View Full Version : Soldier Still Alive May Receive the MOH
polizei
07-01-10, 03:38 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100701/ts_ynews/ynews_ts2997
Apparently a "soldier" may be awarded the MOH, and is alive to tell the tale, for the first time since Vietnam.
Now I'm curious...the article states that 6 have been given for the Iraq/Afghan war campaign, 3 of which jumped on a grenade. IIRC, not too long ago a Marine jumped on a grenade which saved at least 2-3 Marines (if not an entire squad) and he lived. He received the Navy Cross. As we all know about Cpl. Jason Dunham, who received the MOH. So...I'm curious to hear about what this "soldier" did to receive such a distinguished award while living.
Discuss!
polizei
07-01-10, 03:48 PM
Another source:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jEQK75vBrEi0h9qJsLEEOVTU_vewD9GMFJS00
Obviously I don't know the story, but the article states that "he ran through enemy fire to repel" and that to me sounds like he doesn't deserve it. I'm quite certain there were/are MANY Marines that have done the same and haven't been awarded the MOH.
However, like I said...I don't know the whole story.
haebyungdae
07-01-10, 03:50 PM
He's in the Army so it's probably nothing as heroic as something that a Marine would have to do to get a lesser award. But nonetheless whatever he did was probably of great courage and he should be recognized properly, in accordance with Army awards manuals.
AlohaMarine
07-01-10, 10:33 PM
My buddy and I were reading the Marine Times a while back and a Marine ran through enemy fire like 6 or 7 times, was severely wounded 3 times and still continued to retrieve Marines from a burning MRAP. He, by himself, saved 4 Marines from certain death.
He got a Bronze Star with V.
If that doesn't get you the Medal of Honor wtf does? Seriously? Its like you need to die to get a Medal of Honor and that's unnacceptable.
My Bn CO got a Bronze Star last deployment for coming back without any KIA.
Failuredrill
07-01-10, 10:42 PM
It's ridiculous how awards have been and still continue to be issued in all the branches, particularly the Marine Corps. From my experience the army hands out bronze stars like they are candy. I hate to sound like I'm taking away from anything anyone has done but it is the truth. I hope this soldier does get the MOH and I will be VERY interested to read the citation. Countless Marines have done amazing things that have warranted some of the most prestigious awards, including the MOH, and some get nothing at all. There are many examples, here is one just from a local Marine http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/2008/10/lcpl-christophe.html (there are a few other more detailed accounts, at least he was awarded the Navy Cross) sadly, he was killed a month later.
I don't really want to go off of a rant, but I feel that some of this has to do with the older Staff NCO's / Officers who really have never even seen combat. Even the ones that still do deploy anywhere are obviously rear echelon. It's almost as if they don't want to see all these young men with these prestigious awards, god forbid they have to salute a Lance Corporal. They are stuck in garrison, and have no idea what things are really like for the young LT's, Sgts and below that are fighting their asses off. That's part of the reason why I got out, it's really sad how things are still being done. The saving grace is now that we have been fighting so long, finally some of the young guys are picking up and in a few years you will see how much better the Corps will be for it.
AlohaMarine
07-01-10, 10:55 PM
I don't really want to go off of a rant, but I feel that some of this has to do with the older Staff NCO's / Officers who really have never even seen combat. Even the ones that still do deploy anywhere are obviously rear echelon. It's almost as if they don't want to see all these young men with these prestigious awards, god forbid they have to salute a Lance Corporal. They are stuck in garrison, and have no idea what things are really like for the young LT's, Sgts and below that are fighting their asses off. That's part of the reason why I got out, it's really sad how things are still being done. The saving grace is now that we have been fighting so long, finally some of the young guys are picking up and in a few years you will see how much better the Corps will be for it.
Wow...I couldn't have said it better myself. Got all these MSgts and 1stSgts and SgtMajs who joined in the 80s and are too salty for their own good, again, I couldn't have said it better.
Agent Johnson
07-02-10, 03:18 AM
If anyone has seen the movie Restrepo, or read the book War I doubt they would be accusing him of not earning this.
This was a place where units were coming home with 80% casualty rates, this was the first time since Vietnam that any US force suffered 100% wounded. There was literally not a single place in their fob where they were safe people got shot sleeping, ****ing, eating. It was so bad that the US command decided that it wasnt worth it to keep these positions and they abandoned them. There were Marines here as well, not just Army.
Agent Johnson
07-02-10, 03:19 AM
double post
Failuredrill
07-02-10, 04:11 AM
Thanks for the lowdown 'Agent Johnson', you been there? Our battalion had our share of hell in the Korengal Valley and all through Kunar / Laghman Provinces. Check out Victory Point by Ed Darack if you want to continue to learn about what's been going on in Afghanistan.
Like I said, I hope this soldier receives it and the higher ups actually start reevaluating the whole process.
supermanlives22
07-02-10, 04:32 AM
We all know how it goes with medals we can sit here and complain about it but the thing is if that soldier gets the MOH we have to respect it we don’t have to respect the man but we have to respect the medal. And complaining about who is better and who is not doesn’t make a difference. The thing to ask yourself were you there if not you can’t say much. We are all in the same fight trying to do our part.
FistFu68
07-02-10, 09:00 AM
:usmc: The Best Medal a Marine can recieve after the Chit hits the Fan,is seeing the"Live Faces of His Fellow Marines"...Medals do not feed The BULLDOG...S/F :iwo:
brian0351
07-02-10, 09:00 AM
The reasoning has less to do with Officers/SNCOs than it does Washington...
" The Medal of Honor has not yet been awarded to any living persons in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The Army Times published an article analyzing the awards in its March 30, 2009 issue. It was suggested that because of the intense partisan politics in Washington, D.C. over these wars, the Bush Administration subjected potential Medal of Honor recipients to intense background checks so as to avoid scrutiny, from political opponents, of both the administration and the recipient. An Army Times editorial suggested, "Our heroes deserve to be recognized." " -Stolen from Wikipedia
Interesting that anyone with this in their profile----"No direct combat experience"----would be so quick to down play what an Army troop in combat did based on a snipit of an article.
But then somethings never change
This award stuff has never been equal all around and it never will be.
In my BN two different people did the exact same thing with the exact same results. Both went out under fire to get to a WIA Marine. Both were killed. One got the MOH. One got a SS. There was others that did the exact same thing and ended up with nothing but a PH.
It is what it is
Wyoming
07-02-10, 10:21 AM
Yo Lynn, it makes me wonder, what --- 'indirect combat experience' --- would mean.
Yo Lynn, it makes me wonder, what --- 'indirect combat experience' --- would mean.
BigAl that is a question to ponder.
Maybe something to do with Barns and Noble?
Wyoming
07-02-10, 10:37 AM
BigAl that is a question to ponder.
Maybe something to do with Barns and Noble?
That, and playstation, is where a lot of the combat experience seems to be coming from these days.
Bruce59
07-02-10, 06:17 PM
Lynn, as hit it on the head, "this award stuff will never be equal" to many
thing that go into a decision to award a person the MOH. Like how many
witness saw the act and there stories of what happened. And like Lynn
said, it is what it is. I new a MOH recipient and I can tell you he had 19
Marines he saved, a Col. a 1Lt. and his Sgt.Major and a Cpl. as witness.
The Col. Navy Cross, 1Lt. Silver Star Sgt.Major and the Cpl. Dis. Flying Cross.
1stRad2671
07-02-10, 10:58 PM
It could be this guy all the talk is about.
http://gazetteonline.com/blogs/covering-iowa-politics/2010/07/01/hiawatha-soldier-may-be-in-line-for-medal-of-honor
I think Maj Zembiec should've been awarded the MOH.