Category: Real Soldiers

Written by MCPO USN NYC (ret)

Many neighborhoods, villages, towns and cities has at least one … a man who was there, a man who speaks little of the horror of war, yet carries it with him in a manner that inspires others.

Walter Sidlowski was such man. I met him years ago at our local watering hole, while I was returning from an event. I was wearing my CPO khakis and he enthusiastically introduced himself as an US Army veteran who served in WWII. Minutes later I was pulled aside by his proud and loving son Ken and given a more complete story of this man.

I was immediately drawn and fascinated by the elder statesman of our neighborhood and grew to respect him like a father figure. Each time we met his face would light up and we would chat about something related to the Army or Navy … he knew me as the “Navy Chief”.

When I retired from the US Navy on November 10, 2011, Walter was a special guest at my ceremony and he was immediately announced with the first few paragraphs of my final address to the ships company:
“Before I begin my final address, and in keeping my responsibility as a Chief Petty Officer to be a sincere and true custodian of military history, naval heritage, and tradition, I wish to introduce two very special guests on this eve of Veteran’s Day.

The first was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1920 and set foot on Normandy Beach on June 6th, 1944. As young first lieutenant in the 348th Combat Battalion, 5th Engineers Special Brigade, supporting the 1st Infantry Division on Omaha Beach, he was awarded the Bronze Star for Valor for rescuing scores of men from a floundering landing craft and others who were in the grip of a churning sea. The rescues were captured in a sequence of photos taken by famed photographer Walter Rosenblum which were published in various books and media including: The Longest Day; Victory at Sea; World at War; and video and narrative transcript that have been displayed in the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. In addition, this Soldier participated in the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded the French Cross of War and 1st Order of Merit medals. He left the Army after war’s end as a Captain in 1st Infantry Division – The Big Red One. After the Army he served NYC as member of NYPD for 22 years from 1947 to 1969 and retired as a detective in the 23rd Precinct in East Harlem. He served as Assistant Head of Security of Columbia University for 10 years from 1972 to 1982. He was recently awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal. A true New Yorker and perfect example of the “Greatest Generation”. Ladies and gentlemen, Walter Sidlowski. Walter please stand. Walter is escorted by his devoted son Kenneth. Thank you sir for being here today.”

Note: The second special guest on my final day was Dan Murphy, the father of LT Michael Murphy, USN, Medal of Honor recipient. Dan went on to announce publicly for the first time that the USS Michael Murphy would be commissioned in New York City.

From the National WWII Museum website;

“There was a landing craft breached, either due to fire or to being grounded, and quite a few men on it were not getting off and the craft was going down. We swam out and took a few…back to shore. Somebody else got a long rope which we swam out with, tied onto the landing craft, and had them hold onto…and walk themselves in…. At that time I had no idea there was a photographer in the vicinity.”
–2nd Lt. Walter Sidlowski, 348th Combat Battalion, 5th Engineer Special Brigade
“I saw this magnificent man swim out and bring some people off the sinking ship and bring them back in to shore and to me he was the picture of heroic beauty.”
–Pfc. Walter Rosenblum, describing the rescue efforts of Lieutenant Walter Sidlowski

Above: 1St LT Walter Sidlowski on Omaha Beach rescues scores of drowning fellow Soldiers on June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of France. Photo by Walter Rosenblum.

Above: 1st LT Walter Sidlowski on Omaha Beach recovers the dead after the June 6, 1944, D-Day invasion of France. This photo appears on the cover of the book “Normandy”. Photo by Walter Rosenblum.
Walter died over seventy years after his heroic actions at Normandy. I suppose he was very tired after such a long and successful life … a life that he certainly deserved to live.
Today at 1100 there will by a mass for Walter Sidlowski and later this man of the “Greatest Generation” will laid to rest at Calverton National Cemetery with LT Michael Murphy, USN and many others who sacrificed so much for their country.
http://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/calverton.asp

Lee asked us to report on the passing of Marine Staff Sergeant David Lyon, who was an Explosive Ordinance Disposal technician who lost his legs in a blast four years ago. According to KSL.com, he had adapted well and was living his life in an exemplary manner;

His parents said he battled his way back from the explosion to lead an active and inspiring life. That’s why they were stunned when he died after long-term complications last week.

“He was cheerful, and he was strong,” said his mother, Lynette Lyon.

American flags line the street and in front of Gordon and Lynette Lyon’s home in Syracuse. As they shared photos of their son playing with their grandson, they talked about what the Marine Corps meant to him.

“It was a very big deal,” Lynette said. “He planned to only do that. That was what his life was about.”

As an EOD bomb tech, David was one of the Marines who put himself in harm’s way to detonate bombs so they wouldn’t hurt anyone else. He deployed five times to combat zones, including two each to Afghanistan and Iraq.

It appears that complications arose and caused his heart to give out.

His parents were stunned when David was hospitalized again last week in San Diego. The family had time to gather around David before he died from heart complications and a stroke related to his previous injuries.

His father served in the Navy, and his brothers have served in the Marines, the Air Force and the Utah National Guard.

Gordon said he aspires to live like his son in the way that he gave of himself.

I didn’t know David, but now I sure miss him.

The sad news comes from many quarters that Sergeant Major Jon Robert Cavaiani, who earned the Medal of Honor in June 1971, has passed. According to Wiki;

Born in England, Cavaiani emigrated to the United States with his parents in 1947 at age four. Though initially classified 4F, due in part to a severe allergy to bee stings, Cavaiani joined the Army from Fresno, California, shortly before becoming a naturalized citizen in 1968.

His citation from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society;

S/Sgt. Cavaiani distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action in the Republic of Vietnam on 4 and 5 June 1971 while serving as a platoon leader to a security platoon providing security for an isolated radio relay site located within enemy-held territory. On the morning of 4 June 1971, the entire camp came under an intense barrage of enemy small arms, automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire from a superior size enemy force. S/Sgt. Cavaiani acted with complete disregard for his personal safety as he repeatedly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire in order to move about the camp’s perimeter directing the platoon’s fire and rallying the platoon in a desperate fight for survival. S/Sgt. Cavaiani also returned heavy suppressive fire upon the assaulting enemy force during this period with a variety of weapons. When the entire platoon was to be evacuated, S/Sgt. Cavaiani unhesitatingly volunteered to remain on the ground and direct the helicopters into the landing zone. S/Sgt. Cavaiani was able to direct the first 3 helicopters in evacuating a major portion of the platoon. Due to intense increase in enemy fire, S/Sgt. Cavaiani was forced to remain at the camp overnight where he calmly directed the remaining platoon members in strengthening their defenses. On the morning of S June, a heavy ground fog restricted visibility. The superior size enemy force launched a major ground attack in an attempt to completely annihilate the remaining small force. The enemy force advanced in 2 ranks, first firing a heavy volume of small arms automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire while the second rank continuously threw a steady barrage of hand grenades at the beleaguered force. S/Sgt. Cavaiani returned a heavy barrage of small arms and hand grenade fire on the assaulting enemy force but was unable to slow them down. He ordered the remaining platoon members to attempt to escape while he provided them with cover fire. With 1 last courageous exertion, S/Sgt. Cavaiani recovered a machine gun, stood up, completely exposing himself to the heavy enemy fire directed at him, and began firing the machine gun in a sweeping motion along the 2 ranks of advancing enemy soldiers. Through S/Sgt. Cavaiani’s valiant efforts with complete disregard for his safety, the majority of the remaining platoon members were able to escape. While inflicting severe losses on the advancing enemy force, S/Sgt. Cavaiani was wounded numerous times. S/Sgt. Cavaiani’s conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

Most of you probably know the story of Rodolfo “Rudy” Hernandez, in fact we wrote about him a month or so ago when the Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC unveiled a diorama of his Medal of Honor moment when he killed 6 of the enemy eye-to-eye in Korea in May 1951. Well the Post Office is planning on issuing a commemorative stamp to the hero who passed a few months back, according to a link that Enigma sent us from WRAL;

Rodolfo “Rudy” Hernandez, a Fayetteville Korean War Medal of Honor recipient, will be immortalized on a Korean War Medal of Honor stamp sheet, the U.S. Postal Service announced Thursday.

The first stamps will be issued during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday. Hernandez’ picture will appear outside the stamps on a stamp sheet.

[…]

The morning after the attack, Hernandez was pronounced dead after he was found lying among the bodies of the North Korean soldiers. When a soldier saw a slight movement of Hernandez’s hand, medics began frantically trying to save his life.

[…]

He spent his post-war years working for Department of Veterans Affairs, retiring in 1980.

When Private Rob Jackson was first offered a Silver Star Medal, he refused it because he thought that he was just doing his job when he rushed unarmed into a firefight to treat his fallen brothers, but he’s changed his mind about the action on October 15, 1970. Now he’ll get his medal. From Portland Press Herald;

Jackson was drafted, but he was also a conscientious objector. He wasn’t opposed to serving in the military, but he didn’t want to kill anyone. The Army placed him in a noncombat role as a medical aidman.

“I had just connected with God,” he says. “It wasn’t like Roman candles, but it was a very powerful, very meaningful conversion.”

Jackson refused to carry a weapon. Instead, he carried his Bible and his first aid kit whenever he was on a mission.

[…]

The citation reads in part: “With complete disregard for his own safety, Private Jackson unhesitatingly maneuvered under a hail of enemy machine gun fire to reach the wounded soldiers and render first aid. … The bravery, aggressiveness and devotion to duty exhibited by Private Jackson are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division and the United States Army.”

The details are at the link, along with the confrontation that Jackson had with his sergeant after the battle. He’ll be accepting the medal at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.