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| -Land of the Free |
| "Unconscious" Army Ranger Salutes His Commander |
| 2014-01-05 |
| "Josh, whom everybody in the room (over 50 people) assumed to be unconscious, began to move his right arm under the blanket in a diligent effort to salute the Commander as is customary during these ceremonies. Despite his wounds, wrappings, tubes, and pain, Josh fought the doctor who was trying to restrain his right arm and rendered the most beautiful salute any person in that room had ever seen. I cannot impart on you the level of emotion that poured through the intensive care unit that day. It was assumed that Army Ranger Josh Hargis was unconscious during his Purple Heart ceremony in the hospital, but then he raised his arm in salute. "Grown men began to weep and we were speechless at a gesture that speak volumes about Josh's courage and character. The picture, which we believe belongs on every news channel and every newspaper, is attached. I have it hanging above my desk now and will remember it as the single greatest event I have witnessed in my ten years in the Army." Hargis was wounded by shrapnel on Oct. 6 when an Afghan woman detonated a suicide bomb vest, killing four members of his 3rd Army Ranger Battalion and wounding 12 other American soldiers, according to a report on the website of the soldier's hometown newspaper in Ohio, the Cincinnati Enquirer. |
| Posted by:Omavising Ebbemp9815 |
| #5 Ref D-Day tanks. Most of that battalion was lost. The Coasties crewing the LSTs of the other battalion, seeing the catastrophe, ran in closer, taking hits, to get their guys off in calmer water. |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2014-01-05 22:09 |
| #4 There is something about the title "Soldier" to some men. On D-Day with the winds gusting and waves high off the Normandy beaches, the LSTs dropped their ramps and tanks out fitted with floating skirts went off the end of the ramp into the deep water with tank after tank sinking after being swamped by the high waves. But having been ordered to go into battle, American tank crew after American tanks crew, even after seeing all the other tanks sink into the deep waters, went off the end of the ramps without hesitation. (And one or two eventually did make it to the beach to support the infrantry under fire.) |
| Posted by: Omavising Ebbemp9815 2014-01-05 19:30 |
| #3 I got some dust in my eyes, that's why there's water coming out of em. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-01-05 18:00 |
| #2 I can think of people to whom I can link this. The result would be blank looks. Two nations. |
| Posted by: Richard Aubrey 2014-01-05 17:33 |
| #1 ...what makes this kind of man who can reach out from the darkness and give dutiful respect..? |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-01-05 15:21 |