Today in Medal of Honor history: Bernard F. Fisher
44 years ago, the US was evacuating personnel from a special operations base in the Battle of A Shau. Major Bernard F. Fisher and other pilots from the 1st Air Commando Squadronwas . When Maj. Dafford “Jump” Myers’ A1-E Skyraider was hit and crash-landed, Fisher landed his plane and rescued Myers before the 2,000-strong enemy force could capture or kill him. The Skyraider flown by Fisher was restored and is on display at the Air Force Museum, which I highly recommend everyone take a few days to visit. Fisher’s actions made him the Air Force’s first Medal of Honor recipient (the Air Force was formed in 1947). His citation can be viewed here.
Interestingly enough, a similar event took place during World War II: when flying over Romania, flak damaged Capt. Richard “Dick” Willsie’s P-38 Lighting and forced the pilot to crash land. But before enemy soldiers could capture the pilot, Flight Officer Dick Andrews landed his Lightning and rescued Willsie. Remarkably, both Willsie and Andrews were involved in the A Shau rescue.
In: Military History · Tagged with: Bernard F. Fisher, Medal of Honor, Vietnam War
This Week in American Military History
From W. Thomas Smith, Jr.’s series at Human Events:
Mar. 8, 1965: The lead elements of 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines begin coming ashore at Da Nang, South Vietnam. Within hours, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines will arrive aboard transport aircraft at the nearby airbase. The Marines of 3/9 and 1/3 – both part of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade – are the first of America’s ground-combat forces destined for offensive operations against the enemy in Southeast Asia, once again putting teeth in the Marine Corps’ claim that it is “first to fight.”
Mar. 9, 1847: Thousands of American soldiers and a company-sized force of Marines (though referred to as a battalion) under the overall command of U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott and “Home Squadron” Commodore David E. Conner begin landing at Collado Beach, Mexico, just south of Vera Cruz.
In what will prove to be “a model” for future amphibious operations, the landings are unprecedented: The largest American amphibious operation to date, conducted in less than five hours without a single loss of life.
A portion of Conner’s dispatch to the Secretary of the Navy reads:
“Gen. Scott has now with him upwards of 11,000 men. At his request, I permitted the Marines of the squadron, under Capt. [Alvin] Edson, to join him, as a part of the 3rd Regiment of artillery. The general-in-chief landed this morning, and the army put itself in motion at an early hour, to form its lines around the city. There has been some distant firing of shot and shells from the town and castle upon the troops as they advanced, but without result.”
Though the landings are bloodless, grim fighting will continue in the Mexican-American War.
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In: Military History · Tagged with: American Revolution, Civil War, Flying Tigers, Mexican-American War, US Marine Corps, US Navy, Vietnam War, W. Thomas Smith Jr.
Two future presidents
Former enlisted Air Guardsman George W. Bush (left) has his second lieutenant bars pinned on by his father, George H.W. Bush during a September 1968 commissioning ceremony. Photo courtesy of Texas Air National Guard
In: Images · Tagged with: George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush
If you think health care is expensive now…
“If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it’s free!”
- P.J. O’Rourke
In: Quotes · Tagged with: healthcare, Obamacare
Today in Medal of Honor History: Jack H. Jacobs
42 years ago, First Lieutenant Jack Jacobs was searching for Viet Cong soldiers when the South Vietnamese battalion that he was advising suddenly came under devastating fire from a large enemy force hidden in bunkers. Many of the soldiers were killed instantly, and Jacobs himself was severely wounded.
Despite his wounds, Jacobs took command of the unit and ordered airstrikes against an enemy that was so strong that the incoming aircraft were driven off by the intense fire. Jacobs repeatedly braved incoming rifle, machine gun, and mortar fire and rescued 13 of his fallen comrades before collapsing from his wounds.
“I come to the conclusion that I’m going to die.” Jacobs said in an interview. “Because I am, I might as well just carry on.” His Medal of Honor citation can be viewed here.
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In: Military History · Tagged with: Jack H. Jacobs, Medal of Honor
Didn’t the US used to fight Socialism?
In Vietnam, we fought socialists. In Korea, we fought socialists. In the Cold War, we fought socialists. In World War II, we fought socialists. Now we elect them. From a recent Gallup poll:
How is it that in 2010 more than one-third of U.S. citizens have a positive view of socialism? Socialism has killed almost as many people as war, cancer, and natural causes combined! The next question should have been to name their most favorite socialist. Unsurprisingly, over half of Democrat respondents held a positive view of socialism.
As to the four percent who held a negative view of small business, that would presumably be the four percent of America that now works for the Obama administration.
In: Politics · Tagged with: Democrats, socialism
Accused Navy SEAL appears on Fox News
Read all about the plight of the SEAL 3 at the Victory Institute.
In: Military · Tagged with: Navy SEALs, SEAL 3, SO2 Matthew McCabe
What Democracy and Socialism have in common
“Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude.”
- Alexis de Tocqueville
In: Quotes · Tagged with: de Tocqueville, democracy, socialism
Foreign aid explained
“Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries, to rich people in poor countries.”
- Douglas Casey, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University
In: Quotes · Tagged with: foreign aid
This Week in US Military History
From W. Thomas Smith, Jr.’s series at Human Events:
Mar. 2, 1943: Elements of the U.S. Army Air Forces and Royal Australian Air Force intercept and all-but-destroy an entire Japanese troop-transport convoy in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Several enemy ships, scores of enemy aircraft, and thousands of enemy soldiers will be sent to the bottom. Gen. Douglas MacArthur will remark that Bismarck Sea “cannot fail to go down in history as one of the most complete and annihilating combats of all time.” Japanese Navy Capt. Tameichi Hara will refer to the battle as “shocking” and “unbelievable.”
Mar. 3, 1776: A force of 250 Continental Marines and sailors under the command of Marine Capt. (future major) Samuel Nicholas land on New Providence in the British-held Bahamas and quickly seize Fort Montague in the first amphibious operation in American military history. The landing – largely unopposed (the British garrison spiking their own guns and fleeing) – nets for the Americans much-needed powder, shot, nearly 50 serviceable cannon, and a few mortars.
An avid foxhunter and the highest-ranking leatherneck in the American Revolution, Nicholas will lead Marines alongside Army forces in the future battles of (second) Trenton and Princeton. He is considered to be the first commandant of the Marine Corps.
In: Uncategorized · Tagged with: Alamo, American Revolution, Ballad of the Green Berets, Barbary Wars, Boston Massacre, John Adams, Seabees, Star Spangled Banner, Tuskegee Airmen, US Army, US Army Air Forces, US Marine Corps, US Navy, W. Thomas Smith Jr., World War II
