In memory of the men who died serving on the USS Newberry APA-158

My father, Allen Louis Ball, served on the USS Newberry APA-158 as a Class 3 Fire Control Officer from  date of commission, October 6, 1944 until the end of the war in 1945. His ship was involved in transporting troops and supplies to various locations, one of which was Iwo Jima during "Operation Detachment". One of the most famous images in history is the raising of the flag at Iwo Jima taken by Joe Rosenthal.

The US sent more Marines to Iwo Jima than to any other battle, 110,000 Marines in 880 ships. The convoy of 880 US ships sailed from Hawaii to Iwo in 40 days. During this invasion effort, several of my dad's shipmates lost their lives while landing marines on the island.
Today, I would like to remember them and the service they provided in the effort to preserve freedom in the world.
My dad never spoke to me about his service while in the Navy, and I had no idea that he participated in such an important battle. The entire time he was in Iwo Jima, he and his crew were in danger of being attacked by Japanese forces. One of his shipmates, Jack Runninger, kept a diary. I found excerpts that were published on the Internet, which portray what he and my dad experienced during their time on the USS Newberry (click a page to view it larger).

 

Mother's Day Bloom

I've wanted to take a photo of a Saquaro blossom since I moved to AZ in 2000, but they are always up on the tippy-top of the cactus, that is until I visited Williams-Gateway yesterday to check out the military aircraft. This particular Saquaro had blooms poking out all over, with several at or slightly above eye-level. Of course, all I had with me was my cell phone, but I am amazed at the quality of this photo. Lucky shot for sure.

In Loving Memory of Carol Lynn Ball

My beloved sister, this is how I will always remember you. 

Young and vibrant and so full of life. I'll miss you.

Cereus Peruvianus Monstrose (a.k.a. Funky Peruvian Cactus)

Well, just in time for Mother's Day, my three-year old Peruvian Cactus has decided to present me with the perfect gift -- flowers! They are absolutely huge -- about the size of a salad plate in diameter, with the most delicate pinkish-white color. The cactus plant is about 7 feet tall, so I had to perch up on top of my ladder to get pictures, so I wasn't able to use my tripod, but I'm happy with them. There are four to five more buds that should flower within a day or two, so I'm hoping to get more shots, but here are a few I took of the initial bloom. As always, you can click any of the pictures to see the full-size image. Enjoy!