FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: John J McGinty III ~ 05 October 2020

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

John James McGinty III
Info from here.

           

Captain John James McGinty III (January 21, 1940 – January 17, 2014) was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the United States militaries' highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for heroism during July 1966 in the Vietnam War.

John McGinty was born on January 21, 1940 in Boston, Massachusetts. He completed grammar school in Louisville, Kentucky in 1955, and attended high school in Louisville for a year and a half prior to enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on February 19, 1957.

Upon Discharging from the Marine Corps Reserve, he enlisted in the Marine Corps as active duty on March 3, 1958.

 He completed recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He then went to advanced infantry combat training with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Regiment, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. He was promoted to private first class in September 1957, and was transferred to the 7th Infantry Company, USMCR, Louisville, Kentucky, to serve as a rifleman until March 1958.

Private First Class McGinty completed the Noncommissioned Officers Leadership School, Camp Pendleton, California in May 1958. He was then ordered to Marine Barracks, U.S. Naval Station, Kodiak, Alaska until May 1959. While stationed in Alaska, he was promoted to Corporal in September 1958.

Transferred to the 1st Marine Division in June 1959, he saw duty as a rifleman leader, and later, squad leader with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. Upon his return to the United States, he served as Guard/Company Police Sergeant, H&S Battalion, FMF, Atlantic, at Norfolk, Virginia, until March 1962. From there, he was ordered to Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, and assigned duty as Drill Instructor, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion. He was promoted to Sergeant in August 1962.

From November 1964 until December 1965, Sgt McGinty saw duty as Assistant Brig Warden, Marine Barracks, U.S. Naval Base, Norfolk, Virginia.

Sergeant McGinty was ordered to the West Coast for transfer to the Far East. Joining the 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam in April 1966, he served successively as a platoon sergeant and platoon commander, Company K, 3rd Battalion, as S-2 Officer and Operation Chief, H&S Company, 3rd Battalion, and as Operations Chief, with Headquarters Company, 4th Marines. It was in 1966, during Operation Hastings, that McGinty distinguished himself in the actions for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Upon his return to the United States in May 1967, he reported to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina. He served as a drill instructor until his promotion to second lieutenant on August 8, 1967. The following day, he assumed his assignment as Series Officer, 1st Recruit Battalion, at the Recruit Depot, Parris Island.

On March 12, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to 2ndLt McGinty in a ceremony at the White House in which fellow Marine Robert J. Modrzejewski was also honored.

Captain McGinty retired from the Marine Corps in October 1976.

In the 1980s McGinty felt that there was a conflict between wearing his Medal of Honor (which bears the image of the Roman goddess Minerva) and his new-found Christian faith. Some news agencies reported that McGinty wanted to return his Medal of Honor.

McGinty's USMC M1911 pistol, mentioned in his Medal of Honor citation, was stolen from a display in 1978. In 2011, history buff George Berry purchased the pistol from an auction. Curious about the name engraved on the pistol, Berry contacted McGinty and subsequently returned the pistol to its rightful owner. McGinty sent back another M1911 pistol along with a Medal of Honor challenge coin in gratitude.

McGinty died at his home in Beaufort, South Carolina on January 17, 2014. The cause was bone cancer.

A complete list of his medals and decorations includes: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Acting Platoon Leader, First Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 18 July 1966. Second Lieutenant (then Staff Sergeant) McGinty's platoon, which was providing rear security to protect the withdrawal of the battalion from a position which had been under attack for three days, came under heavy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire from an estimated enemy regiment. With each successive human wave which assaulted his thirty-two-man platoon during the four- hour battle, Second Lieutenant McGinty rallied his men to beat off the enemy. In one bitter assault, two of the squads became separated from the remainder of the platoon. With complete disregard for his safety, Second Lieutenant McGinty charged through intense automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position. Finding twenty men wounded and the medical corpsmen killed, he quickly reloaded ammunition magazines and weapons for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the enemy. Although he was painfully wounded as he moved to care for the disabled men, he continued to shout encouragement to his troops and to direct their fire so effectively that the attacking hordes were beaten off. When the enemy tried to out flank his position, he killed five of them at point-blank range with his pistol. When they again seemed on the verge of overrunning the small force, he skillfully adjusted artillery and air strikes within fifty yards of his position. This destructive fire power routed the enemy, who left an estimated 500 bodies on the battlefield. Second Lieutenant McGinty's personal heroism, indomitable leadership, selfless devotion to duty, and bold fighting spirit inspired his men to resist the repeated attacks by a fanatical enemy, reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

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! 

[onona]

Thank you Kathy ((()))

[left that other site]

Hi everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[Biggirl]

Hi!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, onona...glad you enjoyed reading about a hero. ((HUGS))

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...did you and Blue get out today?

Weather holding? Any hiking for Penny?

A couple of brief patches of sun here today, otherwise overcast.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Thank you much, Kathy.I always look forward to reading about heros.Thanks again.

[left that other site]

Today was a gorgeous day, and I got a weird notion to ride to the inner city to see if an old friend of my husband’s Bike Shop was still in business.

I did not take the highway, but cruised through the Blue Hills and enjoyed the magnificent scenery and the leaves in full color.

All along the way, though, I was concerned as to how I would inform my Husband’s old friend about the manner of his death. I really was concerned about his reaction. You never know with people.

And so I rode and prayed, through beautiful historic woodlands until I reached the main street in Jamaica Plain where the shop used to be located.

Up and down the street I rode, and couldn’t find the shop. It was gone. In its place were the most gentrified, chi-chi Shoppes sporting Rainbow and “BLM “ Flags. I felt like I was on another planet, and couldn’t wait to get out of there.

I altered my route to go by the house in which I grew up, and it looked shabby, crowded, and in need of paint.

Muttering, “I’m glad I don’t live in the City anymore” I roared through the Blue Hills to get home.

I will stick to the South Shore from now on. The City has gotten too bizarre even for ME!

Upon coming home, I read that our prayers for our President have been answered.

God is Good.

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

October 5

Begin with the End

Bible in a Year:

• Isaiah 23–25
• Philippians 1

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” I was often asked that question as a child. And the answers changed like the wind. A doctor. A firefighter. A missionary. A worship leader. A physicist—or actually, MacGyver (a favorite TV character)! Now, as a dad of four kids, I think of how difficult it must be for them to be asked that question. There are times when I want to say, “I know what you’ll be great at!” Parents can sometimes see more in their children than the children can see in themselves.

This resonates with what Paul saw in the Philippian believers—those he loved and prayed for (Philippians 1:3). He could see the end; he knew what they’d be when all was said and done. The Bible gives us a grand vision of the end of the story—resurrection and the renewal of all things (see 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 21). But it also tells us who’s writing the story.

Paul, in the opening lines of a letter he wrote from prison, reminded the Philippian church that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6). Jesus started the work and He’ll complete it. The word completion is particularly important—the story doesn’t just end, for God leaves nothing unfinished.

By:  Glenn Packiam Reflect & Pray

Where are you in your story? How can you trust Jesus to take the “pen” from your hand and to bring your story to completion?

Dear Jesus, You’re in charge of my story. It’s not up to me to make it happen. I surrender my life to You. Help me to trust You.

To learn more about who you are and how you can best serve God, visit ChristianUniversity.org/SF108.

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Hall of Heroes: John J McGinty III ~

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[PROCON]

Thanks for honoring and telling the story of tonight’s Hero, Mr. McGinty!

[SkyDancer]

~ Good Evening ~

~ Just Hanging - No Jump Flying, Too Foggy Here ~

~ Good Evening ~

~ Welcome To My World ~

I’m Down There Somewhere

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hey there, Biggirl...are you ready for the new week?

[ConorMacNessa]

Good evening, Kathy!

***HUGS***



Thanks very much ~ coming aboard! Rendering Hand Salutes to our National Colors and to the Officer of the Deck!

And thanks very much to you for tonight's Hall of Heroes thread! Capt. John J McGinty III, USMC (MOH) is most worthy of entry into our Hall of Heroes!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, HANG THE EXPENSE...glad you enjoy reading about our heroes.

We must never forget their sacrifice.

[luvie]

Captain John James McGinty III
January 21, 1940 – January 17, 2014
United States Marine Corps Officer
Medal of Honor Recipient
— for heroism during July 1966 in the Vietnam War.
What a hero to look up to!

[ConorMacNessa]

PRAYERS ASCENDING ON HIGH FOR OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!

Oorah And Godspeed To Our Troops Who Run To The Sound Of The Guns!



American Troops Charging At St. Mihiel, France, 1918



Soldiers of the 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division
Move Out Over The Seawall On "Utah" Beach, 6 June 1944



Marines Move Out Under Sniper Fire En Route To Seoul
Inchon, Korea, 17 September 1950



Troops Of The 9th Infantry Division, U.S Army,
Advancing Through The Rice Paddies
Vietnam.



U.S. Marines On The Move In Afghanistan
4 October 2009

[Covenantor]

Just watched a great movie on Amazon Prime, “The Last Full Measure”...about the 30 year old fight to secure the MOH for a PJ who jumped into an NVA ambush of Big Red 1 infantry... stayed to treat the wounded after unit medic was badly hit and fought along side troops till he was killed. Saved many lives that day.

Excellent low key acting by a slew name actors...hard to believe this came out of Hollywood. Have Windex standingg by for blurry monitor...

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks for the info, Friend - I'll look for it on Prime.

_