Medal of Honor
Valor Friday
A few weeks back, I re-highlighted the bravery of William Othello Wilson. I noted in those articles how Wilson’s heroism surrounding actions at the Battle of Wounded Knee was followed soon after by desertion. He’d ultimately desert twice, but is not the only Medal of Honor recipient to have faced such charges. James Ira Spurrier […]
Valor Friday
As with most military historians, I’ve got a soft spot for heroic last stands. The glory of going down fighting has inspired warriors since at least the Battle of Thermopylae. While most who engage in a last stand probably expect that, despite all the odds, they will prevail, the truth of the matter is that […]
Valor Friday
I’m finally watching the 1993 epic war drama Gettysburg. Surprisingly, I’ve never seen it. I was probably discouraged by the more than four hour run time. It is an excellent movie though, and it’s filled with terrific actors. It got me thinking about the men of the battle, most that we’ve never heard of. During […]
Valor Friday
A recent message reminded me that Poetrooper had asked a while back about the number of Medals of Honor earned in Vietnam for jumping on grenades. He told me at the time, Checking out the Wikipedia list of MoH awardees in Vietnam today, I was particularly struck by something I’d never heard before: an astonishing […]
Valor Friday
This week Captain Larry Taylor was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War. Let’s see why he’s been belatedly honored. Larry Taylor grew up in the St Elmo neighborhood of Chattanooga, Tennessee. His roots in the area extend back generations. His great-great-grandfather had served in the Civil War, his great-uncle […]
Valor Friday
It’s not often that a US Naval vessel is named after someone still living. When they do honor a living person, it’s usually someone of great importance like former Presidents. Recently, a US Marine was privileged enough to witness the launch of a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that bears his name. Harvey C. Barnum Jr. […]
Valor Friday
Veterans of modern times will be aware that sometimes, if you want recognition for your actions, you gotta be proactive. Want to get some promotion points by getting a medal or two? If you do all the leg work on writing up the awards package, the likelihood of receiving the award go up exponentially. “Nobody […]
Valor Friday
During the Korean War, only 146 Medals of Honor were awarded. Of those, 103 were were posthumous. Only seven men of the US Navy earned the honor. Two recipients were officers, both aviators, and five were hospital corpsmen. One two Navy recipients lived to receive their awards. One was Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Thomas Hudner, whom […]
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