Didn't Make The Front Page News

And if anyone tells you that "Real Men" don't cry I say that's BS with a Capital BULLS^IT !

 

April 03, 2012
Marine Corps News|by Lance Cpl. Timothy Childers

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The parade deck at San Mateo was filled with Marines March 29, as Sgt. Ryan T. Sotelo, a San Mateo, Calif. native, was awarded the Silver Star.
He was honored for the actions he took as a squad leader with Company K, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment while deployed to Sangin District, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Marine Earns Silver Star for Actions in Afghanistan. Gen. Ronald L. Bailey, commanding general, 1st Marine Division, presented the medal to Sotelo, who is now a scout sniper with Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The Silver Star Medal is the United States’ third highest award for combat valor and is fifth in the precedence of military awards.
“It was humbling when the general pinned on the star,” said Sotelo. “When we perform out in country we don’t do it for metals, we do it for the Marine on the right and left of us.”
On Nov. 25, 2010, Sotelo’s squad was ambushed in an open field with machinegun and small arms fire, killing the platoon commander. Without hesitation, Sotelo took charge of the unit and moved them to a nearby canal. He then sprinted through heavy fire across open ground to retrieve the body of his fallen lieutenant.
With the defensive position now unreachable because of intense small arms fire, he called in supporting arms to cover the squad’s movement to a nearby compound. As insurgents began to assault the position, he fearlessly led his squad as they repelled the enemy.
When one enemy combatant began to fire on an exposed Marine, Sotelo closed in on the insurgent and killed him with a grenade.
“As soon as we got across, we got lit up and engaged in every direction,” said Cpl. Jose Launder, Company K, 3rd Bn., 5th Marines. “Sotelo just ran over and threw a grenade.”
After a reinforcing Marine unit was pinned down by heavy fire from the insurgents, Sotelo again disregarded his own safety to engage the enemy machinegun with rifle, finally calling in an air strike that silenced the enemy fire.
“I think a lot of us are here because of his actions that day,” added Launder.
Realizing that his situation was dire, Sotelo lead a fighting withdrawal more than 600 meters through enemy fire to bring his squad back to friendly lines and safety. Sergeant Sotelo will continue serving his country as he prepares for the 15th MEU’s upcoming deployment scheduled for this summer.

 

This is rather long as far as posts go but well worth a couple minutes reading. The link is for anyone who wants to read many more stories about our Kids.

Defense.gov Special Report: Month of the Military Child 2012

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[TD] [h=3]Senior Leaders Honor Military Children of the Year[/h] By Elaine Sanchez
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ARLINGTON, Va., April 6, 2012 – From a 9-year-old blogger to a 17-year-old community-service volunteer, children from military families took center stage here last night during Operation Homefront’s 2012 Military Child of the Year awards gala.

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Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, adddresses the audience at the 4th annual, 2012 Military Child of the Year award ceremony at the Ritz-Carlton in Arlingon, Va., April 5, 2012. The award ceremony recognizes children of U.S. troops from around the world, representing each branch of service, for thier compassion, faith and contributions made to thier communities. The Defense Department recognizes April as the Month of the Military Child. DOD Photo By: U.S. Army Staff Sgt Sun L. Vega
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The military’s top brass heaped praise on five of these children -- one from each service plus the Coast Guard -- for their resilience, strength of character and leadership.

Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that provides emergency assistance to military families, annually gives the award to a child from each service to honor military kids’ service and sacrifice.
These children are the “best of the best,” Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey told an audience of military and family members. Joining the chairman was his wife, Deanie, top military leaders from each service, and special guest speaker, Medal of Honor recipient Army Sgt. 1st Class Sammy L. Davis.
“If I had to be identified as the best of the best among any group in America today, I’d actually like to be known as the best of the best among military kids,” Dempsey told the audience, “because of what we ask them to do, and what they do.”
The honorees included a 9-year-old who started a blog to support other children dealing with deployment to a 17-year-old who dealt with her Army father’s illness, then the loss of her soldier brother in Afghanistan.
Though people have said military children are tough and resilient despite their hardships, the chairman said, he takes an opposite view.
“I think that our military kids are who they are because of the hardships,” he said, citing their adaptability, strength and ability to embrace diversity. “Kids become who they are because of what we ask them to do and because of what they see us do [and] see their moms and dads do.”
These children are the nation’s future leaders, Dempsey noted. He said Nathaniel Richards, the Navy’s Military Child of the Year, put it best when he wrote this on his blog site: “Even though we are young, we still have great ideas. We can help. We can make a difference.”
Dempsey thanked Operation Homefront for its efforts to honor military children. “Let me tell you how proud we are of America’s military kids,” he said. “And let me tell you how very proud we are of the five that have been identified tonight as the best of the best.”
Following Dempsey’s remarks, senior service leaders presented the awards to their service’s honoree -- first citing their exceptional qualities and accomplishments and passing on their personal gratitude for their service and strength.
Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, the Army’s vice chief of staff, acknowledged military children’s challenges, particularly after a decade of war. Yet, he said, “it is remarkable to see these young people routinely rise to the challenges of military life and excel under what are very difficult circumstances.”
Through their unyielding support, military children increase not only their military parents’ strength, but also their resilience, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz added.
Following the awards ceremony, actor Gary Sinise, a staunch military supporter famous for his role as a wounded warrior in the movie “Forrest Gump,” shared his gratitude to the children via prerecorded remarks. “You are representing the best of our military youth,” he told the military children of the year. “We as a country earnestly want to honor you for the special contribution you have given your family and your nation.
“There is no greater sacrifice than to serve our nation and you young people are living examples of that dedication and commitment,” he added.
Sinise introduced Davis, who is among the 81 living Medal of Honor recipients, to a standing ovation and resounding applause. Davis received the nation’s highest military honor for his heroism during the Vietnam War.
Some people believe today’s kids are going in the wrong direction, Davis said, but he doesn’t believe this is the case. “Truly we have good kids in this nation, and what we’ve seen here tonight is just proof in the pudding.”
Seeing the children receive their honors, he added, “made my heart swell with pride.”
Amelia McConnell, the Army’s Military Child of the Year, said she was “honored and humbled” by the honor and the opportunity to represent thousands of other military children. “I love being a military kid,” she said with a smile.
Each award recipient will receive $5,000 from Operation Homefront, along with additional gifts from nonprofit organizations such as Soldiers’ Angels and Veterans United Foundation. Jim Knotts, Operation Homefront’s president and CEO, called the honorees examples for thousands of other military children. “I know you will all do us proud,” he told them.
A committee of active duty service members, family readiness support assistants, teachers, military mothers and community members selected the children from a pool of more than 1,000 nominees.
The recipients of this year’s Military Child of the Year award are:
-- James Nathaniel Richards, of Jamul, Calif., for the Navy. This 9-year-old’s three brothers and father all were deployed at the same time. To share his lessons learned, he started a blog for other military children called “Nate the Great: A Military Brat.” He leads the anti-bullying committee at his school and volunteers at the USO -- clocking more than 200 hours last year collecting Christmas toys for children in need and wrapping hundreds of stockings to send to troops in Afghanistan.
-- Amelia McConnell, of Carlisle Barracks, Pa., for the Army. At 17, McConnell is the youngest of six children. She’s moved with her family nine times, and her father has deployed three times. In 2006, after her father returned from Iraq, he was diagnosed with leukemia. After six months of treatments, the disease appeared to be in remission. He returned to Iraq in 2007. Two years later, her only brother, Army Sgt. Andrew McConnell, was killed in Afghanistan. A year later, her father deployed to Afghanistan shortly after the family moved to Pennsylvania from overseas. While helping her mother at home, McConnell also served as the vice president as the National Art Honor Society, and she is a member of the Germany National Honor Society.
-- Chelsea Rutherford, 17, of Panama City, Fla., for the Air Force. She has two parents in the military and has attended five different schools. Still, she’s an honor roll student with a 3.6 grade point average and serves as the vice president of the Student-to-Student Club, which introduces new students to the campus and helps to ease their transition. She’s also an avid volunteer who clocked nearly 180 hours with nonprofit organizations in 2011, and is a member in the Society of Leadership and Success and the National Society of High School Scholars.
-- Erika Booth, 16, of Jacksonville, N.C., for the Marine Corps. She was an avid softball player until she was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that affects her blood and requires painful monthly kidney checks. While dealing with her own health issues, Booth also helps to care for her 13-year-old brother, who has autism. Despite these challenges, Booth is ranked first in her class academically, serves as the junior class president and vice president of her local Health Occupations Students of America chapter, and volunteers as a mentor with the Drug Education for Youth program. She also works with other military children and adults to help them cope with the challenges of military life, and has traveled abroad with the People to People Ambassador Program.
-- Alena Deveau, 17, of Fairfax, Va., for the Coast Guard. She has visited 40 states during her father’s career. When she was in the seventh grade, Deveau’s father was diagnosed with lung cancer, followed by hip cancer. He underwent multiple surgeries before being diagnosed with brain cancer. Her father, who now is medically retired, was hospitalized for nearly three months. Deveau’s mother spent her time by her husband’s bedside, and Deveau held up the home front, helping to care for her 15-year-old sister. Still, she found time to volunteer as an organizer of the local Veterans Day dinner.

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Posthumous awards given to Texas WWII veteran's family | Article | The United States Army

GATESVILLE, Texas (April 3, 2012) -- Almost seven decades after his honorable discharge from the United States Army, the late Pfc. James Rhoads has been recognized for his bravery and valor for service to his country in World War II.

U.S. Congressman John Carter, 31st Congressional District in the House of Representatives, and Maj. Gen Perry Wiggins, First Army Division West commanding general, presented Rhoads' daughters, Patsy Hollingsworth and Roxie Greenway, with their father's Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medals at the Peacock Ranch in Gatesville, April 2.

Nearly two years ago, Rhoads' grandson, Mike Hollingsworth, found an old document referencing his grandfather being injured in combat. He asked his mother why Rhoads did not have the award.

"When she stated that she hadn't seen an actual award, I wanted my grandfather recognized for his efforts," Mike Hollingsworth said.

Thanks to Mike's dedication over the past two years, his granddad was honored in today's ceremony, said Patsy Hollingsworth, Mike's mother. "Through his dedication, hard work and research, he made this come about."

Many members of Rhoads' family attended the ceremony, including his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

"For the little ones, it's a piece of history," Greenway said, "and for the grandkids, it's just a very special honor for granddaddy."

Rhoads was born Dec. 24, 1919, in Athens, Texas, to George C. and Ada Williams Rhoads. He attended school in Ogelsby and McGregor, Texas, and was inducted into the Army April 15, 1942, in McGregor. He married the late Cora Faye Bell of Moody, Texas, Nov. 9, 1942.

He was wounded Nov. 15, 1944, near Metz, France, while serving as an automatic rifleman with Company C, 1st Battalion, 379th Infantry Regiment, 95th Infantry Division.

In addition to the Bronze Star and Purple Heart Medals, Rhoads was also entitled to the American Campaign Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Service Stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Marksman's Badge with Rifle Bar and the Honorable Service Lapel Button-World War II.

Many Division West Soldiers attended the award presentation ceremony, and the unit also provided a color guard, ushers and attendants.

"The reason it's important for uniformed Soldiers to recognize Pfc. Rhoads is because he is our legacy," Wiggins said. "He is what makes our institution a great institution, and we can be really respected in uniform because of his acts."

Rhoads was described as a quiet man who never boasted or bragged about his accomplishments.

"As soon as he was able to get out of the Army and head back to Texas, he grabbed his duffle and moved out," Carter said. "He didn't wait around to get any medals. He had to get back to his family, and that is the American warrior, being about the folks back home."

The award presentation was a long time coming, Patsy Hollingsworth said.

"This day meant a high honor for him," Hollingsworth said. "I promise he stopped his domino game to watch all this."

 

I found this site that has first hand accounts of Wounded Warriors that might interest a few members.

Defense Media Activity - U.S. Department of Defense

 

Soldier runs Bataan Memorial Death March to honor WWII vets | Article | The United States Army

FORT JACKSON, S.C. (April 12, 2012) -- The man in the wheelchair stood up, walked over and stuck out his hand. There were some protests from his family as he stood, but they let it pass. Retired Col. Ben Skardon survived an 80-mile march at gunpoint in the South Pacific during World War II, so they decided he was safe to take a few steps away from them in a New Mexico airport.

Sgt. 1st Class Ricardo Gutierrez took note of the man's hat, which marked him as not only a veteran, but a survivor of the Bataan Death March during World War II. Gutierrez and Skardon were both leaving an annual commemorative marathon in White Sands, N.M., but Gutierrez couldn't imagine why the man would want to speak to him.

He was even more surprised when Skardon stuck out his hand and said: "I want to thank you for allowing us to do this."

"Thanks for making it possible for me to serve my country," Gutierrez answered.

Gutierrez, of Moncrief Army Community Hospital, has been participating in the annual Bataan Memorial Death March since 2005, an event that drew more than 7,000 participants to take part in the 26.2-mile hike on March 25.

Gutierrez said only 12 survivors of the Bataan Death March were able to visit this year's event, so it was not only an honor to meet one of them, but a surprise to be thanked for helping perpetuate the event.

"I was amazed," Gutierrez said. "It's truly an honor to see the smile on their faces, to commentate the memory of what they've gone though."

The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 76,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II. Of the 76,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war that were forced to march, only 54,000 made it alive to the destination. The marathon launched in 1989 to honor the men who sacrificed their health, freedom and lives during the march to Bataan.

Gutierrez said the hike is not for the faint of heart. It begins on the White Sands Missile Range main post, crosses dusty and hilly terrain, circles a mountain and returns to the main post through desert trails. The elevation ranges from 4,100 to 5,300 feet and the winds can hit speeds of 40 mph. The hike will take a toll on even the fittest of runners and can keep them on the road for as long as 12 hours.

"I'm blistered sore, cramping, crying and crawling to my car," he said of the marathon's end. "But I wanted to feel what they had felt, been through what they went though, even though I know it's not the same."

Gutierrez finished in first place in the "Military - light" category in 2012. He ordinarily competes in the "Military - heavy" category, which requires participants to carry a backpack, but an injury set him back this year.

"Ask anyone who finishes, they'll say, 'This is the last time I'm doing this.' But, after the pain's gone, it's all worth it. I want to do this again and again for the rest of my life, to honor these guys."

 

Screaming Eagle Soldier receives Distinguished Service Cross | Article | The United States Army

You just don't see this every day !

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. (April 12, 2012) -- A humble 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Soldier received the nation's second-highest military honor in a ceremony today at McAuliffe Hall.

Sgt. Felipe Pereira is the first "Screaming Eagle" to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross since Vietnam. The A Company, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, squad leader earned the recognition for what the official citation calls "distinguished service and heroism" during a firefight in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Nov. 1, 2010.

"It's a great honor to represent the division," said Pereira. "It's real nice to be able to represent the 101st and show the caliber of Soldiers that we actually have here."

The 28-year-old Brazilian immigrant was joined by his wife, mother and father, as well as other family members during the presentation from Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno at division headquarters.

"I've always had this kind of fighting thing in me," Pereira explained of why he joined the Army. "I wanted to see combat, I really did."

Odierno recognized Pereira for his "extraordinary actions in the face of adversity."

"We are all here because your actions distinguish you as a hero," Odierno said to Pereira. "The reality is, there are people alive today because of those actions."

"In that defining moment, Sergeant Pereira's actions will be forever etched in our nation's history. His actions were in keeping with the highest ideals of the warrior ethos, ignoring his own safety, forgetting his own pain, he defied the blizzard of gunfire blazing through the smoke, the bullets and the chaos to help his fellow Soldiers in their time of need."

After joining the service in March 2009, Pereira soon deployed to Afghanistan's Zhari District in May 2010.

During a dismounted patrol that November, an improvised explosive device detonated, killing two Soldiers in Pereira's squad. According to the citation, Pereira sustained shrapnel wounds and his lung began to collapse. With an ambush from the enemy underway, "with little regard for his own safety or care" Pereira drove an all-terrain vehicle into enemy fire to help evacuate wounded Soldiers.

After moving the first set of casualties, Pereira went back into the line of fire once more to help others.

Pereira, a specialist at the time, "is credited with saving the lives of two of his fellow Soldiers, while risking his own [on] multiple occasions. Only after all of the wounded Soldiers had been evacuated and were receiving medical care, did he accept treatment himself," according to the citation.

"Everything kind of started like just a regular patrol until pretty much the very end of it when everything just went haywire," Pereira remembered.

Even while being recognized above and beyond for his heroic efforts for his actions during his first deployment, Pereira feels more than ever that he was only doing what he signed up to do.

"To be honest with you, it just felt like a normal day, doing my job," he said. "Obviously, yes, it was a hectic situation, it was extreme situation and everything, but it doesn't feel any different than something we should have done. I keep saying had I not done it, somebody else probably would have, and the job would have gotten done the same way."

If anybody was a hero that day, the awardee feels the true honor goes to the two Soldiers, Pfc. Andrew N. Meari and Spc. Jonathan M. Curtis, who lost their lives.

"Every time I have the opportunity, I always say remember those that gave the ultimate sacrifice," he said. "I still get to come back and enjoy barbecues with my family and their love and everything. Those guys, they really gave it all. Those are truly the heroes. Just remember those guys. I think even on a happy occasion like this, I think we need to celebrate their life and their sacrifice."

Pereira's experiences are not only valuable as an example to his fellow Soldiers, but provide guidance for even the small battles of everyday life.

"If you actually stop and think, that's when you start panicking because you don't know what to do," he said. "The key is to keep moving, and hope the decisions you're making are the best decisions that can be made."

The Distinguished Service Cross is awarded to a person in the service of the Army who exhibits extraordinary heroism while engaged in action against a U.S. enemy. The person must be engaged in military operations of some type and the act(s) of heroism must have been so notable and involving extraordinary risk of life as to set the person apart from others.

Pereira joins 164 other Screaming Eagle Soldiers to receive the Distinguished Service Cross.

 

This may eventually make the National media;

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[TD] [h=3]Vietnam War Hero to Receive Posthumous Medal of Honor[/h] Army News Service
WASHINGTON, April 17, 2012 – Army Spc. 4 Leslie H. Sabo Jr., a rifleman with the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War, will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor in a May 16 ceremony, White House officials announced yesterday.
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Army Spc. 4 Leslie H. Sabo Jr., who served with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Sabo will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously in a May 16, 2012, White House ceremony for his valor in the Vietnam War. Photo courtesy of George Sabo
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Sabo is credited with saving the lives of several of his comrades in Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry, when his platoon was ambushed near the Se San River in eastern Cambodia on May 10, 1970. Sabo shielded a comrade from an enemy grenade and silenced a machine-gun bunker before he was killed.
Sabo's widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown, and his brother, George Sabo, have been invited to the White House for the ceremony. President Barack Obama recently telephoned Sabo-Brown to inform her that her late husband would receive the nation's highest award for valor.
"It was a very emotional day -- a very, very emotional day,” she said. I couldn't even sleep that night. And … when I did fall asleep finally and I woke up the next morning, I went, 'Now wait a minute, did I dream this? Is it really real?' I couldn't be more proud of him.
In her home near New Castle, Pa., Sabo-Brown has set up a museum of sorts in tribute to her late husband and his comrades who were killed in Cambodia.
When his platoon was ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force, Sabo charged the enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. While the platoon was securing a re-supply of ammunition, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded a wounded comrade with his own body -- absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade's life.
Although wounded by the grenade blast, Sabo continued to charge the enemy's bunker. After receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire, he crawled toward the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Sabo's life.
Sabo's unit nominated him for the Medal of Honor, but the paperwork was lost until Tony Mabb, a Vietnam veteran of the 101st Airborne Division and a writer for the Screaming Eagle Association magazine, came across a thick file on Sabo while on a research trip to the National Archives military repository in College Park, Md.
Mabb contacted his congresswoman, who recommended that the Defense Department reconsider a medal of valor for Sabo. Mabb also made contact with Sabo's widow.
"The Leslie I know would give his life to anybody," she said. "He would. He would give you the shirt off his back. That's the kind of man he was."
(From a White House news release, with additional reporting by Elizabeth M. Collins of Soldiers magazine.)
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EDIT today May 17th; to add the latest from Washington

http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=116392

 

Did anyone hear, see or read about this ???


4/15/2012 - SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C (AFNS) --
Members of the 4th Fighter Wing will pay homage to World War II history here April 16 by launching 70 F-15E Strike Eagles in a training mission to destroy more than 1,000 targets on bombing ranges across North Carolina.

During World War II on April 16, 1945, the 4th Fighter Group destroyed 105 enemy aircraft as part of an 8th Air Force mission involving 1,252 bombers and 913 fighters. This mission catapulted the 4th Fighter Group to 1,016 enemy aircraft destroyed, more than any group or wing in U.S. Air Force history.

On the same day, nearly 70 years later, the 4th Fighter Wing will launch 70 aircraft to achieve this same objective, officials said. In 1945, it took thousands of aircraft to destroy 1,016 targets; the 4th Fighter Wing will achieve the same goal in 2012 with only 70 F-15Es. Col. Patrick Doherty, the 4th Fighter Wing commander, will lead the launch.

The 4th Fighter Wing is home to four fighter squadrons, three of which were part of the original Eagle squadrons, American volunteers who flew as part of the Royal Air Force in the early days of the war.

"We proudly carry on the legacy of the 4th Fighter Group's victory today with the F-15E Strike Eagle," Doherty said. "Even though today's fight is different, the dedication of our Airmen has not wavered, and we are still 'Fourth but First.'"

(Courtesy of the 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs)

 

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- The crew of guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) honored Sailors of the Fletcher-class destroyer USS Sigsbee (DD 502), April 16.

The ceremony was held on Chung-Hoon's forecastle to pay respects to the 23 Sailors whose lives were lost when a kamikaze suicide plane struck Sigsbee April 14, 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa.

"Today we are here to honor and commemorate the remarkable crew who served and in some cases died on 14 April 1945 on USS Sigsbee during kamikaze attacks off the coast of Okinawa," said Cmdr. Justin Orlich, commanding officer of Chung-Hoon.

During the ceremony Chung-Hoon's ceremonial guard conducted a 21-gun salute, a U.S. Pacific Fleet bugler played taps and Sailors offered Hawaiian leis off the side of the ship into the water to pay tribute to the perished Sigsbee Sailors.

Logistics Specialist 3rd Class (SW) Krystal Spencer, assigned aboard Chung-Hoon, was one of the Sailors who paid tribute by dropping a Hawaiian lei in the water. She said she was very happy to be part of the ceremony and to continue to honor the Sailors aboard Sigsbee.

"Every year the ceremony gets better and better and this one is the best one yet," said Spencer.

In command of Sigsbee at the time of the attack was then-Cmdr. Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon. The attack knocked the ship's port engine and steering control out of commission and caused the starboard engine to be capable of running at only five knots.

Sigsbee was later towed out of the war zone to Guam where she was sufficiently repaired to be towed back to Pearl Harbor. The ship was decommissioned March 31, 1947 in Charleston, S.C.

Orlich spoke about the strong ties that Chung-Hoon and Sigsbee have.

"The Sailors that served aboard Sigsbee are no different than the Sailors that stand before you today," said Orlich. "The nation at the time, as it is now, was at war, and many joined the Navy with a sense of patriotism and service. Like us Sailors today, they had families and loved ones who were missed when they went to sea. The Pacific Rim during WWII remains today a strategic focal point for world commerce and resources."

USS Chung-Hoon was named in honor of Rear Adm. Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon. Chung-Hoon is a recipient of the Navy Cross and Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism as commanding officer of Sigsbee from May 1944 to October 1945. Chung-Hoon was also a Pearl Harbor survivor, assigned to the battleship USS Arizona during the Dec. 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

"We do ceremonies like this to reemphasize our connections with the past," said Chung-Hoon Executive Officer Cmdr. David Faught. "Sadly most of the greatest generation is slowly and surely fading away. Ceremonies like this today is in keeping with our traditions and heritage of our past to remember what it is that makes the Navy in our country so great."


For more news from Commander, Navy Region Hawaii, visit www.navy.mil/local/cnrh/.

 

Wonder if anyone is lucky enough to be close to Wright-Pat. this week? Post #26 has some info and more available here;
National Museum of the USAF - 2012 Doolittle Raiders Reunion

Doolittle Tokyo Raiders Reunion
The public will have an opportunity to celebrate the Doolittle Tokyo Raiders as the World War II aviation heroes commemorate the 70th anniversary of the raid on Japan during their reunion from April 17-20, 2012, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

 

President designates Fort Ord as national monument

http://www.army.mil/article/78517/President_designates_Fort_Ord_as_national_monument/


WASHINGTON (Army News Service, April 24, 2012) -- President Barack Obama signed a proclamation April 20 designating Fort Ord, Calif., as a national monument under the Department of the Interior.

Nearly 100,000 tourists already visit the sweeping landscape and Monterey Bay sand dunes located on the former Army installation. Fort Ord closed Sept. 30, 1994, under the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Act, or BRAC, of 1990.

An estimated 1.5 million troops had trained there since 1917 when it was a field artillery site for World War I Soldiers stationed at the nearby Presidio of Monterey. Horse cavalry trained on the site during the interwar period and in 1933 it was named Camp Ord in honor of Maj. Gen. Edward Ord, a leader in the Union Army during the Civil War and the Indian Wars.

In 1941, Fort Ord became an Army basic training installation where many World War II Soldiers received their first taste of Army life. During the Korean War and Vietnam Conflict, it served as a leading training center and staging area for troops about to deploy across the Pacific for combat.
In 1973, Fort Ord became the home of the 7th Infantry Division following its return from South Korea after 25 years of service on the demilitarized zone, known as the DMZ.

Fort Ord was the largest U.S. military installation to close under BRAC legislation in the mid 1990s.

"Thousands of veterans carry the memory of its dramatic landscape as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career," Obama stated in the proclamation designating Fort Ord as a national monument.

U.S. national monuments include the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore, Fort Sumter and dozens of other historic landmarks.

Fort Ord was designated a national monument not only for its historic value, but because it is a rare natural area in the increasingly urban environment of Monterey Bay, officials said.

"By bicycle, horse, and foot visitors can explore the Fort Ord area's scenic and natural resources along trails that wind over lush grasslands, between gnarled oaks, and through scrub-lined canyons," the presidential proclamation states. "Within the boundaries of the Fort Ord area, visitors admire the landscape and scenery and are exposed to wildlife and a diverse group of rare and endemic plants and animals."

"This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California's coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century," said Obama.

The area is also notable for its role in the Spanish settlement of California. Six miles of the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail pass through the Fort Ord National Monument. This trail was forged in 1775 as a migration route from Mexico.

Scientists are also drawn to the Fort Ord area, seeking opportunities to better understand once-widespread species and plant communities, and their ongoing restoration, according to the presidential proclamation. It states that the Fort Ord area is rich in biodiversity and has important central coast habitats, "supporting a diverse group of rare and endemic species of plants and animals. It is one of the few remaining places in the world where large expanses of coastal scrub and live oak woodland and savanna habitat, mixed with rare vernal pools, exist in a contiguous, interconnected landscape."

The presidential proclamation protects 14,651 acres of the Fort Ord area for recreation, research and tourism.

Also in the area is Fort Ord Dunes State Park, California State University Monterey Bay, a Veterans Transition Center, a strip mall, a subdivision, some reserve-component training facilities and a nature preserve.

Of the 14,651 acres of federal lands, about half will be managed by the Bureau of Land Management, part of the Department of the Interior. The other 7,446 acres will continue to be managed by the Department of the Army until the cleanup of any ordnance and other items is complete.

Obama designated Fort Ord as a national monument under authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. It was first used that year by President Theodore Roosevelt to designate Devil's Tower in Wyoming as the first national monument. Since then, the act has been used by 14 presidents to protect natural and historic lands such as the Grand Canyon and Ellis Island.

This was the second time Obama has used his authority under the Antiquities Act. He designated Fort Monroe, Va., as a national monument in November.

 

These are the Soldiers who protect the Soldiers.


5/7/2012 - EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) -- Hundreds of people paid homage to fallen explosive ordnance disposal technicians May 5 during the 43rd annual EOD Memorial Ceremony here.

The names of five Soldiers, three Sailors, five Marines and five Airmen were added to the memorial wall in a solemn ceremony attended by family, friends and co-workers of the technicians. All the honorees were killed in action in operations while deployed overseas.

This year's keynote speaker, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, spoke of the professionalism of all EOD technicians and of their important role in contingencies around the world.

"I am proud to bear witness today to the enormous respect that the men and women of our joint and coalition team have for EOD operators," he said. "Testimonials are many and are heartfelt, conveying their gratitude for EOD operators serving so nobly to mitigate the deadly hazard from explosive devices."

Schwartz said the services will continue to rely on EOD operators for the foreseeable future, even as the military's presence in Afghanistan is adjusted.

"Whatever the future demands, we can be comforted that extremely dedicated, exceptionally brave and highly skilled EOD operators will remain prepared to respond wherever and whenever there is a need."

The general also honored the families of the fallen for their courage and self sacrifice.

"Your loved ones' commitment to making the world a safer place inspires us all, and their sacrifice strengthens our lasting commitment to that enduring ideal," Schwartz said.

The ceremony was particularly poignant for the Eglin AFB community as one of its own, Tech Sgt. Daniel Douville, was remembered. Douville was deployed from the 96th Civil Engineer Squadron when he was killed June 27, 2011, while clearing lines of communication in Afghanistan.

Douville is the second Eglin EOD technician to die in the line of duty. Tech Sgt. Anthony Capra was killed April 9, 2010, while conducting post-blast analysis of a roadside bomb crater near Forward Operating Base Paliwoda in Iraq.

Douville's wife LaShana, along with her children and mother-in-law, attended the ceremony. After she accepted a U.S. flag from Schwartz, she took a moment to touch her husband's name on the wall. She said the memorial is a comfort for her family, since they plan to stay in the local area.

"We can always come by and visit," she said, pointing out that her husband taught other technicians at the joint EOD school here.

Master Sgt. John Carroll, an EOD technician here, said the memorial ceremony was the culmination of a weekend of activities for the operators. While the events allowed the EOD community a chance to visit and catch up, Carroll said the solemnity of the ceremony reminded them they are here to honor those who sacrificed the most.

"It's difficult every year since we're such a small community," Carroll said.

The EOD Memorial was originally built by EOD technicians in Indian Head, Md., the location of the first EOD school. The memorial was relocated to the Kauffman EOD Training Complex when the school moved to its present location in the late 1990s. The new memorial incorporates elements of the original in recognition of its history. The names of 287 fallen EOD technicians appear on the memorial.

by Lois Walsh
96th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Fallen honored at EOD memorial ceremony