![U.S. Marines in action at the Battle Belleau Wood in June 1918. - painting by Tom Lovell. [[MORE]] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belleau_Wood](http://78.media.tumblr.com/9f41bc35383cc85b750187c527ef7bbd/tumblr_okc6d44ZmB1s7e5k5o1_500.jpg)
Navajo Code Talker Roy Hawthorne, who used his native language as an uncrackable code during World War II, died Saturday.At 92, he was one of the last surviving Code Talkers.Hawthorne was 17 when he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and became part of a famed group of Native Americans who encoded hundreds of messages in the Navajo language to keep them safe from the Japanese. Hawthorne served in the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific Theatre and was promoted to corporal.
Semper fi, Corporal.
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“SEMPER FI” AND GOOD-BYE – WE BID FAREWELL © 2018 MilitaryCorruption.com By DAVID SMALLWOOD
A real-life drill instructor and Vietnam veteran, this son of Kansas and lover of the Constitution (especially the 2nd Amendment) embodied every aspect of “The few, the proud, the Marines.” Who could ever forget his outstanding performance as the profane drill instructor in Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, FULL METAL JACKET? Medically retired from the Corps and living in the Philippines, Ermey’s first motion picture role was in 1979 as a helicopter pilot in Francis Ford Coppola’s Vietnam war epic APOCALYPSE NOW. Soon, the real-life San Diego Recruit Depot D. I. had a featured role in THE BOYS OF COMPANY C. That led to many other movie credits and television roles, eventually the hit show MAIL CALL on the History Channel. Ermey was the ultimate “authority figure,” but he had a wry sense of humor too, that gave another dimension to the hard-nosed characters he portrayed on camera. HIS “POLITICS” WERE PRO-AMERICAN A board member of the National Rifle Association, the “Gunny” was an unabashed conservative, supporting Donald Trump for President in 2016. To him the words “Semper Fidelis” – the motto of the Marine Corps – were sacred. He loved his country and he will forever be remembered for all the good he did. Ermey quietly worked behind the scenes to aid veterans who came to him for help. The “Gunny” was a good friend of ours, and we mourn his passing. It’s not hard to imagine Ermey counting cadence up above on April 15 as he reunited with Marine buddies he hadn’t seen since they died in combat all those many years ago in Vietnam. Our editor emeritus, “Major Mac,” an Army combat correspondent and NCO who did three tours back-to-back there from 1966 to 1969 says “Tell the Gunny I’ll be along one of these days to shake his hand and render a heartfelt salute.” |
Capt. Thomas Hudner (USN Ret.) salutes at the United States Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C. / 3rd Class Mikelle D. Smith (USN)
BY:
Medal of Honor awardee Capt. Thomas J. Hudner, Jr., was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on Wednesday.
Hudner, a Navy pilot, was awarded the nation’s highest military honor for his actions on Dec. 4, 1950, the U.S. Navy said in a statement.
Hudner received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty” during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War. During a mission, one of his fellow pilots, the Navy’s first African American naval aviator to fly in combat, Ensign Jesse L. Brown, was hit by anti-aircraft fire damaging a fuel line and causing him to crash. After it became clear Brown was seriously injured and unable to free himself, Hudner proceeded to purposefully crash his own aircraft to join Brown and provide aid. Hudner injured his own back during his crash landing, but stayed with Brown until a rescue helicopter arrived. Hudner and the rescue pilot worked in the sub-zero, snow-laden area in an unsuccessful attempt to free Brown from the smoking wreckage. Although the effort to save Brown was not successful, Hudner was recognized for the heroic attempt.
President Harry S. Truman awarded Hudner the Medal of Honor on April 13, 1951, with Brown’s widow, Daisy, present. Hudner and Daisy remained friends for the 50 years following.
If there ever was a man who personified the image of what a Marine should be, it was Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey.
