"...I was honored to fight for freedom, and I’d do it again.”

Posted By Mr Wolf

THIS is a story.

The NYT has a great (!) story up in their obits about COL Lewis Millett, who just passed away.  A Medal of Honor recipient, his story is one of the most unusual you will ever read about.

BLUF: He went from the US to the Canadian army in WWII, back to the US, convicted of desertion (and fined 52 dollars) and then fought in Korea and Vietnam.  Honored for the famed Bayonet Hill charge, his legacy will long live on.

Captain Millett was wounded by grenade fragments, but his men took the hill. President Harry S. Truman presented him with the Medal of Honor in July 1951. As the citation put it, “His dauntless leadership and personal courage so inspired his men that they stormed into the hostile position and used their bayonets with such lethal effect that the enemy fled in wild disorder.”

Then, there is this one (WaPo):

As an antitank gunner in Tunisia, he earned the Silver Star after he jumped into a burning ammunition-filled halftrack, drove it away from allied soldiers and leapt to safety just before the vehicle exploded. Not long after, he shot down a German Messerschmitt Me-109 fighter that was strafing Allied troops. Col. Millett, who was firing from machine guns mounted on a halftrack, hit the pilot through the windshield.

God Speed, Colonel.  There are so few like you anymore...

Wolf

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

On The 11th Day at the 11th Hour....

Posted By Deebow

 
Today, little Deebow asked me "Daddy, what are those for?"  I told him that these were to honor the sacrifice of the men that Daddy was in the war with.  Then he asked, "What's a war?"

I didn't know what to say....  I don't know if I ever will.  

So instead, I tried to tell him what a "Hero" was....  I think he got bored and went and watched SpongeBob.

I helped send SFC Bernard Deghand home to his family.  I wrote in my journal at the time something that I haven't shared up until now that you can see after the jump...

Major Larry Bauguess was killed just before I left to come home.  When I found out the details of what happened, having only been on an operation with him and his boss at our firebase the week before, I was upset.  I hope his family is doing well and I feel as if I have missed out not getting to know him better, because I know he was a good man.

And as many of you know, Earl was one of my soldiers.  And that makes it all the more personal...

And to my off duty supervisor, Call-sign Household 6, Happy Veterans Day to you.  And Happy Veterans Day to every veteran, at home, at war, and retired.

Continue reading "On The 11th Day at the 11th Hour.... "

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

A Great Way To Help The Families In Need At Ft. Hood

Posted By McQ

From Bouhammer:

My good friends, Derek and Todd at Vision Strike Wear and Dom at Hooah Radio have teamed up to help the families of the fallen and wounded at Fort Hood. This a small business still trying to turn a profit and a non-profit who’s focus is on the troops. Regardless, they have teamed up to help out the best they can.

VSW and and Hooah Radio are donating $.50 from the sale of every single item sold on Vision Strike Wear from now until Christmas Eve to the Chaplain’s Fund at Ft. Hood Tx. It does not matter if it is a sticker, T-shirt, Hat, or whatever, they will put aside $.50 for every item sold and then on Christmas Eve send a check to the Chaplain’s Fund to help the families of the fallen and wounded.

In addition, any item sold on Vision Strike Wear can have FREE SHIPPING by using the coupon code “HooahRadio1″ at checkout. Yes, that is right, FREE SHIPPING on ANY ITEM for sale on Vision Strike Wear. So you can buy something from the normal Vision Strike Wear Collection or something from the items in the Bouhammer Gear Store or from anywhere on the site and have $.50 go to the Families Fund and even get FREE SHIPPING.

If there is anything on the site you like, to include the famous and ever popular Twitter-Bird Shirt, ETT Venom Shirt, 9/11 Tribute Shirt, or any of the other popular items in the Bouhammer Gear Store Collection.

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Honoring the Fallen

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

Amidst the celebrity coverage being given the ultimate Blue Falcon, few have truly heard of those it murdered.  Few have realized amongst the adoration of the BF, that many -- if not the majority -- of its victims were those who -- unlike it -- truly treated and helped those who serve. 

Please take a moment to go meet Lt. Col. Warman, a true hero and a true care-giver.  You will not hear her story in the media, other than a footnote.  She, and the others, deserve the lionizing coverage being given a cowardly bit of scum.  

Though Blackfive has already covered it, today is a special day to remember some other fallen heroes as well.  

It is also a day to remember the falling of a wall, an event I thought I would never see no matter how many worked to make it so.  Remember those who died to bring it down, from inside and out.  

More thoughts and such to come, but for now, remember the fallen for in doing so they are never forgotten.  That such walked among us is a blessing.  May the light shine on those they leave behind.

LW

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

In Preparation for the US Marine Corps Birthday Tomorrow

Posted By Blackfive

I'd ask that go to this post, read it, but more importantly, READ THE COMMENTS.  Then, come back and read after the Jump.

Continue reading "In Preparation for the US Marine Corps Birthday Tomorrow"

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Two Years Ago Today...

Posted By Blackfive

We remember:

PFC Joseph M. Lancour, 21, of Swartz Creek, Michigan
SPC Sean K.A. Langevin, 23, of Walnut Creek, California
SPC Lester G. Roque, 23, of Torrance, California
SGT Jeffrey S. Mersman, 23, of Parker, Kansas
Marine Sgt. Phillip A. Bocks, 28, of Troy, Michigan
Captain Matthew Ferrara, 24, of Torrance, California

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Godspeed British Staff Sergeant Oz Schmid

Posted By Blackfive

Photo of Staff Sergeant Schmid courtesy of the MoD

Mike Yon posts about the loss of Staff Sergeant Olaf "Oz" Sean George Schmid. From Mike's email this morning:

Oz had been killed in Afghanistan. Oz was one very good soldier who stood out even among excellent men. He was killed on his last mission. Some photos of one of his very dangerous missions were still on my hard drive. These photos were made during a bad time but Oz inspired much confidence. He would get you laughing on the battlefield.

You can go over to Mike's place and see a photo essay of Oz at work diffusing IEDs.  Oz was diffusing his 65th bomb when he was killed.

From the Ministry of Defense:

It is with great regret that the Ministry of Defence must confirm the death of Staff Sergeant Olaf Sean George Schmid, of the Royal Logistic Corps, in Afghanistan on the afternoon of Saturday 31 October 2009.

SSgt Schmid died instantly following an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion in the Sangin region of Helmand Province.

At the time he was commanding an Improvised Explosive Device Disposal (IEDD) team who were dealing with a confirmed IED.

Working in concert with an Advanced Search team he was conducting a manual route search to clear devices in the vicinity of the Forward Operating Base and was defusing the device when it initiated.

Oz's wife, Christina, released these comments:

Oz was a phenomenal husband and loving father who was cruelly murdered on his last day of a relentless five month tour.

He was my best friend and soul mate. The pain of losing him is overwhelming. I take comfort knowing he saved countless lives with his hard work. I am so proud of him.

More words about Oz after the Jump.

Continue reading "Godspeed British Staff Sergeant Oz Schmid"

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Halloweens Past...

Posted By Blackfive

[Annual Halloween Repost]

I went through a training course with my friend Mat Schram.  As junior officers, the environment was very competitive and Mat and I were always at the top in terms of scores and class rank.  Eventually, he was  #2 and I was #3 in the class.  He was such a great guy that I didn't mind in the least being ranked behind him (except that he was a freakin' Packers fan). We were good friends and I ran into him quite a few times during my career.

One Halloween many years ago, I visited him a Fort Lee.  Schrambo and I went to a Halloween Party at the Officer's Club (one of the better ones in the Army).  I was dressed up as a prisoner (real Cook County jail uniform) complete with shackles for the legs and wrists and he had this fake muscle Rambo thing on (he was nicknamed "Schrambo" after all).

We went to the cemetery on Ft. Lee to continue the Halloween party that started at the Officers Club.  The Cemetery closes at 10pm (and is off-limits to all), and Mat and I brought some ladies with us.  It was just before midnight and we started telling ghost stories while having an adult beverage.

Sure enough, as soon as the ghost stories were getting good (we were in the haunted part of the cemetery - civil war ghosts – the best kind), MPs spotted our vehicles and decided to see who was in the cemetery.

They turn on their spotlight and use their speaker to tell to us come out.  Mat turns and says to me, "Matty, you can talk your way out of anything.  You go talk to the MPs."

Knowing Mat, I should have recognized the twinkle in his eye.

Bastard.

So, seeing one of the MPs had his hand on his sidearm, and me, still wearing my orange jumpsuit/convict outfit - shackles and all (one of the girls convinced me to keep them on) - I come stumbling out of the darkness and into the MP spotlight yelling "Don't shoot!"

The MP behind the light did a double take, and I swear the MPs thought they caught an escaped convict.  I heard Mat fall over in the darkness behind me laughing his ass off.

After the MPs decided NOT to shoot me and heard our stories, they laughed so hard they let us off without any trouble.

That's how I like to remember Mat...from that Halloween night. 

Bastard.

I miss him.

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

Honoring the Fallen or Staged Photo-Op?

Posted By Blackfive

Over at the Mudville Gazette, Greyhawk looks at the timing of the President's visit to Dover with regards to the timely decision he has to make on Afghanistan:

...How to turn the situation around? Some say more troops, some say change strategy, others say withdraw - but someone in the White House got the bright idea that now would be a good time for a photo op.

A small contingent of reporters and photographers accompanied Mr. Obama to Dover, where he arrived at 12:34 a.m. aboard Marine One. He returned to the South Lawn of the White House at 4:45 a.m.
<...>
The images and the sentiment of the president's five-hour trip to Delaware were intended by the White House to convey to the nation that Mr. Obama was not making his Afghanistan decision lightly or in haste.

It should have been a "good" day for the project; "This week alone, about two dozen soldiers have died in attacks and accidents."...

While I am glad that the President is spending time with the families of the Fallen and honoring their return, I have one question:

If the family of Sergeant Dale Griffin hadn't approved the media to photograph his remains returning to the United States (they were the only family that gave approval), would the President have still made the trip to Dover?

The Chicago Tribune - Obama Honors Fallen Troops: 

...The solemn visit was the first of its kind for Obama, and comes as he is withdrawing troops from Iraq but contemplating a troop increase in Afghanistan. Earlier this week, Obama spoke to sailors and aviators at Jacksonville Naval Air Station in Florida, where he promised that he would count the full cost of war before deciding to send more military into harm's way.

The administration this year lifted a longstanding ban on media coverage of the return of fallen service members. Obama was accompanied by a small pool of White House reporters who were on duty overnight.
<...>
Shortly afterward, a white-gloved military team of six led the president's group to a large plane on the tarmac, where they stood at attention in a single file line as the team transferred the casket of Sgt. Dale Griffin from the plane to a white mortuary van.

Reporters were allowed to watch that transfer, White House aides said, because the sergeant's family agreed to it...

I also wonder how many articles about President Bush honoring Fallen troops were authored?

[Warning:  Whatever you do, do not read the comments in the stories at the Trib or the NYT.]

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!

The Passing of a Giant

Posted By Laughing_Wolf First, I need to start with a disclaimer:  The following is my personal account and thoughts, and in no way represents the official position of Purdue, the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering, the College of Engineering, Marketing & Media, or any other person, entity, or institution. 

In this life, we are sometimes blessed to know people who are more than simply unique.  These are people who challenge the status quo, our assumptions about the world and even about what we can do, and do so in a way that is a joy to watch and be a part of.  These are people who literally change the world, and the greatest of them also change those around them in powerful and positive ways as well. 

For the last five years, I've had the honor to be a colleague of one such person.  Made frail by time, effectively blind, he still showed up for work every morning at 0430 for the majority of the time I knew him.  A man who did not care what position or title you held, but what ideas you held and how hard you were willing to work.  Focused on one thing and one thing only:  changing the world for the better by improving the lives and health of people.  Doing that one thing, he changed the face of modern medicine and made possible the modern implantable medical device industry.  More than that, he shaped the minds of those around him and somehow, someway, taught others to think outside the box.

That man, was Leslie Alexander Geddes

Continue reading "The Passing of a Giant"

---

Mission: To protect and promote the reputation and dignity of America's Warriors.
Join us!