Category: This great Nation & Its People
Eighty four years ago, The Japs defeated the US Filipino Army at the Bataan Peninsula & were shocked at the number of POW’s captured. They were not prepared for this and they also held that anyone who surrendered were lower than Whale shit.
So they marched these exhausted, starving, sick men 65 miles to some hell holes called “prison camps”. During this hike that the survivors called it. Anyone falling out was bayoneted by the Japs or if the guard just did not like you. Also any rings like West Point, College Rings & other jewelry were stolen by them.
The Japs also would shoot at Civilians who tried to give food or water to the marching prisoners. So it really was a time of Hell on Earth.
What really got me was the fact. That almost none of the surviving guards except for General Homa were punished for this. Thanks to General MacArthur basically giving amnesty to the Japs after we defeated them.
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918 (amended by an act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester, United States Army, for exceptionally valorous achievement during combat operations in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM, on 20 March 2005, in Iraq. Sergeant Hester’s heroic actions in Iraq contributed to the overwhelming success of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq mission.
While serving as the Team Leader for RAVEN 42B in the 617th Military Police Company, 503d Military Police Battalion (Airborne), 18th Military Police Brigade, Sergeant Hester led her soldiers on a counterattack of anti-Iraqi Forces (AIF) who were ambushing a convoy with heavy AK-47 assault rifle fire, PRK machine gun fire, and rocket propelled grenades.
Sergeant Hester maneuvered her team through the kill zone into a flanking position where she assaulted a trench line with grenades and M-203 rounds. She then cleared two trenches with her Squad Leader where she engaged and eliminated 3 AIF with her M-4 rifle.
Her actions saved the lives of numerous convoy members. Sergeant Hester’s bravery is in keeping with the finest traditions of military heroism and reflects distinct credit upon herself, the 503d Military Police Battalion (Airborne), the 18th Military Police Brigade, and the United States Army.
NARRATIVE TO ACCOMPANY AWARD: Sergeant Leigh A. Hester is cited for conspicuous gallantry in action against an armed enemy of the United States while engaged in military operations involving conflict with anti Iraq forces (AIF) as a team leader for Raven 42B, 617th Military Police Company, 503d Military Police Battalion (Airborne) stationed at Camp Liberty, Iraq on 20 March 2005, in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
The team’s mission was to assist Raven 42 in searching the Eastern Convoy Route for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and provide additional security to sustainment convoys traveling through their area of responsibility. While patrolling Alternate Supply Route (ASR) Detroit, Raven 42B was shadowing a sustainment convoy consisting of 30 third country national (TCN) semi-tractor trailers with a three vehicle squad size escort, call sign Stallion 33, traveling from LSA (logistics support area) Anaconda to CSC (convoy support center) Scania.
The weather for this ASR patrol was 75 degrees and sunny with a 10 knot breeze from the southwest. While traveling on ASR Detroit approximately 50 AIF ambushed the convoy with heavy AK47 fire, RPK heavy machine gun fire, and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) from the southwest side of the road at 1140 hours. The AIF were utilizing irrigation ditches and an orchard for the well planned complex attack.
The AIF had cars combat parked along a road perpendicular to the ASR with all doors and trunks open. The AIF intent was to destroy the convoy, to inflict numerous casualties, and to kidnap several TCN drivers or U.S. Soldiers.
The initial ambush disabled and set on fire the lead TCN vehicle, which effectively blocked the southbound lanes of ASR Detroit, stopping the convoy in the kill zone. The squad leader, Staff Sergeant Timothy Nein, directed the squad to move forward, traveling on the right shoulder and passing through the engagement area between the enemy and the convoy.
Sergeant Hester directed her gunner to provide heavy volumes of MK 19 and M240B fires into the field where an overwhelming number of insurgents were executing a well coordinated ambush on the convoy. Raven 42 elements were outnumbered five to one. Staff Sergeant Nein ordered the squad to flank the insurgents on their right side.
The squad continued to come under heavy machine gun fire and rocket propelled grenade fire when Sergeant Hester stopped her vehicle, the middle vehicle, at a flanking position enfilading the trench line and the orchard field where over a dozen insurgents were engaging the squad and convoy.
She then directed her gunner to focus fires in the trench line and the orchard field. Sergeant Hester dismounted and moved to what was thought to be the non-contact side of the vehicle. She ordered her gunner to continue to fire on the orchard field as she and her driver engaged insurgents in the orchard field with small arms.
Sergeant Hester began engaging the insurgents with her M203 in order to suppress the heavy AIF fire. Sergeant Hester followed Staff Sergeant Nein to the right side berm and threw two well placed fragmentation grenades into the trench eliminating the AIF threat. Sergeant Hester and Staff Sergeant Nein went over the berm into the trench and began clearing the trench with their M4s. Sergeant Hester engaged and eliminated three AIF to her front with her M4.
They then made their way to the front trench and cleared that as well. After clearing the front trench cease fire was called and she began securing the ambush site. The final result of the ambush was 27 AIF KIA (killed in action), 6 AIF WIA (wounded in action), and one AIF captured
This is from the California Post – The US rescued a missing F-15E airman deep inside Iran with an incredibly complex and daring mission that involved SEAL Team 6, a CIA ruse, a hastily constructed forward air strip in hostile territory, and patrols of friendly aircraft that gave the Air Force colonel cover.
A life-or-death race between US and Iranian forces to find the “seriously injured” weapons officer outside Isfahan over two days culminated in the crew member’s extraction by America’s most elite commandos and a firefight with local militias that were hunting for him.
The unnamed officer, who was shot down on Good Friday in southwestern Iran, hid out in the Zagros Mountains and managed to climb a 7,000-foot ridge to evade capture for 36 hours with just a handgun for defense while American MQ-9 Reaper drones pounded nearby Iranian forces with missiles if they got close to his position.
A US Air Force landing strip was set up close to the city, which houses many of Iran’s missile and army bases, nuclear facilities, and the last of its fleet of F-14 fighter jets.
Two of the aircraft — believed to be MC-130J Commando IIs, specialized, high-tech transport planes — became stuck at the forward airfield in Iran, and three more aircraft were dispatched to pick up the US forces left stranded there, according to the Times.
The two MC-130Js — each worth around $100 million — were demolished in place so as not to fall into enemy hands.
A construction worker making preparations for the removal of the original Statue of Liberty torch in 1985. The old torch went on a tour of the US before it was moved to the Statue of Liberty Museum.
In 1985, a significant event occurred involving one of America’s most iconic symbols: the Statue of Liberty. The original torch, which had stood atop Lady Liberty since the statue’s dedication in 1886, was removed for restoration. Over the years, the copper and glass torch had become worn and damaged due to exposure to the elements, so it was carefully replaced with a replica to ensure the statue’s preservation for future generations. This monumental task was part of a larger restoration project in preparation for the Statue of Liberty’s centennial celebration in 1986.
After the torch was removed, it embarked on a nationwide tour, allowing Americans from coast to coast to see this historic artifact up close. The tour was not only a symbol of national pride but also a reminder of the enduring importance of the Statue of Liberty as a beacon of freedom and democracy. The original torch was eventually relocated to the newly established Statue of Liberty Museum on Liberty Island in 2019, where it continues to serve as a symbol of the nation’s ideals. Its journey from its removal in 1985 to its permanent display highlights the significance of preserving history while making it accessible to the public.
Charles Bronson was a hard man from a hard generation.Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
My wife’s grandfather was one of my favorite people. A legit war hero, in the 1930’s Eddie Robinson was a self-described hobo. He rode the rails in the aftermath of the Great Depression looking for work. When he enlisted in the US Army in 1940 it was not for any great patriotic ideal, though he was most definitely a patriot. Eddie Robinson first donned a uniform because it was a reliable source of food.
We modern-day Americans really cannot comprehend what that must have been like. When I was in medical training I worked in the health department in Jackson, Mississippi. My patients were some of the poorest Americans in the country. They were all fat and carried cell phones. We have so much for which to be thankful.
Table of contents
Back in the 1930’s hunger was a real thing. In a land without jobs, those who could find work did fairly well. Those who could not simply withered. Such a ghastly crucible ultimately produced the finest Americans our great nation has ever seen.
The Man: Charles Bronson
Charles Dennis Buchinsky was born in Ehrenfeld, Pennsylvania, in 1921. He was the eleventh of fifteen children born to Walter and Mary Buchinsky. Mary and Walter were first-generation immigrants from Lithuania. Young Charles did not speak English around his home as a child.
Charles Buchinsky spent his youth working underground in the Pennsylvania coal mines.The Buchinsky men were coal miners and cut from hearty stock. Charles later said that he never knew his father terribly well. The man was forever working in the Pennsylvania coal mines trying to scrape out a living for his extensive family. He said whenever his mother announced that his father was home from the mines all of the children would run and hide.
In 1933, Charles’ father died. Though I could not find a cause of death, some toxic combination of black lung and exhaustion are the most likely culprits. At this time, America was teetering on the brink of collapse. With starvation as the alternative, the twelve-year-old Charles Buchinsky duly reported to the mine office and inquired about employment.
Bronson Came From Different Times
There were not quite so many laws and lawyers back then, and anyone old enough to carry a shovel was a potential miner. The wiry little kid and his brother began working in the office but soon headed underground with the rest of the diggers. He was paid $1 for every ton of coal he cut from the mountain.
I have never been in a coal mine myself, but apparently that’s a lot of coal. Buchinsky had to work double shifts to bring in $1 per week. Because of their small size, Buchinsky and his brother specialized in removing the “stumps” between the mines. As an adult he reported that cave-ins were common occurrences.
Even with all the kids who were able out working, there still was not enough money to feed the entire family. Mary lacked the cash for milk for Charles’ baby sister and had to feed her warm tea instead. The kids frequently missed meals, and Charles occasionally wore his sister’s dress to school because they could not spare the money for clothing. Despite all the many manifest hardships, Charles Buchinsky still graduated from high school. He was the first member of his extended family to do so.
The Coal Miner Goes to War
By 1943, the entire world was at war. Nation rose against nation, and the planet was mobilized for combat in a way not seen before or since. With young Americans flocking to serve their country, Charles Buchinsky fell in with the crowd. He later reported that this was the first time in his life he regularly ate three meals a day.
Despite being a native-born American, Charles’ English was not great. When he entered the service, the young man was fluent in Russian, Lithuanian, and Greek. His pronounced accent caused his fellow servicemen to falsely assume he was a foreigner.
Buchinsky enlisted in the US Army Air Corps and was selected to crew the most advanced weapon system of the war. After a stint with the 760th Flexible Gunnery Training Squadron, he was assigned to the 61st Bombardment Squadron as part of the 39th Bombardment Group deployed to the newly-liberated island of Guam. By early 1945, Charles Buchinsky was a gunner in a massive B-29 Superfortress raining pain down on the Japanese home islands.
The Machine
The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the B-2 stealth bomber of its day. The developmental project that led to the plane’s deployment was the single most expensive military undertaking of the war, even beating out the Manhattan Project that brought us the atomic bomb. The overall cost was $3 billion back in the 1940’s. Each gleaming new copy to roll off the Boeing assembly lines set Uncle Sam back more than $900,000. That would be about $15 million today. We ultimately produced 3,970 of the advanced airplanes.
Many of the capabilities we take for granted in modern aviation were pioneered in the sleek silver B-29. For starters, the aircraft was pressurized. For a machine with a service ceiling of 31,850 feet, this was a really big deal.
Flyer Strengths
The primary strengths of the Superfort were its speed and ceiling. The airplane flew so high that Japanese interceptors had great difficulty even reaching them. However, five miles above the earth is a terribly unforgiving place to fight.
In the unpressurized B-17 and B-24 bombers, aircrews had to bundle up against the extreme cold and wear individual supplemental oxygen to keep from suffocating. The waist gunners on some models were actually exposed to the frigid slipstream. This necessary bulky gear made performing their flight duties difficult and dangerous. By contrast, the cabin of the B-29 could be maintained comfortably enough for the crew to operate in shirtsleeves.
Advanced Technology for the Day
One of the more advanced aspects of the B-29’s design was its array of remote-controlled defensive turrets. Early models carried four AN/M2 .50-caliber machineguns in an unmanned forward dorsal turret along with a further two guns apiece in three other automated weapon stations. The tail gunner controlled a pair of .50-caliber AN/M2’s along with a 20mm cannon. This gave a total of twelve heavy machineguns. The cannon was deleted on some later models.
These guns were slaved to a series of remote sights all governed by an early analog fire control computer. Gunners operating out of blisters on the sides of the plane controlled the massed fire from the remotely-operated turret systems. In practice, this complex system honestly didn’t work terribly well, but it paved the way for truly great things to come.
The B-29 had a maximum combat overload takeoff weight of 135,000 pounds and could carry up to 22,000 pounds’ worth of bombs at low altitudes over short distances. Hundreds of the big machines deployed on massed raids burned the heart out of the Japanese homeland. Low-altitude nighttime firebombing missions obliterated entire cities at a stroke.
Bronson Goes Combat and Beyond
Charles Buchinsky flew 25 missions as a nose gunner on a B-29 over Japan. He was eventually injured in the arms by flak and earned the Purple Heart. He left the service in 1946 as a Sergeant.
Now finally well-fed and a combat veteran, the 5’11” Charles Buchinsky found a job as a set dresser with a theater company in Philadelphia. This led to a few minor stage roles. For a time he actually shared an apartment with Jack Klugman, himself an aspiring actor at the time.
Once his career took off, Buchinsky’s chiseled looks and weird accent made him the Arnold Schwarzenegger of his day. In 1954, Buchinsky changed his name to Charles Bronson on the advice of his agent. The House Un-American Activities Committee hearings were in full swing, and they were both concerned that such a characteristically Eastern European name might taint his career.
Success On and Off Screen
After the expected bevy of small roles on both TV and the big screen, in 1958 Bronson landed the lead in Roger Corman’s biopic Machine-Gun Kelly.
In 1960, he earned a supporting role in The Magnificent Seven. This epic Western was an inexplicable flop in the US but set box office records in Europe. It has gone on to be recognized as a classic of the genre.
The Magnificent Seven laid a foundation for Bronson to land a major part in the 1963 John Sturges’ epic The Great Escape. Playing alongside such greats as Steve McQueen, James Garner, and Richard Attenborough, the starving tough kid from the Pennsylvania coal mines showed the world he had what it took to run with the big dogs.
Denouement
Charles Bronson’s career exploded after that. His starring contribution to The Dirty Dozen helped make it an all-time classic war film. For a time, Bronson, who did not reliably eat three meals a day until he entered the service, was the highest-paid actor in Hollywood. He commanded more than a million dollars per movie for genre-spawning classics like Death Wish.
Charles Bronson Had a Chaotic Career
Death Wish was Bronson’s career-defining project, and he didn’t make the movie until he was 52. Death Wish ultimately spawned three sequels as well as a decent Bruce Willis remake along with countless knockoff variations on the theme.
Roles that he narrowly missed included the lead in The Shootist, Snake Plissken in Escape From New York, and the iconic Superman that ultimately went to Christopher Reeve. Late in his career, Bronson turned down the role of Curly Washburn in City Slickers that ultimately went to Jack Palance.
Like most rich, famous people, Bronson’s personal life was chaos. He was married three times, fathered four children, and eventually succumbed to metastatic lung cancer at age 81 in 2003. Tough, exotic, popular, and hard, Charles Bronson rose from the most humble of beginnings to become the archetypal Hollywood manly man.
