Medal of Honor
Valor Friday
As yesterday was the anniversary of the day “which will live in infamy,” the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, for this Valor Friday we’ll be revisiting some past articles. Of the men who served at Pearl, I’ve written about; Ensign Joseph Taussig – Officer of the Deck on USS Nevada (BB-36). Earned the Navy Cross […]
Valor Friday
Some figures in military history are truly larger than life. Even when they’re in active service, their legend precedes them. They are the types that those who serve with or under them, wear that closeness as a badge of honor for the rest of their lives. Men such as George Patton, Chesty Puller, Chester Nimitz, […]
Valor Friday
While driving around I like to look at the memorial highway designations. Many of them in my state, I’m aware of who they are. The stretch of I-35 through Lino Lakes, MN is dedicated to Officer Shawn Silvera. He was a police officer who died in the line of duty trying to stop a fleeing […]
Valor Friday
While having been a military veteran is not a requirement to become President of the United States, military service is a trait very commonly found in Presidents. It was more common in the earlier days of the republic. From George Washington to Theodore Roosevelt (whose presidency ended in 1909) we had only five of the […]
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 […]
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