Memorial Day heroes

[Millhouse]

This thread is dedicated to all those that lost their lives during their service to the country. As opposed to being a generic topic, post about an individual that sacrificed it all from the Revolution through the current wars in the Middle East. Whether it is brief, a link, or a novel like below, it's all good. 

I'll start with John Basilone, one of America's legendary soldiers of all time. He was the only marine in WW2 to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross.

To be brief, he joined the army in 1934 at 18 years old. After he few years he left the service, but went back in the service joining the Marines in 1940. He was a sergeant in the Marines 1st Division as the war broke out. The first action he saw was the first major action for the Marines in the pacific, Guadalcanal. He commanded a couple of sections of heavy machine guns which played a vital role in winning that battle, and in which he received the highest honor that can be given to a serviceman. Below is an excerpt from Medal of Honor Society webpage:

Quote:For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division in the Lunga Area. Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on 24 and 25 October 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone's sections, with its guncrews, was put out of action, leaving only 2 men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

He would be sent back home to the states to sell war bonds after the battle, having risen to the rank of a celebrity. His war was over, or at least could have been if chose to. However by end of 1943, his request to leave this tour of duty to go back and train newly recruited Marines was approved. He would be married in July 1944, and once again he requested to go back into combat with the men he trained.

On February 19th, 1945, he was part of the 5th Marines Division that landed on the beaches of Iwo Jima as a gunnery sergeant, just like he did back on Guadalcanal, having turned down a commission to be an officer. Within a couple of hours of helping spearhead the American assault on Iwo, he was killed in action almost instantly. His actions in that brief amount of time helped many marines get off the beach to begin penetrating the Japanese defenses. For a more detailed description : http://www.basiloneparade.com/citation-ij.htm

He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, which is the second highest honor given to a Marine behind the Medal of Honor, which he already had. His body would eventually be brought back to the U.S., and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery. His wife of less than a year never remarried, and she passed away back in 1999. In 1949 a Navy destroyer was commissioned USS Basilone, and in 2019 there will be modern age destroyer commissioned the same name. A very good depiction of him is shown in the HBO series "The Pacific". He was one of the three main characters the show revolved around.



http://www.marineswwii.com/john_basilone.php
http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2627/basilone-john.php
http://www.basiloneparade.com/citation-ij.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Basilone
http://www.badassoftheweek.com/basilone.html

[RICHMONDBENGAL_07]

A lot of my family have served from WWII, KOREA, VEITNAM, DESSERT STORM, and of course todays wars in AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ. I was in the Navy.

Recently I was in Barnes and Noble and was perusing the history section, as I do, and came across a fascinating book called Bound by Honor. I was intrigued, not just because it was another military type memoir (I admit I've read a lot of them, of all branches), but because it is a true story of the first time (and only time) someone received the Medal of Honor rescuing a fellow MOH recipient. Both were Navy SEALS during the Vietnam war. I'm dying to read the book, I didn't buy it that day because I was low on funds and decided I should wait. But I read probably a third of it while we were there

Another book I have read though is Brothers Forever and a must read IMO. Both went to Annapolis together. One became a Marine and the other a SEAL. The first died in Iraq then the other in Afghanistan. Incredible stories

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

http://www.history.army.mil/moh/somalia.html

Quote:*Master Sergeant Gary I. Gordon

• Organization: U.S. Army
• Place and Date: 3 October 1993, Mogadishu, Somalia
  
  
  

Citation: Master Sergeant Gordon, United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as Sniper Team Leader, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia. Master Sergeant Gordon's sniper team provided precision fires from the lead helicopter during an assault and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. When Master Sergeant Gordon learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the second crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site. After his third request to be inserted, Master Sergeant Gordon received permission to perform his volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Master Sergeant Gordon was inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon and his fellow sniper, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Master Sergeant Gordon immediately pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable position. Master Sergeant Gordon used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers until he depleted his ammunition. Master Sergeant Gordon then went back to the wreckage, recovering some of the crew's weapons and ammunition. Despite the fact that he was critically low on ammunition, he provided some of it to the dazed pilot and then radioed for help. Master Sergeant Gordon continued to travel the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. After his team member was fatally wounded and his own rifle ammunition exhausted, Master Sergeant Gordon returned to the wreckage, recovering a rifle with the last five rounds of ammunition and gave it to the pilot with the words, "good luck." Then, armed only with his pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon continued to fight until he was fatally wounded. His actions saved the pilot's life. Master Sergeant Gordon's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army.

• Congressional Medal of Honor Society »
  
  
  

Quote:*Sergeant First Class Randall D. Shughart

• Organization: U.S. Army
• Place and Date: 3 October 1993, Mogadishu, Somalia
  
  
  

Citation: Sergeant First Class Shughart, United States Army, distinguished himself by actions above and beyond the call of duty on 3 October 1993, while serving as a Sniper Team Member, United States Army Special Operations Command with Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu, Somalia. Sergeant First Class Shughart provided precision sniper fires from the lead helicopter during an assault on a building and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. While providing critical suppressive fires at the second crash site, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the site. Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site. After their third request to be inserted, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader received permission to perform this volunteer mission. When debris and enemy ground fires at the site caused them to abort the first attempt, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader were inserted one hundred meters south of the crash site. Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Sergeant First Class Shughart and his team leader, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Sergeant First Class Shughart pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable position. Sergeant First Class Shughart used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers while traveling the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. Sergeant First Class Shughart continued his protective fire until he depleted his ammunition and was fatally wounded. His actions saved the pilot's life. Sergeant First Class Shughart's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest standards of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army.

• Congressional Medal of Honor Society »
  
  
  

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

I know this is a Memorial Day tribute, but this speech from MSG Roy Benavidez is worth the watch.