This ain't Hell, but you can see it from here

Category: Blue Skies

  • An Icon Passes

    Literally.

    Man known as kissing sailor in WWII-era picture dies

    Glen McDuffie died last Sunday.  He was 86.

    McDuffie was identified by forensic artist Lois Gibson of the Houston Police Department about 6 years ago as the sailor in this iconic photo of World War II:



    Although Gibson’s ID is not universally accepted (at least two others have claimed to be the sailor in the photo over the years), she is exceptionally well-respected in her field. Gibson is positive about her identification of McDuffie.

    McDuffie will be interred on 21 March 2014 at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery.

    Rest in peace, my elder brother-in-arms. Rest in peace.

  • Colonel Ola Lee Mize passes

    Ola Lee Mize

    Last night we received the sad news that Colonel Ola Lee Mize passed on at the tender age of 82. Colonel Mize was treasured in the Special Forces community as well as the rest of the military as a soldier’s soldier. He earned the medal of Honor. He earned the Medal of Honor in Korea as a buck sergeant and Marne Man, legend has it that he tried to refuse the award until the men he served with were honored for their part in the events as well. He was nominated for a second award during the Vietnam War, but it was denied by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara because, the secretary said, he was an officer and already had one award of the medal. His citation reads;

    M/Sgt. Mize, a member of Company K, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. Company K was committed to the defense of “Outpost Harry”, a strategically valuable position, when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded he moved through the intense barrage, accompanied by a medical aid man, and rescued the wounded soldier. On returning to the main position he established an effective defense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from determined enemy assault forces which had penetrated into trenches within the outpost area. During his fearless actions he was blown down by artillery and grenade blasts 3 times but each time he dauntlessly returned to his position, tenaciously fighting and successfully repelling hostile attacks. When enemy onslaughts ceased he took his few men and moved from bunker to bunker, firing through apertures and throwing grenades at the foe, neutralizing their positions. When an enemy soldier stepped out behind a comrade, prepared to fire, M/Sgt. Mize killed him, saving the life of his fellow soldier. After rejoining the platoon, moving from man to man, distributing ammunition, and shouting words of encouragement he observed a friendly machinegun position overrun. He immediately fought his way to the position, killing 10 of the enemy and dispersing the remainder. Fighting back to the command post, and finding several friendly wounded there, he took a position to protect them. Later, securing a radio, he directed friendly artillery fire upon the attacking enemy’s routes of approach. At dawn he helped regroup for a counterattack which successfully drove the enemy from the outpost. M/Sgt. Mize’s valorous conduct and unflinching courage reflect lasting glory upon himself and uphold the noble traditions of the military service.

    But a greater tribute is how Colonel Mize lived in the hearts of fellow soldiers;

    “He was a soldier’s leader,” [Rick] Vaughan said. “If you had to pick a leader to go to war with, Lee Mize was the one you would want to pick. You would absolutely want to go with him because you knew he would take care of you, make sure you were prepared and had all the skill and knowledge you need to get there and get back safe.

    “We just lost a living piece of history. He just can’t be replaced.”

  • Marine writes his own obit, leaves ’em laughin’

    The Washington Times reports that Korean War Marine veteran, Walter George Bruhl Jr., celebrating his own death, wrote his own obituary. Hillarity ensued;

    A sampling of his obituary: “Walt was preceded in death by his tonsils and adenoids in 1935, a spinal disc in 19745, a large piece of his thyroid gland in 1988 and his prostate on March 27th 2000,” he wrote. He also made fun of his wife’s love of fur by saying she will now be able “to purchases the mink coat which he had always refused her because he believed only minks should wear mink” — and then mocked his viewing.

    “There will be no viewing since his wife refuses to honor his request to have him standing in the corner of the room with a glass of Jack Daniels in his hand so that he would appear natural to visitors…”

    Here’s a screen shot of the entire obituary from Reddit posted by one of his four grandchildren;

    Bruhl Obit

  • “Wild Bill” Guarnere passes

    Wild Bill RIP

    The sad news comes that “Wild Bill” Guarnere has passed at the tender age of 90 years old – a month before his 91st birthday. Anyone who has watched “Band of Brothers” or read the book knows his wartime story. He was one of the two recipients of the Silver Star for his World War Two exploits with Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. Now he goes on to join the other “Brothers” for the big reunion.

    Bill_guarnere_506e

  • Bring them home!

    gravescloseup

    Mary sends us a Washington Post story about the 13 US sailors who are buried in Libya since 1804 from the USS USS Intrepid;

    In 1804, the 13 sailors aboard the USS Intrepid were dispatched with explosives to blow up the Tripoli harbor. The city’s ruler had been using it as a base for pirate ships that were pillaging American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean, and the covert mission was a last-ditch effort to put an end to the practice.

    The Americans’ vessel, however, exploded prematurely — it’s unclear exactly why — killing all on board.

    The Navy has respectfully declined to retrieve the remains, saying it believes Libya is the “final resting place” of the sailors and noting that it is custom to honor the burial grounds of those lost on ships and downed aircraft. There was a formal memorial ceremony held in honor of the sailors and crew in Tripoli in 1949, and the Navy says that U.S. Embassy personnel conducted regular services there for decades afterward.

    The cemetery that is believed to be the site of most of the remains is U.S. diplomatic property.

    Yeah, well, the consulate in Benghazi was “U.S. diplomatic property”, too, well, until September 11, 2012. This is not a suitable resting place for American servicemembers;

    Intrepid graves

  • SSG Walt Ehlers passes

    GruntSgt sends us the sad news that Walt Ehlers, a World War II Medal of Honor hero has passed at the tender age of 92. The OC Register tells us that he lost his brother, Roland on D-Day when the landing craft he was riding to the beach was struck by a mortar round. Walt, on another craft, survived his charge up the beach and on into history. His citation reads;

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 9-10 June 1944, near Goville, France. S/Sgt. Ehlers, always acting as the spearhead of the attack, repeatedly led his men against heavily defended enemy strong points exposing himself to deadly hostile fire whenever the situation required heroic and courageous leadership. Without waiting for an order, S/Sgt. Ehlers, far ahead of his men, led his squad against a strongly defended enemy strong point, personally killing 4 of an enemy patrol who attacked him en route. Then crawling forward under withering machinegun fire, he pounced upon the guncrew and put it out of action. Turning his attention to 2 mortars protected by the crossfire of 2 machineguns, S/Sgt. Ehlers led his men through this hail of bullets to kill or put to flight the enemy of the mortar section, killing 3 men himself. After mopping up the mortar positions, he again advanced on a machinegun, his progress effectively covered by his squad. When he was almost on top of the gun he leaped to his feet and, although greatly outnumbered, he knocked out the position single-handed. The next day, having advanced deep into enemy territory, the platoon of which S/Sgt. Ehlers was a member, finding itself in an untenable position as the enemy brought increased mortar, machinegun, and small arms fire to bear on it, was ordered to withdraw. S/Sgt. Ehlers, after his squad had covered the withdrawal of the remainder of the platoon, stood up and by continuous fire at the semicircle of enemy placements, diverted the bulk of the heavy hostile fire on himself, thus permitting the members of his own squad to withdraw. At this point, though wounded himself, he carried his wounded automatic rifleman to safety and then returned fearlessly over the shell-swept field to retrieve the automatic rifle which he was unable to carry previously. After having his wound treated, he refused to be evacuated, and returned to lead his squad.

    TSO was lucky enough to toss back adult beverages with Mr. Ehlers about 14 years ago and had this exchange with him;

    When I went to the 2000 inaugural ball, I found myself at the event drinking with Walter Ehlers, Medal of Honor recipient from the 1st ID in the week following D-Day. We were throwing down adult beverages at quite the prolific rate when he turned and asked me “Son, you ain’t *funny* are you?” “Funny sir? No, I’m not funny.” “Then why in the hell are you sitting with an old man when there are so many hot young women around.”

    Mr. Ehlers is also one of the recipients featured on the Medal of Honor stamps.

  • Coast Guard vet Sid Caesar passes

    Sid caesar

    Eggs wrote to remind us last night that comedy legend and World War II Coast Guard vet Sid Caesar passed last night at the age of 91. He joined the Coast Guard in 1939 when our coasts were our battleground in the world war.

  • “They Didn’t Just Talk to Him, They Listened”

    Marine_7002 posted this link in the comments to Jonn’s “Weekend Open Thread.”  I thought it was worth a mention here.

    I can’t add much.  The story speaks for itself – eloquently.  You might want a tissue handy when you read it.

    RIP, EM2 Bud Cloud.  When our times come, may we all be so lucky.

    Ya done good, USS Dewey.  Damn good.