Re: America's finest

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/04/mar...red/index.html

"George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote

> http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/04/mar...red/index.html


We should run this by John Francis just to make sure.


--
An American friend of mine - living in Canada - says that in the US, greed
is acceptable but envy is a sin. In Canada it is just the opposite. I would
suggest that envy is our national sport. And no one inspires more envy in us
than our southern neighbor. It is a shame, because any legitimate gripes we
may have about America get lost in a sea of childish wolf-crying.

"Douglas W. "Popeye" Frederick" <Buzcutt454@aol.com> wrote in message
news:117j7tdgoqaul50@news.supernews.com...
>
> "George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote
>
> > http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/04/mar...red/index.html
>
>
> We should run this by John Francis just to make sure.



From the LA times:

Marine Decorated for Turning Tide of Firefight

By Tony Perry, Times Staff Writer

CAMP PENDLETON - Outnumbered, pinned down and under attack from three
directions, the Marines of Echo Company were in danger of being overrun by
Iraqi insurgents hurling grenades and firing rockets and AK-47s.

Lance Cpl. Thomas Adametz, 21, a native of the Philippines, was determined
that the Marines would not be defeated in the April 26, 2004, battle.

Without having to be ordered, Adametz dashed in front of the bullet-riddled
building where the Marines were under heavy fire, grabbed a machine gun and
began firing at the charging enemy.

"I looked out there and saw this crazy maniac firing away so all the Marines
could come back alive," said Lance Cpl. Carlos Gomez-Perez, who was severely
wounded in the attack.

On Wednesday, in a ceremony in which he was praised by a general as a "great
warrior," Adametz was awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest
award for combat bravery.

Dozens of Marines from the 1,200-man 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st Marine
Division have received commendations for their service during the monthlong
assault on the insurgent stronghold of Fallouja in April 2004.

But only Adametz got the Silver Star. Prior to the assault, few might have
described him as a candidate for extraordinary bravery under fire.

"He's a very quiet kid; no he-man, not a testosterone type," said Sgt. Major
William Skiles. "He was just a Marine who stepped up when it counted."

The barrel of the 16-pound machine gun became red-hot, burning Adametz's
hands, leaving his fingerprints etched into the metal. He kept firing.

Finally, the insurgents retreated. It was one of the last times insurgents
in Fallouja attempted a headlong assault on a Marine position, officials
said.

Adametz was not trained as a machine-gun specialist. But as insurgents
rushed to within 25 yards of the Marines' position, he realized his M-16 did
not have enough firepower.

One Marine was already dead and eight were wounded, some seriously.

"Everyone was scared," Lance Cpl. John Flores said. "But we were told to
hold the ground, and we were going to do it."

With covering fire provided by Adametz, the Marines regrouped. An air strike
demolished the insurgents' hiding place.

"His aggressive actions and devastating fire were critical in repelling the
enemy's attack," says the citation accompanying his Silver Star.

At Wednesday's ceremony, Adametz seemed slightly embarrassed at being called
a hero.

"All I wanted to do was protect my brother Marines," he told reporters who
crowded around him.

Adametz will leave this summer for a third tour in the Persian Gulf region.

"Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:q1qee.4$137.1306@news.uswest.net...
>
> "Douglas W. "Popeye" Frederick" <Buzcutt454@aol.com> wrote in message
> news:117j7tdgoqaul50@news.supernews.com...
> >
> > "George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote
> >
> > > http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/04/mar...red/index.html
> >
> >
> > We should run this by John Francis just to make sure.
>
>
>
> From the LA times:
>
> Marine Decorated for Turning Tide of Firefight
>
> By Tony Perry, Times Staff Writer
>
> CAMP PENDLETON - Outnumbered, pinned down and under attack from three
> directions, the Marines of Echo Company were in danger of being overrun by
> Iraqi insurgents hurling grenades and firing rockets and AK-47s.
>
> Lance Cpl. Thomas Adametz, 21, a native of the Philippines, was determined
> that the Marines would not be defeated in the April 26, 2004, battle.
>
> Without having to be ordered, Adametz dashed in front of the
bullet-riddled
> building where the Marines were under heavy fire, grabbed a machine gun
and
> began firing at the charging enemy.
>
> "I looked out there and saw this crazy maniac firing away so all the
Marines
> could come back alive," said Lance Cpl. Carlos Gomez-Perez, who was
severely
> wounded in the attack.
>
> On Wednesday, in a ceremony in which he was praised by a general as a
"great
> warrior," Adametz was awarded the Silver Star, the nation's third-highest
> award for combat bravery.
>
> Dozens of Marines from the 1,200-man 2nd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 1st
Marine
> Division have received commendations for their service during the
monthlong
> assault on the insurgent stronghold of Fallouja in April 2004.
>
> But only Adametz got the Silver Star. Prior to the assault, few might have
> described him as a candidate for extraordinary bravery under fire.
>
> "He's a very quiet kid; no he-man, not a testosterone type," said Sgt.
Major
> William Skiles. "He was just a Marine who stepped up when it counted."
>
> The barrel of the 16-pound machine gun became red-hot, burning Adametz's
> hands, leaving his fingerprints etched into the metal. He kept firing.
>
> Finally, the insurgents retreated. It was one of the last times insurgents
> in Fallouja attempted a headlong assault on a Marine position, officials
> said.
>
> Adametz was not trained as a machine-gun specialist. But as insurgents
> rushed to within 25 yards of the Marines' position, he realized his M-16
did
> not have enough firepower.
>
> One Marine was already dead and eight were wounded, some seriously.
>
> "Everyone was scared," Lance Cpl. John Flores said. "But we were told to
> hold the ground, and we were going to do it."
>
> With covering fire provided by Adametz, the Marines regrouped. An air
strike
> demolished the insurgents' hiding place.
>
> "His aggressive actions and devastating fire were critical in repelling
the
> enemy's attack," says the citation accompanying his Silver Star.
>
> At Wednesday's ceremony, Adametz seemed slightly embarrassed at being
called
> a hero.
>
> "All I wanted to do was protect my brother Marines," he told reporters who
> crowded around him.
>
> Adametz will leave this summer for a third tour in the Persian Gulf
region.


Probably not tough enough for Canadian hockey, though.

"Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:q1qee.4$137.1306@news.uswest.net...

> But only Adametz got the Silver Star. Prior to the assault, few might have
> described him as a candidate for extraordinary bravery under fire.

A Silver Star sure is impressive.

Thus spake "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> :

>"Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:q1qee.4$137.1306@news.uswest.net...
>
>> But only Adametz got the Silver Star. Prior to the assault, few might have
>> described him as a candidate for extraordinary bravery under fire.
>
>A Silver Star sure is impressive.
>

For many soldiers (as least for the soldier), that's better than a
MoH. "after sustaining mortal wounds ...".

--
dillon

Women should be obscene and not absurd.

"Greg Mossman" wrote in message
news:427a52f7$0$21992$6c56adcd@news.qnet.com...
> A Silver Star sure is impressive.

Yeah, when you actually *earn* it...

Not like those officers who put each other up for medals in the military
version of the "good ole boy network"...

Grumman-581 wrote:
> "Greg Mossman" wrote in message
> news:427a52f7$0$21992$6c56adcd@news.qnet.com...
> > A Silver Star sure is impressive.
>
> Yeah, when you actually *earn* it...
>
> Not like those officers who put each other up for medals in the
military
> version of the "good ole boy network"...

EVERY aspect of the world IS a "good ole boy network" of some kind.

If you haven't learned that truism yet, it's about time! :)

-- Bob.