.

“Every Day is Memorial Day”
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
Web: www.TGGF.org

About time!

'We're Coming Your Way:' Lawmaker Puts Military Housing Company on Notice After Hearing No-Show Clark Realty Capital did not respond to a request to comment when asked why its representatives didn't testify.

A real hero, he changed his life for the better after he was severely wounded. What a positive attitude!

🇺🇲A Salute to Osea Galletta and the 87th Infantry Division During the Battle of the Bulge

Sergeant Osea Galletta was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge in early January of 1945. He was in the 87th Infantry Division ( "Golden Acorn" Division) and was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. This event totally changed his life - the doctor who took care of him really tried to keep his morale up. Dad had a bad chest wound and was in hospital for many months. The Doctor would bring Dad all kinds of books to read. When he realized Dad had a knack for math, he started bringing him math texts and encouraged him to finish High School upon his return to the States and to pursue a college degree under the GI bill.

Dad and his brother and 3 sisters were orphans and were raised in Cresson, PA in an orphanage. Dad always loved school, but had to quit and get a job when he was 17.

Dad took the Doctor's words to heart and upon his return he finished high school in South Philadelphia, PA and then went on to get a degree in Engineering at Bucknell.

Sergeant Galletta worked as an electrical engineer with General Electric Corporation, retiring in 1984. Osea passed away on December 18, 2012. He was 89 years old.

The 87th Infantry Division was placed in SHAEF reserve on 24-28 December. They then joined the Battle of the Bulge effort on December 29th. In a fluctuating battle, the division captured Moircy on the 30th and Remagne on the 31st. On 2 January 1945, it took Germont, on the 10th Tillet, and reached the Ourthe by the 13th. On 15 January 1945, the Division moved to Luxembourg to relieve the 4th Division along the Sauer and seized Wasserbillig on the 23d. The 87th moved to the vicinity of St. Vith, 28 January, and attacked and captured Schlierbach, Selz, and Hogden by the end of the month.



Original description and photo submitted by Donna L. Mansi in memory of her father.