My hero

[frogcycle]

My dad was a career Marine officer. When the Korean War broke out, he was in the First Marine Division. He made the famous landing at Inchon. They fought their way north toward the Chosin Reservoir, where they ended up getting cut off and had to hunker down for the winter essentially behind enemy lines.

Dad was an anti-aircraft officer; in the rush to get to Korea, he ended up commanding a "service battalion" which consisted of all African American marines who were cooks, truck drivers, etc. The services had been integrated, but not really. The situation then was that they were presumed to be incapable of becoming "real" marines, so they weren't given training; they were just shunted into the "service" battalion. I don't think Dad bought into the idea that they could not be trained, but he knew they had not been. His second-in-command was white; other than the two of them, the unit was all black.

During that winter an incident occurred wherein another unit was separated from the main body, and called for reinforcements. Everyone was busy fighting - the situation was pretty grim. So the general told Dad to get his bunch of "night fighters" as they were mockingly called, get some weapons, and send them to go rescue the others. These kids were cooks and truck drivers, did not have weapons, had not been trained in combat. They were, for 1950, what Jessica Lynch was in 2002.

Dad said no.

He said you'll just get them all killed, and still not solve the problem.

He told me some 45 years later that it was bad planning by top brass that had them trapped there, bad planning not to train people who could have been good marines, and would have been criminal to send them to the slaughter. I gather it was somewhat of a showdown, and he prevailed. They did not go, and the other unit managed to fight its way out on its own.

He, of course, was given a negative fitness report, and that pretty much destroyed his military career.

This is why I keep hoping for someone high ranking in todays military to just say NO! I want a modern hero. Any damn fool can "soldier on;" it takes a hero to stand up for what is right.

[Monkeyman]

1. Ten Hut

[babylonsister]

2. He's my hero, too. Thank you!

:hug:

[MadMaddie]

3. My Kind of Marine Officer

[northofdenali]

4. Beautifully said.

My dad was my hero, as well - WWII in the Pacific, then Korea as a pilot. He was shot down, managed to crawl from behind enemy lines to safety, and brought his severely wounded gunner with him. Silver Star.

He hated Republicans. He, had he lived, would have campaigned his heart out to defeat the pResident. Instead, my mom redoubles her efforts with every election (at 92).

Wonderful tribute to your dad, and I fully agree - it takes a hero to say NO.

[Demeter]

5. If It's Any Consolation, I Think A Lot of The Brass Are Saying NO

and it's really beginning to tick off the CinC. The first one to say it publicly will probably be a shoo-in for the next election, although that may be exactly why they won't go public. There are some jobs nobody in his right mind wants. Being the one in charge of sweeping up after the incontinent elephants is not everyone's cup of tea.

[frogcycle]

8. well, reports are that

several turned down his job offer to get to work in the Big House.

And the early release of the extension is reported to be some bit of insurrection. But it is going to take someone with four stars to stand up and say he cannot comply with an order to really put the shit into the fan. And I wish I were rich enough to make his retirement VERY comfortable. As it is he'd probably do fine on the book deal.

[tblue]

6. Wish we could clone him. He's my hero now, too!

[JVS]

7. Wow. I'm impressed.

[ClayZ]

9. K and R for your Dad and Lt. Ehren Watada!

If you have not heard it, Lt. Ehren Watada's speech on Citizen Responsibility Feb 3rd 2007, is amazing!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x15717

I wish more military people would speak up!