Attention Mr. President: Award Rick Rescorla The Medal of Freedom

Posted By Blackfive

[Repost from last week. Please sign the petition at the end of the post. Thank you.]

"Men of Cornwall stop your dreaming
Can't you see their spear points gleaming?
See their warriors' pennants streaming
To this battlefield.
Men of Cornwall stand ye steady
It cannot be ever said ye
for the battle were not ready.
STAND AND NEVER YIELD!"
- "Men of Harlech"
Sung by Rick Rescorla in the stairway of WTC Tower 2 on September 11, 2001

First, you must read the definitive post about Rick Rescorla by Greyhawk at the Mudville Gazette.  Rescorla was one of my heroes when I was a Sergeant-turned-Cadet and began reading extensively about Viet Nam and the Ia Drang Valley.  During my enlistment, I had met a lot of brave men up to that point. 

I respected the man's tenacity, strength and wry humor.  A few times in my life, I was barely able to keep myself together.  After reading about him, I wanted to be able to be calm under fire, like Rescorla.

Rick was a British (Cypress and Rhodesia) and American (Viet Nam) war hero.  He retired as a Colonel in 1990.

Decades later, after 9/11, I had no idea that Rescorla had everything to do with denying Al Qaeda a huge victory.  I wasn't surprised that Rick had saved 2,700 people that day, and then paid the price with his life when he went back into the tower for stragglers.  He knew, KNEW, it was coming down.  And he went anyway...

Tenacious, strong, and leading all the way to the end.

Last year, we honored Rick at Pundit Review Radio where I featured him - Rick Rescorla - Someone You Should Know Radio ("September 11th" podcast for Pundit Review Radio).

Appropriately, Rick now has a statue at the Infantry Center at Fort Benning.  The US Army has honored his accomplishments.  AWTM had a post about visiting the museum and defending Rick.

Rick's town of Hayle, Wales (UK) has this plaque honoring their son:

Rick's widow, Susan, left this comment for all of us (you, too!) here at Blackfive a few months ago:

Thank you for keeping Rick alive. I know why Rick died, and I am so proud of him. The book, and of course the fabulous bronze statue, which will be on Heroes'Walk in 2008 will endure forever, as his legacy, as a new Hero in our new millinium. Today is a day to be proud to be an American.

All the best, Susan Rescorla

It sure is a day to be proud to be an American.  Which brings me to the point of this post - The petition for the President to award the Medal of Freedom to Cyril Richard Rescorla:

A PETITION TO PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH TO AWARD THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM TO C.R.”RICK” RESCORLA FOR HEROISM AND GALLANTRY BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY ON SEPTEMBER 11,2001.

MR. RESCORLA CAME TO THIS COUNTRY AS AN IMMIGRANT TO BECOME AN OFFICER IN THE ARMY. MR RESCORLA SERVED WITH SUCH DISTINCTION AS AN OFFICER IN VIET NAM THAT ALL WHO SERVED WITH HIM CONSIDER HIM THE BRAVEST MAN WE HAVE EVER KNOWN. HE WAS HIGHLY DECORATED FOR HIS BRAVERY AND LEADERSHIP IN COMBAT. HE BECAME A US CITIZEN AND SOUGHT A HIGHER EDUCATION OBTAINING A BACHELOR AND MASTERS DEGREE AT UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND FURTHER OBTAINING A LAW DEGREE BEFORE SERVING A AS TEACHER AT USC LAW SCHOOL BEFORE BEING LURED TO THE WORLD OF COMMERCIAL BANKING. MR. RESCORLA’S SPECIALTY WAS SECURITY AND SECURITY LAW. IN 1993 HE WAS THE LAST MAN OUT OF THE TRADE TOWERS AFTER EVACUATING EVERYONE. ON SEPT.11TH IN SPITE OF BEING TOLD HIS BUILDING WAS NOT IN DANGER, HE IMPLEMENTED THE EVACUATION PLAN HE HAD DEVELOPED FOR HIS FIRM, MORGAN STANLEY. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF HIS EFFORTS THAT DAY AND HIS QUICK ACTION, OVER 2600 EMPLOYEES WERE SAVED. MR RESCORLA WAS LAST SEEN GOING UP TO RESCUE PEOPLE WHO WERE UNABLE TO GET DOWN. HIS ACTIONS REFLECT THE VERY BEST ABOUT AMERICA, ITS CITIZENS AND ITS DREAMS.

THE UNDERSIGNED URGE YOU TO RECOGNIZE MR RESCORLA BY BESTOWING THIS HIGHEST HONOR TO THIS MOST DESERVING MAN.

Why hasn't the President awarded the medal to Rick?  The Presidential Medal of Freedom is awarded for "an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors."

Please go and sign the petition. Please link, email, and print the petition. And remember Rick and the other heroes we lost on that horrible day...Stand and never yield!

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Rick Rescorla died on September 11, 2001 while performing his duties at the World Trade Center. His duties, performed to perfection that evil day, were to evacuate his fellow Morgan, Stanley employees. Over 3,000 people were saved by Rick Rescorla. Ple... [Read More]

Comments

[defendusa]

I remember AWTM posting about her visit there and lighting into someone...I signed it...Eagles up, ready to soar...

[Lands’nGrooves]

Signed, done.

I also remember the AWTM post, great stuff.

[Old Tanker]

Done,

ArmyWife's post is a classic.......

[Teresa]

Every time I read about this man's incredible heroic life, I end up crying. Wondering, where do such men come from. We are blessed that he was an American. This medal is the very least we can do in his memory.

[mindy1]

I signed that petition months ago, when I read the Greyhawk post. I also remember the AWTM post-she really let him have it.

[mindy1]

By the way, some people on greyhawk think he should be returned to duty so he can get a medal of honor-what do you think?

[Ghstryder]

I signed that petition well over a year ago. I can't believe it hasn't been acted upon yet.

Oh, first time comment, long time fan. Thanks for your efforts...

Ghst

[The Historian]

Petition signed: thanks Black Five

www.greensrealworld.blogspot.com

[Caper2]

Signature In.

However, I too will like him to be recalled back to active duty and awarded the MOH for his heroic actions both in the Ia Trang valley and WTC.

El Coqui

[douglas]

"some people on greyhawk think he should be returned to duty so he can get a medal of honor"

Is it even possible to receive a military award for actions performed while off duty/ not in active service? I think the Presdiential Medal of Freedom would suffice. Correction, would have to do. No award would really be sufficient. God Bless his soul and his family.

[Rich Casebolt]

Dang right, Douglas ... it would bring honor to the Medal, to confer it on this Man.

Like those on UA93, the front line of this war came to him, suddenly, with no notice.

Unlike those brave souls, he knew it was coming, and lived his life in preparation for it.

He just didn't know when it would arrive.

May we all live up to his example, should the front line come before us.

[Mr.Sparkle]

He was damn good at his job and looks like he was a bit of a thrill seeker! Good chap.

[NH Trooper]

If George Tenet gets it then Mr. Rescorla CERTAINLY deserves it! God bless his memory. I heard somebody say this on television the other day and I think it is appropriate in this case. "The best sermons are not preached, they are lived"

[bthun]

Done.

"No award would really be sufficient. God Bless his soul and his family."

"Dang right, Douglas ... it would bring honor to the Medal, to confer it on this Man.

Like those on UA93, the front line of this war came to him, suddenly, with no notice.

Unlike those brave souls, he knew it was coming, and lived his life in preparation for it.

He just didn't know when it would arrive.

May we all live up to his example, should the front line come before us."

Amen.

RIP C.R.R. You did good.

Mr. President, do the right thing.

[tankerbrosbrat]

This is loooooooong overdue. Posted and linked to you over at Tanker Bros. Thank you Matt!

[Bob"theRhinoKeeper"]

I signed the petition and posted a link to Black5 on an ezboard discussion group that should add a few more signatures, last look the thread had 65 views so far.

[2ndGenLthrneck]

An extraordinary man who leads even in death...He was a history lesson today for middle schoolers that I teach...We diverged a bit from Computer apps...The kids seemed to grasp the enormity of what he did...They also were very surprised to hear that there were two attacks on the WTC ('93 and '01)...These kids were born after the '93 attack and had never heard about it...

[Chap]

Signed, but what else can be done to get this achieved? Is it time to get some staffers involved, or press, or some such?

[bthun]

Been thinking about that Chap...

Grim was pretty successful in his drive to get folks to send mail to the Marines.

Do you think that the same effort, i.e. instigating people to write/email their elected representatives and the White House might git-r-done?

If so, folks could use the following links to find and contact their;
House member.
Senators
the POTUS