tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-325785272024-03-07T04:10:28.164-05:00Their Finest Hour"[I]f we fail, then the whole world,…all that we have known and cared for…will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that…men will still say, 'This was their finest hour.'”Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.comBlogger1149125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-11071873502941001262014-09-12T06:05:00.000-04:002014-09-12T06:05:00.165-04:00Second Lieutenant Almond L. Fisher, USA (September 12-13, 1944)<a href="http://theirfinesthour.net/2014/09/almondefisher/">Second Lieutenant Almond L. Fisher was decorated with the Medal of Honor for his actions in combat, September 12-13, 1944. Read the whole story over at the new <i>Their Finest Hour.</i></a>Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-60784762070316885132014-03-20T23:00:00.000-04:002014-03-20T23:08:42.143-04:00WE'VE MOVED!!!! Come over and join us at the new site!!!!<span style="color: #f1c232; font-size: large;"><b><i>Their Finest Hour</i> can now be found over at a brand-new site and URL. All the content from the original TFH page has been migrated, but this page will be retained indefinitely, but will no longer be updated.</b></span><br />
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Thanks to everyone who's ever visited <i>Their Finest Hour</i> and enjoyed the content I've provided. I'm looking forward to bigger and better things over at the new site, adding some contributors (stay tuned!) and providing a whole lot more for readers (and listeners) to enjoy!<br />
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When I started this blog in 2006, I don't think I ever really expected anyone to read it, much less that it would lead to me visiting the White House as a reporter and becoming a new media broadcast personality! Thanks all, and we'll see you at the new site!Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-71337401593696086262014-03-04T09:30:00.000-05:002014-03-04T09:30:00.803-05:00TFH 3/4: Sergeant Troy A. McGill, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_A._McGill" target="_blank">Troy A. McGill</a> was born on July 15, 1917 in Knoxville, Tennessee. He later lived in Oklahoma, and it was from that state that <a href="http://www.fold3.com/page/84724069_troy_a%20mcgill/details/" target="_blank">he enlisted</a> in the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> on November 6, 1940 at age 23. He was put into the Army's cavalry branch, and became a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5th_Cavalry_Regiment_(United_States)" target="_blank">5th Cavalry Regiment</a>, 1st Cavalry Division.<br />
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As militaries became more mechanized after the Nazi blitzkrieg swept over and occupied Europe, horse cavalry was deemphasized and the 1st Cavalry Division was reformed as a light infantry unit. They were trained and equipped for jungle warfare, and in that role, were dispatched for combat in the Pacific in the summer of 1943.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The 1st Cavalry Division's first action would be during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_Islands_campaign" target="_blank">Admiralty Islands Campaign</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Admiralty_Islands_campaign#Battle_of_Los_Negros" target="_blank">Battle of Los Negros</a>. The 5th Cavalry landed on the island on February 29, 1944 against strong Japanese opposition. The Americans secured the island's airfield, their primary objective, and then defended themselves in the face of withering counterattacks by the numerically superior enemy.<br />
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One such fanatical counterattack by the enemy saw then Sergeant Troy McGill's 9-man squad swarmed by 200 enemy. After all his soldiers had been killed or wounded, McGill ordered the last uninjured man to evacuate to a safer position while he continued the fight alone. When the battle lifted the next morning Sergeant McGill was dead, but his lone, courageous stand claimed over one-hundred of the enemy. Six months later, he was posthumously awarded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#McGlLL" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=3056" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>*McGlLL, TROY A.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop G, 5th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Place and date: Los Negros Islands, Admiralty Group, 4 March 1944. Entered service at: Ada, Okla. G.O. No.: 74, 11 September 1944</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy at Los Negros Island, Admiralty Group, on 4 March 1944. In the early morning hours Sgt. McGill, with a squad of 8 men, occupied a revetment which bore the brunt of a furious attack by approximately 200 drinkcrazed enemy troops. Although covered by crossfire from machineguns on the right and left flank he could receive no support from the remainder of our troops stationed at his rear. All members of the squad were killed or wounded except Sgt. McGill and another man, whom he ordered to return to the next revetment. Courageously resolved to hold his position at all cost, he fired his weapon until it ceased to function. Then, with the enemy only 5 yards away, he charged from his foxhole in the face of certain death and clubbed the enemy with his rifle in hand-to-hand combat until he was killed. At dawn 105 enemy dead were found around his position. Sgt. McGill's intrepid stand was an inspiration to his comrades and a decisive factor in the defeat of a fanatical enemy.</i><br />
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McGill's remains were repatriated to the United States. He <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7874941" target="_blank">rests in peace</a> in his native Tennessee at the <a href="http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/knoxville.asp" target="_blank">Knoxville National Cemetery</a>.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.hood.army.mil/1stcavdiv/" target="_blank">1st Cavalry Division</a> is still an integral combat component of the modern Army. Their home station is <a href="http://www.hood.army.mil/" target="_blank">Fort Hood, Texas</a>. The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 5th Cavalry are combined arms (armor and mechanized infantry) units within the division's brigade combat teams.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-59543490704406394752014-02-22T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-22T06:00:07.431-05:00TFH 2/22: First Lieutenant Jack C. Montgomery, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_C._Montgomery" target="_blank">Jack Cleveland Montgomery</a> was born in Long, Oklahoma on July 23, 1917. He was a Cherokee Indian, and <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/17/us/jack-montgomery-84-gino-merli-78-two-medal-honor-winners-are-dead-charged-three.html" target="_blank">he enlisted</a> in the <a href="http://www.ok.ngb.army.mil/" target="_blank">Oklahoma National Guard</a> in 1937. He was an infantryman in Company I, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/180th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)#World_War_II" target="_blank">180th Infantry Regiment</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">45th Infantry Division</a>. He went to war with the same unit after the 45th Division was federalized for wartime service with the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a>, and also received an officer's commission.<br />
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On February 22, 1944 at Padiglione, Italy in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle" target="_blank">Anzio Beachhead</a>, then First Lieutenant Montgomery was commanding several rifle platoons in a defensive position when a superior Nazi force approached and prepared to attack.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Montgomery single-handedly attacked the Germans and completely disrupted their planned attack with his incredible courage. He was a one-man army on that morning, and so justly was later decorated with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#MONTGOMERY" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=1419" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>MONTGOMERY, JACK C.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 45th Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Near, Padiglione, Italy, 22 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Sallisaw, Okla.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 22 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. Two hours before daybreak a strong force of enemy infantry established themselves in 3 echelons at 50 yards, 100 yards, and 300 yards, respectively, in front of the rifle platoons commanded by 1st Lt. Montgomery. The closest position, consisting of 4 machineguns and 1 mortar, threatened the immediate security of the platoon position. Seizing an Ml rifle and several hand grenades, 1st Lt. Montgomery crawled up a ditch to within hand grenade range of the enemy. Then climbing boldly onto a little mound, he fired his rifle and threw his grenades so accurately that he killed 8 of the enemy and captured the remaining 4. Returning to his platoon, he called for artillery fire on a house, in and around which he suspected that the majority of the enemy had entrenched themselves. Arming himself with a carbine, he proceeded along the shallow ditch, as withering fire from the riflemen and machine gunners in the second position was concentrated on him. He attacked this position with such fury that 7 of the enemy surrendered to him, and both machine guns were silenced. Three German dead were found in the vicinity later that morning. 1st Lt. Montgomery continued boldly toward the house, 300 yards from his platoon position. It was now daylight, and the enemy observation was excellent across the flat open terrain which led to 1st Lt. Montgomery's objective. When the artillery barrage had lifted, 1st Lt. Montgomery ran fearlessly toward the strongly defended position. As the enemy started streaming out of the house, 1st Lt. Montgomery, unafraid of treacherous snipers, exposed himself daringly to assemble the surrendering enemy and send them to the rear. His fearless, aggressive, and intrepid actions that morning, accounted for a total of 11 enemy dead, 32 prisoners, and an unknown number of wounded. That night, while aiding an adjacent unit to repulse a counterattack, he was struck by mortar fragments and seriously wounded. The selflessness and courage exhibited by 1st Lt. Montgomery in alone attacking 3 strong enemy positions inspired his men to a degree beyond estimation.</i><br />
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Montgomery also received a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star" target="_blank">Silver Star</a> for heroism during World War II. He survived the war, and worked for the Veterans Administration/<a href="http://www.va.gov/" target="_blank">Department of Veterans Affairs</a> as a civilian. <a href="http://www.muskogee.va.gov/" target="_blank">The VA Medical Center in Muskogee, Oklahoma is named for him</a>. He passed away at age 84 on June 11, 2002 and today <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6515157" target="_blank">rests in peace</a> at the <a href="http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftgibson.asp" target="_blank">Fort Gibson National Cemetery</a> in Oklahoma.<br />
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45th_Infantry_Brigade_Combat_Team_(United_States)" target="_blank">45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team</a> of the Oklahoma National Guard today carries on the lineage and traditions of the previous 45th Infantry Division.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-60641477821221964452014-02-20T07:00:00.000-05:002014-02-20T08:10:46.268-05:00TFH 2/20 Part 2: The Two Heroes of "Ten Horsepower" - Mathies & TruemperThe annals of American combat history are filled with stories of men who risked their lives to save those of their comrades. Earlier I posted the first of two <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a>-worthy "so that others may live" stories from February 20, 1944, that of <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-220-part-1-first-lieutenant-william.html" target="_blank">First Lieutenant William R. Lawley, Jr.</a> Two other airmen belonging to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" target="_blank">United States Army Air Forces</a> predecessor of the present day <a href="http://www.af.mil/" target="_blank">United States Air Force</a> aboard a single <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress" target="_blank">Boeing B-17 <i>Flying Fortress</i></a>, serial number 42-21763 and nicknamed <i>Ten Horsepower</i>, provide us with the second.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archibald_Mathies" target="_blank">Archibald Mathies</a> was born as Archibald Hamilton on June 3, 1918 in Stonehouse, Scotland. He emigrated with his parents to the United States, where they settled in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&q=Archibald+Mathies&bc=,sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=670921" target="_blank">His enlistment record indicates</a> that he volunteered for service with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" target="_blank">United States Army Air Corps</a> on December 30, 1940 for a three-year term, extended obviously by wartime requirements. Mathies was a naturalized American citizen.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_E._Truemper" target="_blank">Walter Edward Truemper</a> was born on Halloween, 1918 in Aurora, Illinois. Truemper, a college graduate, <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&tf=F&q=Walter+Truemper&bc=,sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=6522779" target="_blank">was drafted</a> into the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> on June 23, 1942 and briefly served in the artillery branch until he volunteered for transfer to the Air Corps. He wanted to be a pilot, but didn't pass the training and instead earned his officer's commission as a navigator.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Mathies and Truemper were posted to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/510th_Missile_Squadron#World_War_II" target="_blank">510th Bombardment Squadron</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/351st_Bombardment_Group#World_War_II" target="_blank">351st Bombardment Group (Heavy)</a> in late 1943 as replacements for men who had been killed, wounded, or shot-down and captured. Neither were pilots, but on February 20, 1944, the flying duties of their bomber fell to them. According to the <a href="http://www.351st.org/loadlist/search.php" target="_blank">crew member database</a> of the <a href="http://www.351st.org/" target="_blank">351st Bombardment Group Association</a>, it was Mathies' third mission, and just Truemper's second.<br />
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<i>Ten Horsepower</i> left the 351st's home base of RAF Polebrook to bomb Leipzig, Germany. After successfully attacking the target, <i>Ten Horsepower</i> was shredded by Nazi fighters, killing the co-pilot instantly and wounding the pilot severely enough to lose consciousness. Mathies and Truemper together managed to fly the wounded plane back to Britain, where the crew was advised to bail out. <a href="http://www.351st.org/loadlist/search.php?type=m&mission=81&ac=42-31763" target="_blank">Five men did, and survived</a> (a sixth crew member bailed out over Germany, and was captured).<br />
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Even though the two were ordered by the group commander to bail out and save themselves, they radioed that the pilot, Second Lieutenant Clarence R. Nelson (like themselves a relative combat rookie on his second mission), was still alive but unconscious, unable to parachute to safety, and they would not abandon him to certain death. Mathies and Truemper's selflessness in volunteering to try and land the plane was honored. Sadly, on their third attempt to get the plane down, they crashed and all three men left aboard lost their lives.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#MATHIES" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=190" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>*MATHIES, ARCHIBALD</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Sergeant, U .S. Army Air Corps, 510th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomber Group. Place and date: Over Europe, 20 February 1944 (Air Mission). Entered service at: Pittsburgh, Pa. G.O. No.: 52, 22 June 1944.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in connection with a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe on 20 February 1944. The aircraft on which Sgt. Mathies was serving as engineer and ball turret gunner was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result that the copilot was killed outright, the pilot wounded and rendered unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged. Nevertheless, Sgt. Mathies and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation. Sgt. Mathies and the navigator volunteered to attempt to land the plane. Other members of the crew were ordered to jump, leaving Sgt. Mathies and the navigator aboard. After observing the distressed aircraft from another plane, Sgt. Mathies' commanding officer decided the damaged plane could not be landed by the inexperienced crew and ordered them to abandon it and parachute to safety. Demonstrating unsurpassed courage and heroism, Sgt. Mathies and the navigator replied that the pilot was still alive but could not be moved and they would not desert him. They were then told to attempt a landing. After two unsuccessful efforts, the plane crashed into an open field in a third attempt to land. Sgt. Mathies, the navigator, and the wounded pilot were killed.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-t-z.html#TRUEMPER" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (T-Z)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=3084" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>*TRUEMPER, WALTER E.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps. 510th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomber Group. Place and date: Over Europe, 20 February 1944 (Air Mission). Entered service at: Aurora, Ill.. G.O. No.: 52, 22 June 1944</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy in connection with a bombing mission over enemy-occupied Europe on 20 February 1944. The aircraft on which 2d Lt. Truemper was serving as navigator was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result that the copilot was killed outright, the pilot wounded and rendered unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged Nevertheless, 2d Lt. Truemper and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation. 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer volunteered to attempt to land the plane. Other members of the crew were ordered to jump, leaving 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer aboard. After observing the distressed aircraft from another plane, 2d Lt. Truemper's commanding officer decided the damaged plane could not be landed by the inexperienced crew and ordered them to abandon it and parachute to safety. Demonstrating unsurpassed courage and heroism, 2d Lt. Truemper and the engineer replied that the pilot was still alive but could not be moved and that they would not desert him. They were then told to attempt a landing. After 2 unsuccessful efforts their plane crashed into an open field in a third attempt to land. 2d Lt. Truemper, the engineer, and the wounded pilot were killed.</i><br />
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Both heroes' remains were repatriated to the United States for burial. Staff Sergant Mathies <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7236403" target="_blank">rests today at the Finleyville Cemetery</a> in Finleyville, Pennsylvania. Lieutenant Truemper <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7869648" target="_blank">was buried in St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery</a> in Montgomery, Illinois. Truemper's grave didn't receive a <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=7869648&PIpi=3922495" target="_blank">marker indicating his status as a Medal of Honor recipient</a> until July 2006.<br />
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Both the 351st Bombardment Group and the 510th Bombardment Squadron were deactivated after the war. They later saw life in the Air Force as intercontinental ballistic missile units through the Cold War but were retired in the early 1990s with the end of tensions between the United States and USSR/successors and have not been active since.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-10877530204209373592014-02-20T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-20T08:11:47.761-05:00TFH 2/20 Part 1: First Lieutenant William R. Lawley, Jr., USAAF<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_R._Lawley,_Jr." target="_blank">William Robert Lawley, Jr.</a> was born in Leeds, Alabama on August 23, 1920. He lived there throughout his childhood, <a href="http://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=Person&ID=104324" target="_blank">graduating from high school</a> in 1938. With the United States' entry into the Second World War, Lawley <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=7&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&q=William+Lawley&bc=,sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=933816&rlst=672128,1521977,6644442,6882488,7272595,933816,975496" target="_blank">didn't wait for his name to be called in the draft and volunteered</a> for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Corps" target="_blank">United States Army Air Corps</a> on April 9, 1942. Lawley also volunteered for pilot training and received his wings along with his officer's commission about one year after his enlistment in April 1943.<br />
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Lawley was sent to fly and fight over the skies of occupied Europe and Nazi Germany with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/364th_Bombardment_Squadron" target="_blank">364th Bombardment Squadron</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/305th_Operations_Group#World_War_II" target="_blank">305th Bombardment Group (Heavy)</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" target="_blank">United States Army Air Forces</a> stationed at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Chelveston" target="_blank">RAF Chelveston</a> in England. They flew the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_B-17_Flying_Fortress" target="_blank">Boeing B-17 <i>Flying Fortress</i></a>. The group's motto was, "Can Do."<br />
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By the morning of February 20, 1944, then-First Lieutenant Lawley had completed ten combat missions and was an aircraft commander. That day, he and his crew boarded a brand-new B-17G never before used in combat.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As Lawley and crew approached their target in Germany, the bomber formation was beset by a determined Nazi fighter attack. The aircraft was severely damaged and couldn't maintain formation. Lawley himself had been wounded in the attack and his co-pilot was killed with his lifeless body wedged against the control column.<br />
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The B-17 was entering a fatal dive as Lawley managed to pull his dead comrade back from the controls in time to save the plane and crew. The situation seemed hopeless, and Lawley gave his crew the signal to bail out. One of the others informed his commander that two of their crew were alive, but too hurt to survive abandoning the plane. Rather than leave his men to a certain death, Lieutenant Lawley resolved to bring his ship and his men home, and well, his citation for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a> can tell the story better than I.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html#LAWLEY" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="https://airforce.togetherweserved.com/usaf/servlet/tws.webapp.WebApp?cmd=ShadowBoxProfile&type=AssignmentExt&ID=196066" target="_blank">Together We Served</a></td></tr>
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<i>LAWLEY, WILLIAM R., JR.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army Air Corps, 364th Bomber Squadron, 305th Bomber Group. Place and date: Over Europe, 20 February 1944 (Air Mission). Entered service at: Birmingham, Ala. G.O. No.: 64, 8 August 1944.</i><br />
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<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty, 20 February 1944, while serving as pilot of a B-17 aircraft on a heavy bombardment mission over enemy-occupied continental Europe. Coming off the target he was attacked by approximately 20 enemy fighters, shot out of formation, and his plane severely crippled. Eight crewmembers were wounded, the copilot was killed by a 20-mm. shell. One engine was on fire, the controls shot away, and 1st Lt. Lawley seriously and painfully wounded about the face. Forcing the copilot's body off the controls, he brought the plane out of a steep dive, flying with his left hand only. Blood covered the instruments and windshield and visibility was impossible. With a full bomb load the plane was difficult to maneuver and bombs could not be released because the racks were frozen. After the order to bail out had been given, 1 of the waist gunners informed the pilot that 2 crewmembers were so severely wounded that it would be impossible for them to bail out. With the fire in the engine spreading, the danger of an explosion was imminent. Because of the helpless condition of his wounded crewmembers 1st Lt. Lawley elected to remain with the ship and bring them to safety if it was humanly possible, giving the other crewmembers the option of bailing out. Enemy fighters again attacked but by using masterful evasive action he managed to lose them. One engine again caught on fire and was extinguished by skillful flying. 1st Lt. Lawley remained at his post, refusing first aid until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion caused by loss of blood, shock, and the energy he had expended in keeping control of his plane. He was revived by the bombardier and again took over the controls. Coming over the English coast 1 engine ran out of gasoline and had to be feathered. Another engine started to burn and continued to do so until a successful crash landing was made on a small fighter base. Through his heroism and exceptional flying skill, 1st Lt. Lawley rendered outstanding distinguished and valorous service to our Nation.</i><br />
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"Can Do," indeed.<br />
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After recovering from his own wounds, Lawley flew a further four combat missions before being returned to the United States for public relations duties on the home front, a common outcome then for Medal of Honor recipients. He remained in uniform after the war, transitioned to the <a href="http://www.af.mil/" target="_blank">United States Air Force</a> in 1947, and retired with the rank of Colonel after thirty years of service to our nation in 1972.<br />
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The present day descendant of the 305th BG(H) is the <a href="http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=4027" target="_blank">305th Operations Group</a> of the <a href="http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/305thairmobilitywing/index.asp" target="_blank">305th Air Mobility Wing</a>. The wing's home station is <a href="http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/" target="_blank">Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst</a> in New Jersey, and they are equipped with both the <a href="http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104520/kc-10-extender.aspx" target="_blank">McDonnell Douglas KC-10 <i>Extender</i></a> and the <a href="http://www.af.mil/AboutUs/FactSheets/Display/tabid/224/Article/104523/c-17-globemaster-iii.aspx" target="_blank">Boeing C-17 <i>Globemaster III</i></a>. The 364th Bombardment Squadron was last an active unit in 1975.<br />
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William R. Lawley, Jr. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/01/us/col-w-r-lawley-jr-78-world-war-ii-hero.html" target="_blank">passed away at age 78</a> on May 29, 1999 due to pneumonia complications. <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7133527" target="_blank">He was laid to rest</a> in his native Alabama at the Greenwood Cemetery in Montgomery. Not long before his death, Lawley was visited by one of the crewmates he saved that day in February 1944. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/01/us/col-w-r-lawley-jr-78-world-war-ii-hero.html" target="_blank">Ralph Braswell, a gunner, recalled</a>: ''He had arthritis,'' Mr. Braswell remembered, ''but after I shook his hands, I said, 'They're beautiful. They saved my life.' ''<br />
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<a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-220-part-2-two-heroes-of-ten.html" target="_blank">Two other American airmen also earned the Medal of Honor that same day in 1944; don't miss their story!</a>Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-84269686897952733882014-02-19T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-19T06:00:04.280-05:00TFH 2/19-20: Corporal Anthony P. Damato, USMC<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_P._Damato" target="_blank">Anthony Peter Damato</a> was born on March 22, 1922 in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Damato volunteered for enlistment with the <a href="http://www.marines.mil/" target="_blank">United States Marine Corps</a> just weeks later on January 8, 1942.<br />
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After completing his initial recruit training, he volunteered to join a Marine unit being attached to <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> forces for their amphibious assault on North Africa, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch" target="_blank">Operation TORCH</a>. The Marines were deployed to assist their soldier comrades as to that time, the Army had no amphibious assault experience. After the successful landings in North Africa in early November 1942, Damato returned to the United States in March 1943 and was reassigned to a brand new unit: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22nd_Marine_Regiment_(United_States)" target="_blank">22nd Marine Regiment</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The 22nd Marines were attached to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V_Amphibious_Corps" target="_blank">V Amphibious Corps</a> and sailed for their first combat in early 1944. They would first see action in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_and_Marshall_Islands_campaign" target="_blank">Gilbert and Marshall Islands Campaign</a>, where they were the primary assault force at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Eniwetok" target="_blank">Eniwetok Atoll, February 17-23, 1944</a>.<br />
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Eniwetok's Engebi Island was the first landing site at the atoll, and after several hours of bombardment, the Marines went ashore on February 18, 1944. Japanese defenses had been estimated to be light, but the Marines faced strong opposition. During the night of February 19-20, the Japanese defenders were all but defeated and some of the Marines were being redeployed for attacks elsewhere on the atoll.<br />
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One Japanese soldier took advantage of the thin lines the Marines were occupying, approached undetected, and threw a grenade into the fighting position Anthony Damato occupied with two other Marines. Damato recognized the threat, and when he realized there was no other course of action, he shielded his two comrades from the device's deadly effects.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-a-f.html#DAMATO" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (A-F)</a>:<br />
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<i>*DAMATO, ANTHONY PETER</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps.</i><br />
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<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with an assault company in action against enemy Japanese forces on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, on the night of 19-20 February 1944. Highly vulnerable to sudden attack by small, fanatical groups of Japanese still at large despite the efficient and determined efforts of our forces to clear the area, Cpl. Damato lay with 2 comrades in a large foxhole in his company's defense perimeter which had been dangerously thinned by the forced withdrawal of nearly half of the available men. When 1 of the enemy approached the foxhole undetected and threw in a hand grenade, Cpl. Damato desperately groped for it in the darkness. Realizing the imminent peril to all 3 and fully aware of the consequences of his act, he unhesitatingly flung himself on the grenade and, although instantly killed as his body absorbed the explosion, saved the lives of his 2 companions. Cpl. Damato's splendid initiative, fearless conduct and valiant sacrifice reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his comrades.</i><br />
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Damato's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a> was presented to his mother at a large gathering in Shenandoah on April 9, 1945. His mother was later the ship's sponsor for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Damato_(DD-871)" target="_blank"><i>USS Damato</i> (DD-871)</a>, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gearing_class_destroyer" target="_blank"><i>Gearing-</i>class</a> destroyer that was commissioned in April 1946 and which served with the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/" target="_blank">United States Navy</a> until her decommissioning on September 30, 1980.<br />
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Mrs. Damato and her family also gave a second son, Neil, to the cause of liberty. Neil Damato was shot down and killed over Europe as a member of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces" target="_blank">United States Army Air Forces</a>, forerunner of today's <a href="http://www.af.mil/" target="_blank">United States Air Force</a>.<br />
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The 22nd Marines were later part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/6th_Marine_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">6th Marine Division</a>. The regiment was deactivated in 1946 in the post-war drawdown of the Marines, and except for a brief reactivation in the late 1940s as a training and demonstration unit, has not been active since.<br />
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Anthony P. Damato was initially laid to rest in a temporary cemetery on Kiririan Island in the Marshalls. After the war ended, <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7765507" target="_blank">his remains were repatriated to and reburied</a> in the <a href="http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/nmcp.asp" target="_blank">National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific</a>, Honolulu, Hawaii where he lies today.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-48291993387902363532014-02-17T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-17T06:00:06.213-05:00TFH 2/17-19: Private First Class William J. Johnston, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_J._Johnston" target="_blank">William James Johnston</a> was born on August 15, 1918 in Trenton, New Jersey. He resided in Colchester, Connecticut when he was drafted in January 1941 (<a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=5&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&q=William+Johnston&bc=,sl,fd&cl_24996=11&op_24996=null&nfo_24996=V,2,1900&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=2210121&rlst=2210121,2457043,2636725,2672631,429619" target="_blank">I believe this is his enlistment record</a>, despite the discrepancy in birth years).<br />
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Like many draftees to the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a>, Johnston was placed with a <a href="http://www.ngb.army.mil/" target="_blank">National Guard</a> unit being federalized for wartime service to bring them up to strength. He was assigned as a machine gunner with Company G, 2nd Battalion, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/180th_Cavalry_Regiment" target="_blank">180th Infantry Regiment</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/45th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">45th Infantry Division</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_National_Guard" target="_blank">Oklahoma National Guard</a>.<br />
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The <span id="goog_1613191156"></span>45th Infantry Division<span id="goog_1613191157"></span> was landed on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle" target="_blank">Anzio beachhead</a> in Italy as a reinforcements in late January 1944. The attack on Anzio had been designed to outflank Nazi defenses to the south, but faced heavy opposition.<br />
<a name='more'></a>On February 17, 1944, Johnston manned his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1919_Browning_machine_gun" target="_blank">Browning M1919 machine gun</a> and from his position both held off German counterattacks and covered the withdrawal of his unit. A second day of fighting on February 18 saw him repeat the same feats. After his position was overrun and he was known to have received a grievous wound, Johnston was thought killed in action. On February 19, he managed to crawl back to friendly lines and give detailed information about the enemy positions that enabled his comrades to succeed in their own counterattack.<br />
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About seven months later, Johnston was decorated with our Nation's highest honor for his incredible three days under fire.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=3325" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>JOHNSTON, WILLIAM J.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company G, 180th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Padiglione, Italy, 17-19 February 1944. Entered service at: Colchester, Conn. G.O. No.: 73, 6 September 1944</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. On 17 February 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, he observed and fired upon an attacking force of approximately 80 Germans, causing at least 25 casualties and forcing withdrawal of the remainder. All that day he manned his gun without relief, subject to mortar, artillery, and sniper fire. Two Germans individually worked so close to his position that his machinegun was ineffective, whereupon he killed 1 with his pistol, the second with a rifle taken from another soldier. When a rifleman protecting his gun position was killed by a sniper, he immediately moved the body and relocated the machinegun in that spot in order to obtain a better field of fire. He volunteered to cover the platoon's withdrawal and was the last man to leave that night. In his new position he maintained an all-night vigil, the next day causing 7 German casualties. On the afternoon of the 18th, the organization on the left flank having been forced to withdraw, he again covered the withdrawal of his own organization. Shortly thereafter, he was seriously wounded over the heart, and a passing soldier saw him trying to crawl up the embankment. The soldier aided him to resume his position behind the machine gun which was soon heard in action for about 10 minutes. Though reported killed, Pfc. Johnston was seen returning to the American lines on the morning of 19 February slowly and painfully working his way back from his overrun position through enemy lines. He gave valuable information of new enemy dispositions. His heroic determination to destroy the enemy and his disregard of his own safety aided immeasurably in halting a strong enemy attack, caused an enormous amount of enemy casualties, and so inspired his fellow soldiers that they fought for and held a vitally important position against greatly superior forces.</i><br />
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Johnston survived the war and returned to his Connecticut home. He was employed by the Veterans Administration and Department of Veterans Affairs in civilian life.<br />
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On May 19, 1990, the <a href="http://www.colchesterct.org/page.cfm?p=91" target="_blank">Colchester Public Schools named their middle school for their local hero</a>. The school educates about <a href="http://www.colchesterct.org/page.cfm?p=101" target="_blank">700 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders</a>, who hopefully are taught as part of their education about the brave man whose name is on the building.<br />
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Just nine days after the school naming, William Johnston passed away. He today <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7841447" target="_blank">rests in peace</a> at the <a href="http://www.ct.gov/ctva/lib/ctva/Cemetery_Brochure_rev_4.pdf" target="_blank">State Veterans Cemetery</a> in Middletown, Connecticut.<br />
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The 45th Infantry Division is currently inactive. The unit's legacy is maintained by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/45thIBCT" target="_blank">45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team</a> of the <a href="http://www.ok.ngb.army.mil/" target="_blank">Oklahoma Army National Guard</a>. The 180th Infantry Regiment has been reflagged as the 180th Cavalry Regiment and provides one squadron to the brigade.<br />
<br />Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-23875778369359111462014-02-15T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-15T06:00:00.695-05:00TFH 2/15: LTJG Nathan G. Gordon, USN<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Green_Gordon">Nathan Green Gordon</a> was born on September 4, 1916 in Morrilton, Arkansas. He was a graduate of the Arkansas Polytechnic College (today <a href="http://www.atu.edu/">Arkansas Tech University</a>) and graduated from the <a href="http://arkansas.edu/">University of Arkansas</a> with a law degree in 1939. While in school, he enlisted in the <a href="http://www.arguard.org/">Arkansas National Guard</a>. Gordon was engaged in private law practice when he decided to join the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/">United States Navy</a> in May of 1941.<br />
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Gordon was trained as a Naval Aviator, and after receiving his "Wings of Gold" he joined <a href="http://www.vpnavy.org/vp34.html">Patrol Squadron 34 (VP-34)</a> in the South Pacific for combat against the Japanese, flying the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_PBY_Catalina">Consolidated PBY <i>Catalina</i></a> seaplane. This patrol squadron, who often flew night missions, dubbed themselves the "Black Cats".<br />
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<a name='more'></a>On February 15, 1944, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Air_Forces">United States Army Air Forces</a> launched a major raid against Japanese installations at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kavieng">Kavieng</a> Harbor, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Ireland_(island)">New Ireland</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bismarck_Archipelago">Bismarck Archipelago</a>. The patrol planes of VP-34 sortied in support. Upon receiving a distress signal that two of the Army bombers were shot down and their crews were adrift, Gordon piloted his <i>Catalina</i> repeatedly through enemy fires, executing three water-borne landings, to rescue them before they could be killed or captured by the Japanese.<br />
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Gordon had nicknamed his plane the <i>Arkansas Traveler</i>. The seven members of her crew received the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star">Silver Star</a> for the rescues. Her aircraft commander received the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html#GORDON" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<i>GORDON, NATHAN GREEN</i><br />
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<i>Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, commander of Catalina patrol plane</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Arkansas.</i><br />
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<i>Citation: For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands, Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lt. Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese.</i><br />
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Gordon survived the war, and as his Medal of Honor citation indicates, was promoted to Lieutenant before the award. He entered politics after his discharge from the Navy and was elected to be the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas. He served ten consecutive two-year terms in that office from 1947-1967.<br />
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Coincidentally, the man who followed Gordon as the Lieutenant Governor was <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2013/11/tfh-1110-captain-maurice-l-britt-jr-usa.html">Maurice L. Britt, a fellow Medal of Honor recipient from World War II</a>.<br />
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In 2003, <a href="http://www.pacificwrecks.com/people/veterans/gordon.html">Gordon recounted the day his heroism and flying skill</a> saved the lives of his Army Air Force colleagues. He passed away four days after his 92nd birthday on September 8, 2008 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Gordon was <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=29696934">laid to rest in the Elmwood Cemetery</a> at his birthplace of Morrilton.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-13637577388100487532014-02-11T09:30:00.000-05:002014-02-11T09:30:39.121-05:00VLR's "Their Finest Hour" from February 10!Had another great program on <a href="http://vigilantlibertyradio.us/" target="_blank">Vigilant Liberty Radio</a> last night! We started the program with filmmaker Ben Howe (<a href="https://twitter.com/BenHowe" target="_blank">@BenHowe</a>), founder of <a href="http://www.mistersmithmedia.com/" target="_blank">Mister Smith Media</a>, who directed the brand-new documentary <i><a href="http://detroitbankruptmovie.com/" target="_blank">Bankrupt: How Cronyism and Corruption Brought Down Detroit</a></i>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The documentary is a great watch, and is a starting point for delving into this topic – the mere surface of the systemic issues facing Detroit and the American auto industry is scratched by it. It runs about 40 minutes, so give a watch when you have the time!<br />
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Then, in the second half of the show, I was joined by Michelle Ray (<a href="https://twitter.com/GaltsGirl" target="_blank">@GaltsGirl</a>) of <a href="http://www.freedomworks.org/" target="_blank">FreedomWorks</a> and <a href="http://www.unitedliberty.org/" target="_blank">United Liberty</a> for a roundup of recent happenings with the "farm bill" monstrosity officially known as the "Agriculture Act of 2014" and a little bit of discussion about today's day for activism against NSA surveillance, <a href="https://thedaywefightback.org/" target="_blank">"The Day We Fight Back"</a>.<br />
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Great time was had by all, so give the show a listen on the embedded player below. You can click the "Spreaker" link in the player to be taken to the web page where you can download an MP3 of the program for offline listening.<br />
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Haven't heard enough? <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/6577741" target="_blank">Check out all the fantastic VLR programming</a>! I'll be back on the air tonight for another edition of <i><a href="http://www.spreaker.com/show/vlr-roundtable-of-extreme-liberty" target="_blank">The Roundtable of Extreme Liberty</a></i>!<br />
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Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-47774200010922230382014-02-08T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-08T06:00:06.512-05:00TFH 2/8: Corporal Paul B. Huff, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_B._Huff">Paul Bert Huff</a> was born in Cleveland, Tennessee on June 23, 1918. <a href="http://www.509thgeronimo.org/soldierhuff.htm">He was drafted</a> into the<a href="http://www.army.mil/"> United States Army</a> on June 27, 1941, prior to the United States' entry into World War II. Huff was one of the earliest volunteers for the fledgling Army Paratroopers and was placed into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/509th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)">509th Parachute Infantry Regiment</a>.<br />
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Huff participated in three combat jumps – two in North Africa, one at Salerno in Italy – before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle">landing at Anzio, Italy</a> not by parachute, but by amphibious assault on January 22, 1944. About two weeks later, then Corporal Huff volunteered to lead a patrol to probe the Nazi defenses and determine the location of an enemy unit threatening the Americans' flank.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As Huff's patrol on February 8, 1944 encountered intense resistance from machine guns and even anti-aircraft weapons, he advanced alone through a minefield to determine the enemy's strength and position. Later that day, when the enemy was attacked in force, they were routed thanks largely to the information obtained by Huff and his patrol. His heroism and leadership under fire were recognized later with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html#HUFF" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2553">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>HUFF, PAUL B.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 8 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Cleveland, Tenn.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 41, 26 May 1944</i><br />
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<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, in action on 8 February 1944, near Carano, Italy. Cpl. Huff volunteered to lead a 6-man patrol with the mission of determining the location and strength of an enemy unit which was delivering fire on the exposed right flank of his company. The terrain over which he had to travel consisted of exposed, rolling ground, affording the enemy excellent visibility. As the patrol advanced, its members were subjected to small arms and machinegun fire and a concentration of mortar fire, shells bursting within 5 to 10 yards of them and bullets striking the ground at their feet. Moving ahead of his patrol, Cpl. Huff drew fire from 3 enemy machineguns and a 20mm. weapon. Realizing the danger confronting his patrol, he advanced alone under deadly fire through a minefield and arrived at a point within 75 yards of the nearest machinegun position. Under direct fire from the rear machinegun, he crawled the remaining 75 yards to the closest emplacement, killed the crew with his submachine gun and destroyed the gun. During this act he fired from a kneeling position which drew fire from other positions, enabling him to estimate correctly the strength and location of the enemy. Still under concentrated fire, he returned to his patrol and led his men to safety. As a result of the information he gained, a patrol in strength sent out that afternoon, 1 group under the leadership of Cpl. Huff, succeeded in routing an enemy company of 125 men, killing 27 Germans and capturing 21 others, with a loss of only 3 patrol members. Cpl. Huff's intrepid leadership and daring combat skill reflect the finest traditions of the American infantryman.</i><br />
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Huff was returned to the United States after receiving the Medal and was used on the home front for War Bond sales tours and other morale-building activities. He remained in the Army after the war and went to Vietnam as the Command Sergeant Major (CSM) of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/101st_Airborne_Division">101st Airborne Division</a>. He was the CSM of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army_Central">Third United States Army</a> when he retired from active service.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huff as CSM of the Third Army</td></tr>
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Sergeant Major Huff retired to his birthplace of Cleveland, Tennessee where he passed away at age 76 on September 21, 1994. He <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7439401">rests in peace at the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens</a> in Cleveland.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-60104891607010123952014-02-05T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-05T06:00:10.295-05:00TFH 2/3-8: Second Lieutenant Paul F. Riordan, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_F._Riordan">Paul F. Riordan</a> was born in Charles City, Iowa on November 8, 1920. Like so many of the men who fought for the United States during World War II, much of the details of his life are lost to history. He <a href="http://www.iowahistory.org/shsi/museum/exhibits/medal-of-honor/riordan_p_wwii/index.htm">moved with his family</a> from Iowa to Missouri in 1937, and volunteered for the <a href="http://www.army.mil/">United States Army</a> in 1940.<br />
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By February 1944, Riordan was a Second Lieutenant with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/133rd_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)">133d Infantry Regiment</a>, part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/34th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)">34th Infantry Division</a>. Riordan and the "Red Bull" division were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)">locked in combat in Italy</a> in the early phases of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino">Battle of Monte Cassino</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>On February 3, 1944, Riordan led his assault platoon up a hill heavily defended by the Nazis. When their advance was stopped, he took an exposed position from which he could break up a key defensive bunker with a hand grenade. Five days later on February 8th, Riordan's platoon was ordered to take an enemy strongpoint in the town, and while once again leading from the front, Riordan was cut off from the rest of his men, but nonetheless kept up the assault and inspired his men to carry on the attack by his lone courage and sacrifice.<br />
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Several months later, the Army posthumously recognized the young, brave lieutenant with the Medal of Honor.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#RIORDAN" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2554">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>*RIORDAN, PAUL F.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 34th Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Near Cassino, Italy, 3-8 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at. Kansas City, Mo.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.. 74, 11 September 1944</i><br />
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<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. In the attack on the approaches to the city of Cassino on 3 February 1944, 2d Lt. Riordan led 1 of the assault platoons. Attacking Hill 175, his command was pinned down by enemy machinegun fire from the hill and from a pillbox about 45 yards to the right of the hill. In the face of intense fire, 2d Lt. Riordan moved out in full view of the enemy gunners to reach a position from where he could throw a handgrenade into the pillbox. Then, getting to his knees, he hurled the grenade approximately 45 yards, scoring a direct hit. The grenade killed 1 and wounded the other 2 Germans in the nest and silenced the gun. Another soldier then cleaned out the enemy pillboxes on the hill itself, and the company took its objective. Continuing the assault into Cassino itself on 8 February 1944, 2d Lt. Riordan and his platoon were given the mission of taking the city jail house, one of the enemy's several strongpoints. Again 2d Lt. Riordan took the lead and managed to get through the ring of enemy fire covering the approaches and reached the building. His platoon, however, could not get through the intense fire and was cut off. 2d Lt. Riordan, aware that his men were unable to follow, determined to carry on single-handed, but the numerically superior enemy force was too much for him to overcome, and he was killed by enemy small-arms fire after disposing of at least 2 of the defenders. 2d Lt. Riordan's bravery and extraordinary heroism in the face of almost certain death were an inspiration to his men and exemplify the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.</i><br />
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Lieutenant Riordan was engaged to Miss Dolores Gates at the time of his death. To honor her lost fiance's courage and memory, she enlisted in the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/">United States Navy</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WAVES">WAVES</a>. Riordan's remains were repatriated to the United States and <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6403199">laid to rest in the Mt. Olivet Cemetery</a> in Raytown, Missouri.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/units/unit_template.php?unit=PUNRR">34th Infantry Division</a> is a present-day formation of the <a href="http://www.nationalguard.mil/about/arng.aspx">National Guard</a> comprised of Guardsmen predominately from Iowa and Minnesota.<br />
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<b><i>Blogger's Note: I chose to post the story of Lieutenant Riordan in the middle of the specific dates of his Medal of Honor actions to alleviate conflicts in honoring other World War II MoH recipients!</i></b>Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-24303801081341520232014-02-04T12:30:00.000-05:002014-02-04T12:43:55.651-05:00TFH live on VLR from 2/3 - America Is BeautifulHad a great program on <a href="http://vigilantlibertyradio.us/" target="_blank">Vigilant Liberty Radio</a> last night with my guest Doug Mataconis (<a href="https://twitter.com/dmataconis" target="_blank">@dmataconis</a>), an attorney in private practice and prolific blogger at <i><a href="http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/" target="_blank">Outside the Beltway</a></i>. We had a discussion across a wide range of issues, touching often on Doug's expertise – and my layman's interest – in the intersection of politics, law, and the Constitution.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Replay of the full program is below, just click the "play" button to listen or if you prefer to download and listen on your mobile device, click the "Spreaker" name/logo in the player and you'll be taken to the page where you can download the show as an MP3.<br />
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If nothing else, I hope you listen to the first fifteen minutes or so where I address the kerfuffle among some in conservative circles over Coca-Cola's Super Bowl ad, which will also be airing in its original and 90-second extended forms during the upcoming Winter Olympics.<br />
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I really believe the outrage and criticism directed at Coca-Cola and the production of this ad is so very damaging to our side and is very illustrative about why we lose in the culture wars. The nine young women who gave their voices to this project have done us all a great service, and Coke has been gracious enough to share each of them with us in their full renditions of <i>America the Beautiful</i>.<br />
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My favorite of the nine is Naya, who performed the song in Arabic (gasp!). I love it because not only is she a bright, cheerful <b><u><i>American</i></u></b> child with a beautiful voice, but for the images in the clip of <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">her parents</u> (particularly for three seconds starting at 0:33), who I gather, are naturalized Americans. Their reactions alone to their daughter's performance should change your mind if you think this ad and project did our nation a disservice. Expand it to full size for best viewing.<br />
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Naya, from the clip:<br />
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When I sing the song, I feel really happy. I feel joyful, I feel, you know, every word that explains "happy". America is one union, but with a mix of cultures and it doesn't matter who you are, we should always be friendly to each other, no matter what difference you have.</blockquote>
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Here are the remaining eight performances, listed alphabetically by name of the singer. All of these young women, when speaking, are clearly native English speakers; they are <u style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Americans</u>. I hope you take the time to watch all of them.<br />
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Carolyn – English<br />
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Christy – Keres (a Native American language)<br />
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Kennedy – Senegalese-French<br />
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Leilani – Tagalog<br />
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Ming – Mandarin<br />
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Naomi – Spanish<br />
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Natalie – Hebrew<br />
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Sushmitha - Hindi<br />
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Yes. America <u style="font-weight: bold;">is</u> beautiful. Thank you Coca-Cola, and thanks again to Carolyn, Christy, Kennedy, Leilani, Ming, Naomi, Natalie, Naya, and Sushmitha.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-70561612295944907142014-02-03T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-03T06:00:08.195-05:00TFH 2/3: Private First Class Leo J. Powers, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_J._Powers">Leo J. Powers</a> was born on April 5, 1909 in Anselmo, Nebraska. At some point in his life he resettled in Montana, and it was from there that he left his life as a farmer to enter the <a href="http://www.army.mil/">United States Army</a> for World War II service on <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=3&tf=F&q=leo+j+powers&bc=&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=8034027&rlst=2612531,8034027,8422718">September 17, 1942</a> when he was 33 years old. His enlistment record indicates he was drafted, and <a href="http://www.termpaperwarehouse.com/essay-on/Transportation-Corp-Medal-Of-Honor-Recipient/103471">due to problems with his feet</a>, was placed in the <a href="http://www.transportation.army.mil/">Transportation Corps</a> and trained as a mechanic.<br />
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Powers was assigned to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/34th_Infantry_Division_(United_States)">34th Infantry Division</a>, a <a href="http://www.nationalguard.mil/">National Guard</a> unit from the upper midwest United States federalized for war service. However, with the division's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/133rd_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)">133rd Infantry Regiment</a>, he served as a rifleman, not a mechanic. It's not known how he <a href="http://www.greatfallstribune.com/multimedia/125newsmakers4/medal1.html">wound up assigned to a combat role</a>. As he was significantly older than most of the other soldiers, he was nicknamed "Pops" by his comrades.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The 34th Infantry Division motto is simply, "Attack! Attack! Attack!" On February 3, 1944 during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Monte_Cassino">Battle of Monte Cassino</a> in Italy, then Private First Class Powers did exactly that, thrice attacking solo against enemy positions while completely lacking cover or protection for himself. His actions paved the way for the entire 133rd regiment to advance, and later saw him decorated with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#POWERSLJ" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2194">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>POWERS, LEO J.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 133d Infantry, 34th Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Northwest of Cassino, Italy, 3 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Alder Gulch, Mont.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 3 February 1944, this soldier's company was assigned the mission of capturing Hill 175, the key enemy strong point northwest of Cassino, Italy. The enemy, estimated to be at least 50 in strength, supported by machine guns emplaced in 3 pillboxes and mortar fire from behind the hill, was able to pin the attackers down and inflict 8 casualties. The company was unable to advance, but Pfc. Powers, a rifleman in 1 of the assault platoons, on his own initiative and in the face of the terrific fire, crawled forward to assault 1 of the enemy pillboxes which he had spotted. Armed with 2 hand grenades and well aware that if the enemy should see him it would mean almost certain death, Pfc. Powers crawled up the hill to within 15 yards of the enemy pillbox. Then standing upright in full view of the enemy gunners in order to throw his grenade into the small opening in the roof, he tossed a grenade into the pillbox. At this close, the grenade entered the pillbox, killed 2 of the occupants and 3 or 4 more fled the position, probably wounded. This enemy gun silenced, the center of the line was able to move forward again, but almost immediately came under machine gun fire from a second enemy pillbox on the left flank. Pfc. Powers, however, had located this pillbox, and crawled toward it with absolutely no cover if the enemy should see him. Raising himself in full view of the enemy gunners about 15 feet from the pillbox, Pfc. Powers threw his grenade into the pillbox, silencing this gun, killing another German and probably wounding 3 or 4 more who fled. Pfc. Powers, still acting on his own initiative, commenced crawling toward the third enemy pillbox in the face of heavy machine-pistol and machinegun fire. Skillfully availing himself of the meager cover and concealment, Pfc. Powers crawled up to within 10 yards of this pillbox fully exposed himself to the enemy gunners, stood upright and tossed the 2 grenades into the small opening in the roof of the pillbox. His grenades killed 2 of the enemy and 4 more, all wounded, came out and surrendered to Pfc. Powers, who was now unarmed. Pfc. Powers had worked his way over the entire company front, and against tremendous odds had single-handedly broken the backbone of this heavily defended and strategic enemy position, and enabled his regiment to advance into the city of Cassino. Pfc. Powers' fighting determination and intrepidity in battle exemplify the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.</i><br />
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Powers survived the war and attained the rank of Sergeant before his discharge. He passed away at age 58 on July 14, 1967 and <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8863001">was buried in the Holy Cross Cemetery</a> in Butte, Montana.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/units/unit_template.php?unit=PUNRR">34th Infantry Division</a> is still a constituent of the National Guard in state service and the Army when federalized. The division is headquartered in Rosemount, Minnesota and is made up of Guardsmen primarily from <a href="http://www.minnesotanationalguard.org/">Minnesota</a>, <a href="http://www.iowanationalguard.com/SitePages/Index.aspx">Iowa</a>, and <a href="http://ne.ng.mil/Pages/Default.aspx">Nebraska</a>.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-37827049563878604992014-02-02T07:00:00.000-05:002014-02-02T07:00:01.892-05:00TFH 2/2 Part 2: Private Richard K. Sorenson, USMCR<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_K._Sorenson">Richard Keith Sorenson</a> was born in Anoka, Minnesota on August 28, 1924. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on January 7, 1941, he wanted to enlist in the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/">United States Navy</a> to go to war for his country, <a href="http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,MoH_Richard_Sorenson,00.html">but as he was just seventeen years old</a>, he needed his parents' permission, which they denied.<br />
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One year later, now eighteen, Sorenson enlisted in the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/">United States Marine Corps Reserve</a> on December 13, 1942 and after initial training at the <a href="http://www.mcrdsd.marines.mil/">Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego</a>, was placed on active service with the <a href="http://www.marines.mil/">United States Marine Corps</a>' brand-new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Marine_Division_(United_States)">4th Marine Division</a>, then forming up and preparing for war at <a href="http://www.pendleton.marines.mil/">Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton</a>. Sorenson was assigned to Company M, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Battalion,_24th_Marines">3rd Battalion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24th_Marine_Regiment">24th Marine Regiment</a> as an infantryman.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The 4th Marine Division spent extra time in training as they would depart the United States direct for a landing on an opposed shore. They sailed from California in January 1944. Their destination: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwajalein_Atoll">Kwajalein Atoll</a> in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Islands">Marshall Islands</a>. The attack was codenamed Operation FLINTLOCK, and began on January 31, 1944.<br />
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As part of 3/24 Marines, Sorenson landed on the Namur portion of Kwajalein's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roi-Namur">Roi-Namur</a> island on February 1. The next day, with victory for the Americans in sight, the Japanese defenders launched desperate counterattacks that if they wouldn't repel the invaders, they'd cause as much damage as possible.<br />
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Sorenson sought cover in a shell hole with five other Marines during one such counterattack. When a Japanese grenade landed in their midst, he selflessly covered the weapon with his own body absorb its blast and save the lives of his five comrades. Miraculously, and largely thanks to quick first aid rendered to him by a Navy Corpsman who tied off a severed artery and stabilized his other massive wounds, Sorenson <i style="font-weight: bold;">survived</i> the grenade explosion, and lived to receive the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a> he so assuredly deserved.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#SORENSON" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<i>SORENSON, RICHARD KEITH</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, 4th Marine Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll Marshall Islands, 1-2 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Minnesota</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with an assault battalion attached to the 4th Marine Division during the battle of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, on 1-2 February 1944. Putting up a brave defense against a particularly violent counterattack by the enemy during invasion operations, Pvt. Sorenson and 5 other marines occupying a shellhole were endangered by a Japanese grenade thrown into their midst. Unhesitatingly, and with complete disregard for his own safety, Pvt. Sorenson hurled himself upon the deadly weapon, heroically taking the full impact of the explosion. As a result of his gallant action, he was severely wounded, but the lives of his comrades were saved. His great personal valor and exceptional spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of almost certain death were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.</i><br />
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Sorenson endured six surgeries over nine months during his recovery. He learned that he would receive the Medal from the commander of the Seattle Naval Hospital, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Thompson_Boone">Captain Joel T. Boone</a>, himself a Medal of Honor recipient for World War I.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=284283">He remained in the Marine Reserves after the war</a>, was eventually commissioned as an officer, and was recalled to active service during the Korean War, although he served entirely in stateside roles and did not see further action. As a civilian, Sorenson worked in insurance but also spent many years working with the Veterans Administration (today the <a href="http://www.va.gov/">Department of Veterans Affairs</a>), retiring in 1978 as the Director of veterans' services for Nevada and several California counties.<br />
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Richard K. Sorenson passed away at age 80 on October 9, 2004 in Reno, Nevada. After memorial services there, his remains were transported back to his native Minnesota where <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=9595235">he today rests in peace</a> in the <a href="http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftsnelling.asp">Fort Snelling National Cemetery</a>, Minneapolis.<br />
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No vessel of the United States Navy has ever been named for this hero from their sister service. This is once again a good time to point out that we w<a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2012/02/open-letter-to-gabrielle-giffords.html">ill have a USS <i>Gabrielle Giffords</i> in our fleet in the coming years</a>.<br />
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The 24th Marine Regiment was deactivated in September 2013 as part of the restructuring of the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision.aspx">4th Marine Division</a>. The Marines of the 24th's 3rd Battalion were assimilated into the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision/23rdMarineRegiment/3rdBattalion.aspx">3rd Battalion, 23rd Marines</a>. Their headquarters, as reservists, are in St. Louis, Missouri.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-62361345748031908002014-02-02T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-02T06:00:02.284-05:00TFH 2/2 Part 1: Lieutenant Colonel Aquilla J. Dyess, USMCR<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquilla_J._Dyess">Aquilla James Dyess</a> was born in Andersonville, Georgia on January 11, 1909. He was known to family and friends as "Jimmie", was a member of the Boy Scouts of America growing up, and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. Dyess' personal courage was first recognized after assisting in the rescue of a swimmer in risk of drowning 400 feet from shore, even though he wasn't a particularly strong swimmer, on July 13, 1928. The following year, he received the Carnegie Medal from the <a href="http://carnegiehero.org/">Carnegie Hero Fund</a>, along with the other rescuer, Barbara H. Muller.<br />
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Dyess attended <a href="http://www.clemson.edu/">Clemson College</a> (now University), graduating with a degree in architecture as a member of the class of 1932. While at Clemson, he was a member of the <a href="http://www.army.mil/">Army</a>'s <a href="http://www.goarmy.com/rotc.html">Reserve Officers Training Corps</a>, and was commissioned as an infantry branch Second Lieutenant in the <a href="http://www.usar.army.mil/Pages/default.aspx">Army Reserve</a>. Four years later, Dyess was commissioned into the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/">United States Marine Corps Reserve</a> as a First Lieutenant.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Dyess was a general contractor in civilian life. He was called to active service with the <a href="http://www.marines.mil/">United States Marine Corps</a> when the United States entered World War II. The Marine Corps underwent a massive, rapid expansion to support operations across the Pacific against the Empire of Japan, and Dyess was promoted rapidly.<br />
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By January 1944, Dyess was a Lieutenant Colonel and the commanding officer of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Battalion_24th_Marines">1st Battalion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24th_Marine_Regiment_(United_States)">24th Marine Regiment</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Marine_Division_(United_States)">4th Marine Division</a>. Their first combat action would be the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kwajalein">Battle of Kwajalein</a>, for which they were assigned as one of the assault units to land on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwajalein_Atoll">Kwajalein Atoll</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roi-Namur">Namur Island</a>. They stormed ashore on February 1, 1944.<br />
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For two days, Lieutenant Colonel Dyess stayed at the front of his battalion, ever urging them forward, and personally commanding groups of his Marines in local attacks. On February 2nd, as victory was nearly assured and 1/24 Marines were moving against the last Japanese strongpoint, Dyess was struck down by a burst of enemy machine gun fire. His indomitable courage and fighting spirit during the two days of battle was an inspiration to every Marine in his battalion, and deemed worthy of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-a-f.html#DYESS" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (A-F)</a>:<br />
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<i>*DYESS, AQUILLA JAMES</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, 24th Marines (Rein), 4th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 and 2 February 1944. Undaunted by severe fire from automatic Japanese weapons, Lt. Col. Dyess launched a powerful final attack on the second day of the assault, unhesitatingly posting himself between the opposing lines to point out objectives and avenues of approach and personally leading the advancing troops. Alert, and determined to quicken the pace of the offensive against increased enemy fire, he was constantly at the head of advance units, inspiring his men to push forward until the Japanese had been driven back to a small center of resistance and victory assured. While standing on the parapet of an antitank trench directing a group of infantry in a flanking attack against the last enemy position, Lt. Col. Dyess was killed by a burst of enemy machinegun fire. His daring and forceful leadership and his valiant fighting spirit in the face of terrific opposition were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.</i><br />
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Dyess was initially buried in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Namur. After the war, his remains were repatriated to the United States and <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7757434">were reburied in the Westover Memorial Park</a>, Augusta, Georgia.<br />
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Dyess_(DD-880)">USS <i>Dyess</i> (DD-880)</a>, a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gearing_class_destroyer"><i>Gearing</i>-class</a> destroyer named for the heroic commander of 1/24, served with the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/">United States Navy</a> from her commissioning on May 21, 1945 until her decommissioning and retirement on January 27, 1981. The ship was sold to Greece to provide spare parts for other <i>Gearing</i>-class ships in their service later that year.<br />
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The 24th Marines were deactivated as a Marine Reserve infantry unit on September 9, 2013. The regiment's <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision/25thMarineRegiment/1stBattalion,24thMarines.aspx">1st Battalion</a>, Dyess' command, remains as a reinforcement battalion for the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision/25thMarineRegiment.aspx">25th Marine Regiment</a> and is part of today's <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision.aspx">4th Marine Division</a>. The battalion is comprised of reservists from the north central United States and is based in Selfridge, Michigan.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-59215270892373065362014-02-01T08:00:00.000-05:002014-02-01T09:36:15.703-05:00TFH 2/1 Part 3: Private First Class Alton W. Knappenberger, USAHalf a world away from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kwajalein">attack on Kwajalein</a> on February 1, 1944 where Marines Richard B. Anderson and John V. Power were distinguishing themselves above and beyond the courage and fighting spirit otherwise expected of warriors, Americans were also l<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)">ocked in combat with our Nazi enemies in Italy</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alton_W._Knappenberger">Alton W. Knappenberger</a> was born on December 31, 1923 in Cooperstown, Pennsylvania. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062703644.html">He left school after the fifth grade</a>, and worked in a variety of farming jobs until <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=39&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&q=Knappenberger&bc=,sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=2&rid=4090803&rlst=3775525,3779388,3848884,3875539,3887073,3964665,3967001,4090803,4091793,4097198">he was drafted</a> into the <a href="http://www.army.mil/">United States Army</a> when he was 19 on March 4, 1943.<br />
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As he was growing up, Knappenberger honed his skills as a marksman by hunting for food to help feed his family. His keen aim and skill would serve him well in combat.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Knappenberger was posted as a replacement with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)">30th Infantry Regiment</a> of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)">3rd Infantry Division</a>. His first combat action was <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle">Operation SHINGLE</a>, the landing in Italy at Anzio on January 22, 1944.<br />
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For two hours on February 1, 1944, just his eleventh day in combat, Knappenberger relentlessly poured fire at counter-attacking Germans during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cisterna">Battle of Cisterna</a> with his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1918_Browning_Automatic_Rifle">M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle</a>. His accurate shots knocked out multiple enemy machine guns and other weapons. When he ran out of ammunition, he gathered more and also used the weapons of fallen comrades around him. His solo stand turned the tide of the battle, and eventually saw him decorated with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html#KNAPPENBERGER" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<i>KNAPPENBERGER, ALTON W.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 1 February 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Spring Mount, Pa.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 41, 26 May 1944</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action involving actual conflict with the enemy, on 1 February 1944 near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy. When a heavy German counterattack was launched against his battalion, Pfc. Knappenberger crawled to an exposed knoll and went into position with his automatic rifle. An enemy machinegun 85 yards away opened fire, and bullets struck within 6 inches of him. Rising to a kneeling position, Pfc. Knappenberger opened fire on the hostile crew, knocked out the gun, killed 2 members of the crew, and wounded the third. While he fired at this hostile position, 2 Germans crawled to a point within 20 yards of the knoll and threw potato-masher grenades at him, but Pfc. Knappenberger killed them both with 1 burst from his automatic rifle. Later, a second machine gun opened fire upon his exposed position from a distance of 100 yards, and this weapon also was silenced by his well-aimed shots. Shortly thereafter, an enemy 20mm. antiaircraft gun directed fire at him, and again Pfc. Knappenberger returned fire to wound 1 member of the hostile crew. Under tank and artillery shellfire, with shells bursting within 15 yards of him, he held his precarious position and fired at all enemy infantrymen armed with machine pistols and machine guns which he could locate. When his ammunition supply became exhausted, he crawled 15 yards forward through steady machinegun fire, removed rifle clips from the belt of a casualty, returned to his position and resumed firing to repel an assaulting German platoon armed with automatic weapons. Finally, his ammunition supply being completely exhausted, he rejoined his company. Pfc. Knappenberger's intrepid action disrupted the enemy attack for over 2 hours.</i><br />
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PFC Knappenberger came through the battle unharmed. February 1 was actually his last day of fighting, as the Army decided to evacuate him and use him domestically as a war hero on tour for morale building or in other mundane, stateside jobs that he wound up resenting.<br />
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The same day Knappenberger and his BAR broke up the Nazi attack at Cisterna, the Army and Marines stormed Kwajalein in the Pacific. Two Marines, <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-21-part-1-private-first-class.html" target="_blank">PFC Richard B. Anderson</a> and <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-21-part-2-first-lieutenant-john-v.html" target="_blank">1stLt John V. Power</a>, earned the Medal themselves.<br />
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After being discharged from the Army, Knappenberger returned to farming and also later worked for a paving company. He died at age 84 on June 9, 2008 after previously having survived five heart attacks and was <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=27705577">laid to rest</a> in <a href="http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/">Arlington National Cemetery</a>.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/2BCT/unit130Inf/home.asp">1st Battalion</a> of the 30th Infantry is a present component of the <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/home.asp">3rd Infantry Division</a> at <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/homepage/default.asp">Fort Stewart, Georgia</a>. The <a href="http://www.jrtc-polk.army.mil/4-10/2-30_home.html">2nd Battalion</a> of the regiment is part of the <a href="http://www.drum.army.mil/10md/Pages/10thMtnDiv.aspx">10th Mountain Division</a> at <a href="http://www.drum.army.mil/Pages/index.aspx">Fort Drum, New York</a>.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-10140401359395478012014-02-01T07:00:00.000-05:002014-02-01T09:31:53.897-05:00TFH 2/1 Part 2: First Lieutenant John V. Power, USMCR<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_V._Power">John Vincent Power</a>, "Jack" to family and friends, was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on November 20, 1918. He spent his entire childhood there, and stayed in his hometown to study at the <a href="http://www.holycross.edu/">College of the Holy Cross</a>, from which he graduated with the class of 1941. With the United States' entry into World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he answered America's call in July of 1942 with his volunteer enlistment in the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/">United States Marine Corps Reserve</a>.<br />
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Power was sent to Officer Candidates' School and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant on October 31, 1942. He was assigned in January 1943 to Company E of the 3rd Separate Battalion which, after transfer to <a href="http://www.pendleton.marines.mil/">Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton</a> in California, was redesignated as Company K, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Battalion_24th_Marines">3rd Battalion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24th_Marine_Regiment">24th Marine Regiment</a> as the <a href="http://www.marines.mil/">Marine Corps</a> swelled for combat across the far reaches of the Pacific Ocean. Power was promoted to First Lieutenant in August 1943.<br />
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The 24th Marines sailed from California in January 1944 as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Marine_Division_(United_States)">4th Marine Division</a> for the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kwajalein">assault on Kwajalein Atoll</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The 24th Marines were designated as the assault force for the Namur side of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roi-Namur">Roi-Namur islands</a> at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwajalein_Atoll">Kwajalein</a>. They stormed ashore on February 1, 1944 and began reducing the Japanese beach defenses to rubble and annihilating the defenders.<br />
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First Lieutenant Power, commanding one of Company K's rifle platoons, was shot in the stomach while leading his Marines forward against a Japanese strongpoint. Unwilling to give up his own attack to receive care and leave his Marines leaderless, he pressed forward until he was struck down by a second wound to his stomach and a bullet to the head while reloading his weapon.<br />
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Lieutenant Power's courageous charge rallied his Marines and saw him posthumously decorated with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#POWER" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from <a href="http://powerclangathering.com/2012/11/27/jack-v-power-medal-of-honour-recipient/">powerclangathering.com</a></td></tr>
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<i>*POWER, JOHN VINCENT</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization. First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as platoon leader, attached to the 4th Marine Division, during the landing and battle of Namur Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944. Severely wounded in the stomach while setting a demolition charge on a Japanese pillbox, 1st Lt. Power was steadfast in his determination to remain in action. Protecting his wound with his left hand and firing with his right, he courageously advanced as another hostile position was taken under attack, fiercely charging the opening made by the explosion and emptying his carbine into the pillbox. While attempting to reload and continue the attack, 1st Lt. Power was shot again in the stomach and head and collapsed in the doorway. His exceptional valor, fortitude and indomitable fighting spirit in the face of withering enemy fire were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.</i><br />
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Jack Power was initially buried in the 4th Marine Division Cemetery on Roi-Namur. At war's end, his remains were repatriated to the United States and reburied in the Saint John's Cemetery in Worcester. Power's Medal <a href="http://www.webcitation.org/5rUxx4OPO">was presented to his mother at the White House by President Franklin D. Roosevelt</a> in November 1944; the Medal was later given to the College of the Holy Cross by his sisters.<br />
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While Lieutenant Power led his charge on Namur, <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-21-part-1-private-first-class.html" target="_blank">PFC Richard B. Anderson saved three of his comrades</a> on Roi from a dropped live grenade. On the other side of the world, <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-21-part-3-private-first-class-alton.html" target="_blank">Army PFC Alton W. Knappenberger held off a Nazi counter-attack</a> with deadly accurate fires.<br />
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gearing_class_destroyer"><i>Gearing</i>-class</a> destroyer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Power_(DD-839)">USS <i>Power</i> (DD-839)</a>, named for the brave lieutenant of Roi-Namur, Kwajalein, served with the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/">United States Navy</a> from September 1945 to September 1977. The ship was later sold to the Taiwanese Navy and served with them until November 2005.<br />
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The entire 24th Marine Regiment was disbanded in 2013 and its battalions reallocated to other components of the present <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision.aspx">4th Marine Division</a> in the Marine Forces Reserve.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-85108796199327504902014-02-01T06:00:00.000-05:002014-02-01T09:29:21.235-05:00TFH 2/1 Part 1: Private First Class Richard B. Anderson, USMC<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_B._Anderson" target="_blank">Richard Beatty Anderson</a> was born in Tacoma, Washington on June 26, 1921 and grew up in nearby Agnew, Washington. He graduated from high school in 1939 or 1940, and volunteered for the <a href="http://www.marines.mil/" target="_blank">United States Marine Corps</a> in July 6, 1942. After receiving his recruit training at <a href="http://www.mcrdsd.marines.mil/" target="_blank">Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego</a>, Anderson was stationed at the Marine Barracks in San Diego until being ordered to report for infantry training.<br />
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Anderson received a promotion to Private First Class on April 12, 1943 and became a member of the new <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4th_Marine_Division" target="_blank">4th Marine Division</a> then in formation. His assignment was with Company E, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2nd_Battalion_23rd_Marines" target="_blank">2nd Battalion</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23rd_Marine_Regiment_(United_States)" target="_blank">23rd Marine Regiment</a> then in training at <a href="http://www.pendleton.marines.mil/" target="_blank">Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton</a> in California. In January 1944, the 4th Marine Division deployed from California for their first combat action of World War II: the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_and_Marshall_Islands_campaign" target="_blank">Gilbert and Marshall Islands campaign</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The 4th Marine Division arrived off the shores of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwajalein_Atoll" target="_blank">Kwajalein Atoll</a> in late January. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kwajalein" target="_blank">The assault began on January 31, 1944</a>, with the 23rd Marines assigned to land the following day on the Roi portion of the linked <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roi-Namur" target="_blank">Roi-Namur islands</a> in the north segment of the atoll.<br />
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On February 1, 1944, PFC Anderson had taken cover in a shell hole with three of his fellow Marines. As he prepared to hurl a grenade at the Japanese enemy, the weapon slipped from his grasp and fell amongst his comrades. Instantly realizing that the grenade would kill them all if he didn't act, Anderson selflessly smothered the grenade with his own body, saved the lives of the other three, and ultimately joined the ranks of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">our Nation's greatest heroes</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-a-f.html#ANDERSONRB" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (A-F)</a>:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2665" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>*ANDERSON, RICHARD BEATTY</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 4th Marine Division during action against enemy Japanese forces on Roi Island, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, 1 February 1944. Entering a shell crater occupied by 3 other marines, Pfc. Anderson was preparing to throw a grenade at an enemy position when it slipped from his hands and rolled toward the men at the bottom of the hole. With insufficient time to retrieve the armed weapon and throw it, Pfc. Anderson fearlessly chose to sacrifice himself and save his companions by hurling his body upon the grenade and taking the full impact of the explosion. His personal valor and exceptional spirit of loyalty in the face of almost certain death were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.</i><br />
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PFC Anderson survived the grenade's blast long enough to be evacuated to a hospital ship where he succumbed to his wounds. His remains were repatriated to the United States and <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=5053456" target="_blank">he was laid to rest</a> in the New Tacoma Cemetery, University Place, Washington.<br />
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Meanwhile, on the neighboring island of Namur, <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-21-part-2-first-lieutenant-john-v.html" target="_blank">First Lieutenant John V. Power led his Marines on a charge against a Japanese strongpoint</a>. Half a world away in Italy later the same day, <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/02/tfh-21-part-3-private-first-class-alton.html" target="_blank">Army PFC Alton W. Knappenberger's accuracy with his automatic rifle</a> saved the day at Cisterna.<br />
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On October 26, 1945, the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/" target="_blank">United States Navy</a> accepted into commission the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gearing-class_destroyer" target="_blank"><i>Gearing</i>-class</a> destroyer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Richard_B._Anderson_(DD-786)" target="_blank">USS <i>Richard B. Anderson</i> (DD-786)</a>. The ship was sponsored by PFC Anderson's mother and his brother Robert, a Navy Machinist's Mate, became a "plank owner" as a member of her commissioning crew. The <i>Anderson</i> served our fleet until her decommissioning on December 20, 1975. The ship later served for over 20 years in the Taiwanese Navy from 1977 to 1999.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision.aspx" target="_blank">4th Marine Division</a> is the present-day ground component of the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/" target="_blank">Marine Forces Reserve</a>. <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision/23rdMarineRegiment/2ndBattalion.aspx" target="_blank">2nd Battalion</a>, <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/MajorSubordinateCommands/4thMarineDivision/23rdMarineRegiment.aspx" target="_blank">23rd Marines</a> is still a part of the division and is comprised of reservists located across the Southwestern United States.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-23399810990746951912014-01-31T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-31T06:00:01.045-05:00TFH 1/30-31: Sergeant Truman O. Olson, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truman_O._Olson" target="_blank">Truman O. Olson</a> was born on October 13, 1917 in Christiana, Wisconsin. He was drafted for service in the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> for World War II on June 19, 1942 at age 24 and according to his <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=6&cat=WR26&tf=F&q=Truman+Olson&bc=,sl,sd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=6418045&rlst=1375047,6949030,6955206,6418045,7691376,1447552" target="_blank">enlistment record</a>, had spent his entire life around Christiana and nearby Cambridge and was working as a farm hand having only completed one year of high school.<br />
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After completing his training as an infantryman he was sent to Europe to join the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">3rd Infantry Division</a> as a replacement. He was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)" target="_blank">7th Infantry Regiment</a>. By late January 1944, he had attained the rank of Sergeant and was a machine gunner.<br />
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Olson landed with the 3rd Infantry Division at the Anzio beaches in Italy as part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle" target="_blank">Operation Shingle</a> on January 22, 1944. Just over a week later, with the precarious, five-mile deep beachhead threatened by Nazi counter attacks, Olson and his comrades were <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cisterna" target="_blank">locked in combat around the town of Cisterna</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The battle plan for Cisterna was to seize key transportation routes that the Germans required to keep their defenses to the south supplied. The 7th Infantry Regiment would attack along the left or north flank of the town in a supporting effort. Unfortunately, the combined American and British forces met heavier resistance then they had anticipated and were quickly pinned down by the enemy.<br />
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After a full day of fighting on January 30, one-third of Olson's company had become casualties and only had the one remaining machine gun manned by him as heavy firepower to beat back the German counterattack that was all but certain. One-by-one, the other soldiers in Olson's machine gun crew were cut down by the enemy, leaving him to fight alone all night. Physically exhausted and having his strength drained by repeated wounds that would prove fatal, Truman Olson nonetheless manned his weapon, repelling a Nazi assault by 200 men that assuredly would have overrun his unit had he not kept up his one man fight.<br />
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<a href="http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/whi/fullRecord.asp?id=41536" target="_blank">A little more than one year later</a> after this heroic solo stand, Truman Olson's father was presented with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a> his son so justly earned in Italy.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-m-s.html#OLSONTO" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (M-S)</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/assets/images/recipients/3058.jpg" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>*OLSON, TRUMAN O.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Near Cisterna di Littoria, Italy, 30-31 January 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Cambridge, Wis.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 6, 24 January 1945</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Olson, a light machine gunner, elected to sacrifice his life to save his company from annihilation. On the night of 30 January 1944, after a 16-hour assault on entrenched enemy positions in the course of which over one-third of Company B became casualties, the survivors dug in behind a horseshoe elevation, placing Sgt. Olson and his crew, with the 1 available machinegun, forward of their lines and in an exposed position to bear the brunt of the expected German counterattack. Although he had been fighting without respite, Sgt. Olson stuck grimly to his post all night while his guncrew was cut down, 1 by 1, by accurate and overwhelming enemy fire. Weary from over 24 hours of continuous battle and suffering from an arm wound, received during the night engagement, Sgt. Olson manned his gun alone, meeting the full force of an all-out enemy assault by approximately 200 men supported by mortar and machinegun fire which the Germans launched at daybreak on the morning of 31 January. After 30 minutes of fighting, Sgt. Olson was mortally wounded, yet, knowing that only his weapons stood between his company and complete destruction, he refused evacuation. For an hour and a half after receiving his second and fatal wound he continued to fire his machinegun, killing at least 20 of the enemy, wounding many more, and forcing the assaulting German elements to withdraw.</i><br />
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Sergeant Olson's remains were repatriated to the United States and <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7932774" target="_blank">laid to rest</a> in the West Koshkonong Lutheran Church Cemetery in Stoughton, Wisconsin. Olson's <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=7932774&PIpi=42169626" target="_blank">original grave marker</a> predated his Medal of Honor award and did not reflect his status as one of America's greatest heroes. <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=7932774&PIpi=42169303" target="_blank">That has since been rectified</a>, although it would appear they got his middle initial wrong on the replacement!<br />
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1st Battalion, 7th Infantry is today inactive. The <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/1BCT/unit27IR/home.asp" target="_blank">2nd</a> and <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/4BCT/unit37INF/home.asp" target="_blank">3rd</a> Battalions of the regiment are active with the modern <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/home.asp" target="_blank">3rd Infantry Division</a> at <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/homepage/default.asp" target="_blank">Fort Stewart, Georgia</a>.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-80609072563693878652014-01-30T07:00:00.000-05:002014-01-30T07:24:03.436-05:00TFH 1/30 Part 2: Private First Class Lloyd C. Hawks, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_C._Hawks" target="_blank">Lloyd Cortez Hawks</a> was born on January 13, 1911 in Becker, Minnesota. At age eight he moved to Michigan with his family, but returned to his native Minnesota after graduating from high school. In 1940 at age 29 he decided to enlist in the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> but was <a href="http://insidesurgery.com/2007/05/lloyd-c-hawks-army-medic-and-medal-of-honor-recipient/" target="_blank">soon discharged for being too old and out of shape</a>.<br />
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Two years later in 1942, the Army relented and with a two-front war being waged, accepted him back into service as a medic. After training, Hawks joined the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">3rd Infantry Division</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)" target="_blank">30th Infantry Regiment</a> during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Campaign_(World_War_II)" target="_blank">Italian Campaign</a>.<br />
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It was good that the Army gave him a second chance...<br />
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<a name='more'></a>On January 30, 1944 near Carano, Italy <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle" target="_blank">in the Anzio beachhead</a> - half a world away from where <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/01/tfh-130-part-1-staff-sergeant-jesse-r.html">Jesse Drowley saved several wounded comrades</a> on Bougainville the same day - Private First Class Lloyd Hawks (unarmed, unlike the armed Drowley) ran twice to an exposed position to rescue two wounded soldiers; a rescue attempt that had already seen one of Hawks' fellow medics wounded trying it themselves.<br />
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Despite a burst from a machine gun that knocked his helmet off his head, despite enemy fires that wrecked both his right hip and left arm, Hawks crawled and clawed his way through battlefield hell to render aid to both the fallen medic and to administer care to the other two casualties and drag them to safety. Just less than one year later, the man once deemed unfit for service received <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">our Nation's highest honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html#HAWKS" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Lloyd_C_Hawks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d9/Lloyd_C_Hawks.jpg" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
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<i>HAWKS, LLOYD C.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 30th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 30 January 1944. Entered service at: Park Rapids, Minn. G.O. No.: 5, 15 January 1945</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 30 January 1944, at 3 p.m., near Carano, Italy, Pfc. Hawks braved an enemy counterattack in order to rescue 2 wounded men who, unable to move, were lying in an exposed position within 30 yards of the enemy. Two riflemen, attempting the rescue, had been forced to return to their fighting holes by extremely severe enemy machinegun fire, after crawling only 10 yards toward the casualties. An aid man, whom the enemy could plainly identify as such, had been critically wounded in a similar attempt. Pfc. Hawks, nevertheless, crawled 50 yards through a veritable hail of machinegun bullets and flying mortar fragments to a small ditch, administered first aid to his fellow aid man who had sought cover therein, and continued toward the 2 wounded men 50 yards distant. An enemy machinegun bullet penetrated his helmet, knocking it from his head, momentarily stunning him. Thirteen bullets passed through his helmet as it lay on the ground within 6 inches of his body. Pfc. Hawks, crawled to the casualties, administered first aid to the more seriously wounded man and dragged him to a covered position 25 yards distant. Despite continuous automatic fire from positions only 30 yards away and shells which exploded within 25 yards, Pfc. Hawks returned to the second man and administered first aid to him. As he raised himself to obtain bandages from his medical kit his right hip was shattered by a burst of machinegun fire and a second burst splintered his left forearm. Displaying dogged determination and extreme self-control, Pfc. Hawks, despite severe pain and his dangling left arm, completed the task of bandaging the remaining casualty and with superhuman effort dragged him to the same depression to which he had brought the first man. Finding insufficient cover for 3 men at this point, Pfc. Hawks crawled 75 yards in an effort to regain his company, reaching the ditch in which his fellow aid man was lying.</i><br />
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Hawks remained in the Army after his recovery from his wounds and the Second World War. He went on to serve during the Korean War and attained the rank of Sergeant First Class. Hawks passed away due to a heart attack at the all-too-early age of 42 on October 26, 1953. He <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7987128" target="_blank">rests in peace</a> at the Greenwood Cemetery in Park Rapids, Minnesota. The local American Legion post donated a new grave marker for him in 2012 that includes details of his heroic acts inscribed on its reverse.<br />
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One of the medical clinics at <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/homepage/default.asp" target="_blank">Fort Stewart, Georgia</a>, the <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/home.asp" target="_blank">3rd Infantry Division's</a> home, was named in <a href="http://www.wtoc.com/story/5958707/third-id-clinic-named-for-wwii-medal-of-honor-medic" target="_blank">Lloyd Hawks' honor and memory in January 2007</a>. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Hawks was also a three-time recipient of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Star" target="_blank">Silver Star</a> for valor in performing his medic duties during World War II.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-81035446455551180992014-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-30T07:26:19.540-05:00TFH 1/30 Part 1: Staff Sergeant Jesse R. Drowley, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_R._Drowley" target="_blank">Jesse Ray Drowley</a> was born on September 9, 1919 in St. Charles, Michigan. His family moved often as he was growing up, and he was living in Spokane, Washington when he enlisted or was drafted into the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> (extensive searches don't turn up his enlistment record!).<br />
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Drowley was assigned as an infantryman with the 1st Battalion, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/132nd_Illinois_Volunteer_Infantry_Regiment#World_War_II" target="_blank">132nd Infantry Regiment</a> as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/23rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">Americal Division</a>. The Americal was unique in World War II as it carried a name and not a numerical designation. The division got its name from "American, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Caledonia" target="_blank">New Caledonia</a>", the South Pacific island on which the unit was provisionally formed for defense in May 1942. While officially known later as the 23rd Infantry Division, the Americal name stuck.<br />
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The Americal, with then Staff Sergeant Jesse Drowley in its ranks, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Bougainville" target="_blank">arrived on Bougainville</a> as part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands_campaign" target="_blank">Solomon Islands</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_campaign" target="_blank">New Guinea</a> campaigns on Christmas Day 1943 to relieve the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Marine_Division" target="_blank">3rd Marine Division</a> who had been fighting there since November 1, 1943.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>On January 30, 1944, Drowley was a rifle squad leader and assigned a defensive role within his platoon and company as a neighboring company launched an attack against Japanese defensive positions. While maintaining their defensive positions, Drowley witnessed three of his fellow soldiers from the other unit fall wounded while continuing intense enemy fire prevented their rescue.<br />
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Staff Sergeant Drowley disregarded his own safety and headed into the field of fire to rescue the wounded. He carried two of them to safety, and then identified an enemy strongpoint that was inflicting grievous casualties on our troops. Drowley climbed aboard a tank and directed its crew to a position where they could destroy the enemy bunker. Twice wounded, he refused care until the enemy positions had been destroyed.<br />
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When he finally returned for care, <a href="http://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/may/20/world-war-ii-hero-jesse-drowley-dies/" target="_blank">his platoon leader threatened him with reprimand or court martial for leaving his post</a>. Instead, when the full story of why he left his defensive position was learned, Jesse Drowley received <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">our Nation's highest honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-a-f.html#DROWLEY" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (A-F)</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/assets/images/recipients/1677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/assets/images/recipients/1677.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from <a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=1677" target="_blank">Military Times' Hall of Valor</a></td></tr>
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<i>DROWLEY, JESSE R.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Americal Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 30 January 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Spokane, Wash.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 73, 6 September 1944</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy at Bougainville, Solomon Islands, 30 January 1944. S/Sgt. Drowley, a squad leader in a platoon whose mission during an attack was to remain under cover while holding the perimeter defense and acting as a reserve for assaulting echelon, saw 3 members of the assault company fall badly wounded. When intense hostile fire prevented aid from reaching the casualties, he fearlessly rushed forward to carry the wounded to cover. After rescuing 2 men, S/Sgt. Drowley discovered an enemy pillbox undetected by assaulting tanks that was inflicting heavy casualties upon the attacking force and was a chief obstacle to the success of the advance. Delegating the rescue of the third man to an assistant, he ran across open terrain to 1 of the tanks. Signaling to the crew, he climbed to the turret, exchanged his weapon for a submachine gun and voluntarily rode the deck of the tank directing it toward the pillbox by tracer fire. The tank, under constant heavy enemy fire, continued to within 20 feet of the pillbox where S/Sgt. Drowley received a severe bullet wound in the chest. Refusing to return for medical treatment, he remained on the tank and continued to direct its progress until the enemy box was definitely located by the crew. At this point he again was wounded by small arms fire, losing his left eye and falling to the ground. He remained alongside the tank until the pillbox had been completely demolished and another directly behind the first destroyed. S/Sgt. Drowley, his voluntary mission successfully accomplished, returned alone for medical treatment.</i><br />
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Later that same day, half a world away in Italy, <a href="http://theirfinesthour.blogspot.com/2014/01/tfh-130-part-2-private-first-class.html">fellow soldier Lloyd Hawks</a> also joined the ranks of our greatest heroes for saving his fallen comrades.<br />
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Jesse Drowley survived his wounds and the war. By all accounts <a href="http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1345&dat=19830512&id=xPpLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=efkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6480,3080872" target="_blank">he lived a humble, unassuming life</a> and sought not fame or fortune for his wartime heroics. It was just last year that <a href="http://www.mlive.com/news/saginaw/index.ssf/2013/09/museum_briefly_pays_sept_11_tr.html" target="_blank">St. Charles, Michigan realized one of their native sons was a Medal of Honor recipient</a> and recognized him with memorial activities on Patriots' Day, September 11.<br />
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Jessy Ray Drowley passed away at age 76 in Spokane, Washington on May 20, 1996. <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7670311" target="_blank">He was laid to rest in the Fairmount Memorial Park</a>. Neither the 132nd Infantry Regiment or the Americal/23rd Infantry Division are active units today.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-48238300177196402752014-01-28T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-28T06:00:01.134-05:00TFH 1/28: Technician 5th Grade Eric G. Gibson, USA<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_G._Gibson" target="_blank">Eric Gunnar Gibson</a> was born in Nysund, Sweden on October 3, 1919. He emigrated as a child with his parents to the United States, where they settled in Chicago, Illinois. From Gibson's <a href="http://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=3&cat=WR26&tf=F&sc=24994,24995,24996,24998,24997,24993,24981,24983&q=Eric+Gibson&bc=,sl,fd&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=6235592&rlst=5162291,6235592,8578243" target="_blank">enlistment record</a>, we know that he entered the <a href="http://www.army.mil/" target="_blank">United States Army</a> on February 18, 1941. He's listed as a "selectee", so he was probably drafted. We also know that he only completed three years of high school and hadn't become a naturalized American citizen yet.<br />
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His peacetime occupation is listed as a "semiskilled meatcutter", and perhaps it was his civilian job experience that <a href="http://www.qmfound.com/SGT_Eric_Gibson.htm" target="_blank">saw him placed</a> in the <a href="http://www.quartermaster.army.mil/" target="_blank">Army Quartermaster Corps</a>. Gibson was assigned to Company I, 3rd Battalion, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30th_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)" target="_blank">30th Infantry Regiment</a> as a company cook. That regiment was part of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3rd_Infantry_Division_(United_States)" target="_blank">3rd Infantry Division</a>.<br />
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Cooks typically do not fight, unless a unit is being overrun. Having reached the rank of Technician Fifth Grade (Corporal) and caught the ear of his company commander, <a href="http://www.seabeecook.com/cooks/army/gibson.htm" target="_blank">Gibson worked out a deal so he'd get to see action</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Gibson's deal with his CO was that so long as there wasn't food to cook, he could join along with a rifle squad and fight. Company I's leadership came to rely upon his dual-roles, and Gibson found himself also used as a trusted scout.<br />
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As the 3rd Infantry Division was preparing to land at Anzio on January 22, 1944 as part of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Shingle" target="_blank">Operation SHINGLE</a> - the plan to outflank <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Line" target="_blank">Nazi defenses in central Italy</a> and open the road to Rome - Company I had several "green" replacements who'd be seeing their first action. The replacements were formed into their own squad with Gibson as their leader.<br />
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Eric Gibson's unhesitating, indomitable courage and leadership in leading his men from the front at cost of his own life was recognized with the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a>. One wonders: did the Army err by making him a cook?<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html#GIBSON" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg/200px-Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg.png" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.qmfound.com/SGT%20Gibson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://www.qmfound.com/SGT%20Gibson.jpg" height="320" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from the <a href="http://www.qmfound.com/SGT_Eric_Gibson.htm" target="_blank">US Army Quartermaster Foundation</a></td></tr>
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<i>*GIBSON, ERIC G.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Rank and organization. Technician Fifth Grade, U.S. Army, 3d Infantry Division</i><br />
<i>Place and date: Near Isola Bella, Italy, 28 January 1944</i><br />
<i>Entered service at: Chicago, Ill.</i><br />
<i>G.O. No.: 74, 11 September 1944</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. On 28 January 1944, near Isola Bella, Italy, Tech. 5th Grade Gibson, company cook, led a squad of replacements through their initial baptism of fire, destroyed four enemy positions, killed 5 and captured 2 German soldiers, and secured the left flank of his company during an attack on a strongpoint. Placing himself 50 yards in front of his new men, Gibson advanced down the wide stream ditch known as the Fossa Femminamorta, keeping pace with the advance of his company. An enemy soldier allowed Tech. 5th Grade Gibson to come within 20 yards of his concealed position and then opened fire on him with a machine pistol. Despite the stream of automatic fire which barely missed him, Gibson charged the position, firing his submachine gun every few steps. Reaching the position, Gibson fired pointblank at his opponent, killing him. An artillery concentration fell in and around the ditch; the concussion from one shell knocked him flat. As he got to his feet Gibson was fired on by two soldiers armed with a machine pistol and a rifle from a position only 75 yards distant. Gibson immediately raced toward the foe. Halfway to the position a machine gun opened fire on him. Bullets came within inches of his body, yet Gibson never paused in his forward movement. He killed one and captured the other soldier. Shortly after, when he was fired upon by a heavy machinegun 200 yards down the ditch, Gibson crawled back to his squad and ordered it to lay down a base of fire while he flanked the emplacement. Despite all warning, Gibson crawled 125 yards through an artillery concentration and the cross fire of 2 machineguns which showered dirt over his body, threw 2 hand grenades into the emplacement and charged it with his submachine gun, killing 2 of the enemy and capturing a third. Before leading his men around a bend in the stream ditch, Gibson went forward alone to reconnoiter. Hearing an exchange of machine pistol and submachine gun fire, Gibson's squad went forward to find that its leader had run 35 yards toward an outpost, killed the machine pistol man, and had himself been killed while firing at the Germans.</i><br />
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Gibson's remains were repatriated to the United States. <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7722443" target="_blank">He was buried by his parents</a> near their then home in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. <a href="http://www.chippewavalleyww2.org/Veterans/G/Gi/GibsonEricG/GibsonEricG.htm" target="_blank">In 1999, his grave saw its old worn marker replaced</a> with a marble and gold-inlaid one more befitting of his status as a Medal of Honor recipient. I couldn't determine if he obtained US citizenship before he regardless earned it with his blood.<br />
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3rd Battalion, 30th Infantry is today inactive. The <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/units/home.asp" target="_blank">3rd Infantry Division</a> is a present-day Army component with a home station at <a href="http://www.stewart.army.mil/homepage/default.asp" target="_blank">Fort Stewart, Georgia</a>.<br />
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Gibson was inducted into the <a href="http://www.qmfound.com/hof.htm#1999" target="_blank">Army Quartermaster Hall of Fame</a> in 1999.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-11240283800945593792014-01-27T08:00:00.000-05:002014-01-28T11:39:16.327-05:00Their Finest Hour on VLR, January 27!<div class="p1">
I'm back from last week's business trip and once again behind the <a href="http://vigilantlibertyradio.us/"><span class="s1">Vigilant Liberty Radio</span></a> microphone for <i>Their Finest Hour</i> tonight, January 27, 2014, at 10pm Eastern, 7pm Pacific! Thanks to Alex Kauffman (<a href="https://twitter.com/alexkauff">@alexkauff</a>) for <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/6577741/vlr-their-finest-hour_8">sitting in last week</a>!<br />
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<u><i><b>UPDATE 1/28: SHOW REPLAY EMBEDDED!</b></i></u></div>
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<a name='more'></a>The first topic on the agenda will be the Right to Life/pro-life movement and politics with the 41st anniversary of Roe v. Wade just past. Joining the program will be stay-at-home mom and veteran of the United States Air Force Krystle Schoonveld (<a href="https://twitter.com/TarheelKrystle"><span class="s1">@TarheelKrystle</span></a>) - who, by the way, <a href="http://prolifeblogtarheelkrystle.blogspot.com/"><span class="s1">has a powerful pro-life story of her own</span></a> - and blogger Michael Haugen (<a href="https://twitter.com/HaugenTRA"><span class="s1">@HaugenTRA</span></a>) of <i>The Right Argument</i>, who had an <a href="http://storify.com/GaltsGirl/haugentra-brings-science-to-the-abortion-debate"><span class="s1">epic series of tweets on the RvW anniversary thankfully "Storifyed" by Michelle Ray</span></a>.<br />
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A pro-life discussion naturally segues into talking about both Democratic candidate for US Senate Wendy Davis and the tragic case in that state of Marlise Muñoz and Texas laws governing the life support of pregnant women. It's State of the Union Address Eve, so the President will likely be on our minds (unfortunately), there's gay weddings at the Grammy awards, Google Glass wearers being interrogated by the Feds, and of course, it's Super Bowl week so we'll have to give our game predictions!</div>
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For those topics and more, come join in with <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/6577741"><span class="s1">Vigilant Liberty Radio on Spreaker,</span></a> and please check out all of the previous VLR <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/show/vlr-their-finest-hour"><span class="s1"><i>Their Finest Hour</i></span><span class="s2"> programs</span></a> and <a href="http://www.spreaker.com/user/6577741"><span class="s1">other VLR shows</span></a> available for replay!</div>
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However, the best way to listen to <i>Their Finest Hour</i> is in <a href="http://vigilantlibertyradio.us/?page_id=31"><span class="s1">VLR's interactive and completely registration-free chat room</span></a>! Hope to see you there, and if you can't make the chat but want to get our attention, just tweet with the hashtag #TFH.</div>
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See you Monday night, 10E/9C/8M/7P!<br />
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And it was indeed a great show with Krystle and Michael, listen below! And for the record, our predictions for Super Bowl XLVIII were:<br />
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<li>Allan: Broncos, 24-10</li>
<li>Krystle: Broncos, 27-20</li>
<li>Michael: Seahawks, 27-10</li>
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<iframe frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.spreaker.com/embed/player/standard?autoplay=false&episode_id=3958910" style="height: 131px; min-width: 400px; width: 500px;"></iframe>
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<span class="s3">Make sure you're following both <a href="https://twitter.com/VigilantLiberty"><span class="s1">@VigilantLiberty</span></a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TFHBlogAndShow"><span class="s1">@TFHBlogAndShow</span></a> and giving us <a href="https://www.facebook.com/VigilantLibertyRadio"><span class="s1">those "likes" on Facebook too</span></a>!</span></div>
Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32578527.post-57937585145906990272014-01-24T06:00:00.000-05:002014-01-24T06:00:03.183-05:00TFH 1/24: First Lieutenant Robert M. Hanson, USMCR<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_M._Hanson" target="_blank">Robert Murray Hanson</a> was born on February 4, 1920 to Methodist missionary parents in Luckow, India. While traveling through Europe en route to the United States to attend college in 1938, he witnessed the gathering storm of war first hand, having been present in Austria during the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchluss" target="_blank">Nazi Anschluss.</a><br />
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When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Hanson was a student at <a href="http://www.hamline.edu/" target="_blank">Hamline University</a> in St. Paul, Minnesota. He left school and enlisted as a Naval Aviation cadet in May 1942. He received his Naval Aviator's "Wings of Gold" and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the <a href="http://www.marforres.marines.mil/" target="_blank">United States Marine Corps Reserve</a> on February 19, 1943. By June of 1943, Hanson had arrived for combat in the South Pacific with the <a href="http://www.marines.mil/" target="_blank">USMC</a>'s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMF-215" target="_blank">Marine Fighting Squadron 215 (VMF-215)</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Hanson was plunged into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Islands_campaign" target="_blank">Solomon Islands</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_campaign" target="_blank">New Guinea</a> campaigns and proved himself an air combat expert. He earned a promotion to First Lieutenant and also survived being shot down and luckily was rescued by an American destroyer. Over one six day period, he shot down twenty enemy aircraft.<br />
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For two specific instances of extreme courage and heroism in the skies - the first on November 1, 1943; second on January 24, 1944 - the Marine Corps nominated the young lieutenant for, and he later posthumously received, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medal_of_Honor" target="_blank">Medal of Honor</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.history.army.mil/moh/wwII-g-l.html" target="_blank">From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (G-L)</a>:<br />
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<i>*HANSON, ROBERT MURRAY</i><br />
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<i>Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve</i><br />
<i>Other Navy awards: Navy Cross, Air Medal</i><br />
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<i>Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and above and beyond the call of duty as fighter pilot attached to Marine Fighting Squadron 215 in action against enemy Japanese forces at Bougainville Island, 1 November 1943; and New Britain Island, 24 January 1944. Undeterred by fierce opposition, and fearless in the face of overwhelming odds, 1st Lt. Hanson fought the Japanese boldly and with daring aggressiveness. On 1 November, while flying cover for our landing operations at Empress Augusta Bay, he dauntlessly attacked 6 enemy torpedo bombers, forcing them to jettison their bombs and destroying 1 Japanese plane during the action. Cut off from his division while deep in enemy territory during a high cover flight over Simpson Harbor on 24 January, 1st Lt. Hanson waged a lone and gallant battle against hostile interceptors as they were orbiting to attack our bombers and, striking with devastating fury, brought down 4 Zeroes and probably a fifth. Handling his plane superbly in both pursuit and attack measures, he was a master of individual air combat, accounting for a total of 25 Japanese aircraft in this theater of war. His great personal valor and invincible fighting spirit were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.</i><br />
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Hanson was flying an escort mission for an attack on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabaul#World_War_II" target="_blank">Rabaul</a> on February 3, 1944 when his plane was observed to crash. He was listed as missing in action, but he was not captured by the Japanese and is presumed to have been killed on that date. For his service period from January 5-February 3, 1944, the Marine Corps also decorated him with the award second only to the Medal of Honor, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navy_Cross" target="_blank">Navy Cross</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=2777" target="_blank">From Military Times' Hall of Valor</a>:<br />
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<i>The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to First Lieutenant Robert Murray Hanson (MCSN: 0-19154), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession as Pilot of a Fighter Plane attached to Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED FIFTEEN (VMF-215), Marine Air Group FOURTEEN (MAG-14), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands Area from 5 January 1944 to 3 February 1944. Intercepted by a superior number of Japanese fighters while covering a flight of our bombers in a strike against enemy shipping in Simpson harbor on 14 January, First Lieutenant Hanson boldly engaged the hostile planes in fierce combat, pressing home repeated attacks with devastating force. Separated from his squadron during the intense action, he valiantly continued the engagement alone, successfully destroying five enemy Zeros before being forced by lack of ammunition and gasoline to return to his base. First Lieutenant Hanson's superb airmanship, brilliant initiative and dauntless fighting spirit enabled our bombers to deliver a crushing blow to the Japanese in that sector and return safe to their base and his conduct throughout was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.</i><br />
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All told, First Lieutenant Robert M. Hanson was a quintuple "ace", having been credited with 25 victories over enemy aircraft.<br />
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Hanson's remains have never been recovered. He <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10097658" target="_blank">is listed</a> on the <a href="http://lost-at-sea-memorials.com/?p=1986" target="_blank">Tablets of the Missing</a> with 36,284 of his American comrades at the <a href="http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries/cemeteries/ml.php" target="_blank">Manila American Cemetery and Memorial</a> in the Philippines and a <a href="http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8121665" target="_blank">cenotaph in his memory</a> was placed at the Newton Cemetery and Crematory in Newton, Massachusetts.<br />
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The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gearing_class_destroyer" target="_blank"><i>Gearing</i>-class</a> destroyer <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Hanson_(DD-832)" target="_blank">USS <i>Hanson</i> (DD-832)</a> was commissioned by the <a href="http://www.navy.mil/" target="_blank">United States Navy</a> too late to see combat in World War II, but carried the brave Marine aviator's name in our fleet through 1973, earning a total of fifteen battle stars for Korean and Vietnam Wars service. The ship was later sold to Taiwan, and served the Republic of China's navy until 2004 when she was sunk as a target in the South China Sea.<br />
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Marine Fighting Squadron 215 was decommissioned as a Marine Reserve unit on January 30, 1970.Allan Bourdiushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10834411353444590771noreply@blogger.com0