Leave No Man Behind Unless…
I’ll let our shipmate AW1Tim do the talking from his place.
A disturbing and infuriating situation has arisen. Apparently, under the “leadership” of CDR Renee Richardson, USN – head of the Department of Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel, the US Navy has decided NOT to repatriate the bodies of US Navy sailors interred in Tripoli. These men were sailors from USS Intrepid who lost their lives in an attack against the Barbary pirates.
This nation has ample resources to repatriate the remains of these brave sailors to their United States, and see them buried with full military honors. Yet, our own Navy, under the leadership of CDR Richardson, has chosen to abandon their bones to the soil of a foreign land, a land that has, more often than not, been hostile to our nation.
That this slight to these sailors should take place should not surprise anyone who has seen the demise of tradition and honor under recent CNO’s. Those Navy leaders placed diversity above warfighting, and have chosen to expand their own “diversity enterprise” at Millington while discharging competent Petty Officers from the fleet to “trim the budget”.
This Navy has chosen to also abandon the former USS Olympia, the last surviving warship of the Great White Fleet to it’s likely demise of either being sent to the breakers, or sunk at sea.
We are throwing good money down the black hole of shipbuilding on such un-needed and inefficient platforms as LCS & DDG-1000, yet we can’t find the funds to bring a few good men home. Big Navy has more admirals per sailor than at any point in our history, more staffs and Make-Work commands than ever before, yet we can’t save USS Olympia, the last of her kind.
CDR Salamander has an excellent piece about this, and I encourage all of you to take a few minutes and read his article. When you’ve finished, call your Congress Critter(s) and give them a piece of your mind regarding this situation.
The men of USS Intrepid have lain in foreign soil long enough. It’s time to bring them home.
Category: Geezer Alert!, Navy
Thanks for the linky love, Shipmate. CDR Salamander has it really well covered, and also has some interesting comments, particularly by a couple of new trolls that popped up.
I wouldn’t be surprised that they are somehow connected to CDR Richardson, judging from the tone of their comments. 🙂
I have never met O-5 Richardson (she does not rate the honorific of an actual rank, just a pay grade), but until recently I worked as contractor support for another female O-5 very much like her in tone and attitude. Getting fired by that O-5 was, in hindsight, the best birthday present I’ve ever received. God have pity on Richardson’s subordinates.
She looks like Shrek with glasses. (CDR Richardson)
Why would they consider bringing home the remains of these sailors when they will not even try to bring home a real POW, who at last check was still alive and being held somewhere in or near A’stan?
CDR Salamander posts two emails from Ms. Renee. Take a look at the two lines below, excerpted from one of the emails. If the callous verbiage doesn’t piss you off, sicken you, or both, then see a doctor for a heart implant.
“The families of the “Intrepid” crew, know exactly what happened, they blew up, and they were buried.”
“…what exact purpose is served in digging up, and dragging home the mixed and unspecified bones of these worthy seamen?”
This “Commander” really should just resign her commission. Other gems from her e-mails:
“1) That being the case who would bear the cost of this repatriation”? You’re shitting me, right? A DoD that pays $600 for a toilet seat is worried about the cost of repatriation?
From another e-mail:
“I do not dispute the desire of the descendants (217 years removed) to return their beloved. I dispute that our government (except in assisting permissions and access) is in anyway responsible, or obligated to repatriate these 13 sailors from a failed mission”.
Apparently, only those killed on “successful” missions deserve repatriation, according to this “person”.
And, thanks for your help, Sen. McLame.
Shame on the US Navy and even more so, shame on McCain. He of all people should understand the desire to bring home EVERY American serviceman, alive or dead. I will not be voting for him this year, not like I was going to anyway, and I will encourage my friends to do likewise.
CPO Roberts (Ret.)
In fairness, should we recover every body buried at Normandy, Bastogne, Italy, Japan, or Russia? How many are still on the Pacific islands that we know of?
I do not support her decision, especially in the manner she has stated. But I do believe we should leave those men where they fought honorably, bravely, against great odds, and gave their lives in defense of their nation. If anything, they will remain a sharp knife in the sides of angry muslim assholes 🙂
SSG Medzyk,
The difference between the great cemeteries at Normandy, and elsewhere, is that those resting places are maintained, and lovingly cared for. The cemetery in Tripoli is in shambles, and threats have been made by Islamists to dig up ALL non-Muslim graves and destroy those cemeteries.
Were the Libyans tendering the same care to Intrepid’s crew, I’d agree we should leave them there, but they aren’t and we should do the right thing and bring these sailors home.
@AW1Tim: Not to thread jack or anything but nice to see another AW around. I retired in 85 as an AWC.
It would be really hard to return all the dead and wounded from the many many foreign wars we’ve fought. Hell there are STILL men from the Army and Marines north of the 38th, my Great Uncle is among them. What about the cemetery for the Muse Argon? or Normandy? Yes, Libya is not and probably will never be our friend, but maybe, just maybe when they have professional soldiers they will realize that all warriors are due respect. Be it Waffen SS or NVA, the US has always attempted to afford our enemies a modicum of respect.
In the end, when it is just one soldier to another, you tend to blur the lines with age. You realize that your enemy was in a way “Mein guter Kamerad”