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

Category: Real Soldiers

  • Sailor honored by crew

    The Stars & Stripes reports that the crew of the USS George Washington honored the memory of Seaman Apprentice Matthew Snow who stood in the way of his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend and probably saved her life while giving his own in her defense;

    Police said [Paul] Charles, [Vanessa] Vandermeeren-Sanchez’s ex-boyfriend and father of her 2-year-old child, broke into her home around noon and began screaming at her, according to the Palm Beach Post. Charles then allegedly stabbed her in the chest and arm.

    Snow then fought with Charles and was stabbed three times, according to police cited in the Palm Beach Post.

    Charles fled and was later apprehended March 25 after an emergency call reported that a man was standing in the Palm Beach ocean surf with a knife clutched to his chest. Charles threatened suicide during a more than three-hour standoff, after which he surrendered to police, according to media reports.

    Vandermeeren-Sanchez survived the stabbing and has been released from the hospital, according to media reports.

    “I hope I could show the same courage that he showed when he faced a deadly situation,” said Snow’s division officer, Lt. Thomas Miyano, according to a ship statement. “I admire what he did.”

  • Take your daughter to war

    The Moggs

    The Watertown Daily Times reports that Chief Warrant Officer 5 Michael A. Mogg is taking his daughter, SPC Miranda A. Mogg, on a deployment, likely the last of his 29 year career, and her first to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division. Both are assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade. Chief is the brigade’s master gunner, the specialist is an intelligence analyst;

    Despite his enthusiasm for his daughter being on the deployment, [Chief] Mogg said she would likely serve as a spy for her mother.

    “If I eat something wrong, she’s going to ‘narc’ on me,” he said.

    However, he said he would also be able to keep tabs on his daughter.

    “She’s single … I’m an armed father down range,” [Chief] Mogg noted.

    The 1800 Fort Drum soldiers are expecting to be deployed for nine months.

  • Towards Trouble

    I wanted to write something about this.  But I couldn’t think of much to add that would be apropos.  Plus, it’s kinda hard to write when you’re having trouble focusing on the screen.

    Well done, Soldiers.  Damn well done indeed.

    Same is true about this story.  Well done, Mr. Arredondo.  Well done.

    I’ll just add one observation:  they ran towards trouble – not away from it.

  • “With dynamite, my dear colleague.”

    We sometimes denigrate the French.  And in truth, they’ve not exactly been our country’s most constant ally since World War II.

    Nonetheless, the French have produced many distinguished military leaders.  This includes one many Americans likely have never heard of:  Lieutenant General Jean Ganeval.

    Then-Brigadier General Jean Ganeval was the Commandant (Military Governor) of the French Sector of Berlin throughout the Berlin Airlift.  (Like the rest of postwar Germany, Berlin was still under military occupation in 1948; and like the rest of Germany, Berlin was also divided into four occupation sectors:  British, US, French, and Soviet).  Ganeval’s authority within the French sector of Berlin was considerable, approaching that of a colonial governor or viceroy.

    Direct French participation in the Berlin Airlift proper was limited.   This was not due to politics or historical animosity; by 1948 France was involved in a war in Indochina they would ultimately lose, and the majority of the French Air Force’s transport assets were engaged in supporting that war.  France could supply its occupation troops in Berlin by air, but not much more.

    Nontheless, France – and Ganeval – played an essential role in the Berlin Airlift.

    (more…)

  • Marine was a good guy with a gun; saves lives, gives his own

    CavRick sends us a link to the story of 39-year-old former Marine, Todd North, who was working as a bouncer at a bar in Havelock, NC, when, Jonathan Richard Pugh, an 18-year-old, who had been bounced from the bar for fighting and for being underaged, returned with a gun and began blasting away at the crowd. From The Sun Journal;

    “[Pugh] apparently calmed down [after the confrontation with bouncers] and left the parking lot in a car, but shortly afterward came back, walked to the door and started firing,” [District Attorney Scott Thomas] said. “North fired back, attempting to keep Pugh from entering the bar, but was shot three or four times. His body will undergo an autopsy on Monday.”

    Pugh got in his car and drove away.

    Havelock Police responded about 1:13 a.m. Sunday to the call of shots fired at Flyers bar and secured the scene as Havelock EMS Paramedics arrived and began to treat the wounded.

    North was hit three or four times, but got off a shot with a .45 caliber round into Pugh’s torso. Police recovered five shell casings at the scene that matched Pugh’s gun. Two other people were wounded directly by bullets, three by bullet fragments, so its pretty obvious to me that North protected the bar crowd with his own body and his gun. A Marine to the end.

    Of course, this doesn’t count as a good guy with a gun making a difference in a mass shooting, because Mother Jones only counts shootings with four or more deaths.

  • Best Rangers 2013; SFC Santiago, SFC Briggs (4th RTB)

    Best Ranger 2013

    Hot off the presses.

  • Colts sign 1LT McNary

    Josh-McNary-950x674

    Brian sends us a link to the news that the Indianapolis Colts have signed 1LT Josh McNary to their reserve list. McNary is still on active duty;

    “Josh had an outstanding career at West Point,” said General Manager Ryan Grigson. “His production speaks for itself, but his intangibles rival any stats. He is still fulfilling the commitment he made to serving our country, but we look forward to him wearing the horseshoe here in the near future.”

    McNary, 6-0, 251 pounds, finished his career as Army’s all-time leader in sacks (28.0) and tackles for loss (49), while adding 195 tackles (117 solo), nine passes defensed, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. He is the only player in school history to record two double-digit sack seasons and also holds school records for the most sacks in a single game (4.0) and a single season (12.5).

  • Lt. Col. Don C. Faith Jr. returns

    image-Don-Carlos-Faith-Jr

    ROS Sends us a link from Military Times which reports that the remains of Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Col. Don C. Faith Jr. have been found and identified. LTC Faith was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Chosin Reservoir in 1950. The citation for the award tells the story of that fateful day;

    When the enemy launched a fanatical attack against his battalion, Lt. Col. Faith unhesitatingly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire as he moved about directing the action. When the enemy penetrated the positions, Lt. Col. Faith personally led counterattacks to restore the position. During an attack by his battalion to effect a junction with another U.S. unit, Lt. Col. Faith reconnoitered the route for, and personally directed, the first elements of his command across the ice-covered reservoir and then directed the movement of his vehicles which were loaded with wounded until all of his command had passed through the enemy fire. Having completed this he crossed the reservoir himself. Assuming command of the force his unit had joined he was given the mission of attacking to join friendly elements to the south. Lt. Col. Faith, although physically exhausted in the bitter cold, organized and launched an attack which was soon stopped by enemy fire. He ran forward under enemy small-arms and automatic weapons fire, got his men on their feet and personally led the fire attack as it blasted its way through the enemy ring. As they came to a hairpin curve, enemy fire from a roadblock again pinned the column down. Lt. Col. Faith organized a group of men and directed their attack on the enemy positions on the right flank. He then placed himself at the head of another group of men and in the face of direct enemy fire led an attack on the enemy roadblock, firing his pistol and throwing grenades. When he had reached a position approximately 30 yards from the roadblock he was mortally wounded, but continued to direct the attack until the roadblock was overrun. Throughout the 5 days of action Lt. Col. Faith gave no thought to his safety and did not spare himself. His presence each time in the position of greatest danger was an inspiration to his men. Also, the damage he personally inflicted firing from his position at the head of his men was of material assistance on several occasions.

    According to the Military Times;

    More than half a century later, in 2004, a joint team of personnel from the U.S. and North Korea and “surveyed the area where Faith was last seen. His remains were located and returned to the U.S. for identification,” the department said in a news release.

    Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory determined they were Faith’s through mitochondrial DNA matching Faith’s brother and other means.

    LTC Faith will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery on April 17th.