Rolling Thunder Michigan Chapter 4

06/21/2026

06/15/2026

Army Command Sgt. Maj. James D. Blankenbecler, 40, of Alexandria, Va.; assigned to 1st Battalion, 44th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, Fort Hood, Texas; killed while riding in a convoy that was hit by an improvised explosive device and rocket-propelled grenades on Oct. 1, 2003 in Samarra, Iraq while Serving During Operation Iraqi Freedom.

James was born in Arlington, Va., and attended the old Groveton High School in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County. He was interested in sports and played quarterback on the varsity football team.

James joined the Army in 1983 and his career included service in Operation Desert Storm and at Fort Belvoir in the Army Personnel Command.

“After graduation, he didn’t really know what he wanted to do,” said his mother, Joanne Blankenbecler, “and in January 1983, he joined the Army, where he thrived. It was always his dream to be a command sergeant major, and he reached his dream,”

CSM Blankenbecler is survived by his wife, Linne and their three children.

May we never forget the Service and the Sacrifice of Army Command Sgt. Maj. James D. Blankenbecler.








ProjectRollCall.org

06/12/2026

After 84 years, a World War II soldier is finally coming home. Cpl. George Francis Sepsey was just 24 years old when he was killed during the war.

See the story at the link in the comments.

06/03/2026

The Midway class aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42) at sea during or shortly after her shakedown cruise on 14 April 1946.

The carrier's initial airgroup during the shakedown cruise consisted of 135 aircraft, made up of F6F Hellcats, F4U Corsairs, and SB2C Helldivers.