Article

2008-09-18 Iraq

Marine praised by Bush won't get Medal of Honor

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Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-18 09:12|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 I am actually glad of this. While he deserves credit for his act of self sacrifice, there is realistically almost no reason to ever throw yourself on a hand grenade, and grenade instructors have long fought against Hollywood depictions of jumping on hand grenades.

Under most circumstances, it is just an act of suicide based on ignorance of how grenades function and explode.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-18 09:25|| 2008-09-18 09:25|| Front Page Top

#2 Disagree; but if the MoH disqualifier was the 'friendly fire' fragment, then i think somebody should rethink this; he could have 'retreated' to have his first wounds looked at, and who knows how many the full force of the grenade would have affected.
GWB, override this decision. Please.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2008-09-18 14:21|| 2008-09-18 14:21|| Front Page Top

#3 USN: it is a combination of probabilities and physics.

Grenades that land on the ground (disregarding airburst and burst as soon as they hit), have a probable time window for detonation of between one and three seconds.

Unless you are already prone and immediately roll on the grenade, it will take you at least a second to a second and a half to get down on top of it. However a stoop-grab-grounder toss can be done in less than a second. Advantage goes to tossing.

You can test this one yourself.

In the open, when a grenade on the ground explodes, the vast majority of the blast and frag go in an upward 90 degree cone. If you can get out of that cone, both blast and frag injuries are significantly lower.

Even a one-step-away-and down effort will give perhaps a ruptured ear drum and lesser frag injuries. Distances more than that are inverse square in severity, except for the "lucky frag" injuries in the maximum hazard area.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-18 17:18|| 2008-09-18 17:18|| Front Page Top

#4 It removes nothing from the Love this man had for his friends. It is impossible to do the two second thing from a turret all geared up. I stood there before. You assume the windows in the cab are open? It is not a pick and flick. It is a warn and dive or a go down on it decision.

In circumspect, Those who get that medal usually have a tinge more done.

Posted by newc">newc 2008-09-18 19:01|| 2008-09-18 19:01|| Front Page Top

#5 Just saw this article (posted @ 7:41 Seattle time): his Mother is going to Congress to try to get the MoH.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/379738_hero19.html

Posted by USN,Ret. 2008-09-18 22:58|| 2008-09-18 22:58|| Front Page Top