BOMBS away at Turning Point

Conditions:  71 degrees; 84% humidity, 66 degree dew point, Winds SSE 4, low UV index

My name is Socrates, this is my story.

Under the waxing gibbous moon, 15 PAX were able to remove themselves from the fart sack and post to get better.  YHC hasn’t Q’ed Turning Point for many, many moons but seized this opportunity, given the importance of the date (more on that later).

The one-minute warning was sounded, no FNGs noted, general F3 disclaimer given, COVID-19 disclaimer given, opening prayer offered, and off into the dark we go.

Of course, YHC must first provide the weary reader with music to enjoy as you read, today’s selection is YHC’s all-time favorite band (saw them in concert 10 times) with one of their all-time best songs, Riff Raff by AC/DC (filmed live on YHC’s 11^th birthday!):

Mosey around the parking lot for a rolling COP:

First stop:

• 6 TTTs
• 4 Burpees
• 7 Merkins
• 19 Imperial Walkers
• 42 SSHs

Mosey a little more and second stop:

• 6 TTTs
• 4 Burpees
• 7 Merkins
• 19 Hillbillys
• 42 LBCs

Mosey down towards the track and partner up for:

THE THANG:

BOMBS:  Partner 1 will run up hill to the school while P2 starts exercise.

The exercises and reps are: 25 – Burpees / 50 – Overhead Claps / 75- Merkins / 100- Big Boy Sit-ups / 150- Squats.

Mosey over to the basketball court for suicides, Partner 1 will run while P2 starts exercise, flap jack until each PAX makes 2 trips.  The exercises were merkins and then squats (5-minute warning was sounded so the squats had only one trip for each PAX).

Jail-break to the SF for COT, BOM, and closing prayer.

Naked Moleskin:  Thanks to the PAX of Turning Point for allowing YHC to visit today, always a great group.  Hope you enjoyed it.

The theme for today’s Q is celebration of the name of the AO.  Midway Elementary School is where these PAX call home, and Midway Island is not much more than a sand bar in the Pacific Island, but that island played a pivotal role in the battle for the Pacific during World War II.  For four days in June 1942, the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States fought for control of the island.  Given its strategic position, the Japanese planned what they thought was a surprise attack on the island.  They were still riding high off the success of the attack of Peral Harbor in December 1941, and America morale was low based on that same event.   The one disappointment of Pearl Harbor would come back to haunt the Japanese during this battle, that being the Japanese did not destroy the United States’ fleet of aircraft carriers as they were all at sea that Sunday morning, December 7, 1941.  Those US aircraft carriers would play an important part in the battle for Midway Island.

Much of the thanks for the victory by the US Navy is due to the code breakers as they intercepted messages detailing the attack as well as the diversionary attack by a smaller Japanese force on the Aleutian Islands, off the coast of Alaska.

During the first day of fighting, the United States was able to sink 3 of the 4 Japanese aircraft carriers.  That success was due to dive bombers from the US aircraft carriers USS Yorktown, USS Hornet, and USS Enterprise (that is why we did BOMBS today which included an uphill run as the battle was an uphill fight for the U.S. forces and the suicides represented that fact that the dive bombers’ missions were considered suicide missions – which proofed to not be the case). The US was outnumbered in men, planes, and ships, but were able to defeat the Japanese on sheer will and determination.

As a result of the U.S. victory in the Battle of Midway, Japan abandoned its plan to expand its reach in the Pacific and would remain on the defensive for the remainder of World War II. The battle injected U.S. forces with confidence and drained Japanese morale, turning the tide of war in the Pacific strongly in favor of the Allies.  The Battle for Midway Island was truly a TURNING POINT in the battle for supremacy in the Pacific and ultimately the second world war.

Here is a nice little summary:

In closing, it is always great to Q at an AO that is not your home, you see different PAX, some you know, some you don’t, you see different AOs, it’s a different experience, yet it’s still F3. It reminds me of why I am a part of F3, the bond. Yeah, you don’t necessarily know these guys that well, but they are there for the same reasons you are, the 3 Fs.  Thanks again, lads!!  See you all again soon.

Praises/Prayer Requests:

• Unspoken prayers

Announcements:

• Q-Sheet for Turning Point and many other AOs needs some love. Show your love here:  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NHzSQPoPhk7V8zTQdJAfef2IgqUdCKORiomgP1NlFgU/edit#gid=1015526287

• F3 (2nd and 3rd Fs) Lunches are a-plenty. Check Twitter and the website for details. In fact, there is a whole lot going on, so check the website and Twitter often for updates. Another good place to look for updates/info is in the announcements of the posted Back Blasts.
• Many, many running groups, a rucking group, and kettle bells groups on non-bootcamp days, so get out and get better.

Devo:  (from Our Daily Bread)

My Father’s Child

Today’s Scripture & Insight:   John 14:8–14

They looked down at the faded photograph, then up at me, then over at my father, then back at me, then back at my father. Their eyes were as wide as the proverbial saucers. “Dad, you look just like Papa when he was young!” My father and I grinned because this was something we’d known for a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that my children came to the same realization. While my father and I are different people, in a very real sense to see me is to see my father as a younger man: tall, lanky frame; full head of dark hair; prominent nose; and rather large ears. No, I am not my father, but I am most definitely my father’s son.

A follower of Jesus named Philip once asked, “Lord, show us the Father” (John 14:8). And while it wasn’t the first time Jesus had indicated as much, His response was still cause for pause: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (v. 9). Unlike the physical resemblances between my father and me, what Jesus says here is revolutionary: “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me?” (v. 10). His very essence and character were the same as His Father’s.

In that moment Jesus was being straightforward with His beloved disciples and us: If you want to know what God is like, look at Me.

By:  John Blase