FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes; Maj George E Wahlen ~ 28 September 2020

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

MAJ George E. Wahlen
All info and photos from this website.

           

George E. Wahlen (August 8, 1924 - June 5, 2009) was a retired United States Army Major who previously served with the United States Navy and was awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. In 2004, President George W. Bush signed legislation authorizing the naming of the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City. As federal buildings cannot bear the name of a living person, Congress approved special legislation allowing for an exemption in the case of Wahlen.

At age 17, Wahlen was trained as an aircraft mechanic, and he worked at Hill Field in Utah, leading five other mechanics as crew chief for the United States Army Air Corps. He volunteered for the draft, hoping to work on aircraft, but became a Navy Corpsman. He volunteered for combat duty with the United States Marine Corps, and was attached to Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945. He was awarded the Medal Of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945.

Wahlen spent nine months recovering from his wounds, before being discharged in December 1945. He later re-enlisted in the United States Army, where he served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired with the rank of Major after being awarded a Purple Heart and serving in all four branches of the United States Military. As a civilian he worked for over a decade with the Veteran's Administration, where he retired at the age of 59.

He is the subject of the book The Quiet Hero: The Untold Medal of Honor Story of George E. Wahlen at the Battle for Iwo Jima by Gary W. Toyn.

"If you were to ask my dad today, if he were here, he would say this is not about him. It's about the veterans who served everywhere, specifically those who did not return, that paid the ultimate sacrifice," said son Blake Wahlen.


He passed on at the age of 84.  His burial was 12 June 2009.   On 18 June 2009 there was a large memorial held and attended by veterans of all ages. The main entrance to the George E Wahlen Medical Center as of 22 June 2009 was still draped in black banners to show mourning for such a wonderful yet humble person.

Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy, serving with 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division.

Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands group, March 3, 1945.

Entered service at: Utah. Born: August 8, 1924, Ogden, Utah.

Citation:

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
 

Links of interest

Click here for a YouTube video of MAJ Wahlen talking about his experiences!

Obituary from the LA Times.





Thank you, sir, for your service and sacrifice for our country!

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

 

[The Mayor]

This week will be final work on it. Paint maybe tomorrow.
I’ve been sick all weekend with a damn head cold.
Haven’t worked in 3 days, I need to get back at it tomorrow.
It gets picked up next Wednesday Oct 7

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

Getting things squared away for tomorrow’s work grind?

Were you able to get your mailbox situated so the mailman can leave your mail in it?

[luvie]

Howdy, radu!

It got up to 103 here today. Now..FINALLY..the wind has turned north, has speeded up and the temp is down to 88. Which feels good after the hot afternoon. We have high wind warnings for overnight.

I hope things there were more tame. LOL!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...overcast here all day and looking like rain. Don’t think any is coming, tho.

Do you still have some on the way? How much longer until the cotton is ready?

[radu]

I love this pic of him.
Look at those eyes. I’d hazard a guess he was a character and a lot of fun to hang out with.

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

HOLY COW!! 103???? UGH!!!!
So the front is already moving through, is it? With the temperature drop you said is expected, the wind is gonna howl. Poor kitties, stuck outside in the dust.

It was comfortable here today but we’re supposed to get rain tomorrow when the front gets here. At least it looks like it’ll get here after Clara’s funeral in the morning.
They haven’t said anything about wind so I assume it won’t get as wild here as it’s going to be in your area.

[Kathy in Alaska]

HAPPY 22ND ANNIVERSARY AT FR, larryjohnson!!

Sorry it's a couple days late.

[left that other site]

He was overweight and had asthma, so he wasn’t a well man, but he was hard-working and ten years younger than me.

He has a 13 year old son from a previous marriage who really needs our prayers!

[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.

It sure HAS been gloomy up there today. I see a low spinning off the coast SE of you but it isn’t producing much rain. Just a lot of clouds.

Rain is expected tomorrow afternoon when a cold front comes through. How much we’ll get is anyone’s guess.

The cotton has long way to go yet. It’s a late crop to harvest.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Aggie65...you are so right...he EARNED his Purple Hearts!

[luvie]

It was brutal. I’m so glad it’s getting cooler, The wind is N at 25-35 with gusts to 45. The kitties don’t mind the sand like I do, but the wind ruffles their fur and drives them nuts. They think it’s chasing them. LOL!

I’m glad the weather will be pleasant there for the funeral. May she rest in peace.

[radu]

I’d say “brutal” is an understatement. And it’s just too late in the year for temps like that.
We had temps in the 90s well into October last year and that was bad enough. Then went straight into winter.

It looks like we’ll have some autumn this year.

Yeah, kitties don’t like being touched by something they can’t see. Even worse when they can’t get away from it. LOL

The weather report was just on and it still looks good for tomorrow morning. Still no mention of strong wind expected but we could get a thunderstorm or two.

[Kathy in Alaska]

LOL! Good for you!

Do you have your winter wood supply all ready to go?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, luvie...another real hero!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Pro...he really got the job done, and then some.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, my....he surely was a busy boy. He just kept going and going and going.

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Kathy in Alaska]

And stay warm!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

I cleaned up the mess, and moved the mailbox closer to the curb.

The weekend guy is rarely the weekday guy, so don’t know if he might deliver to the downed box. I will still make an attempt to catch him when/if I can hear him coming. I have several work things that need to go out, so if I miss him I’ll have to drive to the PO, of course too late to go inside. I will call the PO in the morning and see if they will deliver to the box, or the porch til I can get a new one up.

Working now entering correcting timesheets.

[luvie]

I can hear the wind howling and I’m thankful I can’t see the dust. It’s now 73 degrees. So, since 6pm the temp has dropped 30 degrees. Good riddance to summer. LOL!

I hope it tiptoes into your area. Your allergies are already bad enough, without Texas stuff coming your way. LOL!