Iowa Marine may be candidate for Medal of Honor (latest on First Sergeant Brad Kasal)

Gazette online dot com ^ | 2-26-05 | AP

[Iowa Granny]

Thanks for posting this Doug.

Iowa proud, here.

[HRoarke]

It is criminal that men like this are not given as much exposure as the anti-American cowards shown on MSM TV everyday.

Fallujah will go down in history alongside the great battles that the Marines have won for our country. MSM said we couldn't do it and that it would be a bloodbath. They were right about one thing, it was a bloodbath, but once again we've learned NEVER to doubt the abilitiy of the USMC.

[bubman]

Anyone have a picture of this Marine?

I want to show my nephiew the definition of honor and bravery.

thxs

[skimask]

All I can say is God bless The United States Marine Corps...Semper Fi

[combat_boots]

See this link:

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2005/02/brad_kasal_a_us.html

[doug from upland]

Here is the original thread with the story, picture, and a song written for Brad. The song has been recorded by our own uncleshag, and I hope it will be heard on the radio.

[skimask]

I have some pictures of my son, a 1st Lt. in the Corps...He was in Fallaujah, no pictures from there were allowed....but I dont know how to post a picture here...can anyone help me?

[doug from upland]

MIDI - FAITHFULLY

From a town...small town in Iowa
Came a hero whom you ought to know
Brad Kasal would protect his men
To the end he was prepared to go

Fallujah had been a living hell as they fought for their lives
Then, oh my God, he saw that grenade
He used his own body to protect his wounded comrade
He wouldn't let him die
Sacred words for you, Brad...Semper Fi

We are blessed to have such fine young men
Men who sacrifice so willingly
They stand up proud...it's their duty, they say
Heroes for all our kids to see

He now lives in constant pain but says there's no regrets
He says that he would do it all again
This is the measure of a real Marine
He wouldn't let him die
Sacred words for you, Brad...Semper Fi

Sacred words for you, sacred words for you, sacred words for you
Sacred words...Semper Fi

Sacred words for you, sacred words for you, sacred words for you
Sacred words...Semper Fi

Sacred words for you, sacred words for you, sacred words for you
Sacred words...Semper Fi

(fade out)

[skimask]

[doug from upland]

To post the picture, it has to be hosted on a site so you can link the URL.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Grasnny: This brave Marine deserves a commendation from the Legislature. God bless him.

[ken5050]

I believe, sadly, that in today's environment, the CMH will only be won posthumously.. There is absolutely no correlation between the events/actions, the decorations. Over the last 12 months I've carefully read the citations and incident reports of four Marines who were awarded the Navy Cross..the threads were posted here, and from what I can determine, the ONLY reason they were NOT recommended for the CMH is that happily they survived.

[in the Arena]

Kasal and another Marine could become the first Marine Corps recipients of the Medal of Honor

Possibly this hero ?

SACRIFICE Troop cradled grenade to save others

[rbg81]

"I shoved it into his chest and just started pulling the trigger. I kept pulling the trigger, about seven or eight times until he finally went down. Then I put two more rounds into his forehead just to make sure he was dead," Kasal said.

He's obviously seen SCREAM.

[Iris7]

Marines are close to my heart.

The "Marines' Marine", Lieutenant General "Chesty" Puller said that "There is nothing finer than a good Marine". The General was a genius at understatement.

Puller is interesting. He left the Virginia Military Institute in 1917 and enlisted in the Corps so as to not miss WWI. He recieved a direct, battlefield commission in Nicaragua, I believe, and his medals include five Navy Crosses, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, two Legions of Merit with "V" device, the Bronze Star with "V" device, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart. All real, not an ounce of Kerry in that man.

Some quotes:

"Paper-work will ruin any military force"

---

When an Army captain asked him for the direction of the line of retreat, Col Puller called his Tank Commander, gave them the Army position, and ordered: "If they start to pull back from that line, even one foot, I want you to open fire on them."

Turning to the captain, he replied "Does that answer your question? We're here to fight." (At Koto-ri in Korea)

---

At the Frozen Chosin Marines were cut off behind enemy lines and the Army had written the entire 1st Marine Division off as being lost because they were surrounded by 22 enemy divisions. The Marines prevailed inflicting the highest casualty ratio on an enemy in history and destroying 7 entire enemy divisions in the process. An enemy division is 16500+ men while a Marine division is 12500 men.

Puller was in charge of those Marines. Quotes from that time:

"All right, they're on our left, they're on our right, they're in front of us, they're behind us...they can't get away this time!" At this point in time the Marines were outnumbered thirty to one.

"They are a damn site better than the U.S. Army, at least we know that they will be there in the morning."
- Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller when a journalist asked him about being surrounded by 22 enemy divisions.

---

Sargent Brad Kasal is nothing more, and nothing less, than a Good Marine. There is nothing finer.

[Maigrey]

Just a reminder for the others reading this thread.

The one marine who perished during this particular attack is also up for the CMH.

His story is here:

Sgt. Rafael Peralta, American Hero

[Maigrey]

OK. So I might be wrong.....

[alfa6]

Thanks for the ping Iris7

Regards

alfa6 ;>}

[The Great RJ]

I hope this young Marine gets the recognition for his heroism that he so richly deserves. However when he is presented his award I sure hope Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin is no where near the event. That pacifist loony would just use the occasion to further his own anti-war causes.