63 Years Later, Medal-Winner Tells His Story

The Greeneville Sun ^ | 11/03/07 | Bill Jones

[StarCMC]

Probably the truth. Thank God those guys went, even when they didn’t think they’d come home. We are so spoiled today.

[SandRat]

Well,... some of us anyway....

[Radix]

I’ll be sending you an E-mail regarding this subject soon.

Thanks for the ping.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Thanks. I see the “knee mortar” legend lives on.

They don't actually fire those off their knees, do they?

[freema]

[johnny7]

He noted that the Japanese soldiers were experts with a small, hand-held mortar that they braced against their knees to lob high-explosive shells in a high arc onto American troops.

Manchester writes of them in 'Goodbye Darkness', his memories of WW2 in the Pacific. At first, our troops thought they were “ball-mortars” when they saw the Japs employ them... mainly due to the fanaticism of the enemy.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Tainan]

Bump for the Proud Ol Sarg.

[Guenevere]

to read later

[hershey]

Great story, wonderful hero! Thanks! (Makes me all the angrier that Kerry weasled his medals and got away with it.) Well, not quite...God was watching and someday Kerry will have some explaining to do.

[snippy_about_it]

Great story. God Bless him!

[Girlene]

Thanks for sharing more of Delbert Fellers' story. Yes, I remember the tribute you wrote about him for Memorial Day. It was beautiful. Here's the link in case anybody would like to reread girlangler's post Vanity, My Memorial Day Tribute to a Veteran.

I appreciate what Delbert did, along with so many others, to promote liberty and freedom around the world.

[Living Free in NH]

...poses with the medals he won for his World War II military service

Won??? It's not a contest. They were EARNED.

[bigheadfred]

Outstanding story.

Bought the book Lone Survivor last night.

How anyone could support a blackheart (no pun intended) like Obama defies my comprehension.

[VOA]

bump

[real saxophonist]

Bump

[ozzymandus]

Nope. They are a small mortar which fired hand grenades with a small propellant charge attached to the bottom. They have a curved baseplate which is meant to be placed on the ground, but looks like it would fit against the curve of the thigh of a kneenimg man. Many US soldiers assumed this was the correct firing position, supposedly resulting in many broken legs when they tried captured mortars. I’ve seen one in a museum, and they are pretty simple.

[Gritty]

*Salute!*

[fella]

Our Hero/Vets of WW II are passing from the scene. We need to hear their stories so that we can pay proper respects to them for what they and their comrades, who didn’t make it to today, have given us. Even those who did not face combat have stories that must be heard, after all had they not done their jobs the combat veterans would not have been able to do what they did.