[FritzFulton]

Today’s installment.

Excerpted from an Internet posting by IdentifyMedals.com:

SGT John Basilone

Sgt. Basilone receives the congratulations of his platoon after receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.
Born on November 4, 1916 in Ruritan, New Jersey, Basilone was the six of ten children in an Italian family and would grow up as a tough young man. Just before his 18th birthday, Basilone enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the Philippines as an infantryman from 1934 to 1937. He would become known as “Manila John” due to his Army service in the Philippines.
During his time in the Philippines, Basilone became a champion boxer and absolutely adored life in the Philippines. Thus, when he returned to the States in 1937 and started working as a truck driver, it was not the life Basilone longed to leave, so he enlisted in the Marine Corps on June 3, 1940 in hopes of returning to his beloved Philippines.
Basilone was deployed to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba before he took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal in the Pacific where he would achieve his renown. From August 1942 on, Basilone and his unit—1st Battalion, 7th Marines of the 1st Marine Division—were tasked with fighting the Japanese deep in the jungles of Guadalcanal, one of the hundreds of islands that comprise the Solomons.
John Basilone's Extraordinary Heroism (And the Military Medals He Received)
Late in the fall on the night of October 24, 1942, Basilone who was then a sergeant, was responsible for commanding two heavy .30-caliber machine gun sections from 1/7 that had the task of holding a narrow pass at Tenaru River. A Japanese regiment that numbered 3,000 men began to attack the small crews of Marines as they dug in for the night with grenades and mortar fire. The Marines successfully held off the attack until one gun crew was disabled by enemy fire.
As Basilone’s Medal of Honor citation notes, Basilone carried roughly 90 pounds of weaponry and ammunition to the disabled gun pit, running a distance of 200 yards through enemy fire with total disregard for his own life. As he ran, Basilone killed several Japanese soldiers with his Colt .45 pistol.
John Basilone’s Citation for his Congressional Medal of Honor (Guadalcanal):

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines in the Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 of October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone’s sections, with its “gun crews”, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrives. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk to his own life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

The U.S. Medal of Honor
https://www.identifymedals.com/database/medals-by-period/ww1-medals/the-navy-cross-medal/
The Navy Cross
John Basilone’s Citation for his Navy Cross (Iwo Jima):

“For extraordinary heroism while serving as a leader of a Machine-Gun Section of Company C, First Battalion, Twenty-Seventh Marines, Fifth Marine Division, in Action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation shortly after landing when his company’s advance was held up by the concentrated fire of heavily fortified Japanese blockhouse, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone boldly defied The smashing bombardment of heavy caliber fire to work his way around the flank and up to a position directly on top of the blockhouse and then, attacking With grenades and demolitions, single-handedly destroyed the entire hostile strongpoint and its defending garrison. Consistently daring and aggressive as he fought his way over the battle-torn beach and up the sloping, gun-studded terraces toward Airfield Number One, he repeatedly exposed himself to the blasting fury of exploding shells and later in the day coolly proceeded to the aid of a friendly tank which had been trapped in an enemy mine field under intense mortar and artillery Barrages, skillfully guiding the heavy vehicle over the hazardous terrain to safety, despite the overwhelming volume of hostile fire. In the forefront of the assault at all times, he pushed forward with dauntless courage and iron determination until, moving upon the edge of the airfield, he fell, instantly by a bursting mortar shell. Stout-hearted and indomitable, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone by his intrepid initiative, outstanding professional skill and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of fanatic opposition, contributed materially to the advance of his company during the early critical period of the assault, and his unwavering devotion to his comrades and reflects the highest credit upon Gunnery Sergeant Basilone and the United States Naval Service.”

For a total of three days, Basilone ran back and forth between gun pits, supplying ammunition and assisting the junior Marines. He even lost his asbestos gloves, which were gloves used to hold or switch the hot barrels of the heavily used machine guns. Undeterred, Basilone used his bare hands to remove the barrel of his machine gun and take out an entire wave of Japanese soldiers during the height of the battle even though he burned his hands and arms in the process. By the time reinforcements arrived for the Marines, Basilone and his gun crews had thwarted the entire Japanese regiment, but at great cost: only Basilone and two other Marines were left standing. Basilone himself killed at least 38 enemy soldiers, using the machine guns, his pistol, and even a machete.

The 1943 Welcome Home Parade. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.
The 1943 Welcome Home Parade. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.

The 1943 Welcome Home Parade. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.
The 1943 Welcome Home Parade. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.
Due to his great acts of valor, Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor and promoted to Gunnery Sergeant, becoming the first enlisted U.S. Marine to earn the Medal of Honor during World War II. He refused an opportunity to have President Franklin D. Roosevelt bestow the medal and instead opted to have the ceremony in the field with his unit. As Basilone would note, “Only part of this medal belongs to me. Pieces of it belong to the boys who are still on Guadalcanal.”

John Basilone's Return Home
Basilone returned home to the United States for a homecoming parade in his hometown on September 19, 1943, and began to participate in war bond tours to raise money for the war effort. Even so, Basilone hated being away from his unit and the fighting and kept requesting to return to the Pacific, turning down a commission and an instructor position to get back with his men. He never completely liked all the attention from receiving the Medal of Honor. Basilone just wanted to be a plain Marine allegedly saying, “I ain’t no officer and I ain’t no museum piece. I belong back with my outfit.”
Basilone was sent to Camp Pendleton in California to complete additional training for combat in the Pacific where he ended up meeting his wife, a fellow Marine Sergeant named Lena Mae Riggi. The two would wed on July 10, 1944.

Wedding of John Basilone and Lena Riggi - Married July 1944. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.
https://www.identifymedals.com/data...ls.com/database/medals-by-period/ww2-medals/the-asiatic-pacific-campaign-medal/
The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
https://www.identifymedals.com/database/medals-by-period/ww2-medals/the-american-campaign-medal/
The American Campaign Medal

The American Defense Service Medal

The Inter Allied Victory Medal (Great Britain)
Basilone And The 5th Division
In December 1944, Basilone returned to the Pacific, headed toward Iwo Jima. Serving with the 1st Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, Basilone stormed Red Beach on Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945. Leading his gunners up the steep black sand, Basilone and his unit were pinned down by enemy machine gun fire. As in Guadalcanal, Basilone started attacking a heavily-fortified blockhouse with grenades and demolitions, single-handedly destroying an enemy strong point. He fought his way toward an airfield and assisted a Marine tank trapped in an enemy mine field, guiding the vehicle over the deadly terrain to safety even though he was under intense mortar and artillery barrages. At the edge of the airfield, Basilone was killed by Japanese mortar shrapnel, dying at the age of 28.
For his brave actions during the invasion, Basilone would posthumously receive the Purple Heart and the Navy Cross, becoming the only enlisted Marine in World War II to earn the Navy Cross posthumously. He received the Navy Presidential Unit Citation with one star, the American Defense Service medal with one star, the American Campaign medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal, and the World War II Victory medal.

Photo of John Basilone appeared in The New York Daily News. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.
Portrait appeared on the cover of Colliers Magazine. Courtesy of The Raritan Library.

Sources:

• John Basilone - Gunnery Sergeant, United States Marine Corps
• John Basilone: The Marine Hero of Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima

Guest Contributor: Rachel Basinger is a former history teacher turned freelance writer and editor. She loves studying military history, especially the World Wars, and of course military medals. She has authored three history books for young adults and transcribed interviews of World War II veterans. In her free time, Rachel is a voracious reader and is a runner who completed her first half marathon in May 2019.

From: Marines, The Official Website of the United States Marine Corps.
A “Great Love Story and an inspiration for all.”

Photo Information
MARINE CORPS GUNNERY SGT. JOHN BASILONE AND LENA BASILONE ON THEIR WEDDING DAY JULY 10, 1944 AT ST. MARY'S STAR OF THE SEA IN OCEANSIDE, CALIF. (PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. MARY'S STAR OF THE SEA)
Photo by Courtesy Photo

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GREAT LOVE HAPPENS ONCE: THE ENDURING STORY OF JOHN AND LENA BASILONE
14 FEB 2019 | Cpl. Teagan Fredericks1st Marine Division

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
Some ties run deep, like service to country or commitment to family. For one Marine, those two paths were intertwined.

Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone was both a lover and a fighter. He was notorious for his heroic actions on the beaches and in the jungles of the Pacific during World War II. During a heavy enemy attack in Guadalcanal, Basilone and his men defeated thousands of Japanese troops while he single-handedly repaired and manned multiple machine guns and risked his life running through enemy lines to retrieve critical ammunition. Often described as a decorated American hero and a Marine Corps legend, John Basilone was, in his heart, an ordinary family man.

After returning from his successful tour in Guadalcanal, Basilone received overwhelming amounts of publicity. He was offered roles in movies, invited to parades, and even spent time with the president. While this was all very flattering, he never seemed to find comfort in smiling for the cameras. John was attracted to the simpler things in life.

At the end of the day, after the cameras stopped flashing and parades came to an end, Basilone was a traditional man. He loved his country and he loved the brothers who fought by his side. He wanted, more than anything, to have a wife and a family of his own.

“I wanted to know how it was to love somebody the way Pop loved Mama,” Basilone admitted in James Brady’s book ‘Hero of the Pacific’ . “At least I wanted a few days, or weeks if I could get it, to know what it was like to be married. I wanted to be able to say ‘I love you’ a few times and mean it.”

Basilone was constantly surrounded by swarms of women who clung to his arms and posed for pictures. It would seem easy to find a wife with these circumstances, but he wanted something real. He eventually met his wife in the serving line of a chow hall on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

Her name was Lena Mae Riggi, a sergeant at the time serving as a field cook in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. Her fellow female Marines fawned over Basilone and his heroism but she wasn’t impressed. She saw him as yet another patronizing Marine returning from war. Basilone found her independence refreshing and realized she was exactly what he was looking for.

“I nodded and she might have nodded, or not, but she wasn’t falling over herself to get to know me. I liked this girl. She was tough,” said Basilone in ‘Hero of the Pacific’.

John and Lena seemingly fell in love overnight. Just weeks after meeting, with Basilone’s inevitable return to the Pacific looming, the couple decided to get married on July 10, 1944 at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church in Oceanside, California. A month after their wedding, in the same setting that they first met, the newlyweds bid farewell in a Camp Pendleton chow hall. Basilone returned to the Pacific to continue fighting in the war.

"We talked of our life after the war - what we would name the first boy and the first girl," Basilone said in ‘Hero of the Pacific’. "She held up pretty well while we talked. She didn't cry, and pretended she was okay... I told her, 'I'm coming back,' and she believed me."

Although the romance was a whirlwind and the conditions were not ideal, the two seemed destined for a life together. According to Lena’s niece, Fiddle Viracola, Lena would always say “Great love only happens once.”

For Lena, her ‘great love’ never returned home from the Pacific. John was killed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945 just seven months after marrying the love of his life and seven months before the allies would declare victory in the Pacific.

Although she was just 32 years old at the time of his passing, Lena never remarried, which was a testament to the unwavering bond she and John shared. She spent the remaining 54 years of her life in California where she would continue serving in the Marine Corps and volunteering throughout her community. When she died, she was still wearing the wedding ring that John gave her.

While John and Lena have both passed, their love still lingers in the halls of St. Mary’s Star of the Sea Church. If you visit Oceanside today, the church remains in the same place it was in 1944 when the couple said their vows. This summer, 1st Marine Division plans to dedicate a plaque at the church to commemorate the anniversary of their wedding and to honor the story of their undying love.

It is stories like John and Lena’s that teach us about the foundations of trust, commitment, and sacrifice on which military relationships are built and remind us to cherish the time we have with the ones we love. When we spend every day with the people we care about, it is easy to overlook the concept of living without them. This Valentine’s Day, take a step back to recognize these people and don’t forget that time is the most precious gift you could give them

 

[FritzFulton]

Todays installment
From: “U.S. Department of Defense” internet website.

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Medal of Honor Monday: Army 1st Lt. Rudolph B. Davila
May 29, 2023 | By Katie Lange , DOD News |

I

As the leader of a machine gun platoon during World War II, Army 1st Lt. Rudolph Bianco Davila's job was to cover the backs of the rifle company in front of him. When that company was about to be ambushed by Germans, he did all he could to keep them from being slaughtered. His bravery earned him the Distinguished Service Cross and eventually the Medal of Honor.

Davila was born on April 27, 1916, to his father, Nicolas Davila, who was Spanish, and his mother, Maria, who was Filipino. He was born in El Paso, Texas, but he, his sister and two brothers were raised in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.



To help support his family during the Depression, Davila worked at vineyards and helped restore state missions as part of the Civilian Conservation Corps, an L.A. Times article said.
According to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Davila joined the Army in 1939 when job opportunities were scarce. He was busy training recruits for jungle fighting by the time U.S. involvement in World War II was in full swing. Davila said he expected to be sent to the Pacific theater, but because of his Asian heritage, he was instead sent to Italy in early 1944 to fight during what became known as the Battle of Anzio.

Spotlight: Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Davila said his heavy machine gun platoon, which was part of Company H of the 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division, was halfway to Rome when he performed some of the most heroic duties of his life.



On May 28, 1944, Davila's division was near Artena, Italy, and was trying to break through the German mountain strongholds surrounding the Anzio beachhead where the Allies had come ashore. His platoon's mission was to protect a 130-man rifle company.
"They were ahead of me, climbing this hill. I was behind them," Davila said in a Congressional Medal of Honor Society interview. "The idea was that if they ran into trouble, I would bring out four of my machine guns and clear the way for them."
The rifle company was already on the other side of the hill when Davila crested it ahead of his platoon. As soon as he did, Germans who were waiting to ambush the rifle company fired on them.
"This hill was covered in tall grass, so there was no cover for the rifle company that was lying there on the forest floor," Davila said.
His machine gunners were still on the back side of the hill and reluctant to jump into the fray. Many of the men retreated, but Davila stayed and demanded their help.
"I yelled back, I said, ‘Bring up a gun.' And the gunners would not respond because they could see the bullets coming, just skimming the grass and barely missing me," he remembered.
Within a few seconds, he had those men pass him up the parts of a machine gun, which he put together while crawling on the ground. Then, from a kneeling position, he opened fire on the enemy so he could see if his shots hit, despite the fact that enemy bullets were whizzing past the gun's tripod and between his legs.
"I had my hand on the trigger already, so by the time I got up on my knees, the gun was already firing," Davila said. "I swept up and down the [railroad] tracks [below the hill] where the enemy was."
Davila ordered one of his gunners to take over the position so he could crawl forward to a better vantage point and direct the fire using hand and arm signals. Those actions silenced two enemy machine guns.



From there, Davila's platoon was able to set up its three remaining guns, which they used to drive the enemy to a reserve position 200 yards to its rear. Davila got shot in the leg at some point but ignored the wound and dashed to a burning tank. Despite the bullets crashing into its hull, he jumped into the tank and began shooting at the enemy from the vehicle's turret.
After causing some damage that way, Davila jumped off the tank and ran about 130 yards in short bursts before crawling about 20 more toward a house the enemy was using to hide its machine guns.
"I spotted two rifle barrels shooting from a window, so I took one grenade and pulled the pin and threw it into the building. Then I ran around the house where the door was," he explained. "There was a stairway going straight up, and there was a shell hole from a tank that fired into the house."
Climbing to the attic, Davila straddled the large hole and opened fire into it with a borrowed rifle, taking out five enemy soldiers who were running away. Despite walls crumbling around him, Davila continued to shoot until he'd destroyed two more enemy machine guns.
Thanks to Davila's heroism, the enemy fled the area, and the U.S. rifle company that likely would have been slaughtered survived.
After the fight, Davila received a battlefield commission to second lieutenant. He was eventually advanced in rank to first lieutenant, but his time in combat ended in late 1944 when he was seriously wounded in the right shoulder by a tank shell.
Davila's company captain told him he would recommend Davila for the Medal of Honor; however, he received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation's second highest medal for valor, instead.



Over the next six years, Davila underwent more than a dozen operations on his damaged arm. According to the L.A. Times, during one surgery to remove scar tissue, a main nerve was accidentally cut, paralyzing that arm.
One good thing that came out of his time in hospitals was that he met his wife, Harriet, who worked in a Modesto, California, hospital during Davila's stay there. The pair went on to have five children.
Davila eventually went back to school, getting his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Southern California in 1959. After receiving his master's degree in sociology, he went on to teach high school history and work as a counselor for 30 years in the L.A. City School District.
The L.A. Times said Davila was known to be an excellent cook and gardener and that he built both the family home in L.A.'s Harbor City neighborhood, as well as a second home in Vista, California. That's where he and his wife moved in 1977 after he retired from teaching.
In 1996, the National Defense Authorization Act called for a review the records of Asian American, Native American and Pacific Islanders who received the Distinguished Service Cross and Navy Cross during World War II. The review was to see if any of those service members may have been passed over for the Medal of Honor due to prejudices of the time.

Spotlight: Commemorating World War II

The review revealed that Davila had been affected. His medal was finally upgraded 56 years after his actions in World War II. He received it on June 21, 2000, from President Bill Clinton during a White House ceremony alongside 21 other men whose medals were also upgraded to the nation's top military honor. Davila was one of only seven who were still alive to receive it.



One other person who wasn't in attendance was his wife, who had petitioned the government for years on her husband's behalf to get the medal upgraded. Sadly, she died six months before the ceremony.
At the time of the award, Davila brushed off any suggestions that racial bias kept him from earning it.
"I'm very grateful for the nation that has honored me," he said in his Congressional Medal of Honor Society interview. "I hold no resentment against the fact that it took them this long."
He said part of that empathy stemmed from a lifelong philosophy his mother instilled in him when he was young: "Nobody is better than you are, but you are no better than anyone else."
Less than two years after received the Medal of Honor, on Jan. 26, 2002, Davila died after a long illness, according to the L.A. Times. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

This article is part of a weekly series called "Medal of Honor Monday," in which we highlight one of the more than 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients who have earned the U.S. military's highest medal for valor.

 

[FritzFulton]

Appreciate all of the encouragement that everyone has shown.
Considering that there are more than 3,000 Medal of Honor Recipients
and that I am 85 years old I’ll not live long enough to feature all of them.
My point, I need some help with this or it will die on the vine.
Mind you I’m not ready to check out soon but this thread needs to be continued.
This thread has been very good for me, it has taken me back in time when I saw
the parades for VE Day and VJ Day.
I remember a Model A Pickup driving around town with the 3 axis leaders swinging
from scaffolding, a P 51 Mustang and F4U Corsair overhead.
Things were different in those days, we were united against a common enemy,
Today we are at war with each other.
How I long for those days, of course minus the war.
In GOD We Trust, yes it’s printed on our money, perhaps now just words on a piece of paper.

I really enjoy this RFC site, it has almost replaced the news for me.
Fritz

 

[Grandpashoot]

God Bless you Fritz for keeping this Going!

GS

 

[FritzFulton]

Todays Installment

Sourced from: https://www.ong.ohio.gov/stories/2019/feb/20190228-bhm-beaty.htm


SGT Powhatan Beaty

Ohio Army National Guard Historical Collections
Powhatan Beaty, born a slave in Virginia, later moved to Cincinnati and became free. He entered service in the Civil War as a member of the Ohio Volunteer Militia, the predecessor to today’s Ohio National Guard, and later joined the Union Army, earning the Medal of Honor for his heroics at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm in September 1864.


Ohio Medal of Honor recipient: From slavery to freedom
Story by Staff Sgt. Chad Menegay, Ohio National Guard Public Affairs

A 24-year-old farmer from Greater Cincinnati enlisted into the Ohio Volunteer Militia, a precursor to the Ohio National Guard, on June 7, 1863, presumably, to fight the Confederacy under the banner of freedom.
For Powhatan Beaty, who grew up a slave in Richmond, Virginia, what would that fight for freedom mean, given that over 4 million of his fellow black Americans were still enslaved?
It likely meant an end to 200 whiplashes in a day, the branding, the rattle of shackles and chains, the severance from family sold, the sexual assault of loved ones, the friends hanged or burned alive or shot by firing squad, the mutilations or the solitary confinement in a hot box.
For Powhatan Beaty, who stood 5 feet 7 inches tall and had a promising career as an actor and playwright ahead of him, what would that fight for freedom mean for his immediate future, given that over 620,000 men died and many more were wounded, some maimed for life, in the Civil War?
It likely meant carnage and maybe worse: the ground-shaking artillery barrages, the shattered bodies, the wound infections, the bone-sawing amputations, the nightmares of shell shock, the chills of yellow fever, the smallpox lesions, the dehydration and the malnutrition.
Still, Beaty was both ready and there for his country, willing to answer the call in the face of war and its probable horrors.
“Soldiers like Beaty fought to end slavery; that was their prime motivation,” said Anthony Gibbs, with the Ohio History Connection. “The second thing they were fighting for was citizenship. Even though they lived in a free state at that time, they still weren’t allowed to vote in many places. They still were not allowed to take public office. They couldn’t send their students to public schools and such. They believed that by fighting for President Lincoln and the Union that they could gain basic and full citizenship rights. The third thing is that they wanted to disprove this theory that they were somehow unequal because of their race, that they were somehow inferior.”
The Black Brigade
Beaty’s service began in defense of Cincinnati, then the sixth-largest city in the U.S., from Confederate forces as part of the Black Brigade.
Cincinnati Mayor George Hatch ordered the police department to round up all able-bodied black males for work on the Northern Kentucky fortifications. Men were forced from their businesses and homes by bayonet and gunpoint on Sept. 2, 1862, to a mule pen on Plum Street in downtown Cincinnati.
“They didn’t ask,” Gibbs said. “There definitely were good people who would have volunteered, and there were those who did volunteer, but it was in the middle of the night when they just ran up and opened the door and forced all the men to come out, which makes this story a little more negative than it should be because you had men who were willing and ready to serve and help protect their city, to protect their government, to protect their families, but they were forced out of their homes and gathered all together in a very negative way.”
For the next 15 days, Beaty dug rifle pits and trenches, cleared forests, and constructed roads and forts.
Union Gen. Lew Wallace said, “When the history of Cincinnati during the past two weeks comes to be written up, it will be said that it was the spades (a then-popular derogatory term for black people) and not the guns that saved the city from attack by the Rebels.”
Battle of Chaffin’s Farm
Beaty then joined the Union Army as a private but was promoted to sergeant just two days later; he took charge of a squad of 47 other recruits.
“These Soldiers were living in a time where there’s a general feeling that your race made you inferior, and they had to fight against that,” Gibbs said.
It took years for blacks to be allowed to join the battle for the Union, but eventually they were afforded the opportunity, and, by the war’s end, blacks made up 10 percent of the Union’s fighting forces.
For Ohio, blacks were first given a chance to fight when Ohio Gov. David Tod asked the U.S. Department of War to form an African-American Ohio regiment. Permission was granted, and on June 17, 1863, Beaty and his squad became the first Soldiers of the 127th Ohio Volunteer Infantry in Delaware, Ohio, which was later reorganized as the 5th United States Colored Troops (USCT).
By the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm in Virginia on Sept. 29, 1864, Beaty had climbed to the rank of first sergeant in Company G. His regiment was part of a division of black Soldiers assigned to attack the heart of Confederate defenses at New Market Heights.
The attack was met with extraordinary Confederate fire and was repelled. Company G’s color bearer was killed during the retreat, so Beaty returned through 600 yards of enemy fire to recover the flag. The regiment had suffered severe casualties in the failed charge. Of Company G’s eight officers and 83 enlisted men who entered the fight, only 16 enlisted men, including Beaty, survived the attack unwounded. With all officers killed or incapacitated, Beaty took command of the company and led it on a second charge toward the rebel lines. The second attack successfully pushed the Confederates from their fortified positions.
Beaty’s Legacy
Gen. Benjamin Butler commended Beaty on the battlefield for his actions, and, seven months later, on April 6, 1865, Beaty was awarded the Medal of Honor.
Powhatan Beaty’s Medal of Honor citation: “Took command of his company, all the officers having been killed or wounded, and gallantly led it.”
Beaty continued to distinguish himself during the war. His heroics during the Battle of Fair Oaks in October 1864 earned him an acknowledgement in the general orders to the Army of the Potomac. Col. Giles Shurtleff, the regimental commander, twice recommended Beaty for a promotion to commissioned officer, yet nothing came of the requests.
“African-Americans weren’t allowed to receive commissions, so the only thing you could do was prove yourself,” Gibbs said. “They just hoped that somebody would recognize them for the achievements that they would make, and they fought as hard as they could. They were willing to give their lives.”
Beaty participated in 13 battles and many skirmishes by the time he left the Army.
As a tribute to Beaty’s significance in U.S. history, in 2000 Congress designated the Interstate 895 Bridge over Virginia Route 5 as the Powhatan Beaty Memorial Bridge. Beaty, along with many other prominent African-American figures, is buried in the Union Baptist Cemetery in Cincinnati.
In the wake of great American heroes like Powhatan Beaty, one can wonder what motivations today’s service members might have, as varied as they probably are.
“Times are different and different people have different goals,” Gibbs said. “But, there may be those who are inspired by Soldiers from the past. Then, democracy is something people want to protect, to protect what freedoms we have, so that doesn’t get changed or shifted.”
Perhaps, then, Powhatan Beaty’s fight for freedom might be looked at as a foundation for today’s democracy. Perhaps many of today’s service members are ready and there for their country because they want to protect the freedoms that Beaty fought for more than 150 years ago.

Powhatan Beaty, born a slave on Oct. 8, 1837, at Richmond, Richmond County, Virginia, later moved to Cincinnati and became free. He earned the Medal of Honor for his heroics at the Battle of Chaffin’s Farm in 1864 during the Civil War. Beaty is buried in the Baptist Cemetery at Cincinnati. (Courtesy photo)
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Sources

• Ohio History Connection
• Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Mann, Ohio Army National Guard historian
• “African American Recipients Of The Medal Of Honor,” by Charles W. Hanna
• “The Encyclopedia Of African American Military History,” by William Weir
• BLACKPAST website

2019 STORIES

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Ohio National Guard celebrates Black History Month
The Ohio Army National Guard Historical Collections is pleased to share these photographs of the 137th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion and the 372nd Infantry Battalion. These select images from the collection depict the two all-black units during field training.

 

[FritzFulton]

Todays installment

From: The National WW II Museum, internet site



The Incredible Story of Jack Lucas: The Youngest Medal of Honor Recipient in World War II
Jack Lucas saved the lives of three men… just six days after his 17th birthday.
February 17, 2020

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Jacklyn “Jack” Lucas was born on February 14, 1928, in Plymouth, North Carolina. Lucas was always big for his age, and after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he was desperate to serve his country. While most 14-year-old boys contributed to the war effort through scrap drives and air raid drills, the audacious Lucas forged his mother’s signature so he could join the Marines. When the Marine Corps realized its mistake a year later, Lucas was relegated to driving a truck in Hawaii. Although Lucas was lucky not to have been immediately discharged, he was not willing to sit out the war in safety. Instead, he stowed away aboard the USS Deuel, a transport ship bound for Iwo Jima. Officers of the 26th Marines, unaware of the young Marine’s age, allowed Lucas to join their unit when they discovered him aboard the ship. Jack celebrated his 17th birthday at sea on February 14, 1945.

Marines of the 27th Regiment prepare to move inland on Iwo Jima, February 19, 1945. Photo by Naval History and Heritage Command.

On the afternoon of February 19, Lucas landed on the Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima as a rifleman with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division. On Lucas’ second day in combat, two Japanese grenades fell into the trench he was sharing with three fellow Marines. Lucas was in the process of clearing a jam in his rifle and was the only one to notice the grenades. He yelled “grenade!” and pushed a fellow Marine out of the way. Lucas then threw himself on one grenade and pulled the other grenade underneath his body, pushing the small black cylinder as far into the black volcanic soil as he could. Seconds later, one of the grenades exploded, sending more than 250 pieces of shrapnel into Lucas, and causing grievous wounds throughout his body. Lucas was thrown into the air and landed on his back. Lucas’ comrades were sure he was dead and left the trench to continue their assault. Meanwhile, Lucas, who did not lose consciousness, could not make a sound and struggled to breathe. A Marine who happened to pass by saw Lucas and called for a Navy Corpsman. The Corpsman who came to Lucas’ aid not only treated his wounds, but also shot and killed another enemy soldier preparing to throw a grenade at the pair.
Stretcher bearers then carried Lucas to the beach, where he waited until nightfall to be evacuated to a hospital ship offshore. There he underwent the first of a series of 26 operations to remove some of the shrapnel from his torso, arm, and face. Lucas made a surprising recovery but underwent prolonged physical therapy to regain the use of his arm. Nearly eight months after Lucas’ heroic act, President Harry S. Truman presented Lucas with the Congressional Medal of Honor on October 5, 1945. Lucas was one of 27 servicemen to eventually be awarded the nation’s highest decoration for bravery during the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Jack Lucas after receiving the Medal of Honor on October 5, 1945. Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Incredibly, Lucas survived several other traumatic events after the war that rivaled his exploits as a Marine. After Lucas tried his hand at business for a time, he joined the Army in 1961 and trained as a paratrooper. On one training jump, both of his parachutes malfunctioned, sending him plummeting to earth. Miraculously, he survived the fall. Lucas credited his survival to a last minute roll and his stocky build. Lucas also escaped a fire that destroyed his home and an attempt by his then-wife to have him murdered. In light of these unbelievable escapes, Lucas fittingly titled his memoir Indestructible. Jack Lucas, the youngest Medal of Honor recipient since the Civil War, died on June 5, 2008, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

CONTRIBUTOR
Tyler Bamford
Tyler Bamford was the Sherry and Alan Leventhal Research Fellow at the Institute for the Study of War and Democracy at The National WWII Museum from 2019-2021. He obtained his PhD in history from Temple University and his BA in history from Lafayette College.

 

[FritzFulton]

D DAY: JUNE 06, 1944
2,501 Americans DIED ON OR NEAR THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY FRANCE, on this date in History

Todays installment

From: National Museum
United States Army

National Museum of the United States Army


BIOGRAPHIESTHEODORE ROOSEVELT III
Theodore Roosevelt III
Brigadier General
4th Infantry Division
September 13, 1887 – July 12, 1944

Theodore Roosevelt III, cropped. Library of Congress.
Theodore Roosevelt III, often referred to as Theodore Roosevelt Jr., was a veteran of both World Wars and a Medal of Honor recipient. A member of the historic Roosevelt family, he was recognized as a strong leader in World War I when he commanded the 26th Regiment’s entry into France. Later, as the Assistant Division Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, Roosevelt was the only U.S. general to land with the first wave of troops on D-Day.
The eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt III was born in 1887 at the start of his father’s political career. Growing up, he felt the weight of his father’s hefty expectations. He graduated from Harvard University, his father’s alma mater, in 1909. The following year, Roosevelt met and married his beloved wife, Eleanor Butler Alexander, with whom he had four children. As a young man, he went first into banking, and later publishing. Roosevelt’s true desire, however, was to serve in the military as his father had.
Roosevelt was among the first Soldiers to volunteer upon the United States’ entry to World War I. He was assigned to France in 1917. By the end of the war, he commanded the 26th Regiment, 1st Division as a lieutenant colonel. Roosevelt’s brothers also served in the Army. Archibald was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Quentin joined the Army Air Service, but was killed in action when his plane was shot down over Chamery, France. Roosevelt himself was shot in the leg at the Battle of Soissons. After the war, Roosevelt was among the founding members of the American Legion, a nonprofit organization that continues to support American veterans today.
Following the end of World War I, Roosevelt served in the Army Reserves and also began a political career. A likeable personality, Roosevelt easily built off of the strong relationships his father had fostered with members of the Republican Party. In 1919, he was elected to the New York State Assembly. Soon after, President Warren Harding appointed him as assistant secretary of the Navy, bridging his political and military connections. In 1924, Roosevelt ran as the Republican candidate for governor of New York, but lost the race. He continued his political career as the appointed governor to Puerto Rico in 1929, and later governor-general to the Philippines. During this period, he studied Spanish, becoming the first known American governor to do so. He returned to the United States in 1935 upon the change in administrations and resumed his work in publishing.
At the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Roosevelt attended a military refresher course and returned to active duty in April 1941. Once the United States entered the war, he served under General George S. Patton in the African theater before being reassigned in February 1944 to the European theater. In preparation for the D-Day landings, Roosevelt requested to accompany his troops ashore, but the request was denied. He then submitted a written request, which was approved reluctantly. The division’s commanding general, Maj. Gen. Raymond “Tubby” Barton, did not believe Roosevelt would survive the attack. In fact, Roosevelt’s request likely would have been denied had Barton been aware of the reality of his medical history.
Roosevelt lived with a heart condition, which he kept secret from Army doctors. He also had arthritis from past injuries, which caused him to use a cane. Roosevelt carried the cane with him as he stormed Utah Beach. At 56 years old, he was the oldest Soldier in the invasion. Roosevelt’s son Quentin, an Army captain named after Roosevelt’s late brother, was also in the first wave. Both father and son survived the invasion. Years later, General Omar Bradley stated the most heroic action he ever witnessed was, “Ted Roosevelt on Utah Beach.” Roosevelt’s leadership on D-Day was immediately commended, and he was a recommended recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. Before he could receive the honor, however, Roosevelt died of a sudden heart attack while on vacation in France on July 12, 1944. He was 56 years old. After his death, the Distinguished Service Cross recommendation was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, making Roosevelt and his father only one of two parent/child pairs to both receive the award. His widow accepted the medal on his behalf.
Roosevelt is interred with his late brother, Quentin, at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France. The Roosevelt home and orchard at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, New York was donated to the National Park Service, continuing the family’s legacy of supporting national parks. The Roosevelt family continued their tradition of service for generations to come.
Delaney Brewer
Co-lead Education Specialist
Sources
Balkoski, Joseph. Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing and Airborne Operations on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2006.
Bruce, K.S. “Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.: The Toughest Old Man in WWII.” InsideHook, June 6, 2019. Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.: The Toughest Old Man in WWII.
Sterner, Doug. “Roosevelts Continued To Serve In WWII And Beyond.” VFW Magazine, March 2015. VFW Magazine March 2015 Page 32.
“Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.” National Parks Service. Accessed December 31, 2020. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (U.S. National Park Service).
Additional Resources
Roosevelt, Eleanor Butler. Day Before Yesterday: The Reminiscences of Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. United States: Doubleday, 1959.

I did not realize that Theodore Roosevelt III served in both WW I. and WW II.
Fritz

 

[FritzFulton]

D DAY: JUNE 06, 1944
2,501 Americans DIED ON OR NEAR THE BEACHES OF NORMANDY FRANCE, on this date in History

Todays installment

From: National Museum
United States Army

National Museum of the United States Army


BIOGRAPHIESTHEODORE ROOSEVELT III
Theodore Roosevelt III
Brigadier General
4th Infantry Division
September 13, 1887 – July 12, 1944

Theodore Roosevelt III, cropped. Library of Congress.
Theodore Roosevelt III, often referred to as Theodore Roosevelt Jr., was a veteran of both World Wars and a Medal of Honor recipient. A member of the historic Roosevelt family, he was recognized as a strong leader in World War I when he commanded the 26th Regiment’s entry into France. Later, as the Assistant Division Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, Roosevelt was the only U.S. general to land with the first wave of troops on D-Day.
The eldest son of President Theodore Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt III was born in 1887 at the start of his father’s political career. Growing up, he felt the weight of his father’s hefty expectations. He graduated from Harvard University, his father’s alma mater, in 1909. The following year, Roosevelt met and married his beloved wife, Eleanor Butler Alexander, with whom he had four children. As a young man, he went first into banking, and later publishing. Roosevelt’s true desire, however, was to serve in the military as his father had.
Roosevelt was among the first Soldiers to volunteer upon the United States’ entry to World War I. He was assigned to France in 1917. By the end of the war, he commanded the 26th Regiment, 1st Division as a lieutenant colonel. Roosevelt’s brothers also served in the Army. Archibald was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Quentin joined the Army Air Service, but was killed in action when his plane was shot down over Chamery, France. Roosevelt himself was shot in the leg at the Battle of Soissons. After the war, Roosevelt was among the founding members of the American Legion, a nonprofit organization that continues to support American veterans today.
Following the end of World War I, Roosevelt served in the Army Reserves and also began a political career. A likeable personality, Roosevelt easily built off of the strong relationships his father had fostered with members of the Republican Party. In 1919, he was elected to the New York State Assembly. Soon after, President Warren Harding appointed him as assistant secretary of the Navy, bridging his political and military connections. In 1924, Roosevelt ran as the Republican candidate for governor of New York, but lost the race. He continued his political career as the appointed governor to Puerto Rico in 1929, and later governor-general to the Philippines. During this period, he studied Spanish, becoming the first known American governor to do so. He returned to the United States in 1935 upon the change in administrations and resumed his work in publishing.
At the outbreak of World War II in Europe, Roosevelt attended a military refresher course and returned to active duty in April 1941. Once the United States entered the war, he served under General George S. Patton in the African theater before being reassigned in February 1944 to the European theater. In preparation for the D-Day landings, Roosevelt requested to accompany his troops ashore, but the request was denied. He then submitted a written request, which was approved reluctantly. The division’s commanding general, Maj. Gen. Raymond “Tubby” Barton, did not believe Roosevelt would survive the attack. In fact, Roosevelt’s request likely would have been denied had Barton been aware of the reality of his medical history.
Roosevelt lived with a heart condition, which he kept secret from Army doctors. He also had arthritis from past injuries, which caused him to use a cane. Roosevelt carried the cane with him as he stormed Utah Beach. At 56 years old, he was the oldest Soldier in the invasion. Roosevelt’s son Quentin, an Army captain named after Roosevelt’s late brother, was also in the first wave. Both father and son survived the invasion. Years later, General Omar Bradley stated the most heroic action he ever witnessed was, “Ted Roosevelt on Utah Beach.” Roosevelt’s leadership on D-Day was immediately commended, and he was a recommended recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. Before he could receive the honor, however, Roosevelt died of a sudden heart attack while on vacation in France on July 12, 1944. He was 56 years old. After his death, the Distinguished Service Cross recommendation was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, making Roosevelt and his father only one of two parent/child pairs to both receive the award. His widow accepted the medal on his behalf.
Roosevelt is interred with his late brother, Quentin, at the American Cemetery in Normandy, France. The Roosevelt home and orchard at Sagamore Hill in Oyster Bay, New York was donated to the National Park Service, continuing the family’s legacy of supporting national parks. The Roosevelt family continued their tradition of service for generations to come.
Delaney Brewer
Co-lead Education Specialist
Sources
Balkoski, Joseph. Utah Beach: The Amphibious Landing and Airborne Operations on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 2006.
Bruce, K.S. “Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.: The Toughest Old Man in WWII.” InsideHook, June 6, 2019. Teddy Roosevelt, Jr.: The Toughest Old Man in WWII.
Sterner, Doug. “Roosevelts Continued To Serve In WWII And Beyond.” VFW Magazine, March 2015. VFW Magazine March 2015 Page 32.
“Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.” National Parks Service. Accessed December 31, 2020. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. (U.S. National Park Service).
Additional Resources
Roosevelt, Eleanor Butler. Day Before Yesterday: The Reminiscences of Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. United States: Doubleday, 1959.

I did not realize that Theodore Roosevelt III served in both WW I. and WW II.
Fritz

gmd1950:
Appreciate your interest in this important thread.
Fritz

 

[Longhair1957]

My Uncle Ret Lt Col US ARMY, Delmar Paugh RIP
He was nominated, didn’t receive. Only because he was nominated , for a single handed charge and clear of multiple machine gun nests. This happened in ‘Nam “somewhere”.
reason he didn’t receive?
it was during the KOREAN war! He was part of a covert group workingin Nam. Since we “weren’t there” neither was he.
during funeral, his son had on display all his awards and medals. Almost all were previously classified and the son didn’t even know until after uncle Delmar died.
I remember a couple crosses, Purple Hearts, Stars etc., it was an LARGE display,

I only knew him as quite, gentle, golf playing Uncle Delmar. The ultimate bad ***. RIP

 

[FritzFulton]

Appreciate each and everyone’s response to these American Warriors in service to our
beloved country.
Fritz

 

[FritzFulton]

Todays installment
Fritz

From: The National WW II Museum, internet site.

PROFILE
Sacrificing Everything: Isadore S. Jachman’s Medal of Honor
Jewish Americans like Isadore S. Jachman contributed greatly to the American war effort in World War II, risking—and sacrificing—everything in the struggle against fascism.
June 1, 2023

Top image: Isadore S. Jachman. Courtesy of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.
The service and sacrifice of Jewish Americans contributed greatly to the American war effort in World War II. More than 500,000 Jewish Americans served in the US Armed Forces during the conflict.
As The National WWII Museum’s Senior Curator and Director for Curatorial Affairs Kim Guise points out, for Jewish Americans assigned to units in the European theater, there was “added motivation and also added risk should they be captured. Many Jewish Americans had extended family in Europe whose whereabouts and fates were unknown. Some were drafted or volunteered for service after having fled Europe and were driven by revenge to return to the countries of their birth in American uniforms to fight for democracy and against fascism.” Isadore Siegfried Jachman (1922-1945) was one of those service members. He risked—and sacrificed—everything in the struggle against fascism and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism.
Born in Berlin, Germany, in December 1922 as Isaak Siegfried Jachimowicz, he and his parents immigrated to the United States and quickly transitioned into a new life (he would eventually have two siblings). The story of Jachman’s family mirrored that of countless immigrants to the United States: His father, Leib, and mother, Lea, hailed from Poland, still a newly independent country at the time. They settled in Baltimore, Maryland, and applied for citizenship and a change of name. Leib became Leo; Isaak became Isadore; and the family name Jachimowicz became Jachman.
Over the next several years, the Jachmans certainly would have followed the terrifying developments in Germany, capped by the horrible news that the arch-antisemite, Adolf Hitler, had become chancellor in January 1933. A torrent of frightening news about Nazi measures against German Jews came rapidly and unceasingly.
In 1939, Isadore Jachman graduated from Baltimore City College High School. Then he spent a year studying physical education at the University of Baltimore and worked for his father at a grocery store.
Like millions of other Americans, World War II profoundly shaped Jachman’s all-too-brief life. But it did so in ways that so many others in the United States did not have to face. According to the US Department of Defense, at least six of Jachman’s family members, aunts and uncles, perished during the Holocaust.
Jachman registered for the draft in Baltimore in late June 1942. Five months later, he volunteered to serve in the US Army. Upon completing basic training, Jachman remained in the US. Eager to fight against the Nazis, he volunteered to join the paratroopers.
After training, Jachman was assigned to Company B, 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 17th Airborne Division. The 17th, nicknamed the “Golden Talons,” had been activated in the spring of 1943. Under the command of Major General William M. Miley, the unit shipped out for the European theater in late summer 1944. It was not until that December, however, that Jachman, by then a staff sergeant, and the 17th Airborne Division would see combat.
They were much needed. Hitler’s Ardennes Offensive had surprised the Americans. As US forces stymied the German advance, Jachman and the 17th first saw action on Christmas Day, 1944. His name would be forever linked to the Battle of the Bulge.
Just 10 days after entering combat in Belgium, and only a few weeks after his 22nd birthday, Jachman fell in battle on January 4, 1945. He was mortally wounded defending the town of Flamierge from a German attack, bravely leaving his cover under heavy fire to take on two enemy tanks alone.
In the summer of 1950, more than five years after his death, the Medal of Honor was conferred on Jachman. His Medal of Honor Citation reads:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at Flamierge, Belgium, on 4 January 1945, when his company was pinned down by enemy artillery, mortar, and small-arms fire, two hostile tanks attacked the unit, inflicting heavy casualties. S/Sgt. Jachman, seeing the desperate plight of his comrades, left his place of cover and with total disregard for his own safety dashed across open ground through a hail of fire and, seizing a bazooka from a fallen comrade, advanced on the tanks, which concentrated their fire on him. Firing the weapon alone, he damaged one and forced both to retire. S/Sgt. Jachman's heroic action, in which he suffered fatal wounds, disrupted the entire enemy attack, reflecting the highest credit upon himself and the parachute infantry.”

Jachman is in very special company as one of only three Jewish American men to receive the Medal of Honor for their actions during World War II, alongside Ben L. Salomon and Raymond Zussman. Jachman’s family later donated his medal to the National Museum of American Jewish Military History. A statue in Flamierge recognizes Jachman’s sacrifice while fighting to save the village, and he is buried in Adahs Israel Congregation Cemetery near Baltimore.

CONTRIBUTOR
Jason Dawsey, PhD
Jason Dawsey, PhD, is a Research Historian at the Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy.

From: findagrave.com

 

[FritzFulton]

Extra Edition, Better late than never.
Fritz
From: The Voice of Democracy
The US Oratory Project


This Is apolitical, a speech about the Boys of Pointe du Hoc

RONALD REAGAN, “REMARKS AT A CEREMONY COMMEMORATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NORMANDY INVASION, D-DAY,” POINTE DU HOC, FRANCE (6 JUNE 1984)
[1] We’re here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For 4 long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.
[2] We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.
[3] The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers — the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.
[4] Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.
[5] These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.
[6] Gentlemen, I look at you and I think of the words of Stephen Spender’s poem. You are men who in your “lives fought for life . . . and left the vivid air signed with your honor.”
[7] I think I know what you may be thinking right now — thinking “we were just part of a bigger effort; everyone was brave that day.” Well, everyone was. Do you remember the story of Bill Millin of the 51st Highlanders? Forty years ago today, British troops were pinned down near a bridge, waiting desperately for help. Suddenly, they heard the sound of bagpipes, and some thought they were dreaming. Well, they weren’t. They looked up and saw Bill Millin with his bagpipes, leading the reinforcements and ignoring the smack of the bullets into the ground around him.
[8] Lord Lovat was with him — Lord Lovat of Scotland, who calmly announced when he got to the bridge, “Sorry I’m a few minutes late,” as if he’d been delayed by a traffic jam, when in truth he’d just come from the bloody fighting on Sword Beach, which he and his men had just taken.
[9] There was the impossible valor of the Poles who threw themselves between the enemy and the rest of Europe as the invasion took hold, and the unsurpassed courage of the Canadians who had already seen the horrors of war on this coast. They knew what awaited them there, but they would not be deterred. And once they hit Juno Beach, they never looked back.
[10] All of these men were part of a rollcall of honor with names that spoke of a pride as bright as the colors they bore: the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Poland’s 24th Lancers, the Royal Scots Fusiliers, the Screaming Eagles, the Yeomen of England’s armored divisions, the forces of Free France, the Coast Guard’s “Matchbox Fleet” and you, the American Rangers.
[11] Forty summers have passed since the battle that you fought here. You were young the day you took these cliffs; some of you were hardly more than boys, with the deepest joys of life before you. Yet, you risked everything here. Why? Why did you do it? What impelled you to put aside the instinct for self-preservation and risk your lives to take these cliffs? What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? We look at you, and somehow we know the answer. It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love.
[12] The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt.
[13] You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you.
[14] The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They fought — or felt in their hearts, though they couldn’t know in fact, that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4 a.m., in Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying, and in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell.
[15] Something else helped the men of D-day: their rockhard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unfold here; that God was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Colonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer he told them: Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what we’re about to do. Also that night, General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise God made to Joshua: “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”
[16] These are the things that impelled them; these are the things that shaped the unity of the Allies.
[17] When the war was over, there were lives to be rebuilt and governments to be returned to the people. There were nations to be reborn. Above all, there was a new peace to be assured. These were huge and daunting tasks. But the Allies summoned strength from the faith, belief, loyalty, and love of those who fell here. They rebuilt a new Europe together.
[18] There was first a great reconciliation among those who had been enemies, all of whom had suffered so greatly. The United States did its part, creating the Marshall plan to help rebuild our allies and our former enemies. The Marshall plan led to the Atlantic alliance — a great alliance that serves to this day as our shield for freedom, for prosperity, and for peace.
[19] In spite of our great efforts and successes, not all that followed the end of the war was happy or planned. Some liberated countries were lost. The great sadness of this loss echoes down to our own time in the streets of Warsaw, Prague, and East Berlin. Soviet troops that came to the center of this continent did not leave when peace came. They’re still there, uninvited, unwanted, unyielding, almost 40 years after the war. Because of this, allied forces still stand on this continent. Today, as 40 years ago, our armies are here for only one purpose — to protect and defend democracy. The only territories we hold are memorials like this one and graveyards where our heroes rest.
[20] We in America have learned bitter lessons from two World Wars: It is better to be here ready to protect the peace, than to take blind shelter across the sea, rushing to respond only after freedom is lost. We’ve learned that isolationism never was and never will be an acceptable response to tyrannical governments with an expansionist intent.
[21] But we try always to be prepared for peace; prepared to deter aggression; prepared to negotiate the reduction of arms; and, yes, prepared to reach out again in the spirit of reconciliation. In truth, there is no reconciliation we would welcome more than a reconciliation with the Soviet Union, so, together, we can [listen] lessen the risks of war, now and forever.
[22] It’s fitting to remember here the great losses also suffered by the Russian people during World War II: 20 million perished, a terrible price that testifies to all the world the necessity of ending war. I tell you from my heart that we in the United States do not want war. We want to wipe from the face of the Earth the terrible weapons that man now has in his hands. And I tell you, we are ready to seize that beachhead. We look for some sign from the Soviet Union that they are willing to move forward, that they share our desire and love for peace, and that they will give up the ways of conquest. There must be a changing there that will allow us to turn our hope into action.
[23] We will pray forever that some day that changing will come. But for now, particularly today, it is good and fitting to renew our commitment to each other, to our freedom, and to the alliance that protects it.
[24] We are bound today by what bound us 40 years ago, the same loyalties, traditions, and beliefs. We’re bound by reality. The strength of America’s allies is vital to the United States, and the American security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe’s democracies. We were with you then; we are with you now. Your hopes are our hopes, and your destiny is our destiny.
[25] Here, in this place where the West held together, let us make a vow to our dead. Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for. Let our actions say to them the words for which Matthew Ridgway listened: “I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.”
[26] Strengthened by their courage, heartened by their value [valor], and borne by their memory, let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.
[27] Thank you very much, and God bless you all.

 

[mathews691]

Ok me being me, firm in the tin foil hat wearing group. Lets not forget this guy. And the quite interesting story surrounding the entire issue.

William Loren McGonagle - Captain, United States Navy

Get all the information you need at first hand. Self reviewed and self written. Real experts report on arlingtoncemetery.net

www.arlingtoncemetery.net

 

[FritzFulton]

Ok me being me, firm in the tin foil hat wearing group. Lets not forget this guy. And the quite interesting story surrounding the entire issue.

William Loren McGonagle - Captain, United States Navy

Get all the information you need at first hand. Self reviewed and self written. Real experts report on arlingtoncemetery.net

www.arlingtoncemetery.net

Matthew:
Thank you
Lets open it for them.
Fritz

 

[FritzFulton]

Matthew:
Thank you
Lets open it for them.
Fritz

Matthew:
Site appears locked and I could not open, copy and post.
Every one following this thread please open the link posted by matthew691
and of read of William Loren McGonagle’s patriotic deeds.
William Loren McGonagle - Captain, United States Navy

 

[Sinister136]

The ranges at Camp Perry, Ohio that host the annual National Matches are named for Medal of Honor recipients 2LT Robert Viale, Private Rodger Young, Private Cleto Rodriguez, and PFC Frank Petrarca.

Named for Medal of Honor Recipient ROBERT M. VIALE. Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company K, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division.

He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. Forced by the enemy's detonation of prepared demolitions to shift the course of his advance through the city, he led the 1st platoon toward a small bridge, where heavy fire from 3 enemy pillboxes halted the unit. With 2 men he crossed the bridge behind screening grenade smoke to attack the pillboxes. The first he knocked out himself while covered by his men's protecting fire; the other 2 were silenced by 1 of his companions and a bazooka team which he had called up. He suffered a painful wound in the right arm during the action. After his entire platoon had joined him, he pushed ahead through mortar fire and encircling flames. Blocked from the only escape route by an enemy machinegun placed at a street corner, he entered a nearby building with his men to explore possible means of reducing the emplacement. In 1 room he found civilians huddled together, in another, a small window placed high in the wall and reached by a ladder. Because of the relative positions of the window, ladder, and enemy emplacement, he decided that he, being left-handed, could better hurl a grenade than 1 of his men who had made an unsuccessful attempt. Grasping an armed grenade, he started up the ladder. His wounded right arm weakened, and, as he tried to steady himself, the grenade fell to the floor. In the 5 seconds before the grenade would explode, he dropped down, recovered the grenade and looked for a place to dispose of it safely. Finding no way to get rid of the grenade without exposing his own men or the civilians to injury or death, he turned to the wall, held it close to his body and bent over it as it exploded. 2d Lt. Viale died in a few minutes, but his heroic act saved the lives of others.

Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 5 February 1945.

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RODGER WILTON YOUNG

• RANK: PRIVATE
• CONFLICT/ERA: WORLD WAR II
• UNIT/COMMAND:
  148TH INFANTRY,
  37TH INFANTRY DIVISION
• MILITARY SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. ARMY
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION DATE: JULY 31, 1943
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION PLACE: NEW GEORGIA

CITATION
On 31 July 1943, the infantry company of which Pvt. Young was a member, was ordered to make a limited withdrawal from the battle line in order to adjust the battalion's position for the night. At this time, Pvt. Young's platoon was engaged with the enemy in a dense jungle where observation was very limited. The platoon suddenly was pinned down by intense fire from a Japanese machine gun concealed on higher ground only 75 yards away. The initial burst wounded Pvt. Young. As the platoon started to obey the order to withdraw, Pvt. Young called out that he could see the enemy emplacement, whereupon he started creeping toward it. Another burst from the machine gun wounded him the second time. Despite the wounds, he continued his heroic advance, attracting enemy fire and answering with rifle fire. When he was close enough to his objective, he began throwing hand grenades, and while doing so was hit again and killed. Pvt. Young's bold action in closing with this Japanese pillbox, and thus diverting its fire, permitted his platoon to disengage itself, without loss, and was responsible for several enemy casualties.

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MEDAL OF HONOR CITATION
“The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Technical Sergeant Cleto L. Rodriguez, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty on 9 February 1945, while serving with Company B, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. Technical Sergeant Rodriguez was an automatic rifleman when his unit attacked the strongly defended Paco Railroad Station during the battle for Manila, Philippine Islands. While making a frontal assault across an open field, his platoon was halted 100 yards from the station by intense enemy fire. On his own initiative, he left the platoon, accompanied by a comrade, and continued forward to a house 60 yards from the objective. Although under constant enemy observation, the two men remained in this position for an hour, firing at targets of opportunity, killing more than 35 hostile soldiers and wounding many more. Moving closer to the station and discovering a group of Japanese replacements attempting to reach pillboxes, they opened heavy fire, killed more than 40 and stopped all subsequent attempts to man the emplacements. Enemy fire became more intense as they advanced to within 20 yards of the station. Then, covered by his companion, Private Rodriguez boldly moved up to the building and threw five grenades through a doorway killing 7 Japanese, destroying a 20-mm gun and wrecking a heavy machinegun. With their ammunition running low, the two men started to return to the American lines, alternately providing covering fire for each other's withdrawal. During this movement, Private Rodriguez' companion was killed. In 2 1/2 hours of fierce fighting the intrepid team killed more than 82 Japanese, completely disorganized their defense, and paved the way for the subsequent overwhelming defeat of the enemy at this strongpoint. Two days later, Private Rodriguez again enabled his comrades to advance when he single-handedly killed six Japanese and destroyed a well-placed 20-mm gun by his outstanding skill with his weapons, gallant determination to destroy the enemy, and heroic courage in the face of tremendous odds, Private Rodriguez, on two occasions, materially aided the advance of our troops in Manila.”

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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty the Medal of Honor was awarded to PRIVATE FIRST CLASS FRANK J. PETRARCA United States Army

​

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty Private First Class Frank J. Petrarca, Medical Detachment, 145th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division, distinguished himself at Horseshoe Hill, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, on 27 July 1943. PFC Petrarca advanced with the leading troop element to within 100 yards of the enemy fortifications where mortar and small-arms fire caused a number of casualties. Singling out the most seriously wounded, he worked his way to the aid of PFC Scott, lying within 75 yards of the enemy, whose wounds were so serious that he could not even be moved out of the direct line of fire. PFC Petrarca fearlessly administered first aid to PFC Scott and two other soldiers and shielded the former until his death. On 29 July 1943, PFC Petrarca, during an intense mortar barrage, went to the aid of his sergeant who had been partly buried in a foxhole under the debris of a shell explosion, dug him out, restored him to consciousness and caused his evacuation. On 31 July 1943 and against the warning of a fellow soldier, he went to the aid of a mortar fragment-casualty where his path over the crest of a hill exposed him to enemy observation from only 20 yards distance. A target for intense mortar and automatic fire, he resolutely worked his way to within 2 yards of his objective where he was mortally wounded by hostile mortar fire. Even on the threshold of death he continued to display valor and contempt for the foe, raising himself to his knees, this intrepid soldier shouted defiance at the enemy, made a last attempt to reach his wounded comrade, and fell in glorious death.

 

[Grandpashoot]

There's a street named after Frank J. Petrarca in Cleveland, Ohio,(Little Italy), near where he was from as he was my Wife's relative and the first soldier from Cleveland to loose his life in the War from Cleveland, Ohio.
GS

 

[FritzFulton]

Sinister136:
Thank for your help by posting the meritorious deeds of these Great Americans.
Medal of Honor recipients 2LT Robert Viale, Private Rodger Young, Private Cleto Rodriguez, and PFC Frank Petrarca.

I’m glad the you used “recipients“ in lieu of “winners”, it’s not about a contest.
Fritz

 

[FritzFulton]

There's a street named after Frank J. Petrarca in Cleveland, Ohio,(Little Italy), near where he was from as he was my Wife's relative and the first soldier from Cleveland to loose his life in the War from Cleveland, Ohio.
GS

Grandpa shoot:
Appreciate the local color concerning CMH recipient Frank J. Petrarca.
Next time I go to the restaurants and bakery in Little Italy I will go to that street
in honor of Frank.
Fritz



View waymark gallery

Frank Joseph Petrarca - Cleveland, OH
in Medal Of Honor Resting Places
Posted by: JoesBar

N 41° 26.489 W 081° 36.206
17T E 449590 N 4587943
A medic who risked his life, and ultimatly gave his life, for his fellow soldiers. Solomon Islands, WWII.
Waymark Code: WM1KRW
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 05/28/2007
Published By: BruceS
Views: 51

 

[Grandpashoot]

Grandpa shoot:
Appreciate the local color concerning CMH recipient Frank J. Petrarca.
Next time I go to the restaurants and bakery in Little Italy I will go to that street
in honor of Frank.
Fritz



View waymark gallery

Frank Joseph Petrarca - Cleveland, OH
in Medal Of Honor Resting Places
Posted by: JoesBar

N 41° 26.489 W 081° 36.206
17T E 449590 N 4587943
A medic who risked his life, and ultimatly gave his life, for his fellow soldiers. Solomon Islands, WWII.
Waymark Code: WM1KRW
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 05/28/2007
Published By: BruceS
Views: 51

Fritz,
It sounds like your familiar with the area. Sounds great! Unfortunately the street named after Frank Petrarca wasn't done properly or even plaqued! The street is off of Stokes Blvd. near east 105 th. st. Pretty sure that's where he was from! According to my wife's relatives who have all passed! One would think a city would at least put up a Plaque in his Honor but then again people today are loosing interest in history! Sad!
GS