Posted on 11/02/2018 7:14:37 AM PDT by fugazi
Today's post is in honor of Sgt. 1st Class Johnny C. Walls, who died of wounds sustained from small-arms fire in Uruzgan, Afghanistan on this date in 2007. Walls, 41, of Bremerton, Wash., was assigned to 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division and had previously deployed to Iraq in 2003.
1783: Gen. George Washington delivers his “Farewell Address to the Army” near Princeton, N.J., in which he refers to the Continental Army as “one patriotic band of brothers."
1861: Pres. Abraham Lincoln removes Union Gen. John C. Fremont as commander of the Western Department, following Fremont's unilateral decision to declare martial law in the border state of Missouri and thus freeing all slaves.
1943: One day after the 3rd Marine Division lands at Bougainville, the cruisers and destroyers of Admiral Aaron S. "Tip" Merrill's Task Force 39 defeat Japanese naval forces attempting to attack the landing force in the Battle of Empress Bay. Two Japanese ships are sent to the bottom, with numerous enemy warships receiving heavy damage.
(Featured image) Meanwhile, in the skies over the nearby Japanese fortress of Rabaul, Maj. Raymond H. Wilkins, Commander of the Army Air Corps' 8th Bombing Squadron, led an attack against Japanese-held Rabaul. His bombs destroyed an enemy transport and destroyer, and although his plane was badly damaged and his bombs expended, Wilkins strafed a Japanese cruiser, sacrificing himself by drawing their fire so his fellow pilots could escape the deadly air defenses. The raid sinks 30 of the 38 Japanese vessels anchored at Rabaul, and Wilkins will posthumously be awarded the Medal of Honor.
1944: Nearly 1,000 8th Air Force bombers conduct a massive strike against synthetic fuel facilities in Merseburg, Germany. The Americans shoot down 183 enemy fighters - including four jets - at the cost of
(Excerpt) Read more at victoryinstitute.net ...
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Who is the service member referred to in the title???
Admin, please reword the title of this thread: replace "earns" with "awarded".
Good catch...I missed that...
“Who is the service member referred to in the title???”
1950: During a fanatical nighttime assault by enemy forces near Sudong, North Korea, Staff Sgt. Archie Van Winkle leads his outnumbered Marines through heavy fire and enables them to gain the upper hand. Despite a bullet rendering his arm useless and further wounds from an enemy grenade, Van Winkle rushes through hostile fire to rally his men, refusing evacuation and providing leadership until Van Winkle loses consciousness. The combat veteran of World War II will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Sudong, and will be decorated for valor 18 years later during the Battle of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War.
Thank you...I missed that when I looked at the story...
You’re welcome. I miss things myself.
That guy must have been one tough nut.
WW2, Korea and Vietnam.
When men knew how to be men and women knew how to be ladies.
Thank you!!
Thanks...oldvirginian pointed it out to me earlier, but thank you...
Attended an Arlington Cemetery burial recently, happened to be in a section full of 1968-70 gravestones, many of which noted service in WWII, Korea and, sadly per date of death, Vietnam.
These are the greatest heroes in my book.
You’re welcome, and thank you for realizing I was not trying to be snarky, but seriously helpful.
/gets me in trouble all the time - it’s why I’m getting divorced.
I knew you weren’t being “snarky”...I actually miss quite bit in my old age...LOL
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