PPRuNe Forums - Alwyn Cashe

PPRuNe Forums (https://www.pprune.org/)

- Military Aviation (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation-57/)

- - Alwyn Cashe (https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/636725-alwyn-cashe.html)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a...ears-c35c95fhg

Alwyn Cashe will be first black soldier to win Medal of Honor in 50 years

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....a555d9c9a.jpeg

An American soldier who died rescuing comrades from a burning vehicle in Iraq is set to become the first African American to be awarded the highest gallantry medal since the Vietnam war.

The family of Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe are waiting to hear whether President Trump will approve the Medal of Honor, equivalent in status to the Victoria Cross, after unanimous backing by the US Senate.

In October 2005 Sergeant Cashe, 35, was in a Bradley fighting vehicle in Samarra when it hit an improvised explosive device. He was showered with diesel from the punctured fuel tank but succeeded in pulling six other soldiers from the vehicle before he became overwhelmed by flames.

He refused medical attention until his comrades were rescued. He died from second and third-degree burns to 75 per cent of his body. Three other soldiers also died.

He was awarded a posthumous Silver Star, the third highest gallantry medal, after army officials ruled that the vehicle was not under enemy fire at the time, one of the stipulations for considering a Medal of Honor.

However, after further investigation it emerged that Sergeant Cashe had been under constant fire as he rescued the six soldiers.

It has taken 15 years for his heroics to be fully recognised. A law stipulated that upgrades could be approved only within five years. The Senate finally agreed to waive the rule on Tuesday.

Sergeant Cashe’s sister, Kasinal White from Lake Butler, Florida, discounted racism as a factor, saying that it was the lack of information that led to the decision to award only a Silver Star.

Of the 3,500 service members who have earned America’s highest military decoration since 1861, only 92 were black, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

The last African American to receive the award was Marine Sergeant Major John Canley for his actions in the Battle of Hue in 1968. He is still alive and only received the medal in 2019 in a ceremony at the White House with Mr Trump.

A few years ago whilst on holiday in Boston we saw a group on a podium outside the Senate Building. We were told that each year the Medal of Honor recipients held a convention, and this year it was in Boston.
The sense of pride and courage was tangible, even from our distance from the ceremony. Two men stood out. The first had won his Medal at Pearl Harbour, the second was a special ops soldier from Vietnam. Despite age and injuries they stood proud. Huge respect to these people, and to our VC holders. A great example to all of us.

I really take an issue with articles such as this.

Why is his skin colour relevant?
He's an AMERICAN HERO. They come in every single human form, and they're all legends.
My argument in defence of the above is this: if governments and military organisations really want to prove that they aren't sexist, racist, homophobic or transphobic or anything else I may have missed, then how about they present people as human beings, rather than placing emphasis on their appearance, gender, religion or orientation?

"If it was no longer an issue, you wouldn't keep mentioning it."

It's sad.

R.I.P. SFC Cashe.

His skin colour is relevant because others of his skin colour suffer disadvantage and abuse every day because others have a problem with it.

Racial bias in (not) awarding the Medal of Honor is believed to have been rife in earlier times. Since the 1990s successive Presidents have made attempts to correct this. His sister may be right it wasn't a factor in this particular case. However until this upgrade is confirmed only 27 Medals of Honor have been issued for actions since the Vietnam War ended, none to African-Americans - I admit it may be possible that no other African-American deserved it. On a population basis it would be 3+.

No African-Americans were awarded the medal in WWII - President Clinton upgraded previous awards for seven in 1997.

In 2005 President Bush 43 presented the Medal to Korean War veteran Tibor Rubin after an official inquiry determined he hadn't received it because he was Jewish. "in affidavits filed in support of Rubin’s nomination, fellow soldiers said their sergeant was an anti-Semite who gave Rubin dangerous assignments in hopes of getting him killed."

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLXOwft (Post 10924815)

Yeah, I can see your argument.

I hope I get to see a world where skin colour is no longer given any consideration, whatsoever, and people are just seen as people, regardless of how they look.

Quote:

He was awarded a posthumous Silver Star, the third highest gallantry medal, after army officials ruled that the vehicle was not under enemy fire at the time, one of the stipulations for considering a Medal of Honor. However, after further investigation it emerged that Sergeant Cashe had been under constant fire as he rescued the six soldiers.

Fairly common for an IED site to be observed, and for fire to begin once the bomb goes off.

Quote:

It has taken 15 years for his heroics to be fully recognised. A law stipulated that upgrades could be approved only within five years. The Senate finally agreed to waive the rule on Tuesday.

Glad to hear that. One hopes the award will be presented soon. Before Christmas would be nice, and before Thanksgiving better.

For SFC Cashe: RIP.
Hand salute
Where do we find such men?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BVRAAM (Post 10924874)

Yeah, I can see your argument.

I hope I get to see a world where skin colour is no longer given any consideration, whatsoever, and people are just seen as people, regardless of how they look.

Sadly in my life time we won’t see it, but I have high hopes for future generations, the world has become a more cosmopolitan place to grow up in with children being educated in multi racial, multi religious environments, gone are the more or less white only C of E schools of my generation.
And in future those children will become parents and hopefully instil in their children a sense we are all in this together, equally free from hate and bigotry, children come into this world free from hate, and perceptions of colour or religion, sadly that is taught to them by adults...

As for the gentleman mentioned, a well deserved M of H in my opinion and a credit to the services and his fellow man. To die so that others can live, I can’t think of a more deserved case.

Quote:

To die so that others can live, I can’t think of a more deserved case

Some don't agree unfortunately Nutty. A recent Oz story.

Quote:

Armidale undertook evasive action, manoeuvring frantically to avoid the aerial attack. However, at 15:15, the vessel was struck by two air-launched torpedoes, one hitting her port side and the other colliding with the engineering spaces, before a bomb exploded aft. Armidale listed sharply to port at this stage, and the order was given to abandon ship. As the crew leapt into the sea, they were strafed by the attacking aircraft. Sheean—after assisting to free a life-raft—was hit by two bullets from one of the aircraft, wounding him in the chest and back. Scrambling across the deck, he strapped himself into the aft Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and began shooting at the fighters in an effort to protect some of the sailors already in the sea. Subject to the fire from Sheean's Oerlikon, the Japanese aircraft were kept at bay and were unable to effectively strafe those in the water.

With Armidale rapidly sinking, Sheean continued to fire and managed to shoot down one of the Japanese bombers. He damaged a further two aircraft before Armidale's stern was engulfed by the sea. Despite this, Sheean maintained his fire as the water rose above his feet, and remained firing as he "disappeared beneath the waves". Sheean's crewmates later testified to witnessing tracers rising from beneath the water's surface as Sheean was dragged under.

The Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal panel conducted an inquiry during 2019 to consider whether Sheean should be awarded the Victoria Cross. It recommended in July that year that he be awarded the medal. This recommendation was rejected by Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds in May 2020 on the grounds that the panel had not presented any new evidence to support its recommendation. Reynolds' decision was endorsed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Mark Sullivan, The head of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal subsequently wrote to Reynolds to complain that she had misrepresented the panel's findings and misled the Senate. Sullivan stated in his letter that the panel had found new evidence to support its recommendation despite not being required to do so. In response to Sullivan's letter, Tasmanian Veterans Affairs Minister Guy Barnett and federal Senator Jacqui Lambie called for the decision to not award the medal to be reconsidered. Federal Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese also wrote that Sheean should be awarded the Victoria Cross. The Chief of the Defence Force General Angus Campbell strongly advised the government to not award Sheean the medal.

In June 2020, Morrison commissioned another expert panel to examine whether Sheean should be awarded the Victoria Cross. On 10 August 2020, Morrison accepted the findings of the panel and recommended the Queen posthumously award Sheean the Victoria Cross for Australia. The Queen approved the award on 12 August.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Sheean

Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe, salute Sir.