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2007-03-25 Home Front: WoT

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Posted by Chuck Simmins 2007-03-25 11:26|| || Front Page|| [1 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Mere words fail.

I'd like to add one who I'm reminded of every day I exit for work using the "Joseph Vittori Memorial Interchange" in Hopkinton, Mass. From the Wikipedia entry:

Corporal Joseph Vittori (1929-1951) was a 22-year old United States Marine who was killed in action during the Korean War. ...

With heavy casualties leaving a 100-yard gap in the Marine lines at the position, he fought a single-handed battle to prevent an enemy break-through. Leaping from one side of the position to the other, he kept up a withering fire of over 1,000 rounds in three hours. He made repeated trips through heavy shellfire to replenish his ammunition, manned a machine gun after its gunner fell, and despite enemy penetration to within feet of his position, kept the enemy out of the breech in his companys lines until he was mortally wounded. The next morning the Marines counted almost 200 enemy dead in the area.

Posted by xbalanke 2007-03-25 13:33|| 2007-03-25 13:33|| Front Page Top

#2 Sadly, these men were never able to take their courage to politics.

The nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools." - Thucydides

Posted by Bobby 2007-03-25 16:16|| 2007-03-25 16:16|| Front Page Top

#3 Not just grunts, either:

DEAN, WILLIAM F.

Rank and organization: Major General, U.S. Army, commanding general, 24th Infantry Division. Place and date: Taejon, Korea, 20 and 21 July 1950. Entered service at: California. Born: 1 August 1899, Carlyle, Ill. G.O. No.: 7, 16 February 1951. Citation: Maj. Gen. Dean distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the repeated risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. In command of a unit suddenly relieved from occupation duties in Japan and as yet untried in combat, faced with a ruthless and determined enemy, highly trained and overwhelmingly superior in numbers, he felt it his duty to take action which to a man of his military experience and knowledge was clearly apt to result in his death. He personally and alone attacked an enemy tank while armed only with a hand grenade. He also directed the fire of his tanks from an exposed position with neither cover nor concealment while under observed artillery and small-arm fire. When the town of Taejon was finally overrun he refused to insure his own safety by leaving with the leading elements but remained behind organizing his retreating forces, directing stragglers, and was last seen assisting the wounded to a place of safety. These actions indicate that Maj. Gen. Dean felt it necessary to sustain the courage and resolution of his troops by examples of excessive gallantry committed always at the threatened portions of his frontlines. The magnificent response of his unit to this willing and cheerful sacrifice, made with full knowledge of its certain cost, is history. The success of this phase of the campaign is in large measure due to Maj. Gen. Dean's heroic leadership, courageous and loyal devotion to his men, and his complete disregard for personal safety.

Posted by Bobby 2007-03-25 16:23|| 2007-03-25 16:23|| Front Page Top

#4 Billy Dean was a brave, brave man. But he shouldn't have been hunting tanks.

Posted by Shipman">Shipman 2007-03-25 16:29|| 2007-03-25 16:29|| Front Page Top

19:24 Special Brew
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23:37 Zenster
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23:33 gromgoru
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23:17 Duh!
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22:55 Jan
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22:36 Duh!
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