To All
. Good Thursday morning May 21. It is starting out cooler today and the skies are now clear and we will hit 80 around 1 The forecast is for a lot of clear skies and lower temps over the next week .
HAGD
Thanks to Shadow
GENTS,
Naval Aviation has lost an incredible Brother. For decades he brightened our lives with tales that made us laugh… at ourselves and others. He was irreverent… yet intuitive about things in life that most of us could relate to. As long as we live, we will all remember the “Tales of Youthly Puresome”. I am deeply saddened, for I have also lost a dear friend. A man who encouraged me and would always take the time to share his wisdom and knowledge. He was like a big brother to me. I will forever be grateful to Barrett Tillman for introducing us to each other. It was a true life blessing.
We all have our ups and downs in this thing called life… but in some of my darkest times… he never failed to make me laugh. Oh dear God, what a blessing… The Man made me laugh… he made me LAUGH! Again, what a blessing it was to open the Hook and read his latest gift. I might add that besides the humor, each gift contained a little nugget that only us Naval Aviators could relate too. That made it even more special. He was truly unique and one of a kind!
To his family, thank you for sharing him all these decades. I know he was proud of you and loved you dearly.
God Speed Puresome. We will always remember you and be a little jealous that only “The Big Guy” will be enjoying your tales first hand! Until we meet again… All the Best! Thanks for the memories!
Shadow
When I asked him for this I did not expect that it would bring mist to my vision but I am glad it did and I miss YP a lot already. I will go into the YP folder and share some of the many tidbits he shared with me and all of you.
skip
Thanks to Cowboy
More Sad News
I just got word that Bear Kramer passed away this morning while sleeping in his home in Lincoln City
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This day in Naval and Marine Corps History (thanks to NHHC)
Go here to see the director’s corner for all 97 H-Grams
Here is a link to the NHHC website: https://www.history.navy.mil/
May 21
1850 - Washington Navy Yard begins work on first castings for the Dahlgren guns
1917 During World War I, USS Ericsson (DD 56) becomes the first U.S. Navy warship to fire a torpedo in the war at a German U-boat.
1918 During World War I, while serving as an officer on USS Christabel (SP-162), Ensign Daniel A.J. Sullivan, exhibits "extraordinary heroism" in securing live depth charges that came loose during combat with a German U-Boat. For his action, he receives the Medal of Honor.
1943 USS Nields (DD 616) sinks Italian submarine Gorgo that is attacking a US convoy off Algeria.
1944 - During preparations for the invasion of Saipan an accidental ordnance blast on LST 353 sets off cataclysmic ammunition explosions at West Loch, Pearl Harbor, killing 163 and injuring 396. Six tank landing ships (LST-39, LST-43, LST-69, LST-179, LST-353, LST-480), three tank landing craft (LCT-961, LCT-963, LCT-983), and 17 track landing vehicles (LVTs) are destroyed in explosions and fires.
1964 - The initiation of the standing carrier presence at Yankee Station in the South China Sea.
1983 USS Albuquerque (SSN 706) is commissioned at Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn.
2005 The first T-AKE ship, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1), is launched at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, Calif. The dry cargo ship replaces the aging T-AE ammunition ships and T-AFS combat stores ships that are nearing the end of their service lives.
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Today in History May 21
996 Sixteen year old Otto III is crowned the Roman Emperor.
1471 King Henry VI is killed in the Tower of London. Edward IV takes the throne.
1506 Christopher Columbus dies.
1536 The Reformation is officially adopted in Geneva, Switzerland.
1620 Present-day Martha's Vineyard is first sighted by Captain Bartholomew Gosnold.
1790 Paris is divided into 48 zones.
1832 The Democratic party holds its first national convention.
1856 Lawrence, Kansas is captured and sacked by pro-slavery forces.
1863 The siege of the Confederate Port Hudson, Louisiana, begins.
1881 The American Red Cross is founded by Clara Barton.
1927 Charles Lindbergh lands in Paris completing the first solo air crossing of the Atlantic.
1940 British forces attack German General Erwin Rommel's 7th Panzer Division at Arras, slowing his blitzkrieg of France.
1941 The first U.S. ship, the S.S. Robin Moor, is sunk by a U-boat.
1951 The U.S. Eighth Army counterattacks to drive the Communist Chinese and North Koreans out of South Korea.
1961 Governor John Patterson declares martial law in Montgomery, Alabama.
1970 The U.S. National Guard mobilizes to quell disturbances at Ohio State University.
1991 In Madras, India, a suicide bomber kills the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.
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May 21
Hello All,
Thanks to Dan Heller and the Bear
Links to all content can now be found right on the homepage http://www.rollingthunderremembered.com. If you scroll down from the banner and featured content you will find "Today in Rolling Thunder Remembered History" which highlights events in the Vietnam war that occurred on the date the page is visited. Below that are links to browse or search all content. You may search by keyword(s), date, or date range.
An item of importance is the recent incorporation of Task Force Omega (TFO) MIA summaries. There is a link on the homepage and you can also visit directly via https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/task-force-omega/. There are 60 summaries posted thus far, with about 940 to go (not a typo—TFO has over 1,000 individual case files).
If you have any questions or comments about RTR/TFO, or have a question on my book, you may e-mail me directly at acrossthewing@protonmail.com. Thank you Dan
Thanks to Micro
To remind folks that these are from the Vietnam Air Losses site that Micro put together. You click on the url elow and get what happened each day to the crew of the aircraft. ……Skip
For Thursday May 21..
May 21: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1769
This following work accounts for every fixed wing loss of the Vietnam War and you can use it to read more about the losses in The Bear’s Daily account. Even better it allows you to add your updated information to the work to update for history…skip
Vietnam Air Losses Access Chris Hobson and Dave Lovelady’s work at: https://www.VietnamAirLosses.com.
This is a list of all Helicopter Pilots Who Died in the Vietnam War . Listed by last name and has other info https://www.vhpa.org/KIA/KIAINDEX.HTM
MOAA - Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
(This site was sent by a friend . The site works, find anyone you knew in “search" feature. https://www.vvmf.org/Wall-of-Faces/ )
Wall of Faces Now Includes Photos of All Service members Killed in the Vietnam War
By: Kipp Hanley
AUGUST 15, 2022
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This is a great one from the archives and it fits me to a T
Thanks to Chuck…I can relate to this one
Subject: FW: A man's age According to Home Depot...lol
You are in the middle of some home projects: putting in a new fence, painting the porch, planting some flowers and fixing a broken door lock.
You are hot and sweaty, covered with dirt, lawn clippings and paint. You
have your old work clothes on. You know the outfit -- shorts with a hole in!
Right in the middle of these tasks you realize that you need to run to Home Depot for supplies. Depending on your age you might do the following:
In your 20s: Stop what you are doing. Shave, take a shower, blow dry your hair, brush your teeth, floss and put on clean clothes. Check yourself in the mirror and flex. Add a dab of your favorite cologne because, you never know, you just might meet some hot chick while standing in the checkout line. And yes, you went to school with the pretty girl running the register.
In your 30s: Stop what you are doing, put on clean shorts and shirt. Change your shoes. You married the hot chick so no need for much else. Wash your hands and comb your hair. Check yourself in the mirror. Still got it! Add a shot of your favorite cologne to cover the smell. The cute girl running the register is the kid sister of someone you went to school with.
In your 40s: Stop what you are doing. Put on a sweatshirt that is long enough to cover the hole in the crotch of your shorts. Put on different shoes and a hat. Wash your hands. Your bottle of Brut is almost empty, so don't waste any of it on a trip to Home Depot. Check yourself in the mirror and do more sucking in than flexing. The hot young thing running the register is your daughter's age and you feel weird about thinking she's spicy.
In your 50s: Stop what you are doing. Put on a hat. Wipe the dirt off your hands onto your shirt. Change shoes because you don't want to get dog crap in your new sports car. Check yourself in the mirror and swear not to wear that shirt anymore because it makes you look fat. The cutie running the register smiles when she sees you coming and you think you still have it. Then you remember -- the hat you have on is from Bubba's Bait & Beer Bar and it says, 'I Got Worms '
In your 60s: Stop what you are doing. No need for a hat any more. Hose the dog crap off your shoes. The mirror was shattered when you were in your 50s. You hope you have underwear on so nothing hangs out the hole in your pants. The girl running the register may be cute but you don't have your glasses on, so you're not sure.
In your 70s: Stop what you are doing. Wait to go to Home Depot until you call the drug store to have your prescriptions ready for pick too and check your grocery list for a quick stop there. Got to save trips! Don't even notice the dog crap on your shoes. The young thing at the register stares at you and you realize your balls are hanging out the hole in your crotch... who cares.
This is mine and a lot of you out there….In your 80s: Stop what you are doing. Start again. Then stop again. Now you remember you need to go to Home Depot. You go to Wal-Mart instead. You went to school with the old lady greeter. You wander around trying to remember what you are looking for. Then you fart out loud and turn around thinking someone called your name.
In your 90s & beyond: What's a home deep hoe? Something for my garden? Where am I? Who am I? Why am I reading this?
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Thanks to Interesting Facts
6 Weird Things Your Body Does, Explained
The human body is a beautiful, complicated collection of nerves, blood vessels, muscles, organs, and bones, all working together in intricate processes. Though science has been able to explain many things about how our bodies work, certain anatomical quirks continue to astound us today — common bodily functions included.
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What Are Goosebumps?
Goosebumps, known in medical parlance as piloerection, are caused by contractions in small muscles that are connected to hair follicles. This creates a depression on the skin’s surface, resulting in the hairs standing upright. Its name comes from the resemblance of skin to that of a plucked bird.
It is believed that this is an inherited trait from our prehistoric ancestors. They had thicker coats of body hair, which created insulation and kept the body warm when stimulated. While our layer of body hair is too thin to make this insulation process effective, the muscle contraction and increased electrical activity does help to stimulate the body, which is why goosebumps that are caused by the cold go away when you warm up.
Goosebumps are also associated with a wide range of emotional situations. People talk about getting goosebumps when scared, or while listening to rousing songs or watching a high-stakes sporting event. Goosebumps can be triggered by the subconscious release of the testosterone hormone. When high levels of stress occur, whether positive or negative, testosterone is released to help in the fight-or-flight decision-making process. This cues goosebumps, and we start to feel our hair prick up.
Goosebumps may be a little mysterious, but generally speaking, when you feel them cropping up, all you need to do is take a deep breath, relax a little, and maybe put on a sweater.
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What Is Déjà Vu?
Have you ever had a sneaking suspicion that you’re experiencing a scenario that’s already happened? Then you’ve dealt with déjà vu. The term is (as you may have guessed) French, and the literal translation means “already seen.” But in everyday life, déjà vu refers to the weird feeling you get when you’re in a situation that feels like you’ve already lived it, and are somehow living it again.
Research shows that there’s a direct relation between déjà vu and seizures. Specifically, the phenomenon is linked to temporal lobe epilepsy and has been described in people with a known medical history of the condition.
But plenty of people have experienced déjà vu who don’t have a history of epilepsy or seizures. In healthy people, déjà vu is believed to be caused by a memory mismatch, where a new experience is stored in long-term memory and completely bypasses the short-term memory. In this scenario, you have that weird sensation that you’ve been through an experience before when in reality, it’s just your brain’s memory system having a glitch.
There are also other causes of déjà vu that might have more to do with your daily habits than your medical history. One of the most common causes of déjà vu is being overly distracted. Sleep deprivation is another. If you’re walking through life in a perpetual sleep-deprived haze, you might feel like you’re reliving experiences when in truth, you’re just too exhausted to parse reality from dreams.
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Why Do We Have Wisdom Teeth?
Wisdom teeth are just like any other molar in your mouth. For the first few years of a human’s life, they eat only soft foods and have no need for molars to crush and grind. Around the age of six, the first set of molars come in. When a person reaches 12, another set appears. The wisdom teeth are the final set of molars that appear between ages 18 and 21.
Early humans were hunter gatherers who survived on leaves, roots, meat, and nuts — things that required a lot of crushing ability. The more grinding teeth you have, the easier it is to eat tough foods. As humans evolved, they began to cook their food, making it softer and easier to chew. Having three full sets of molars became unnecessary.
Additionally, early humans had larger jaws than we do today — which could support more teeth. Over time, as the need for super-powerful jaws decreased, human jaws got smaller. But the number of teeth stayed the same. That’s why today, many people need to get their wisdom teeth removed in order to create more space.
Because wisdom teeth aren’t necessary for modern humans, they may someday cease to exist at all.
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Why Do We Sneeze?
The primary purpose of a sneeze is straightforward — sneezes help to remove irritants from the nasal passage. These irritants include dust, dirt, pollen, smoke, or anything else that could possibly get stuck in there. Blowing it all out is the best way your body can clear it.
Sometimes sneezes seem to come in pairs or more. Some people — maybe even you — have a specific number of sneezes that they produce each time. If someone sneezes three times, every time, their sneezes might not be as powerful as a single-sneezer’s is, and it requires three attempts to get rid of the irritant.
Sneezing also plays an important role in fighting the spread of bacteria when we’re sick. The body’s natural reaction to infection is to produce mucus in an effort to trap the bacteria. Once trapped, it’s time to get rid of it. Sneezing is the most efficient way to expel mucus from the body. It’s also the most efficient way to spread bacteria, so remember to cover your mouth and nose.
Even when there aren’t irritants or bacteria present, your nose produces mucus to catch potential irritants before they can get to your lungs. Sometimes, through normal production, the nasal passage gets too full and needs to be reset. Whenever you get a random sneeze that seems to be out of nowhere, it’s most likely just to reset your nasal passage.
Sneezing is still something of a mystery, however, as there are some causes that don’t seem to make much sense. About one in four people sneeze when they look into a bright light. This is called a photic sneeze reflex, and it’s an inherited genetic trait. The leading theory is that a certain stimulation of the optical nerve causes the same sensation in your brain as irritation in the nose, but the true cause still eludes researchers.
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Why Do We Blink?
The average person blinks about 12 times per minute, 10,000 times per day, and 4.2 million times per year. That’s a lot of blinking.
The most obvious reason that we blink is to lubricate our eyes. Lubricating tears are constantly being produced in your body and are made up of three layers: the mucous layer so that it adheres to your eye; the aqueous layer, which is a thick layer that hydrates and keeps bacteria away; and the oily layer, which prevents the other two layers, which are predominantly water, from evaporating. Every time you blink, these tears are pulled across the surface of your eye to keep it lubricated and prevent the spread of bacteria.
Additionally, blinking helps clear dust and particles that are continuously getting into your eyes. When your eyes water, the extra fluid helps cleanse and soak up the debris, while the blinking is like a windshield wiper pushing it away.
Blinking also works as a reflex in response to external stimuli. Your eyes can close in 0.1 seconds after stimulus is detected. Sometimes the stimulus is the bright bathroom light at 3 a.m. Sometimes it’s a fistful of sand. This is called the corneal reflex, and it is designed to prevent as much debris as possible from entering and damaging your eye.
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Why Do We Yawn?
It was long believed that yawning was a respiratory function. When your body is running low on oxygen, a yawn is triggered to force a deep inhale and exhale. This increases oxygen levels in the bloodstream, and the yawn itself raises your heartbeat to pump the oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.
While this theory is still possible, or is, perhaps, one aspect of yawning, it’s not the whole story. Instead of oxygen deprivation, researchers now believe that the primary function of yawning is regulating temperature. Your brain is the most energy-hungry organ in your body. It uses about 40% of your total metabolic energy. All that energy means that your brain tends to run hot and needs some way to cool down. Your brain uses yawning like your computer uses fans.
During a yawn, cold air is brought in through the mouth. The muscles in your jaw and around your skull contract and stretch, which increases blood circulation in the area. The air cools the blood, and the increase in heart rate pumps the cooler blood to your brain. A cooler brain is a more alert brain.
Your body knows how to be efficient. If the surrounding air is cooler, yawning will be more effective. It might sound strange, but studies have shown that people yawn more frequently in cooler temperatures. People yawned 21% more often when the outside air was 70 degrees Fahrenheit versus 98 degrees (body temperature). Similar results were also found with other species of animals.
There are dozens of other triggers associated with yawning, however. Obvious culprits like boredom and drowsiness mean your brain needs to be stimulated, but yawning can also be triggered by other events like anxiety, hunger, or even a change of activity. Any time your brain needs some extra focus, it might trigger a yawn for a refreshing cool down.
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Another History fact
I remember the Coal man, the Milk Man, the Bread Man and the Ice Cream man….skip
What Ever Happened to the Milkman?
Grocery deliveries may be a modern convenience, but the service hearkens back to a bygone era when clinking glass bottles signaled the arrival of the milkman. The tradition is a cherished fixture of American history, as a prominent part of much of the 19th and 20th centuries. While milk remains a staple of the American diet, changes in consumerism and technology have made the once-ubiquitous milkman a relic of the past.
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Thanks to 1440
Good morning, it's Thursday, May 21. Say goodbye to Stephen Colbert's late-night show ... and A's for a bunch of Harvard students.
Also in today's Digest: the Murdoch buying Vox (Sports, Ent., & Cult.), SpaceX files to go public (Bus. & Mkts.), details of the IRS-Trump deal (Pol. & World Affairs), the US' first public library (Civics Thursday), and much more.
Need To Know
Colbert Signs Off
The last episode of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” airs tonight on CBS at 11:35 pm ET after an 11-year run. The episode, an extended finale, marks the end of the “Late Show” franchise, launched in the post-Johnny Carson 1990s.
CBS announced last year it would end the show, citing financial reasons. Colbert led the time slot over competitors Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, averaging 2.4 million viewers per episode last year. However, late-night viewership has dropped since the 2010s, while production costs have reportedly risen. The decision came amid long-standing tensions between Colbert and President Donald Trump (whom Colbert frequently mocked), and as Paramount sought regulatory approval for a merger with Skydance Media. Rewatch Colbert’s 2015 interview with then-candidate Trump here.
The “Late Show” slot will be filled by “Comics Unleashed,” hosted by Byron Allen; Colbert will continue cowriting a “Lord of the Rings” film (see how the gig came about).
US Indicts Castro
The Justice Department yesterday unsealed an indictment against former Cuban President Raúl Castro for murder and conspiracy to kill US citizens. The charges stem from the 1996 downing of two civilian planes that killed four Cuban exiles.
Survivors' and victims' relatives spent 30 years pressing for criminal charges against Raúl Castro, who served as defense minister at the time. His older brother, then-Cuban President Fidel Castro, took responsibility for the attack, claiming the activist group operating the plane had previously distributed anti-communist pamphlets. The group maintained it was searching for people fleeing the island nation by sea. See the rafts Cubans used to escape here.
The indictment lays the groundwork for potential US military action to extract 94-year-old Castro from Cuba, similar to the January operation against Cuban ally and former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Since Maduro's capture, the US has imposed a de facto oil blockade to weaken Cuba's communist regime. Scroll here to see how dependent Cuba is on oil imports.
🫶 Humankind: At this San Francisco dentistry, a French bulldog named Xylo—after the anesthetic Xylocaine—sits in patients' laps to help calm their nerves.
The Crimson Letter
Harvard University’s faculty voted yesterday to restrict the number of A's an undergraduate professor can award students. The new policy, set to go into effect in 2027, caps the number of A's in each course to 20%, with the flexibility to award up to four additional A's (A-minuses will not be impacted).
The decision comes as the number of A's awarded at Harvard has grown from 25% of grades in 2005-06 to 60% last year, with AI potentially expediting grade inflation. Faculty warn the trend could harm the university’s credibility in the eyes of employers and graduate schools. One professor also suggested grade inflation negatively impacts enrollment in courses taught by professors who give out A's sparingly. The decision is unpopular with students, who are concerned the new approach will reduce collaboration between students and impact their mental health.
Harvard faculty also voted yesterday to replace GPA with percentile rank to determine honors such as cum laude (how do Latin honors work?).
Sorry to all the coffee and Monster lovers, but it’s the truth. Whether we’re talking sudden crashes, degrading focus, or issues sleeping, caffeine—especially the isolated kind found in most energy drinks—isn’t the solution, it’s the problem. But here’s the good news: When used correctly, caffeine can do amazing things … and LMNT’s newest flavor, Lemonade Iced Tea, is the proof.
Made with full black tea extract, crucial electrolytes for optimal hydration (like sodium, potassium, and magnesium), and no artificial colors, flavors, or sugars, LMNT Lemonade Iced Tea isn’t your average pick-me-up. This unique blend offers a noticeably steadier feeling and no crash … probably why everyone from Stanford neuroscientists to NFL, NBA, and Olympic athletes trust it.
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Thanks to Nice News
Researchers Discover Over 1,100 New-to-Science Marine Species in 1 Year
The Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census/Gustav Paulay
In what’s being hailed as a “landmark ocean census,” scientists have detailed 1,121 new-to-science marine species that were discovered within a single year.
Announced Tuesday, the findings highlight both the vast amount of ocean life that has yet to be documented (an estimated 90%) as well as “the importance of building scientific data that policymakers and marine managers need to protect the ocean,” per a press release from the Nippon Foundation-Nekton Ocean Census, the team behind the trove of findings.
Among the newly discovered life forms is the ribbon worm (pictured), which carries unique toxins that are being investigated as possible treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. Others include a deep-sea “ghost shark” whose lineage predates dinosaurs; a striking orange shrimp found off the French coast; and a worm that makes its home within a “glass castle.”
The species were identified during 13 expeditions and are part of a larger effort to accelerate the cataloging of ocean species before they can be lost. “For too long, thousands of species have remained in a scientific ‘limbo’ because the pace of discovery couldn’t keep up,” said Michelle Taylor, head of science at Ocean Census. “We are now breaking that bottleneck. By accelerating discovery and sharing data globally, we are not just finding new life, but generating the evidence needed to drive global science and policy at a critical moment.”
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Thanks to Brett
Trending on DeplorableDaily.com:
Mitt Romney Just Called Bill Cassidy Losing His Senate Seat a Loss for the Country
Chinese Officials Blocked a Secret Service Agent at the Temple of Heaven and Got a Thirty Minute Lesson in What America Does Not Negotiate
Kid Rock Told Gavin Newsom and Every Other Critic Exactly Where to Go After Their Helicopter Attack
Jasmine Crockett Just Lost a Senate Race and Now She Wants You to Know Democracy Is Dead
Jim Jordan Just Told Democrats What Is Coming in November
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This day in American Military History May 21
1542 – On the banks of the Mississippi River in present-day Louisiana, Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto dies, ending a three-year journey for gold that took him halfway across what is now the United States. In order that Indians would not learn of his death, and thus disprove de Soto’s claims of divinity, his men buried his body in the Mississippi River. In late May 1539, de Soto landed on the west coast of Florida with 600 troops, servants, and staff, 200 horses, and a pack of bloodhounds. From there, the army set about subduing the natives, seizing any valuables they stumbled upon, and preparing the region for eventual Spanish colonization. Traveling through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, across the Appalachians, and back to Alabama, de Soto failed to find the gold and silver he desired, but he did seize a valuable collection of pearls at Cofitachequi, in present-day Georgia. Decisive conquest also eluded the Spaniards, as what would become the United States lacked the large, centralized civilizations of Mexico and Peru. As was the method of Spanish conquest elsewhere in the Americas, de Soto ill-treated and enslaved the natives he encountered. For the most part, the Indian warriors they encountered were intimidated by the Spanish horsemen and kept their distance. In October 1540, however, the tables were turned when a confederation of Indians attacked the Spaniards at the fortified Indian town of Mabila, near present-day Mobile, Alabama. All the Indians were killed, along with 20 of de Soto’s men. Several hundred Spaniards were wounded. In addition, the Indian conscripts they had come to depend on to bear their supplies had all fled with baggage. De Soto could have marched south to reconvene with his ships along the Gulf Coast, but instead he ordered his expedition north-westward in search of America’s elusive riches. In May 1541, the army reached and crossed the Mississippi River, probably the first Europeans ever to do so. From there, they traveled through Arkansas and Louisiana, still with few material gains to show for their efforts. Turning back to the Mississippi, de Soto died of a fever on its banks on May 21, 1542. The Spaniards, now under the command of Luis de Moscoso, traveled west again, crossing into north Texas before returning to the Mississippi. With nearly half of the original expedition dead, the Spaniards built rafts and traveled down the river to the sea, and then made their way down the Texas coast to New Spain, finally reaching Veracruz, Mexico, in late 1543.
1863 – Under Lieutenant Commander J. G. Walker, U.S.S. Baron De Kalb, Choctaw, Forest Rose, Linden, and Petrel pushed up the Yazoo River from Haynes’ Bluff to Yazoo City, Mississippi. As the gunboats approached the city, Commander Isaac N. Brown, CSN, who had commanded the heroic ram C.S.S. Arkansas the preceding summer, was forced to destroy three ”powerful steamers, rams and a “fine navy yard, with machine shops of all kinds, sawmills, blacksmith shops, etc. . . to prevent their capture. Porter noted that ”what he had begun our forces finished,” as the city was evacuated by the Southerners. The Confederate steamers destroyed were Mobile, Republic, and ”a monster, 310 feet long and 70 feet beam.” Had the latter been completed, ”she would have given us much trouble.” Porter’s prediction to Secretary Welles at the end of the expedition, though overly optimistic in terms of the time that would be required, was nonetheless a clear summary of the effect of the gunboats’ sweep up the Yazoo: ”It is a mere question of a few hours, and then, with the exception of Port Hudson (which will follow Vicksburg), the Mississippi will be open its entire length.”
1881 – In Washington, D.C., humanitarians Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons found the American National Red Cross, an organization established to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters in congruence with the International Red Cross. Barton, born in Massachusetts in 1821, worked with the sick and wounded during the American Civil War and became known as the “Angel of the Battlefield” for her tireless dedication. In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln commissioned her to search for lost prisoners of war, and with the extensive records she had compiled during the war she succeeded in identifying thousands of the Union dead at the Andersonville prisoner-of-war camp. She was in Europe in 1870 when the Franco-Prussian War broke out, and she went behind the German lines to work for the International Red Cross. In 1873, she returned to the United States, and four years later she organized an American branch of the International Red Cross. The American Red Cross received its first U.S. federal charter in 1900. Barton headed the organization into her 80s and died in 1912.
1945 – On Okinawa, US 3rd Amphibious Corps reports advances near the Horseshoe, Half Moon and Wana positions, on the western flank. On the east-side, US 7th and 96th Divisions (parts of US 24th Corps) attack near Yonabaru. Japanese forces begin to pull out of the Shuri Line.
Medal of Honor Citations for Actions Taken This Day
IZAC, EDOUARD VICTOR MICHEL
Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy. Place and date: Aboard German submarine U-90 as prisoner of war, 21 May 1918. Entered service at: Illinois. Born: 18 December 1891, Cresco, Howard County, lowa. Citation: When the U.S.S. President Lincoln was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-90, on 21 May 1918, Lt. Izac was captured and held as a prisoner on board the U-90 until the return of the submarine to Germany, when he was confined in the prison camp. During his stay on the U-90 he obtained information of the movements of German submarines which was so important that he determined to escape, with a view to making this information available to the U.S. and Allied Naval authorities. In attempting to carry out this plan, he jumped through the window of a rapidly moving train at the imminent risk of death, not only from the nature of the act itself but from the fire of the armed German soldiers who were guarding him. Having been recaptured and reconfined, Lt. Izac made a second and successful attempt to escape, breaking his way through barbed-wire fences and deliberately drawing the fire of the armed guards in the hope of permitting others to escape during the confusion. He made his way through the mountains of southwestern Germany, having only raw vegetables for food, and at the end, swam the River Rhine during the night in the immediate vicinity of German sentries.
SULLIVAN, DANIEL AUGUSTUS JOSEPH
Rank and organization: Ensign, U.S. Naval Reserve Force. Born: 31 July 1884, Charleston, S.C. Appointed from: South Carolina. Citation: For extraordinary heroism as an officer of the U.S.S. Cristabel in conflict with an enemy submarine on 21 May 1918. As a result of the explosion of a depth bomb dropped near the submarine, the Christabel was so badly shaken that a number of depth charges which had been set for firing were thrown about the deck and there was imminent danger that they would explode. Ens. Sullivan immediately fell on the depth charges and succeeded in securing them, thus saving the ship from disaster, which would inevitably have caused great loss of life.
LINDBERGH, CHARLES A.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve. Place and date: From New York City to Paris, France, 20-21 May 1927. Entered service at: Little Falls, Minn. Born: 4 February 1902, Detroit, Mich. G.O. No.: 5, W.D., 1928; act of Congress 14 December 1927. Citation: For displaying heroic courage and skill as a navigator, at the risk of his life, by his nonstop flight in his airplane, the Spirit of St. Louis, from New York City to Paris, France, 20-21 May 1927, by which Capt. Lindbergh not only achieved the greatest individual triumph of any American citizen but demonstrated that travel across the ocean by aircraft was possible.
DOLBY, DAVID CHARLES
Rank and organization. Sergeant (then Sp4c.), U.S. Army, Company B, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date. Republic of Vietnam, 21 May 1966. Entered service at: Philadelphia, Pa. Born: 14 May 1946, Norristown, Pa. G.O. No.: 45, 20 October 1967. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, when his platoon, while advancing tactically, suddenly came under intense fire from the enemy located on a ridge immediately to the front. Six members of the platoon were killed instantly and a number were wounded, including the platoon leader. Sgt. Dolby’s every move brought fire from the enemy. However, aware that the platoon leader was critically wounded, and that the platoon was in a precarious situation, Sgt. Dolby moved the wounded men to safety and deployed the remainder of the platoon to engage the enemy. Subsequently, his dying platoon leader ordered Sgt. Dolby to withdraw the forward elements to rejoin the platoon. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire and with utter disregard for his own safety, Sgt. Dolby positioned able-bodied men to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements, assisted the wounded to the new position, and he, alone, attacked enemy positions until his ammunition was expended. Replenishing his ammunition, he returned to the area of most intense action, single-handedly killed 3 enemy machine gunners and neutralized the enemy fire, thus enabling friendly elements on the flank to advance on the enemy redoubt. He defied the enemy fire to personally carry a seriously wounded soldier to safety where he could be treated and, returning to the forward area, he crawled through withering fire to within 50 meters of the enemy bunkers and threw smoke grenades to mark them for air strikes. Although repeatedly under fire at close range from enemy snipers and automatic weapons, Sgt. Dolby directed artillery fire on the enemy and succeeded in silencing several enemy weapons. He remained in his exposed location until his comrades had displaced to more secure positions. His actions of unsurpassed valor during 4 hours of intense combat were a source of inspiration to his entire company, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. Sgt. Dolby’s heroism was in the highest tradition of the U.S. Army.
RODRIGUEZ, JOSEPH C.
Rank and organization: Sergeant (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Company F, 17th Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Munye-ri, Korea, 21 May 1951. Entered service at: California. Born: 14 November 1928, San Bernardino, Calif. G.O. No.: 22, 5 February 1952. Citation: Sgt. Rodriguez, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against an armed enemy of the United Nations. Sgt. Rodriguez, an assistant squad leader of the 2d Platoon, was participating in an attack against a fanatical hostile force occupying well-fortified positions on rugged commanding terrain, when his squad’s advance was halted within approximately 60 yards by a withering barrage of automatic weapons and small-arms fire from 5 emplacements directly to the front and right and left flanks, together with grenades which the enemy rolled down the hill toward the advancing troops. Fully aware of the odds against him, Sgt. Rodriguez leaped to his feet, dashed 60 yards up the fire-swept slope, and, after lobbing grenades into the first foxhole with deadly accuracy, ran around the left flank, silenced an automatic weapon with 2 grenades and continued his whirlwind assault to the top of the peak, wiping out 2 more foxholes and then, reaching the right flank, he tossed grenades into the remaining emplacement, destroying the gun and annihilating its crew. Sgt. Rodriguez’ intrepid actions exacted a toll of 15 enemy dead and, as a result of his incredible display of valor, the defense of the opposition was broken, and the enemy routed, and the strategic strongpoint secured. His unflinching courage under fire and inspirational devotion to duty reflect highest credit on himself and uphold the honored traditions of the military service.
DOSS, DESMOND T.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Medical Detachment, 307th Infantry, 77th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Urasoe Mura, Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 29 April-21 May 1945. Entered service at: Lynchburg, Va. Birth: Lynchburg, Va. G.O. No.: 97, 1 November 1945. Citation: He was a company aid man when the 1st Battalion assaulted a jagged escarpment 400 feet high As our troops gained the summit, a heavy concentration of artillery, mortar and machinegun fire crashed into them, inflicting approximately 75 casualties and driving the others back. Pfc. Doss refused to seek cover and remained in the fire-swept area with the many stricken, carrying them 1 by 1 to the edge of the escarpment and there lowering them on a rope-supported litter down the face of a cliff to friendly hands. On 2 May, he exposed himself to heavy rifle and mortar fire in rescuing a wounded man 200 yards forward of the lines on the same escarpment; and 2 days later he treated 4 men who had been cut down while assaulting a strongly defended cave, advancing through a shower of grenades to within 8 yards of enemy forces in a cave’s mouth, where he dressed his comrades’ wounds before making 4 separate trips under fire to evacuate them to safety. On 5 May, he unhesitatingly braved enemy shelling and small arms fire to assist an artillery officer. He applied bandages, moved his patient to a spot that offered protection from small arms fire and, while artillery and mortar shells fell close by, painstakingly administered plasma. Later that day, when an American was severely wounded by fire from a cave, Pfc. Doss crawled to him where he had fallen 25 feet from the enemy position, rendered aid, and carried him 100 yards to safety while continually exposed to enemy fire. On 21 May, in a night attack on high ground near Shuri, he remained in exposed territory while the rest of his company took cover, fearlessly risking the chance that he would be mistaken for an infiltrating Japanese and giving aid to the injured until he was himself seriously wounded in the legs by the explosion of a grenade. Rather than call another aid man from cover, he cared for his own injuries and waited 5 hours before litter bearers reached him and started carrying him to cover. The trio was caught in an enemy tank attack and Pfc. Doss, seeing a more critically wounded man nearby, crawled off the litter; and directed the bearers to give their first attention to the other man. Awaiting the litter bearers’ return, he was again struck, this time suffering a compound fracture of 1 arm. With magnificent fortitude he bound a rifle stock to his shattered arm as a splint and then crawled 300 yards over rough terrain to the aid station. Through his outstanding bravery and unflinching determination in the face of desperately dangerous conditions Pfc. Doss saved the lives of many soldiers. His name became a symbol throughout the 77th Infantry Division for outstanding gallantry far above and beyond the call of duty.
*EREVIA, SANTIAGO J.
Rank and Organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Place and Date: May 21, 1969, Tam Ky, Vietnam. Born: 1946, Nordheim, TX. Departed: No. Entered Service At: San Antonio, TX. G.O. Number: . Date of Issue: 03/18/2014. Accredited To: . Citation: Then-Spc. 4 Erevia distinguished himself May 21, 1969, while serving as a radio-telephone operator during a search-and-clear mission near Tam Ky City, in the Republic of Vietnam.
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AMERICAN AEROSPACE EVENTS for May 21, FIRSTS, LASTS, AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THANKS TO HAROLD “PHIL” MYERS CHIEF HISTORIAN AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE, AND RECONNAISSANCE AGENCY
21 May
1929: Assistant Secretary of War for Aviation F. Trubee Davison directed the Army Air Corps to hold a public demonstration of the usefulness of air refueling in military operations. The demonstration was to be part of the maneuvers of 1929. What was planned as a round-trip, nonstop bomber mission from Dayton to New York on 21-22 May failed to reach fruition when weather grounded the tanker. The Keystone bomber, however, continued on to New York and Washington, D.C. On the return leg, the bomber and tanker successfully connected over New York City.
1931: Through 30 May, Brig Gen Benjamin D. Foulois, Assistant to the Chief of the Air Corps, led a provisional division in the largest maneuvers to date. The exercise involved 667 airplanes and 1,400 men in flights over northeastern and midwestern states. The provisional division included a pursuit wing, a bomb wing, an attack group, two observation wings, and a transport group. (21)
1937: Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan left San Francisco on a West to East around-the-world flight. Their trip ended on 2 July when they disappeared near Howland Island in the Pacific. (9)
1944: Operation CHATTANOOGA CHOO-CHOO. An effort began to attack trains in Germany and France by air. (4)
1949: Capt Hubert D. Gaddis, flying a Sikorsky S-52-1 helicopter, set an international and US altitude record of 21,220 feet at Bridgeport. (24)
1953: KOREAN WAR. Using SHORAN to aim the bombs, B-29s hit the Kuwonga dam directly seven times. The dam did not burst, because the N. Koreans had lowered the water level 12 feet to reduce the pressure on the dam. (28)
1955: In his F-86 Sabre, Lt John M. Conroy (ANG) made the first dawn-to-dusk round trip transcontinental flight from Los Angeles to New York and back in 11 hours 18 minutes 27 seconds by averaging a FAI record 432.6 MPH. Returning, he also set a New York to Los Angeles record of 4 hours 24 minutes for the 2,446-mile flight. (9) (24)
1956: Operation REDWING. On Bikini Atoll in the Pacific, Maj David Crichlow flew a B-52 bomber to nearly 50,000 feet and dropped an H-bomb. This was the first known airborne-dropped H-bomb to explode. Redwing demonstrated the first United States airdrop of a deliverable hydrogen bomb during test Cherokee. Because the yields for many tests at Operation Castle in 1954 were dramatically higher than predictions, Redwing was conducted using an "energy budget": There were limits to the total amount of energy released, and the amount of fission yield was also strictly controlled.
1957: Maj Robinson Risner flew Lindbergh's transatlantic route with a F-100 in 6 hours 40 minutes (as compared to 33 1/2 hours).
1958: The USAF said that the first site for the Titan I ICBM would be at Lowry Range near Denver, Colo.
1959: The Air Force recovered a Thor-Able nose cone after a 6,000-mile flight over the Atlantic from Cape Canaveral. (24) Test pilot Maj Robert C. Ferry flew Bell Aircraft's XV-3 Convertiplane on its first flight for the USAF. (3)
1960: At Eglin AFB, the Air Force retired the last World War II B-25 Mitchell medium bomber from its active inventory. It was a VB-25J model that flew staff support missions. (20) 1966: The 1370th Photo Mapping Wing retired the USAF's last RB-50.
1969: The C-5A Galaxy became the heaviest aircraft flown to date in a flight from Dobbins AFB, Ga., with a 728,100-pound takeoff weight. This exceeded the C-5's designed gross weight takeoff load by 100 pounds. Previous record was 703,826 pounds.
1973: Maj Herbert K. Fisher was the first USAF officer to enter a Pilot Requalification Program for former prisoners of war.
1984: The 390 SMW at Davis-Monthan AFB took its last Titan II site (570-5) off alert. (1)
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Thanks to NJewell
Skip,
THE LIST is always special in its recognition of Memorial Day. So, please accept the following for posting. It moved me to tears, and I’m sure fellow war-fighters will also be touched by its compassionate message.
Newell
Family and Friends,
Last Saturday was Armed Forces Day, and this coming Monday is Memorial Day. The celebrations of these two days are linked by the courageous military service and mortal sacrifices of the men and women who rank as some of America’s patriotic best.
In a few days your email-box will likely be filled with moving testimonials apropos for Memorial Day celebrations. Captain Marv “Rip” Serhan, USN (Ret.) shared a particularly poignant autobiographical piece written by retired United States Marine Corps LCOL George Goodson.
An old Navy aviation-warrior’s admission: tears misted my vision when I read Goodson’s personal journey down memory lane. An emotional journey that inspired him to write “Burial At Sea”. So, I thought you too might appreciate his empathetic character qualities. Specifically in this instance, during his two-year, Vietnam-era, CONUS tour as a USMC Casualty Notification Officer.
Newell
“Burial At Sea”
by LCOL George Goodson, USMC (Ret)
(originally written ~ 2004)
In my 76th year, the events of my life appear to me, from time to time, as a series of vignettes. Some were significant; most were trivial.
War is the seminal event in the life of everyone that has endured it. Though I fought in Korea and the Dominican Republic, and was wounded there, Vietnam was my war.
Now 42 years have passed and, thankfully, I rarely think of those days in Cambodia, Laos, and the panhandle of North Vietnam. Where small teams of Americans and Montagnards fought much larger elements of the North Vietnamese Army. Instead, I see vignettes; some exotic, some mundane:
*The smell of Nuc Mam.
*The heat, dust, and humidity.
*The blue exhaust of cycles clogging the streets.
*Elephants moving silently through the tall grass.
*Hard eyes behind the servile smiles of the villagers.
*Standing on a mountain in Laos and hearing a tiger roar.
*A young girl squeezing my hand as my medic delivered her baby.
*The flowing Ao Dais of the young women biking down Tran Hung Dao.
*My two years as Casualty Notification Officer in North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.
It was late1967. I had just returned after 18 months in Vietnam. Casualties were increasing. I moved my family from Indianapolis to Norfolk, rented a house, enrolled my children in their fifth or sixth new school, and bought a second car.
A week later, I put on my uniform and drove 10 miles to Little Creek, Virginia.
I hesitated before entering my new office. Appearance is important to career Marines. I was no longer, if ever, a poster Marine. I had returned from my third tour in Vietnam only 30 days before. I now weighed 128 pounds – 37 pounds below my normal weight. My uniforms fit ludicrously, my skin was yellow from malaria medication, and I think I had a twitch or two.
I straightened my shoulders, walked into the office, looked at the nameplate on a Staff Sergeant’s desk and said, “Sergeant Jolly, I’m Lieutenant Colonel Goodson. Here are my orders and my Qualification Jacket.”
Sergeant Jolly stood, looked carefully at me, took my orders, [and] stuck out his hand. We shook, and he asked, “How long were you there, Colonel?”
“I replied “18 months this time.”
Jolly breathed, “You must be a slow-learner, Colonel.”
I smiled.
Jolly said, “Colonel, I’ll show you to your office, and bring in the Sergeant Major.”
I said, “No, let’s just go straight to his office.”
Jolly nodded, hesitated, and lowered his voice, “Colonel, the Sergeant Major. He’s been in this job two years. …He’s packed pretty tight. I’m worried about him.”
I nodded.
Jolly escorted me into the Sergeant Major’s office. “Sergeant Major, this is Colonel Goodson, the new Commanding Office. The Sergeant Major stood, extended his hand, and said, “Good to see you again, Colonel.”
I responded, “Hello Walt, how are you?”
Sergeant Jolly looked at me, raised an eyebrow, walked out, and closed the door.
I sat down with the Sergeant Major. We had the obligatory cup of coffee and talked about mutual acquaintances. Walt’s stress was palpable. Finally, I said, “Walt, what the hell’s wrong?”
He turned his chair, looked out the window, and said, “George, you’re going to wish you were back in Nam before you leave here. I’ve been in the Marine Corps since 1939. I was in the Pacific for 36 months, Korea for 14 months, and Vietnam for 12 months. Now I come here to bury these kids. I’m putting my letter in. I can’t take it anymore.”
I said, “OK Walt. If that’s what you want, I’ll endorse your request for retirement, and do what I can to push it through Headquarters Marine Corps.”
Walt retired 12 weeks later. He had been a good Marine for 28 years, but he had
seen too much death and too much suffering. He was used up.
Over the next 16 months, I made 28 death notifications, conducted 28 military funerals, and made notifications to the families of Marines that were severely wounded or missing in action. Most of the details of those casualty notifications have now, thankfully, faded from memory. Four, however, remain.
*MY FIRST NOTIFICATION*
My third or fourth day in Norfolk, I was notified of the death of a 19 year-old Marine. This notification came by telephone from Headquarters Marine Corps. The information detailed:
*Name, rank, and serial number.
*Name, address, and phone number of next of kin.
*Date of and limited details about the Marine’s death.
*Approximate date the body would arrive at the Norfolk Naval Air Station.
*A strong recommendation on whether the casket should be opened or closed.
The boy’s family lived over the border in North Carolina, about 60 miles away. I drove there in a Marine Corps staff car. Crossing the state line into North Carolina, I stopped at a small country store / service station / Post Office. I went in to ask directions. Three people were in the store. A man and woman approached the small Post Office window. The man held a package. The Storeowner walked up and addressed them by name, “Hello John. Good morning Mrs. Cooper.”
I was stunned. My casualty’s next-of-kin’ s name was John Cooper!
I hesitated, then stepped forward and said, “I beg your pardon. Are you Mr. and Mrs. John Cooper?”
The father looked at me - I was in uniform - and then, shaking, bent at the waist, he vomited.
His wife looked horrified at him, and then at me. Understanding came into her eyes, and she collapsed in slow motion. I think I caught her before she hit the floor.
The owner took a bottle of whiskey out of a drawer, and handed it to Mr. Cooper, who drank.
I answered their questions for a few minutes. Then I drove them home in my staff car. The storeowner locked the store and followed in their truck. We stayed an hour or so until the family began arriving.
I returned the storeowner to his business. He thanked me and said, “Mister, I wouldn’t have your job for a million dollars.” I shook his hand and said; “Neither would I.”
I vaguely remember the drive back to Norfolk. Violating about five Marine Corps regulations, I drove the staff car straight to my house. I sat with my family while they ate dinner, went into the den, closed the door, and sat there all night, alone.
My Marines steered clear of me for days. I had made my first death notification.
*THE FUNERALS*
Weeks passed with more notifications and more funerals. I borrowed Marines from the local Marine Corps Reserve, and taught them to conduct a military funeral: how to carry a casket, how to fire the volleys, and how to fold the flag.
When I presented the flag to the mother, wife, or father, I always said, “All Marines share in your grief.” I had been instructed to say, “On behalf of a grateful nation...” But I didn’t think the nation was grateful, so I didn’t say that.
Sometimes, my emotions got the best of me, and I couldn’t speak. When that happened, I just handed them the flag and touched a shoulder. They would look at me and nod.
Once a mother said to me, “I’m so sorry you have this terrible job.” My eyes filled with tears, and I leaned over and kissed her.
*ANOTHER NOTIFICATION*
Six weeks after my first notification, I had another. This was a young PFC. I drove to his mother’s house. As always, I was in uniform and driving a Marine Corps staff car. I parked in front of the house, took a deep breath, and walked towards the house. Suddenly the door flew open, a middle-aged woman rushed out. She looked at me and ran across the yard, screaming “NO! NO! NO! NO!”
I hesitated. Neighbors came out. I ran to her, grabbed her, and whispered stupid things to reassure her. She collapsed. I picked her up and carried her into the house. Eight or nine neighbors followed. Ten or fifteen minutes later, the father came in followed by ambulance personnel. I have no recollection of leaving.
The funeral took place about two weeks later. We went through the drill. The mother never looked at me. The father looked at me once and shook his head sadly.
*ANOTHER NOTIFICATION*
One morning, as I walked in the office, the phone was ringing. Sergeant
Jolly held the phone up and said, “You’ve got another one, Colonel.”
I nodded, walked into my office, picked up the phone, took notes, thanked the officer making the call, I have no idea why, and hung up.
Jolly, who had listened, came in with a special Telephone Directory that translates telephone numbers into the person’s address and place of employment.
The father of this casualty was a Longshoreman. He lived a mile from my office. I called the Longshoreman’ s Union Office and asked for the Business Manager.
He answered the phone. I told him who I was, and asked for the father’s schedule. The Business Manager asked, “Is it his son?”
I said nothing. After a moment, he said, in a low voice, “Tom is at home today.”
I said, “Don’t call him. I’ll take care of that.”
The Business Manager said, “Aye, Aye, Sir,” and then explained, “Tom and I were Marines in WWII.”
I got in my staff car and drove to the house. I was in uniform. I knocked and a woman in her early forties answered the door. I saw instantly that she was clueless. I asked, “Is Mr. Smith home?”
She smiled pleasantly and responded, “Yes, but he’s eating breakfast now. Can you come back later?”
I said, “I’m sorry. It’s important. I need to see him now.”
She nodded, stepped back into the beach house and said, “Tom, it’s for you.”
A moment later, a ruddy man in his late forties, appeared at the door. He looked at me, turned absolutely pale, steadied himself, and said, “Jesus Christ man, he’s only been there three weeks!”
Months passed. More notifications and more funerals. Then one day while I was running, Sergeant Jolly stepped outside the building and gave a loud whistle, two fingers in his mouth ... I never could do that ... and held an imaginary phone to his ear.
Another call from Headquarters Marine Corps. I took notes, said, “Got it.” and hung up. I had stopped saying “Thank You” long ago.
Jolly: “Where?”
Me: “Eastern Shore of Maryland. The father is a retired Chief Petty Officer. His brother will accompany the body back from Vietnam.”
Jolly shook his head slowly, straightened, and then said, “This time of day, it’ll take three hours to get there and back. I’ll call the Naval Air Station and borrow a helicopter. And I’ll have Captain Tolliver get one of his men to meet you and drive you to the Chief’s home.”
He did, and 40 minutes later, I was knocking on the father’s door. He opened the door, looked at me, then looked at the Marine standing at parade rest beside the car, and asked, “Which one of my boys was it, Colonel?”
I stayed a couple of hours, gave him all the information, my office and home phone number and told him to call me, anytime. He called me that evening about 2300 (11:00PM). “I’ve gone through my boy’s papers and found his will. He asked to be buried at sea. Can you make that happen?”
I said, “Yes, I can, Chief. I can, and I will.”
My wife who had been listening said, “Can you do that?” I told her, “I have no idea. But I’m going to break my ass trying.”
I called Lieutenant General Alpha Bowser, Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force Atlantic, at home about 2330, explained the situation, and asked, “General, can you get me a quick appointment with the Admiral at Atlantic Fleet Headquarters?”
General Bowser said, “George, you be there tomorrow at 0900. He will see you.”
I was, and the Admiral did. He said coldly, “How can the Navy help the Marine Corps, Colonel.”
I told him the story. He turned to his Chief of Staff and said, “Which is the sharpest destroyer in port?” The Chief of Staff responded with a name.
The Admiral called the ship, “Captain, you’re going to do a burial at sea. You’ll report to a Marine Lieutenant Colonel Goodson until this mission is completed.”
He hung up, looked at me, and said, “The next time you need a ship, Colonel, call me. You don’t have to sic Al Bowser on my ass.”
I responded, “Aye Aye, Sir” and got the hell out of his office.
I went to the ship and met with the Captain, Executive Officer, and the Senior Chief. Sergeant Jolly and I trained the ship’s crew for four days. Then Jolly raised a question none of us had thought of. He said, “These government caskets are air tight. How do we keep it from floating?”
All the high-priced help including me sat there looking dumb. Then the Senior Chief stood and said, “Come on, Jolly. I know a bar where the retired guys from World War II hang out.”
They returned a couple of hours later, slightly the worse for wear, and said, “It’s simple; we cut four 12” holes in the outer shell of the casket on each side, and insert 300 lbs of lead in the foot end of the casket. We can handle that, no sweat.”
The day arrived. The ship and the sailors looked razor sharp. General Bowser, the Admiral, a U.S. Senator, and a Navy Band were on board. The sealed casket was brought aboard and taken below for modification. The ship got underway to the 12-fathom depth. The sun was hot. The ocean flat. The casket was brought aft and placed on a catafalque. The Chaplin spoke. The volleys were fired. The flag was removed, folded, and I gave it to the father. The band played “Eternal Father Strong to Save.” The casket was raised slightly at the head and it slid into the sea.
The heavy casket plunged straight down about six feet. The incoming water collided with the air pockets in the outer shell. The casket stopped abruptly, rose straight out of the water about three feet, stopped, and slowly slipped back into the sea. The air bubbles rising from the sinking casket sparkled in the sunlight as the casket disappeared from sight forever.
The next morning I called a personal friend, Lieutenant General Oscar Peatross, at Headquarters Marine Corps, and said, “General, get me out of here. I can’t take this anymore.”
I was transferred two weeks later.
I was a good Marine, but after 17 years, I had seen too much death and too much suffering. I was used up.
Vacating the house, my family and I drove to the office in a two-car convoy. I said my goodbyes. Sergeant Jolly walked out with me. He waved at my family, looked at me with tears in his eyes, came to attention, saluted, and said, “Well Done, Colonel. Well Done.”
I felt as if I had received the Medal of Honor!
A veteran is someone who, at one point, wrote a blank check made payable to
‘The United States of America for an amount of up to and including their life.’
That is Honor,
and there are way too many people in this country
who no longer understand it.
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