The Army And It’s Never Ending Medalgate

[thedrifter]

05-05-2004

The Army And It’s Never Ending Medalgate



I had PCSed here to Ft Knox shortly before the stop move stop loss order. Since I have been here for nearly 2 yrs, I have observed the Army at its worst with medals. One thing in particular that insults me as a serviceman is the GWOT. Fellow Army Soldiers who have been here at Knox as long as I have are trotting around with the GWOT. In fact even the LT's who graduated AOBC today are all wearing the GWOT, all except the Marines of course. I do not believe that I or any of the LT's rate one. I have not contributed to the Global War on Terrorism, not at least as defined by the DOD's guidance. I rate a Service Defense medal. That is what I have earned. I have served the country during a time of war. I have not however had the opportunity to contribute my efforts to the GWOT. And I do not believe that any Soldier who was at OCS or AOBC or sitting right next to me watching it on Fox News has contributed. Yet the Army has adopted a blanket policy or at least a loose interpretation of the DOD's policy and has awarded every Soldier in service the GWOT medal. How can a Soldier who has done the exact same thing I have (or less) rate a DOD medal and I don't, simply because I am a Marine. The last time I checked, the USMC is part of the same Dept of Defense. I am not asking that the DOD award this medal to every serviceman and servicewoman. I just want the Army to follow the spirit of the intent and not lessen the honor of my fellow Marines who have actually EARNED the GWOT Medal. Please raise the flag on this.



Semper Fidelis,



A MARINE

http://www.sftt.org/cgi-bin/csNews/csNews.cgi?database=Special%20Reports.db&command=viewone&op=t&id=214&rnd=606.5185887539733


Ellie

[enviro]

HQMC has issued guidance on the awarding of the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal (GWOTEM). It's for those who have gone into the region to fight terrorism.

HQMC will issue guidance soon on the awarding of the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOTSM). It's for those who have supported the war on terrorism from the rear area (CONUS).

These medals are awarded for operations conducted after Setember 11, 2001.

The Army is a lot faster at issuing it's guidance for newly authorized medals. That's probably why the soldiers already have theirs. The Marines will get theirs soon.

The MarAdmin can be found HERE (http://www.usmc.mil/maradmins/maradmin2000.nsf/d50a617f5ac75ae085256856004f3afc/3d800a10830de39f85256e5c0075ce46?OpenDocument)

Notice it is dated 3/19/2004

[radio relay]

Just another "firewatch" medal. Wear it in good stead.

As a poge comm puke, all my ribbons and medals are of the firewatch variety, excepting the CAR. I was under fire a few times, but nothing I'd call real "veins in your teeth" combat, and I served in country, in Vietnam, but was primarily in Da Nang, and behind the wire when in the bush. So, I even consider my VN service, and campign medals as firewatch medals.

Never the less, I'm proud of them, and wear them proudly, too, because it shows that I served our country when most others would not.

You do the same, Marine, when the word comes down, wear whatever is authorized. You deserve it!!

SF

[d c taveapont]

hell ALL of my Ribbons and Medals are from the RVN era...you know i was talking to a army reservist before this escapade started in iraq and he told me that he really wanted to earn his combat readiness ribbon or medal or what ever the army gives out. i told him sheez the army will give you medals for making you rack right or taking a crap right. then i told him about my CAR and how i earned it over 34 yrs ago..then with a sheepish painful grin he said that he had to go home...and i said yeah MOMMYs calling....

[Kurt Stover]

Well what ya know, see, I knew we could do it, I agree with you about 89 %.

[Kurt Stover]

Posted - 05/06/2004 : 1:08:12 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following was received, through an MCL TalkList. It's an attempt to contact as many Marines as possible, and time is of the essence. With the number of Marines on Grit's Forum, and the other Marines we all know, I believe the odds of contacting one of the 9 Marines sought has now increased...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My name is Roger D. Davis and I am the Commandant of the Jans F. Hursey

Marine Corps League Detachment #748 of Slidell, LA!



I need your help.



Our Marine Corps League is named after a young Marine from Slidell, LA., who

was sent to Korea in 1950, and gave his life saving the lives of 9 other Marines.



In December of 2003 I wrote to the President requesting that PFC Jans F. Hursey

be awarded the MEDAL OF HONOR for his unselfish act of heroism. I also

wrote to the Secretary of the Navy, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, the

Department of Defense, and the Louisiana Senators stating my story about his

"unselfish heroism" in sacrificing his life so that 9 other Marines could live.



PFC Hursey, (serial number 1072029), was killed in a battle in Korea on

September 23, 1950, during the Inchon Korean Campaign, it was only his

3rd day in Korea. His Commanding Officer was killed in this same battle and

apparently this is where all the problems began. PFC Hursey's Commanding

Officer (never nominated him for the MOH) but that was because he was also

killed in the same battle and the Department of Defense told the parents that

the reason their son was never considered for the Medal of Honor was

because "In order for a soldier to receive the Medal of Honor, an application

must be made within two years of the action." They further stated "No one

ever applied for Hursey to receive the Medal of Honor. His Commanding

Officer, who would have recommended the private for the honor, was also

killed."



If any soldier deserved the Medal of Honor, PFC Hursey deserved it, but

because of beaurecratic blunders and the death of his Commanding Officer

(in the same battle) was never considered for it.



I am asking you, to assist me in my "quest" to find the 9 (nine) Marines that

served with PFC Jans F. Hursey, whose lives were spared because of his

unselfish bravery. Statements from these Marines attesting to the unselfish

bravery shown by PFC Hursey will be (invaluable) in my quest to (procure

the Medal of Honor) for PFC Hursey - a HONOR that should have been

bestowed upon him (posthumously) in 1950/1951.



If you can put this article on your web site I am hopeful that I will get some

much needed responses from Korean War Vets that may have known

PFC Jans F. Hursey!



Thank You and SEMPER FI.



Roger D. Davis, Commandant

Jans F. Hursey MCL Det. 748

P.O. Box 6714

Slidell, LA. 70469-6714

ph: (228) 255-5226

email: jarhead668@cs.com



Additional Comments



There is no way I could address the issue as it specifically relates to
PFC Jans F. Hursey since I don't know the details of his actions, but
some general comments might be appropriate.

Certainly the death of his Commanding Officer was detrimental to the case,
however any succeeding competent authority could have made the required
recommendation after the fact. Getting the supporting statements is also
important, because I recall that at least two supporting statements from
individuals who witnessed the event(s) are required for the MOH.

A recommendation must be made by someone who has sufficient knowledge
of the action, and the supporting statements can only be obtained from the
Marines who were present and knew PFC Hursey, or at least knew who he was.

It is my recollection that there are statutory limits on the recommendation and
presentation phases in awarding a Medal of Honor. I believe that Marine Davis
has already encountered the limitations. Any extension would apparently require
a Special (Private?) Act in Congress, so I have read. It is difficult, but it has been
done in recent years for actions of an Marine during WW II, so it would be possible
for this case if the basic requirements are satisfied.

It would be premature to request such an Act until the required eye witness
statements are obtained, but it would be proper to find out now exactly what steps
will have to be taken. Marine Davis has his work cut out for him, and wee need to
do our part to help, specifically helping find any Marines who were there.


Knowing his unit may help narrow the search

AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION

Jans Fredrick Hursey
Slidell, Louisiana
Born July 7, 1930
Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps
Service Number 1072029
Killed in Action
Died September 23, 1950 in Korea
Private First Class Hursey was a member of
Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines,
1st Marine Division.

He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy
in Korea on September 23, 1950.

Private First Class Hursey was awarded the
Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the
Korean Service Medal, the United Nations
Service Medal, the National Defense Service
Medal and the Korean War Service Medal.



Semper Fidelis

Geby
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[kentmitchell]

The only ones that mean anything are the eagle, globe and anchor on your uniform, the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star and sometimes, the Bronze Star.
I'm saying that, not having been in any combat theater so it won't carry much weight. Only time I was shot at was in Japan when an M-48 shot at the wrong hill, the one with me on it.
Quite a rush, but not worth a medal.
I walked away after four years, a corporal with a hashmark and a Good Conduct Medal, happy as a lark.