Union soldier to be awarded MOH

[Bilge_Rat]

about time:

On July 3, 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg raged into its third day. That afternoon, Confederate soldiers made what is now known as Pickett’s Charge at the Union Army, directly at the battery commanded by First Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing.

Cushing, who was wounded numerous times, died on the battlefield. For years, his family and others have pushed to have his bravery formally acknowledged.

More than 151 years later, the White House announced Tuesday that President Obama will posthumously award the Medal of Honor to Cushing, who was 22 when he died.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politi...50c_story.html

[vienna]

Well earned...

There have been some who question the awarding of MOHs long after the fact, but there are cases where awards were denied due to either some sort of discrimination, administrative incompetence, or social bias, e.g. "It should be an officers only award". I remember when I read about the action in which the late Senator Daniel Inouye lost his right arm. I remember thinking, "My lord, what does a soldier have to do to deserve an MOH?" Here is the citation for his MOH:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/cita...ei/inouye.html

Senator Inouye had too wait until the year 2000 to receive his due. Fortunately, he was still alive to attend the presentation...

I feel it is never too late to honor those who gave their all and more in the defense of our nation. To First Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing and all those who have earned the honor, thank you for your great service...


<O>

[Stealhead]

I often wonder how many soldiers from WWII and Korea who should have been awarded a MOH but never received one for one reason or another.

@Vienna basically you have to perform an action that goes well above and beyond the expected duty of combat. A very common myth is that one must kill the enemy to be awarded the MOH not so many combat medics have been awarded the MOH while not killing or harming a single enemy solider. Of course their actions saved the lives of their comrades.

Another unique thing about the MOH. Usually in the US military enlisted men salute officers and lowering ranking officers salute higher ranking officers the person giving the salute holds it until the recipient lowers their salute . The exception to this ethic is a person that has been awarded the MOH if he or she is in uniform and wears either the physical medal or the ribbon on their chest everyone salutes them. So even the highest ranking staff officer must salute a MOH recipient even if they are the lowest ranking enlisted.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by vienna

Well earned...

There have been some who question the awarding of MOHs long after the fact, but there are cases where awards were denied due to either some sort of discrimination, administrative incompetence, or social bias, e.g. "It should be an officers only award". I remember when I read about the action in which the late Senator Daniel Inouye lost his right arm. I remember thinking, "My lord, what does a soldier have to do to deserve an MOH?" Here is the citation for his MOH:

http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/cita...ei/inouye.html

Senator Inouye had too wait until the year 2000 to receive his due. Fortunately, he was still alive to attend the presentation...

I feel it is never too late to honor those who gave their all and more in the defense of our nation. To First Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing and all those who have earned the honor, thank you for your great service...


<O>

Not only in the US....my father never received recognition for service in the Arctic.

First Lt Cushing ~SALUTE~

[Stealhead]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Not only in the US....my father never received recognition for service in the Arctic.

First Lt Cushing ~SALUTE~

Indeed. One thing for certain I doubt many people do something because they might receive a medal they just did what they needed to do to survive another day. Not to say that getting recognition is a bad thing.

[vienna]

Something has always bothered me whenever I see some military high-ranking officer with a chest filled with ribbons; I always wonder how many men earned those officers those ribbons and did those men get their due? As the line goes in the movie "Patton":

Soldier 1: There goes old blood-and-guts.
Soldier 2: Yeah, our blood, his guts.

The Majors, colonels, and generals all go on to more prestige, honor, and financial gains, their well-being well seen to; the rest go home to uncertainty, neglect, and sometimes indifference. Somehow, it never seems fair...


<O>

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Stealhead

Indeed. One thing for certain I doubt many people do something because they might receive a medal they just did what they needed to do to survive another day. Not to say that getting recognition is a bad thing.

Originally Posted by vienna

Something has always bothered me whenever I see some military high-ranking officer with a chest filled with ribbons; I always wonder how many men earned those officers those ribbons and did those men get their due? As the line goes in the movie "Patton":

Soldier 1: There goes old blood-and-guts.
Soldier 2: Yeah, our blood, his guts.

The Majors, colonels, and generals all go on to more prestige, honor, and financial gains, their well-being well seen to; the rest go home to uncertainty, neglect, and sometimes indifference. Somehow, it never seems fair...


<O>

One story I recall my father telling me was about his voyage to Murmansk. This convoy sailed without any escort because of their need in another theatre (invasion of Sicily iirc). Less than a third made the return journey safely and in recognition of the fact (my father and all who took part received a war bonus of £50) every officer was awarded a medal and one was set aside for the entire crew, lots were drawn to see who the recipient would be....absolutely shocking in my estimation

[Aktungbby]

[mako88sb]

I read Ralph Peters "Cain at Gettysburg" awhile back but don't have my book handy. Is this the same artillery officer that is focused on a bit during the charge?

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

One story I recall my father telling me was about his voyage to Murmansk. This convoy sailed without any escort because of their need in another theatre (invasion of Sicily iirc). Less than a third made the return journey safely and in recognition of the fact (my father and all who took part received a war bonus of £50) every officer was awarded a medal and one was set aside for the entire crew, lots were drawn to see who the recipient would be....absolutely shocking in my estimation

The lot of the merchant seaman in regards for proper recognition and compensation has been a poor one, indeed. I am saddened to see it extended to seamen in other countries. As recently as the Vietnam War, this has still held true. My father was a crewmember on the S>S. Mayaguez when she was taken by the Cambodians at the end of the Vietnam War. She was the last ship out of Saigon when it fell to the NVA and Cong. She was also carrying containers loaded with items removed from the American Embassy and other US offices and a "Mr. Smith", probably a CIA operative was taken aboard to "keep an eye" on the containers (the crew were ordered not to speak to or acknowledge the presence of the "guard"). The containers were offloaded at a port before the Mayaguez sailed past Cambodia in international waters. She was attacked and taken by small gunboats and the crew was transported to the Cambodian mainland and then to an island offshore. The US government then organized a rescue effort to take back the ship and recover the crew, resulting in the loss of 41 dead [3 MIA and presumed dead] and fifty wounded:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...QyIPgm8lT9bISw

After the rescue, the crew of the Mayaguez were offered, by the shipping line, immediate air transport home or the option to remain with ship and continue the voyage. My father, and a good number of the crew opted to remain, although I sense they were more motivated by the extra pay they would receive for serving in a combat zone, as the area around and about Indochina was designated...

My father received a personal letter from the White House, as did each of the other crew members, thanking them for their bravery. The letter was personally signed by President Gerald Ford (signed it as "Jerry Ford"). This letter became one of my father's prized possessions...

Regarding the lack of proper due, I thought you might be interested in this item:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonatw...ns_of_the.html


<O>

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by vienna

The lot of the merchant seaman in regards for proper recognition and compensation has been a poor one, indeed. I am saddened to see it extended to seamen in other countries. As recently as the Vietnam War, this has still held true. My father was a crewmember on the S>S. Mayaguez when she was taken by the Cambodians at the end of the Vietnam War. She was the last ship out of Saigon when it fell to the NVA and Cong. She was also carrying containers loaded with items removed from the American Embassy and other US offices and a "Mr. Smith", probably a CIA operative was taken aboard to "keep an eye" on the containers (the crew were ordered not to speak to or acknowledge the presence of the "guard"). The containers were offloaded at a port before the Mayaguez sailed past Cambodia in international waters. She was attacked and taken by small gunboats and the crew was transported to the Cambodian mainland and then to an island offshore. The US government then organized a rescue effort to take back the ship and recover the crew, resulting in the loss of 41 dead [3 MIA and presumed dead] and fifty wounded:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...QyIPgm8lT9bISw

After the rescue, the crew of the Mayaguez were offered, by the shipping line, immediate air transport home or the option to remain with ship and continue the voyage. My father, and a good number of the crew opted to remain, although I sense they were more motivated by the extra pay they would receive for serving in a combat zone, as the area around and about Indochina was designated...

My father received a personal letter from the White House, as did each of the other crew members, thanking them for their bravery. The letter was personally signed by President Gerald Ford (signed it as "Jerry Ford"). This letter became one of my father's prized possessions...

Regarding the lack of proper due, I thought you might be interested in this item:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/oregonatw...ns_of_the.html


<O>

Most interesting but sadly, further proof of what some call the 'forgotten service' extends beyond more than one country.

A merchant sailors lot is not always a good one....I salute your father.

~SALUTE~