thedrifter
09-03-07, 05:48 PM
Green Bay
Medal of Honor Recipients Arrive, Sharing Stories
Sep 3, 2007 04:25 PM
by Adam Aaro
This week more than 60 Medal of Honor recipients will be in the Green Bay area for a week long convention.
Many arrived in Green Bay Monday, landing at Austin Straubel Airport, and were welcomed to their hotel by a host of military personnel.
They'll spend the week participating in a number of events throughout the area. Part of it will include sharing their stories with the public.
Staff Sergeants John McGinty and Paul Geis share a handshake.
It's one of many moments Geis says he owes to McGinty. "If it wasn't for John McGinnty I wouldn't be standing in front of you."
McGinty and Geis served in the same unit during Vietnam.
In July of 1966, they came under massive attack by the Northern Vietnamese army.
McGinty recalls, "had 32 Marines with me. We had no place to go so we shot it out with them."
"It was like a shooting gallery. We just, they were coming through there with bugles blowing and whistles blowing and we just kept down on them," say Geis.
During the firefight, McGinty rushed to the aid of two units cut off from the rest of the platoon, reloaded the weapons for the injured and organized a defense for them.
"Pretty stressful, intense four or five hours," says McGinty.
McGinty then called in air strikes and the Northern Vietnamese withdrew.
"Of the 32 men, only nine of us walked away from this thing."
McGinty was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
But McGinty is quick to point out he didn't get the medal alone. "The people who earned this medal for me were the Marines and the Corp men in that platoon."
Geis says, "it's really good to see America remembers their real heroes, you know."
Ellie
Medal of Honor Recipients Arrive, Sharing Stories
Sep 3, 2007 04:25 PM
by Adam Aaro
This week more than 60 Medal of Honor recipients will be in the Green Bay area for a week long convention.
Many arrived in Green Bay Monday, landing at Austin Straubel Airport, and were welcomed to their hotel by a host of military personnel.
They'll spend the week participating in a number of events throughout the area. Part of it will include sharing their stories with the public.
Staff Sergeants John McGinty and Paul Geis share a handshake.
It's one of many moments Geis says he owes to McGinty. "If it wasn't for John McGinnty I wouldn't be standing in front of you."
McGinty and Geis served in the same unit during Vietnam.
In July of 1966, they came under massive attack by the Northern Vietnamese army.
McGinty recalls, "had 32 Marines with me. We had no place to go so we shot it out with them."
"It was like a shooting gallery. We just, they were coming through there with bugles blowing and whistles blowing and we just kept down on them," say Geis.
During the firefight, McGinty rushed to the aid of two units cut off from the rest of the platoon, reloaded the weapons for the injured and organized a defense for them.
"Pretty stressful, intense four or five hours," says McGinty.
McGinty then called in air strikes and the Northern Vietnamese withdrew.
"Of the 32 men, only nine of us walked away from this thing."
McGinty was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
But McGinty is quick to point out he didn't get the medal alone. "The people who earned this medal for me were the Marines and the Corp men in that platoon."
Geis says, "it's really good to see America remembers their real heroes, you know."
Ellie