Tag: Vietnam

Political

Vietnam War Veteran’s Body Displayed At Wake Without Coffin

A Georgia funeral home refused to put Veteran George Taylor in a casket because of problems with his life insurance payment.

Vietnam War Veteran's Body Displayed At Wake Without Coffin

People are outraged over photos on social media of a Vietnam War veteran displayed at his wake on a gurney covered in an American flag.

No coffin was available for the visitation held at Heritage Funeral Home in Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia, WTVC reports.

“At first we were okay with it,” said a family member, “but like I told the guy, I said this was very disrespectful to my dad.”

Taylor’s family said the funeral home refused to put George Taylor in a casket because of problems with his life insurance payment.

Taylor’s son, James, said the family was given little notice of the problem prior to the visitation.

“They came to me and told me that unless $9,000 was paid, they couldn’t put him into the ground,” he told ABC 7 New York.

“Mr. Taylor was a two-term Vietnam Vet,” wrote Ella Moss on Facebook. “We live in the Greatest Country in the world, and this is the best we can do for our soldiers. Not even a pillow for his head.”

Funeral home representative David Cummings said they did what the family asked.

“We were trying to honor the request and let them have some closure by viewing their loved one.”

Watch George Taylor’s tribute video here

 
Photo: Facebook / Ella Moss

 
 

 
 

Amusing Information Political

Col. Robert L. Howard – The Man The Vietcong Couldn’t Kill

Col. Robert L. Howard

Col. Robert L. Howard (aka The Real Rambo) was the most decorated soldier / veteran in American history. It’s people like him who make this country GREAT!

This guy was a serious war fighter that played no games with the Vietcong. He racked and stacked bodies during The Vietnam War and was about black ops as it gets.

Col. Robert L. Howard

A Staff Sergeant in MACV-SOG which is a highly classified unit. This man was wounded 14 times during his 54 months of combat. He was actually put in for the Medal of Honor three separate times, but he did not receive either of the first 2 Medal of Honors because the actions that he performed took place in countries where the United States was fighting covertly and The President could not award him the Medal of Honor for actions in Cambodia since we were not supposed to be there to begin with. However he was award the Medal of Honor, 8 Purple Hearts, 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Silver Star, and 4 Bronze Stars.

Actual citation for his actions.

FIRST LIEUTENANT
ROBERT L. HOWARD
UNITED STATES ARMY

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Howard (then SFC .), distinguished himself while serving as platoon sergeant of an American-Vietnamese platoon which was on a mission to rescue a missing American soldier in enemy controlled territory in the Republic of Vietnam. The platoon had left its helicopter landing zone and was moving out on its mission when it was attacked by an estimated 2-company force. During the initial engagement, 1st Lt. Howard was wounded and his weapon destroyed by a grenade explosion. 1st Lt. Howard saw his platoon leader had been wounded seriously and was exposed to fire. Although unable to walk, and weaponless, 1st Lt. Howard unhesitatingly crawled through a hail of fire to retrieve his wounded leader. As 1st Lt. Howard was administering first aid and removing the officer’s equipment, an enemy bullet struck 1 of the ammunition pouches on the lieutenant’s belt, detonating several magazines of ammunition. 1st Lt. Howard momentarily sought cover and then realizing that he must rejoin the platoon, which had been disorganized by the enemy attack, he again began dragging the seriously wounded officer toward the platoon area. Through his outstanding example of indomitable courage and bravery, 1st Lt. Howard was able to rally the platoon into an organized defense force. With complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Howard crawled from position to position, administering first aid to the wounded, giving encouragement to the defenders and directing their fire on the encircling enemy. For 31⁄2 hours 1st Lt. Howard’s small force and supporting aircraft successfully repulsed enemy attacks and finally were in sufficient control to permit the landing of rescue helicopters. 1st Lt. Howard personally supervised the loading of his men and did not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all were aboard safely. 1st Lt. Howard’s gallantry in action, his complete devotion to the welfare of his men at the risk of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

howard

Col. Robert Howard died on Dec 23,2009 of pancreatic cancer in Waco, Texas.

Source…

 

Awards and decorations

  • Medal of Honor
  • Distinguished Service Cross (with one oak leaf cluster)
  • Silver Star
  • Defense Superior Service Medal
  • Legion of Merit (with three oak leaf clusters)
  • Bronze Star (with three oak leaf clusters and “V” device)
  • Purple Heart (with a silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters)
  • Meritorious Service Medal (with two oak leaf clusters)
  • Air Medal (with “V” Device and numeral 3. One award for heroism and two for aerial achievement)
  • Joint Service Commendation
  • Army Commendation Medal (with “V” device and one each silver and bronze oak leaf clusters. 4 awards for valor and 3 for achievement)
  • Joint Service Achievement
  • Army Achievement
  • Good Conduct Medal, 4 Good Conduct Loops (4 awards)
  • National Defense Service Medal
  • Armed Forces Reserve Medal
  • Vietnam Service Medal
  • NCO Professional Development Ribbon with 2 device
  • Army Overseas Ribbon
  • Army Service Ribbon
  • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, w/3 Service stars (3 awards)
  • Army Presidential Unit Citation, 1st Oak Leaf Cluster
  • Presidential Unit Citation (United States) 2001, Studies and Observations Group
  • Navy Unit Commendation
  • Army Meritorious Unit Citation

Foreign decorations

  • Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 device
  • Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star (Corps citation)
  • Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star (Division citation)
  • Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star (Regiment or Brigade citation)
  • Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal 2nd Award
  • Vietnam Wound Medal
  • Vietnam Civil Actions Medal 2nd Award
  • Vietnam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation with Palm, 1st Oak Leaf Cluster (Unit citation)
  • Republic of Korea Order of National Security Merit (Samil Medal)

Badges, qualifications and tabs

  • Ranger Tab
  • Special Forces Tab
  • Combat Infantryman Badge
  • Aircrew Badge
  • Master Parachutist Badge
  • Pathfinder Badge
  • Air Assault Badge
  • Expert Infantryman’s Badge
  • Vietnamese Ranger Badge
  • Vietnamese Master Parachute Badge
  • Thai Master Parachute Wings
  • Korean Master Parachute Badge
  • Thai Balloonist Badge
  • French Parachutist Badge

 

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Jokes

Joke Of The Day: Pentagon Retirement Bonus

Rubber Chicken The pentagon recently found it had too many generals and offered an early retirement bonus. They promised any general who retired right away, his full annual benefits PLUS $10,000 for every inch measured in a straight line along the retiring general’s body between two points he chose.

The first general accepted. He asked the pension man to measure from the top of his head to the tip of his toes. 6 feet. He walked out with a check for $720,000.

The second general asked them to measure from the tip of his outstretched hands to his toes. 8 feet. He walked out with a check for $960,000.

Meantime, the first general had tipped off the third. When he was asked where to measure, he told the pension man, “from the tip of my penis to the tip of my testicles.”

The pension man said that would be fine but he’d better get the Medical Officer to do the measuring. The Medical Officer attended and asked the general to drop ’em… he did… The Medical Officer placed the tape on the tip of the general’s penis and began to work back. “My God!”, he said, “where are your testicles?”

The general replied, “Back in Vietnam!”

 

 

Amusing Information Inspiration

Jim O’Connor – A Man Of Service

Math teacher Jim O’Connor is former navy veteran who worked aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise during the Vietnam War. He is known as a strict teacher and refuses to baby his students at St. Francis High School near Los Angeles California. When his students learned where their math teacher spends his free time outside of the classroom, their respect for him multiplied exponentially.

As part of our continuing series “On the Road,” Steve Hartman meets the students of St. Francis High School near Los Angeles who thought they knew everything about their math teacher, Jim O’Connor. But what they found out at a local hospital taught them a life lesson.

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Amusing Information

Jeremiah Denton Jr. Blinking Morse Code

Jeremiah Denton Jr., a Navy Captain and also a former US Senator, spent almost 8 years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Denton is best known for the 1966 televised press conference that he was forced into as an American POW by his North Vietnamese captors. He used the opportunity to communicate successfully and to confirm for the first time to the U.S. Military that American POWs were being tortured in North Vietnam. He repeatedly blinked his eyes in Morse Code during the interview, spelling out the word, “T-O-R-T-U-R-E”

What an amazing hero!


Jeremiah Denton Jr. Blinking Morse Code

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