[Coop]

Since the nation's highest military award for valor in combat was created in 1861, it has been awarded to over 3,400 amazing and heroic individuals. Back in 1968, as he was recovering from his wounds, Gunner's Mate Third Class Joe Vitale was informed by his chain of command he was being nominated for the Medal of Honor due to his heroic actions. However, Joe never heard anything after that, so the PBR crewman and special boat operator quietly returned home after being medically discharged from the Navy due to his combat wounds. He lived a normal family life and never advocated on his own behalf for any recognition...

Thirty years later Joe's fellow veterans, dismayed that he had not been properly recognized for his valor, began a campaign to have "Crazy Joe" considered for the Medal of Honor. For another five years bureaucracy moved at glacial speed, with little apparent hope for a successful resolution. Then in 2003 Dr. Aaron Ard tried to again break through the red tape with a poignant letter to the Secretary of the Navy (excerpts posted above)...

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I posted this as news (vice in Blogs) because this petition is supposedly being seriously considered right now within upper levels of the government.

[agere_contra]

And in stark contrast: Kerry got three purple hearts for nothing.

Joe Vitale and the thousands of genuine heroes of Vietnam on one side, vs Kerry, who viciously slandered his own side to get further up the greasy pole of politics. It's proof of the still-considerable power of the MSM that Kerry isn't in prison for treachery.

[Coop]

Ping

[RAY]

Joe Vitale took the fight to the enemy. Aggressive action pays off. If he deserves the medal, he should get it.

[StarCMC]

HEY MOH!! Are you around?? Is this your guy??

[Young Werther]

They're so special!

I attended Squadron Officer's School in the Fall of '68. At our first formal Dining In there was great deal of hub bub around one of the school staff officers. A que formed and as we made our way through this receiving line we could see that pale blue ribbon with the white stars. It's a rare ocassion when you can shake the hand and say "Thank You" to a Medal of Honor recipient!

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.


England's new KING ARTHUR:


America's new Hero for the new Millennium:


911 Lifesaving Hero:


....RICK RESCORLA, r.i.p.


http://www.RickRescorla.com

http://www.Strategyzoneonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24361

[afnamvet]

I hope Joe is finally awarded the MOH. Truly a hero.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Hero Ping

[Army Air Corps]

Damned fine work, sailor. This gunner's mate is a mensch!

[FierceKulak]

BTS

[Calpernia]

On 2 April 1968...[Joe Vitale and Mike Wacasey], armed only with an M-14, M-60 machinegun, fragmentation/white phosphorous grenades and 1000 rounds of ammunition, were inserted by PBR (river patrol boat) near [a] village on the Ham Luong [river]... [the two sailors] were shortly confronted by [a North Vietnamese Army] company (approximately 100 troops) with no PBR or helicopter gunfire support. The men decided their only chance for survival was to take the fight to the enemy, so Joe threw grenades into half a dozen hooches as Mike continued to put down deadly suppressive fire into each building. As they made their way through the village the men were met with a plethora of return fire from the survivors of the NVA Company...