“The real problem is not that we are different, nor that we disagree and have conflict. It's that most of us automatically view conflict as something negative rather than as a tool God can use to help us better understand ourselves and one another.

--Robert Ricciardelli”

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Wednesday Hero: Private Carlton William Barrett

(still catching up...this one was to be posted on 06/09/2010)

Pvt. Carlton W. Barrett
Pvt. Carlton W. Barrett
18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division
U.S. Army

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Private Carlton William Barrett, United States Army, for gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 6 June 1944, while serving with the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action in the vicinity of St. Laurent-sur-Mer, France. On the morning of D-day Private Barrett, landing in the face of extremely heavy enemy fire, was forced to wade ashore through neck-deep water. Disregarding the personal danger, he returned to the surf again and again to assist his floundering comrades and save them from drowning. Refusing to remain pinned down by the intense barrage of small-arms and mortar fire poured at the landing points, Private Barrett, working with fierce determination, saved many lives by carrying casualties to an evacuation boat lying offshore. In addition to his assigned mission as guide, he carried dispatches the length of the fire-swept beach; he assisted the wounded; he calmed the shocked; he arose as a leader in the stress of the occasion. His coolness and his dauntless daring courage while constantly risking his life during a period of many hours had an inestimable effect on his comrades and is in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.


All Information Was Found On And Copied From MilitaryCity.com

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Sunday, September 12, 2010

Wednesday Hero: Capt Kyle Comfort

(this was to have originally been posted on May, 23, 2010)

Capt. Kyle Comfort
Capt. Kyle Comfort
27 years old from Jacksonville, Alabama
Fire Support Officer Company D, 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment
May 8, 2010
U.S. Army

Kyle Comfort had just recently been promoted to Captain and been assigned to a Ranger Regiment in the Army. His accomplishments as a Soldier, in such a short time, were a testament to the fact that he was an excellent Soldier. Unfortunately, in this war, it doesn’t make a lot of difference how good you are at your job. The difference seems to be left to chance. Where you are sitting in your vehicle or which vehicle you are sitting in when you hit an IED or where you are standing on your FOB when the mortars come in. All chance and circumstance.

It has to be that way. The enemy that is fighting us now could never win a legitimate war with our Soldiers. So they fight as insurgents and use tactics that they know make our Soldiers vulnerable.

That is how they got CAPT Kyle Comfort. With an IED just a month into his tour of duty in Afghanistan. If they had fought him face-to-face, they never would have gotten him.


You Can Read The Rest Here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Friday, September 10, 2010

Wednesday Hero: Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Davis

I am still playing catch up from my stroke back in April. this should have been posted on Wednesday, May 19, 2010.


L/Cpl. Joshua M. Davis
L/Cpl. Joshua M. Davis
19 years old from Perry, Iowa
1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force
May 7, 2010
U.S. Marines

Lance Cpl. Joshua M. Davis of Perry, Iowa, was a 2009 Perry High School graduate. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in March 2009. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, from Camp Lejeune, N.C., he deployed to Afghanistan in March 2010 and was promoted to Lance Cpl. on May 1, 2010. He was killed in action on May 7, 2010 while supporting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and Afghanistan Campaign Medal. Also killed alongside L/Cpl. Davis were Cpl. Kurt S. Shea, 21, of Frederick, Maryland and Lance Cpl. Christopher Rangel, 22, of San Antonio, Texas.


All Information Was Found On And Copied From Here and Here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Sunday, August 29, 2010

Wednesday Hero: Sgt. Kristopher J. Battles

I am still recovering from a mild stroke suffered in April.  But, I am beginning to catch up on these posts.  This one would have been posted on May 12, 2010.
   

Sgt. Kristopher J. Battles
Sgt. Kristopher J. Battles
    U.S.M.C

    Sgt. Kristopher J. Battles, the combat artist with the National Museum of the Marine Corps, stands in front of his paintings, May 5, 2010, at the John F. Kennedy School of Government for Harvard University. Battles showed several paintings, sketches and portraits for residents and tourists to see the artwork of a combat artist, in Cambridge, Mass., to help tell the Marine Corps story during Marine Week.


    Photo Courtesy United States Marine Corps.

    These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.  For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
    We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

    This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll.  For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
   
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Thursday, August 26, 2010

Wednesday Hero: Sgt. Keith Dewayne Andrews (from 5/5/10)

U.S. Army

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Keith Dewayne Andrews, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action during the ground assault of Operation DESERT STORM. Sergeant Andrews showed extraordinary courage once he observed that air support had by-passed two Iraqi machine gun positions, leaving a Humvee with five soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division pinned down by enemy cross fire. Sergeant Andrews negotiated a minefield while fighting his way to the top of the enemy bunker, destroying it with a fragmentation hand grenade. Being out of ammo, Sergeant Andrews resourcefully obtained the enemy machine gun using it to fight his way up the second Iraqi fighting position. Over all, Sergeant Andrews single-handedly killed some twenty-five enemy combatants to secure two enemy bunkers. This allowed for the quick evacuation of the five wounded soldiers thus saving their lives. These brave and selfless actions of Sergeant Andrews bring great credit to himself, his unit and the United States Army.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.  For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll.  For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Thursday, April 29, 2010

Wednesday Hero: Capt. Ed W. Freeman

This Post Was Suggested By Mark Bell

Capt. Ed W. Freeman
Capt. Ed W. Freeman
November 20, 1927 - August 20, 2008
U.S. Army

For The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain Ed W. Freeman, United States Army, for numerous acts of conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary intrepidity on 14 November 1965 while serving with Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), action against enemy aggressor forces at LZ X-Ray, Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam, on 14 November 1965 As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged American infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam. The infantry unit was almost out of ammunition after taking some of the heaviest casualties of the war, fighting off a relentless attack from a highly motivated, heavily armed enemy force. When the infantry commander closed the helicopter landing zone due to intense direct enemy fire, Captain Freeman risked his own life by flying his unarmed helicopter through a gauntlet of enemy fire time after time, delivering critically needed ammunition, water, and medical supplies to the besieged battalion. His flights had a direct impact on the battle's outcome by providing the engaged units with timely supplies of ammunition critical to their survival, without which they would almost surely have experienced a much greater loss of life. After medical evacuation helicopters refused to fly into the area due to intense enemy fire, Captain Freeman flew 14 separate rescue missions, providing life-saving evacuation of an estimated 30 seriously wounded soldiers -- some of whom would not have survived had he not acted. All flights were made into a small emergency landing zone within 100 to 200 meters of the defensive perimeter where heavily committed units were perilously holding off the attacking elements. Captain Freeman's selfless acts of great valor, extraordinary perseverance, and intrepidity were far above and beyond the call of duty or mission and set a superb example of leadership and courage for all of his peers. Captain Freeman's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

In 2002, Capt. Ed "Too Tall" Freeman was portrayed by actor Mark McCraken in the movie "We Were Soldiers".  Capt. Freeman passed away in 2008 due to complications of Parkinson's.

Here is a great article on Capt. Freeman and his award ceremony.


These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.  For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll.  For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Wednesday Hero: John "Jack" Agnew

This Weeks Post Was Suggested By Cindy

John 'Jack' Agnew
John "Jack" Agnew (Right)
506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
U.S. Army

John "Jack" Agnew, one of the original members of an Army unit that operated behind enemy lines in World War II and is often credited with having loosely inspired the movie "The Dirty Dozen", has died at age 88.

Agnew belonged to the Filthy Thirteen, an unofficial unit within the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was pronounced dead last Thursday at Abington Memorial Hospital after becoming ill at his home in the Maple Village retirement community in Hatboro, where he and his wife moved about a year ago, his daughter Barbara Agnew Maloney said.


You Can Read The Rest Of The Article Here And More Info On The "Filthy Thirteen" Can Be Found Here

These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday.  For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived

This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll.  For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
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