Today is Medal of Honor Day. Take the time and read about Medal of Honor recipients here.
Marcus Luttrell is not a Medal of Honor recipient but is a survivor of Operation Red Wing in which his buddy Michael Murphy gave his life to save his fellow soldiers and try to get them out of a very bad situation. Monsoor was awarded the Medal of Honor by George W. Bush. If you've never read Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell, go straight to your library, or to Amazon, and get it. It's a fascinating and thrilling read. Here is an interview with Marcus:
3 comments:
It was about six years ago Shreveport and Bossier City was the host to the National Medal of Honor Convention. I was the school resource officer at the school where Pat teaches, and the school was on that was selected to have the honor of a visit from one of the Medal of Honor recipients.
The MOH recipient who originally was going to visit the school was SGT Sammy Davis, so I read his story to become familiar SGT Davis. SGT Davis was awarded the medal for actions when he was an Army Private First Class for actions in Vietnam. All I can say about SGT Davis's story is "WOW!"
SGT Davis was unable to attend due to circumstances in his personal life. His wife was sick. I don't know what ever became of that.
SGT Davis, I still pray that everything turned out well.
Then I learned we were going to be visited by Air Force Colonel Leo Thorsness. I was familiar with COL Thorsness' and his story from an episode on the History Channel's program called Suicide Missions The episode was about the Wild Weasels, which COL Thorsness was a part of.
I had a copy of that episode and gave it to the teacher whose class COL Thorsness was going to visit, and he played if for the class. The tape finished playing about three minutes before COL Throsness came into the room. Even if I had planned for that to happen that way, It couldn't have been planned any better.
When the teacher told COL Thorsness the class had just viewed the tape about him, he was humbled and cracked, "Well, I guess I don't have to speak now."
COL Thorsness was very gracious and even autographed the tape box for me.
COL. Thorsness's story of which he was awarded the medal was extraordinary, but his story of what happened shortly after that event, when he was shot down and became a prisoner of war, is beyond extraordinary.
His story is truly one of a real hero.
Pat, the SEAL who died in Operation Red Wing and was the teammate of Marcus Luttrell was Michael Murphy. Mike Monsoor was a SEAL who died in Iraq much later.
@ Sheri
Of course you are correct and that's a big boneheaded mistake on my part. Thanks so much for correcting me and I have corrected my ignorant self!
That's what you get when you blog when you are tired!
Thanks again! :)
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