9/8/2026

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

1951 Pope Pius XII published the encyclical Sempiternus Rex

1974  Gerald Ford pardoned former President Richard Nixon of all federal crimes

2015 Pope Francis announced moves to streamline the annulment process within the Church

2022 Queen Elizabeth II died after ruling for 70 years, as the UK's longest-serving monarch. 

2022 FBI declassified 270 pages of their surveillance files of American singer Aretha Franklin

2023: A 6.8 magnitude earthquake hit central Morocco, its epicenter near Marrakesh, killing around 3,000 people and causing catastrophic damage affecting over 6 million people

2025 The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit rejected Donald Trump's bid on the grounds of presidential immunity to overturn the civil ruling of Carroll I (2019), upholding that Trump must pay $83,300,000 to sexual abuse victim E. Jean Carroll for defamation

2025 The House Oversight Committee released a "birthday book" compiled for Jeffrey Epstein in 2003, which includes a note allegedly by President Donald Trump; the White House denies its authenticity. 

In bed at 9:15, up at 4:35; 0455 202.0 116/73/65 128;64/77/62, cloudy all day, rain tonight.

Morning meds at 7:15 a.m.  Entresto at 5:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. PainQuil at 7:35 for persistent, severe pain in lower back, right side.

I was out of commission all morning until the combo of the PainQuil, a 5% Lidocaine patch, and a heating pad provided relief approaching noon.

Every Effort.  I finished the book around 2 this afternoon.  I teared up again reading the concluding pages, which included more references to Bill singing Danny Boy, and which reminded me of the terrible futility of our war in Vietnam, or, as I've taken to calling it, our war against Vietnam, or the Vietnamese.  Two excerpts:

. . . I called the Marine Corps in Washington to ask if Bill was eligible for a plot at Arlington Cemetery.  A month later the Marine Corps sent me a photograph of a plain white marker upon which was engraved:

IN MEMORY OF

WILLIAM FRANCIS MULLEN

LT. COL.

                                                                                                        U. S. MARINE CORPS

                                                                                                      VIETNAM

                                                                                                   1935-1976

The picture of the marker reminded me with a twinge of Irish fatalism that Bill always asked me to listen to the beautiful second verse of Danny Boy. "But if you fall, as the flowers are dying, and you are dead as dead you well may be, I'll come find the place where you are lying and kneel and say an AVe there for thee."

and, relating a talk given by his younger son, Terry, at a VFW post:

"I want to say something personal now.  I was only two and a half years old when my father left for Vietnam.  I never really knew my father.  But I do know some things about him.  He is tall, his hair s dark and curly, and his eyes are blue.  He was a fine pilot.  He laughed a lot and had lots of friends.  He was a good baseball pitcher, and he played the piano. He loved to sing; his favorite song was Danny Boy.  I know a lot more things about my father, but I never knew my father."

"If my father is dead, I want him brought back and buried at Arlington with the rest of the dead heroes.  Because no matter what anyone thinks of the futile and tragic war in Vietnam, the men who fought there were heroes."

 "If my father is alive after all these years, he must think we've forgotten him.  I want him to know that we haven't.  There is still time to bring him home.  If others are alive, we must bring them all home."

"My wish is simple.  If my father is alive, I want to know him, not things about him.  If he is dead, I want to be able to put a flower on his grave." 

That was Terry speaking in 1985, 31 years ago.  Below is a text I sent to the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight coordinator in Wisconsin: 

 Hi, Karyn, this is Charles Clausen, one of the Vietnam vets scheduled on the October 10 Honor Flight.  I understand that one of the usual stops on the flights is at the Arlington National Cemetery.  I have two friends buried there, or more accurately, one buried there and the other, whose remains have never been recovered, memorialized there.  

The former is J. Forrest Trembley, with whom I served in the Navy ROTC at Marquette University.  He was commissioned in the Navy, flew as a crew member on an A-6 Intruder, was shot down over the North Vietnam-China border in 1967.  His remains were identified in China in 2004 and he was buried at Arlington in 2005.  His grave is in Section 66, #2809-1.  

The latter is Lt. Col. William Francis Mullen, with whom I served in Da Nang, RVN.  He was shot down in his A4E over Laos and was believed to be captured but he was never returned nor were any remains ever identified.  There is a memorial marker for him in Section 60, Grave 2809-1.  Also buried there is his widow, Barbara Mullen Keenan, who wrote a long book about her experiences trying to get him back, with the title Every Effort, which I read.  Barbara died July 14, 2017 and was buried there September 1, 2017; the cemetery database gives Bill the same section, grave number and date.  I would especially like to visit their grave site, if possible.  I understand that their site in Section 60 is not far from the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Section 66 is quite a bit further away.  Would it be possible for me to make a short visit to the Mullen grave site?     I’m not able to walk for any long distance, nor to stand for any length of time, so I’m also wondering in any event about the availability of a wheelchair during the time in Washington.  My son Andy will be my escort on that day and available to push me whenever necessary.   Lastly, I’m wondering about the wisdom of my committing to such a very long day traveling or being in D.C., with my 85 year old plumbing, I.e., about the availability of bathroom facilities throughout the day.  Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.  You can call or text me at (414) 801-1905. 

As I finished Barbara's book, I thought, "This is the saddest book I've ever read."  

The photo above appears on the dust jacket of Every Effort.  It was taken 10 minutes before Bill/Moon, then stationed at MCAS El Toro, left for Vietnam in 1965, with Barbara at his side, and Sean, age 4, and Terrence, age 2 and 1/2, in front.   The ones below are of the Tactical Air Control Center where I worked as a Senior Air Director, keeping track of all airborne Marine fixed-wing aircraft, and me on a bunker outside our tent during an off hour.  

The Officers Club, in one of the old French buildings, where 'Moon' Mullen quieted the house with 

Danny Boy.

Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling

From glen to glen, and down the mountain side

The summer's gone, and all the flowers are dying

'tis you, 'tis you must go and I must bide.

 

But come you back when summer's in the meadow

Or when the valley's hushed and white with snow

'tis I'll be there in sunshine or in shadow

Oh Danny boy, oh Danny boy, I love you so.

 

And if you come, when all the flowers are dying

And I am dead, as dead I well may be

You'll come and find the place where I am lying 

And kneel and say an "Ave" there for me.

 

And I shall hear, tho' soft you tread above me

And all my dreams will warm and sweeter be

If you'll not fail to tell me that you love me

I simply sleep in peace until you come to me.