Delayed Award of the Medal of Honor
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Holly Beach, Louisiana
Posts: 916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Delayed Award of the Medal of Honor
Next Week a Vietnam Era SF Trooper will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the attack and loss of the SF Camp in the Ashau Valley.
During that Battle an Air Force A1-E landed under fire to rescue a wing man who had been shot down.
The story of the battle is one of the Legends of Vietnam.
Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins | Medal of Honor Nominee | The United States Army
http://vnafmamn.com/rescue_at_ashau.html
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/sha...060629-001.pdf
During that Battle an Air Force A1-E landed under fire to rescue a wing man who had been shot down.
The story of the battle is one of the Legends of Vietnam.
Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins | Medal of Honor Nominee | The United States Army
http://vnafmamn.com/rescue_at_ashau.html
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/sha...060629-001.pdf
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sorry to bring the bad news
Col Birnie Fisher as he is now passed away last week.
Its seems to be that the good ones are needed upstairs.
Thank you for your service Sir
Slow hand salute
Regards
Col
Col Birnie Fisher as he is now passed away last week.
Its seems to be that the good ones are needed upstairs.
Thank you for your service Sir
Slow hand salute
Regards
Col
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Erewhon
Posts: 474
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
'Hero' is an over-used word in this day and age.
This guy was a hero in the accepted sense. Only glad his heroism was recognised appropriately.
RIP sir, it's nice that his family and friends had him with them for so many years, it could have been so different.
This guy was a hero in the accepted sense. Only glad his heroism was recognised appropriately.
RIP sir, it's nice that his family and friends had him with them for so many years, it could have been so different.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Temporarily missing from the Joe Louis Arena
Posts: 2,131
Received 27 Likes
on
16 Posts
Hat doffed.
In an age where the term 'heroic' gets attached to the actions of millionaires kicking bits of leather around it is very welcome to read an account of true heroism.
In an age where the term 'heroic' gets attached to the actions of millionaires kicking bits of leather around it is very welcome to read an account of true heroism.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,880
Received 2,824 Likes
on
1,204 Posts
Reading that citation he deserved a draw full of them.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Holly Beach, Louisiana
Posts: 916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wrathmonk, I am not knowing of the reason for the delay.
A second Vietnam Infantry Soldier is also getting one for covering a hand grenade and thus saving his Squad Mates.
A second Vietnam Infantry Soldier is also getting one for covering a hand grenade and thus saving his Squad Mates.
As one of PPRuNe's resident medal geeks I thought it might be of interest if I posted a few facts about the Medal of Honor with some comparisons with the Victoria Cross.
Both medals are rightly regarded as their country's highest awards for bravery, and both are restricted to military recipients.
The VC was instituted in 1854 during the Crimean War, the MOH a little later in 1861 during the Civil War.
Unlike many lesser awards, both the VC and the MOH are made of base metals, the VC famously being made by the London jewellers Hancocks using bronze from cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War.
There are three distinctive versions of the MOH, one each for the US Navy (including the Marine Corps), the US Army and, since 1956, the US Air Force, although all share the same ribbon. The VC has only one version which has remained unchanged since its inception, although naval recipients wore the medal with a blue ribbon up to 1918.
The VC has been awarded fewer than 1400 times, the MOH fewer than 3,500 times. Given the relative sizes of both countries' armed forces over the years this would seem to indicate that they are equally hard-won.
There have as yet been no female recipients of the VC, whilst one woman, an army surgeon, was awarded the MOH in 1865.
Interestingly a myth exists in both countries that recipients of the MOH and the VC are entitled to be saluted by their superiors. This is not the case, although it is common practice in both countries for the medal holders to be saluted as a mark of respect and courtesy.
The MOH is protected against any attempts to make reproductions, and there have been recent convictions for this offence. In addition passing oneself off as an MOH holder is a federal offence. There is no such law applicable to the Victoria Cross, and replicas are freely available at little cost. Many military museums in fact display replicas whilst keeping the originals in bank vaults.
I have often heard accounts of military actions, accompanied by remarks such as "he should have got the Victoria Cross/Medal of Honor". I think it right, however, that both of these awards should be given so sparingly, otherwise they would lose the cachet which both undoubtedly possess.
Both medals are rightly regarded as their country's highest awards for bravery, and both are restricted to military recipients.
The VC was instituted in 1854 during the Crimean War, the MOH a little later in 1861 during the Civil War.
Unlike many lesser awards, both the VC and the MOH are made of base metals, the VC famously being made by the London jewellers Hancocks using bronze from cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War.
There are three distinctive versions of the MOH, one each for the US Navy (including the Marine Corps), the US Army and, since 1956, the US Air Force, although all share the same ribbon. The VC has only one version which has remained unchanged since its inception, although naval recipients wore the medal with a blue ribbon up to 1918.
The VC has been awarded fewer than 1400 times, the MOH fewer than 3,500 times. Given the relative sizes of both countries' armed forces over the years this would seem to indicate that they are equally hard-won.
There have as yet been no female recipients of the VC, whilst one woman, an army surgeon, was awarded the MOH in 1865.
Interestingly a myth exists in both countries that recipients of the MOH and the VC are entitled to be saluted by their superiors. This is not the case, although it is common practice in both countries for the medal holders to be saluted as a mark of respect and courtesy.
The MOH is protected against any attempts to make reproductions, and there have been recent convictions for this offence. In addition passing oneself off as an MOH holder is a federal offence. There is no such law applicable to the Victoria Cross, and replicas are freely available at little cost. Many military museums in fact display replicas whilst keeping the originals in bank vaults.
I have often heard accounts of military actions, accompanied by remarks such as "he should have got the Victoria Cross/Medal of Honor". I think it right, however, that both of these awards should be given so sparingly, otherwise they would lose the cachet which both undoubtedly possess.
Thanks for posting that clip, B-B, Bernard Fisher typifies the quiet self effacing types who abound in the numbers of those who have received their country's highest award.
Although it is undeniable that when it comes down to it, the job of soldiers, sailors or airmen is to kill his country's enemies, it is nevertheless significant that so many Victoria Crosses and Medals of Honor have been awarded for saving lives in the heat of battle.
Outstanding!
Although it is undeniable that when it comes down to it, the job of soldiers, sailors or airmen is to kill his country's enemies, it is nevertheless significant that so many Victoria Crosses and Medals of Honor have been awarded for saving lives in the heat of battle.
Outstanding!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Holly Beach, Louisiana
Posts: 916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Tanks,
Gary Wetzel was a Huey Door Gunner in a sister unit in my Battalion.
I feel very fortunate to have been allowed to serve alongside Soldiers like him.
Gary Wetzel was a Huey Door Gunner in a sister unit in my Battalion.
I feel very fortunate to have been allowed to serve alongside Soldiers like him.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
Bernard Fisher typifies the quiet self effacing types who abound in the numbers of those who have received their country's highest award.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 32,880
Received 2,824 Likes
on
1,204 Posts
The Medal Of Honor winner that always impressed me was Mike Clausen, if you do not know his story read on...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Jun9.html
Monument to Raymond "Mike" Claussen, Jr. unveiled
..
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...-2004Jun9.html
Monument to Raymond "Mike" Claussen, Jr. unveiled
..
Last edited by NutLoose; 11th Sep 2014 at 21:01.