Thursday, October 4, 2012

A Book on Martha Raye

Have you read the Book on Martha Raye?















Most of you are
 too young to know her.
She was amazing.
If you like reading
you can contact Fortin.
Nfortin@aol.com
It took Noonie Fortin 7 years
of collecting letters from VETS
etc to finish this book.



Martha Raye's Parents were Irish Catholic's and had a Vaudeville act.
She was almost born in a trunk.
I remember THE MARTHA RAY SHOW
She has TWO stars on the hollywood walk of fame.
Ray recieved the MEDAL of FREEDOM in 1993.
She died 1994 of pneumonia and Alzheimers. ( just like my Mom)

Most of the old time entertainers were made out of a lot sterner
stuff than today's crop of activists and whiners
I needed to share this::::
I met her in the 60's She was such a charming woman.
Sooo FUNNY.
.
The following is from an Army Aviator who takes a trip
down memory lane:
It was just before Thanksgiving '67 and we were ferrying
dead and wounded from a large GRF west of Pleiku.
We had run out of body bags by noon, so the Hook
(CH-47 CHINOOK) was pretty rough in the back.
 All of a sudden, we heard a 'take-charge' woman's voice in the rear.
There was the singer and actress, Martha Raye,
with a SF (Special Forces) beret and jungle fatigues,
with subdued markings, helping the wounded into the Chinook,
and carrying the dead aboard.
'Maggie' had been visiting her SF 'heroes' out 'west'.
We took off, short of fuel, and headed to the USAF hospital pad at Pleiku.
As we all started unloading our sad pax's,
a 'Smart Ass' USAF Captain said to Martha....
Ms Ray, with all these dead and wounded to process,
 there would not be time for your show!
To all of our surprise, she pulled on her right collar and said....

Captain, see this eagle? I am a full 'Bird' in the US Army Reserve,

and on this is a 'Caduceus' which means I am a Nurse,

with a surgical specialty....now, take me to your wounded.

He said, 'yes ma'am.... Follow me.'

Several times at the Army Field Hospital in Pleiku,

she would 'cover' a surgical shift, giving a nurse a well-deserved break.

Everyone involved appreciated her as an outstanding trouper and a caring person. During the Vietnam War, she was made an honorary Green Beret because she visited United States Army Special Forces in Vietnam without fanfare, and she helped out when things got bad in Special Forces A-Camps. As a result, she came to be known affectionately by the Green Berets as "Colonel Maggie.
















Martha is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at Ft Bragg.
Hand Salute! A great lady.. I did not know this about Martha Ray....
thought you might like to read it.


















Posted by Yvonne @ La Petite
Gallery Comments are welcome

Masquerade #88

Masquerade #88

Winter Deers in Maine # 89

Winter Deers in Maine # 89

Nun in St. Augustine #90

Nun in St. Augustine #90

Abe # 91

Abe # 91

Teddy Roosevelt # 92

Teddy Roosevelt # 92
unfinished still working

FDR # 93

FDR  # 93
Franklyn D. Roosevelt

Duke Himself # 94

Duke Himself  # 94

Yorkie # 95

Yorkie # 95
Silky

Poodle dog # 96

Poodle dog # 96
Precious TO CHARLOTTE

Boxer #97

Boxer  #97
Max

Boston Terrior #98

Boston Terrior #98

what's Cooking? # 99

what's Cooking?    # 99
boxer

Cocker # 100

Cocker # 100

Mr. Hobo # 101

Mr. Hobo # 101

Mr. Pug # 102

Mr. Pug # 102

Where are You? # 103

Where are You? # 103

West Point # 105

West Point  # 105

General Eisenhower #106

General Eisenhower #106

Rockland Strand #104

Rockland Strand #104

General Geo. Patton # 107

General Geo. Patton # 107
WW 11

Gen.l Douglas Mac Arthur# 108

Gen.l Douglas Mac Arthur# 108

Abe #149

Abe  #149
Took it's toll

Russian Samovar # 150

Russian Samovar # 150
Russian Samovar # 150

sheep heading home #151

sheep heading home #151
sold to Dan and Liz Finberg

Liberty Belle Farm #152

Liberty Belle Farm #152
my old farm for sale

My Thor #153

My Thor #153
Thor at Christmas

Winston # 154

Winston   # 154
Bull dog blue ribbon

Penobscot Indians camp # 155

Penobscot Indians camp # 155
Penobscot camp Maine

After the ball # 156

After the ball # 156
oil in board framed for sale

Belted Galloway # 157

Belted Galloway    # 157

autumn in Maine # 158

autumn in Maine # 158
Autumn in Maine

October # 159

October  # 159
Spruce head , in october

Maple Syrup #160 sold

Maple Syrup  #160 sold
Party in Maine- sold

Ravens sold #161

Ravens   sold  #161
Ravens are here

Some headache # 162

Some headache # 162
Why Me? Sold June 2016

Cassa Blanca's sold #163

Cassa Blanca's sold #163
cassa blanca's sold Schupack

Albatross # 164

Albatross # 164
Albatross

Southern Magnolia # 165

Harrington Cove # 166

Harrington Cove #  166
Harrington Cove

The Endeavor # 167 #167

The Endeavor # 167                           #167
The Endeavor On harrington cove

Russian Cossacks #168

Russian Cossacks  #168
Cossacks Three

Fishing boats # 169

Fishing boats # 169
2nd Prize Winner - Lobster Festival Art Show - Rockland Maine - Summer 2008

Three Guy's in a Dory # 170

Three Guy's in a Dory # 170
Three guys in a Dory

The Babe # 171

The Babe # 171
Babe 16x20