American Heroes Action Page

I am dedicating this page to men and women in the military or elsewhere who deserve the support of American Patriots. You can google any of these article titles and find out all you need to know to realize these good folks are being horribly miss treated. Get involved please. Write letters, make phone calls, sent emails and faxes. Just do something!

A real miracle - from WWII

B-17 "All American" (414th Squadron, 97BG) Crew

Pilot- Ken Bragg Jr.

Co-pilot- G. Boyd Jr.

Navigator- Harry C. Nuessle

Bombardier- Ralph Burbridge

Engineer- Joe C. James

Radio Operator- Paul A. Galloway

Ball Turret Gunner- Elton Conda

Waist Gunner- Michael Zuk

Tail Gunner- Sam T. Sarpolus

Ground Crew Chief- Hank Hyland

In 1943 a mid-air collision on February 1, 1943,

Between a B-17 and a German fighter over the Tunis dock area,

Became the subject of one of the most famous photographs of WW II.

An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb Group formation went out of control,

Probably with a wounded pilot, then continued its crashing descent

Into the rear of the fuselage of a Flying Fortress named"All American",

Piloted by Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg, of the 414th Bomb Squadron.

When it struck, the fighter broke apart, but left some pieces in the B-17.

The left horizontal stabilizer of the Fortress and left elevator were completely torn away.

The two right engines were out and one on the left had a serious oil pump leak.

The vertical fin and the rudder had been damaged,

The fuselage had been cut almost completely through

Connected only at two small parts of the frame,

And the radios, electrical and oxygen systems were damaged.

There was also a hole in the top that was over 16-feet long and 4 feet wide at its widest;

The split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunner's turret.

Although the tail actually bounced and swayed in the wind

And twisted when the plane turned and all the control cables were severed,

Except one single elevator cable still worked, and the aircraft miraculously still flew!

The tail gunner was trapped because there was no floor connecting the tail to the rest of the plane.

The waist and tail gunners used parts of the German fighter and their own parachute harnesses

In an attempt to keep the tail from ripping off and the two sides of the fuselage from splitting apart.

While the crew was trying to keep the bomber from coming apart,

The pilot continued on his bomb run and released his bombs over the target.

When the bomb bay doors were opened,

The wind turbulence was so great that it blew one of the waist gunners into the broken tail section.

It took several minutes and four crew members to pass him ropes from parachutes

And haul him back into the forward part of the plane.

When they tried to do the same for the tail gunner,

The tail began flapping so hard that it began to break off.

The weight of the gunner was adding some stability to the tail section, so he went back to his position.

The turn back toward England had to be very slow to keep the tail from twisting off.

They actually covered almost 70 miles to make the turn home.

The bomber was so badly damaged that it was losing altitude and speed and was soon alone in the sky.

For a brief time, two more Me-109 German fighters attacked the All American.

Despite the extensive damage, all of the machine gunners

Were able to respond to these attacks and soon drove off the fighters.

The two waist gunners stood up with their heads sticking out through the hole in the top of the fuselage

To aim and fire their machine guns.

The tail gunner had to shoot in short bursts because the recoil was actually causing the plane to turn.

Allied P-51 fighters intercepted the All American as it crossed over the Channel

And took one of the pictures shown.

They also radioed to the base describing that the appendage was waving like a fish tail

And that the plane would not make it and to send out boats to rescue the crew when they bailed out.

The fighters stayed with the Fortress, taking hand signals from Lt. Bragg and relaying them to the base.

Lt. Bragg signaled that 5 parachutes and the spare had been "used"

So five of the crew could not bail out.

He made the decision that if they could not bail out safely, then he would stay with the plane to land it.

Two and a half hours after being hit, the aircraft made its final turn

To line up with the runway while it was still over 40 miles away.

It descended into an emergency landing and a normal roll-out on its landing gear.

When the ambulance pulled alongside, it was waved off because not a single member of the crew had

Been injured.

No one could believe that the aircraft could still fly in such a condition.

The Fortress sat placidly until the crew all exited through the door in the fuselage

and the tail gunner had climbed down a ladder,

at which time the entire rear section of the aircraft collapsed.

This old bird had done its job and brought the entire crew home uninjured.

Please pass this on to someone who will also appreciate this amazing story.

THE FINAL TOAST!
When

They bombed Tokyo 73 years ago.

They once were among the most universally admired and revered men in the United States .. There were 80 of the Raiders in April 1942, when they carried out one of the most courageous and heart-stirring military operations in this nation's history. The mere mention of their unit's name, in those years, would bring tears to the eyes of grateful Americans.

Now only four survive.





After Japan's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, with the United States reeling and wounded, something dramatic was needed to turn the war effort around.



Even though there were no friendly airfields close enough to Japan for the United States to launch a retaliation, a daring plan was devised. Sixteen B-25s
were modified so that they could take off from the deck of an aircraft carrier. This had never before been tried -- sending such bi g, heavy bombers from a carrier.





The 16 five-man crews, under the command of Lt. Col. James Doolittle, who himself flew the lead plane off the USS Hornet, knew that they would not be able to return to the carrier.
They would have to hit Japan and then hope to make it to China for a safe landing.



But on the day of the raid, the Japanese military caught wind of the plan. The Raiders were told that they would have to take off from much farther out in the Pacific Ocean than
they had counted on. They were told that because of this they would not have enough fuel to make it to safety.

And those men went anyway.



They bombed Tokyo and then flew as far as they could. Four planes crash-landed; 11 more crews bailed out, and three of the Raiders died. Eight more were captured; three were executed.



Another died of starvation in a Japanese prison camp. One crew made it to Russia.











The Doolittle Raiders sent a message from the United States to its enemies, and to the rest of the world: We will fight. And, no matter what it takes, we will win.



Of the 80 Raiders, 62 survived the war. They were celebrated as national heroes, models of bravery. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer produced a motion picture based
on the raid; "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo," starring Spencer Tracy and Van Johnson, was a patriotic and emotional box-office hit, and the phrase became part of the national lexicon. In the movie-theater previews for the film, MGM proclaimed that it was presenting
the story "with supreme pride."





Beginning in 1946, the surviving Raiders have held a reunion each April, to commemorate the mission. The reunion is in a different city each year. In 1959, the city of Tucson,
Arizona, as a gesture of respect and gratitude, presented the Doolittle Raiders with a set of 80 silver goblets. Each goblet was engraved with the name of a Raider.





Every year, a wooden display case bearing all 80 goblets is transported to the reunion city. Each time a Raider passes away, his goblet is turned upside down in the case at the
next reunion, as his old friends bear solemn witness.



Al so in the wooden case is a bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special cognac. The year is not happenstance: 1896 was when Jimmy Doolittle was born.



There has always been a plan: When there are only two surviving Raiders, they would open the bottle, at last drink from it, and toast their comrades who preceded them in death.



As 2013 began, there were five living Raiders; then, in February, Tom Griffin passed away at age 96.



What a man he was. After bailing out of his plane over a mountainous Chinese forest after the Tokyo raid, he became ill with malaria, and almost died. When he recovered, he was
sent to Europe to fly more combat missions. He was shot down, captured, and spent 22 months in a German prisoner of war camp.



The selflessness of these men, the sheer guts ... there was a passage in the Cincinnati Enquirer obituary for Mr. Griffin that, on the surface, had nothing to do with the war,
but that was emblematic of the depth of his sense of duty and devotion:



"When his wife became ill and needed to go into a nursing home, he visited her every day. He walked from his house to the nursing home, fed his wife and
at the end of the day brought home her clothes. At night, he washed and ironed her clothes. Then he walked them up to her room the next morning. He did that for three years until her death in 2005."



So now, out of the original 80, only four Raiders remain: Dick Cole (Doolittle's co-pilot on the Tokyo raid), Robert Hite, Edward Saylor and David Thatcher. All are in their 90s.
They have decided that there are too few of them for the public reunions to continue.



The events in Fort Walton Beach marked the end. It has come full circle; Florida's nearby Eglin Field was where the Raiders trained in secrecy for the
Tokyo mission. The town planned to do all it can to honor the men: a six-day celebration of their valor, including luncheons, a dinner and a parade.



Do the men ever wonder if those of us for whom they helped save the country have tended to it in a way that is worthy of their sacrifice? They don't talk about that, at least
not around other people. But if you find yourself near Fort Walton Beach this week, and if you should encounter any of the Raiders, you might want to offer them a word of thanks. I can tell you from first hand observation that they appreciate hearing that
they are remembered.



The men have decided that after this final public reunion they will wait until a later date -- sometime this year -- to get together once more, informally
and in absolute privacy. That is when they will open the bottle of brandy. The years are flowing by too swiftly now; they are not going to wait until there are only two of them.



They will fill the four remaining upturned goblets. And raise them in a toast to those who are gone.




Their 70th Anniversary Photo

Untold Stories From the Band of Brothers

Staff Sergeant Darrell C. "Shifty" Powers (13 March 1923 – 17 June 2009)^[2] was a non-commissioned officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division during World War II. Powers was portrayed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers by Peter Youngblood Hills.

The 2011 book Shifty's War by journalist Marcus Brotherton, published by Penguin/Berkley-Caliber, captures Sgt. Powers' full life story.^[3] Powers was one of the twenty contributors to the 2009 book We Who Are Alive and Remain: Untold Stories from the Band of Brothers.

"Shifty" By Chuck Yeager

Staff Sergeant Darrell C. "Shifty" Powers
Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty. His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.
I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle," the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 ..." at which point my heart skipped.
At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy .. . . do you know where Normandy is?" At this point my heart stopped.

I told him "yes, I know exactly where Normandy is, and I know what D-Day was." At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland , into Arnhem ." I was standing with a genuine war hero ... and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France , and he said "Yes... And it 's real sad because, these days, so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip." My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in coach while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.

He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat. Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and who still care is enough to make an old man very happy." His eyes were filling up as he said it. And mine are brimming up now as I write this.

Shifty died on June l7, 2009 after fighting cancer.

There was no parade.

No big event in Staples Center ..

No wall-to-wall, back-to-back 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping fans on television.

And that's not right!

Let's give Shifty his own memorial service, on line, in our own quiet way.

Please forward this email to everyone you know. Especially to the veterans.

Rest in peace, Shifty.

Chuck Yeager, Maj. General [ret.]

P.S. I think that it is amazing how the "media" chooses our "heroes" these days...

Elvis, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston & the like.

"SHIFTY" - an incredible American hero.

Medals and citations given to Staff Sgt. Darrel C. "Shifty" Powers

We owe no less to our REAL heroes.

Another bit of WW2 history that's mostly unknown.............

The Story of "Bad Angel": Pima Air and Space Museum

On the Saturday following Thanksgiving 2013, Ms. Karen, my 94-year-old father, Bill Gressinger, and I were visiting Pima Air and Space Museum.

We were in Hangar #4 to view the beautifully restored B-29, when I happened to take notice of a P-51 Mustang near the big bomber. It's name ? "Bad Angel".

P-51 Mustang "Bad Angel" in Hanger #4 at Pima Air and Space Museum.

I was admiring its aerodynamic lines and recalled enough history to know that until the Mustangs came into service, the skies over the Pacific Ocean were dominated by Japanese Zeros.

Then something very strange caught my eye. Proudly displayed on the fuselage of ?Bad Angel? were the markings of the pilot's kills: seven Nazis; one Italian; one Japanese AND ONE AMERICAN. Huh? "Bad Angel" shot down an American airplane?

Kill marks on "Bad Angel".

Was it a terrible mistake? Couldn't be. If it had been an unfortunate misjudgment, certainly the pilot would not have displayed the American flag.

I knew there had to be a good story here. Fortunately for us, one of the Museum's many fine docents was on hand to tell it.

**********************

In 1942, the United States needed pilots for its war planes lots of war planes; lots of pilots. Lt. Louis Curdes was one. When he was 22 years old, he graduated flight training school and was shipped off to the Mediterranean to fight Nazis in the air over Southern Europe.

Lt. Louis Curdes.

He arrived at his 82nd Fighter Group, 95th Fighter Squadron in April 1943 and was assigned a P-38 Lightning. Ten days later he shot down three German Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters.

A few weeks later, he downed two more German Bf -109's. In less than a month of combat, Louis was an Ace.

During the next three months, Louis shot down an Italian Mc.202 fighter and two more Messerschmitts before his luck ran out. A German fighter shot down his plane on August 27, 1943 over Salerno, Italy.

Captured by the Italians, he was sent to a POW camp near Rome. No doubt this is where he thought he would spend the remaining years of the war. It wasn't to be. A few days later, the Italians surrendered. Louis and a few other pilots escaped before the Nazis could take control of the camp.

One might think that such harrowing experiences would have taken the fight out of Louis, yet he volunteered for another combat tour. This time, Uncle Sam sent him to the Philippines where he flew P-51 Mustangs.

Soon after arriving in the Pacific Theater, Louis downed a Mitsubishi reconnaissance plane near Formosa. Now he was one of only three Americans to have kills against all three Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Pilot Lt. Louis Curdes in his P-51 Mustang "Bad Angel".

Up until this point, young Lt. Curdes combat career had been stellar. His story was about to take a twist so bizarre that it seems like the fictional creation of a Hollywood screenwriter.

While attacking the Japanese-held island of Batan, one of Louis wingmen was shot down. The pilot ditched in the ocean. Circling overhead, Louis could see that his wingman had survived, so he stayed in the area to guide a rescue plane and protect the downed pilot.

It wasn't long before he noticed another, larger airplane, wheels down, preparing to land at the Japanese-held airfield on Batan. He moved in to investigate. Much to his surprise the approaching plane was a Douglas C-47 transport with American markings.

He tried to make radio contact, but without success. He maneuvered his Mustang in front of the big transport several times trying to wave it off. The C-47 kept to its landing target.

Lt. Curdes read the daily newspaper accounts of the war, including the viciousness of the Japanese soldiers toward their captives. He knew that whoever was in that American C-47 would be, upon landing, either dead or wish they were. But what could he do?

Audaciously, he lined up his P-51 directly behind the transport, carefully sighted one of his .50 caliber machine guns and knocked out one of its two engines. Still the C-47 continued on toward the Batan airfield. Curdes shifted his aim slightly and knocked out the remaining engine, leaving the baffled pilot no choice but to ditch in the ocean

One of "Bad Angel's" .50 caliber machine guns built into it wings.

The big plane came down in one piece about 50 yards from his bobbing wingman. At this point, nightfall and low fuel forced Louis to return to base.

The next morning, Louis flew cover for a rescuing PBY that picked up the downed Mustang pilot and 12 passengers and crew, including two female nurses, from the C-47. All survived.

.50 caliber ammo for P-51 Mustangs.

For shooting down an unarmed American transport plane, Lt. Louis Curdes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Thereafter, on the fuselage of his P-51 "Bad Angel", he proudly displayed the symbols of his kills: seven German, one Italian, one Japanese and one American flag.

In remembrance of a great war Hero

May 10, 2016

Yesterday at 1:00pm

It is with great sadness, we share the passing of Mr. Harry Ferrier, last Midway Survivor of VT-8. He was 91.

Harry Ferrier enlisted in the Navy on January 28, ...1941, three days after his sixteenth birthday. After boot camp and aviation radio school, he joined Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.

In 1941, VT-8 was flying the outdated TBD Devastator, but in early 1942, the squadron was selected to receive the first of the new TBF Avengers. Since the USS Hornet was immediately needed in the Pacific, a small detachment of VT-8 was chosen to stay behind and train on the new planes. Harry Ferrier, his pilot Albert “Bert” Earnest and gunner Jay Manning were selected to be part of this detachment.

After about three months of training on the Avenger, Ferrier and the detachment of six Avengers were sent to Pearl Harbor to join the rest of VT-8. Arriving on May 28, 1942, the detachment had missed the USS Hornet which had sailed for Midway a day earlier. The group then volunteered to fly directly to Midway Island to re-enforce the Marine Garrison there.

On June 4, 1942, Harry Ferrier and his crew received word of Japanese aircraft heading towards Midway and sightings of an enemy fleet 150 miles out to sea. All six Avengers took off immediately. Five minutes later, Jay manning reported seeing Japanese planes starting their attack on Midway Island.

About an hour later, Bert Earnest saw Japanese ships on the horizon. As the Avengers prepared to attack, they were jumped by Japanese Zeros. Harry Ferrier heard Jay Manning fire a few rounds from his turret, but then go silent. He looked up after feelings Manning’s blood drip on him and saw Manning’s lifeless body and the turret full of holes.

Flying at 200 feet, the Avengers pressed home their attacks on the Japanese fleet, but under a swarm of Zeros they were being shot down one by one. Canon shells from the Zeros shot away the elevator, compass and hydraulics on Ferrier’s plane. Pilot Bert Earnest struggled with the controls, but managed to release his torpedo at a Japanese cruiser. Soon after, Harry Ferrier was hit by shrapnel and knocked unconscious.

After fending off Zeros and flying on dead reckoning, Bert Earnest managed to locate Midway Island. Harry Ferrier regained consciousness and Earnest asked him to confirm that the torpedo was successfully launched. Ferrier couldn’t tell because the window to the bomb bay was covered in blood.

Ferrier’s Avenger approached Midway and prepared for landing. With only one wheel down, it was waived off twice. On the third approach Earnest touched down. The plane ground looped and came to a gentle stop.

Harry Ferrier and Bert Earnest were alive. They were the only plane of VT-8 to return to base. Five out of six of VT-8’s Midway based Avengers were lost and all 15 of their carrier based Devastators were shot down during the battle. Their Avenger had nearly 70 holes in it.

For his actions that day, Harry Ferrier was awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His pilot, Bert Earnest was awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart.

Harry Ferrier continued to fly with VT-8 after the Battle of Midway, participating in the Battle of Guadalcanal. After WWII, he stayed in the Navy and served in Korea and Vietnam.

RIP, brother.

Gen. James "Mad Dog" Mattis - Retired 2013
Not Obama's type of Soldier.

March 18, 2013

Gen. James Mattis, known to his troops as "Mad Dog Mattis," is retiring after 41 years of military service.The Marine Corps Times is calling Mattis the "most revered Marine in a generation."

Mattis has been commander of the United States Central Command since 2010 and led the 1st Marine Division into Iraq in 2003.

According to reports, President Barack Obama decided to force the Marine Corps legend out early because he rubbed civilian officials the wrong way, and forced them to answer tough questions regarding Iran ... Mattis was an inspirational leader of men and his powerful words will go down in history. Here are some of the best words the "Mad Dog" has had to offer…

1.. "I don't lose any sleep at night over the potential for
failure. I cannot even spell the word."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

2.. "The first time you blow someone away is not an insignificant event. That said, there are some assholes in the world that just need to be shot."

(Business Insider)

3.. "I come in peace. I didn't bring artillery. But I'm pleading
with you, with tears in my eyes: If you screw with me, I'll kill you all." (said to the Iraqi leadership)

(San Diego Union Tribune)

4.. "Find the enemy that wants to end this experiment
(in American democracy) and kill every one of them
until they're so sick of the killing that they leave us and
our freedoms intact."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

5.. "Marines don't know how to spell the word defeat."

(Business Insider)

6.. "Be polite, be professional but have a plan to kill
everybody you meet."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

7.. "The most important six inches on the battlefield
is between your ears."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

8.. "You are part of the world's most feared and trusted
force. Engage your brain before you engage your weapon."

(Mattis' Letter To 1st Marine Division)

Gen. Mattis in 2006

9.. "There are hunters and there are victims. By your
discipline, cunning, obedience and alertness, you
will decide if you are a hunter or a victim."

(Business Insider)

10. "No war is over until the enemy says it's over.
We may think it over, we may declare it over, but in
fact, the enemy gets a vote."

(Defense News)

11. "There is nothing better than getting shot at and
missed. It's really great.."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

12. "You cannot allow any of your people to avoid the
brutal facts. If they start living in a dream world, it's going to be bad."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

Gen. Mattis and Gen. Dempsey

13. "You go into Afghanistan , you got guys who slap
women around for five years because they didn't
wear a veil. You know, guys like that ain't got no
manhood left anyway. So it's a hell of a lot of fun to
shoot them. Actually it's quite fun to fight them, you
know. It's a hell of a hoot. It's fun to shoot some people.
I'll be right up there with you. I like brawling."

(CNN)

14. "I'm going to plead with you, do not cross us.
Because if you do, the survivors will write about
what we do here for 10,000 years."

(San Diego Union Tribune)

15. "Demonstrate to the world there is 'No Better
Friend, No Worse Enemy' than a U.S. Marine."

(Mattis' Letter To 1st Marine Division)

16. "Fight with a happy heart and strong spirit"

(Mattis' Letter To 1st Marine Division)

And one final quote for returning Veterans...

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Joe has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Veteran died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Veteran died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Veteran
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Veteran,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Veteran
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Veteran,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Veteran,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Veteran's part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

f we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A VETERAN DIED TODAY

FOCUSON THE MAN IN THE FIRST PICTURE. IT IS HE THROUGHOUT THE SERIES OF PHOTOS SHOWN BELOW.

If he is a hero...........She is an angel!

Andrew Harriman An American Hero

Andrew Harriman deployed to Iraq as a medic in 2006. During the first nine months of Andrew’s deployment, he treated 23 men. Every one of them survived. “There was a lot of skill involved,” Andrew says. “But I got very lucky in a lot of circumstances, too.”

On March 5, 2007, while on a mission to deliver supplies to snipers in a heavily armed insurgent area of the Diyala River Valley, a fellow warrior was hit by gunfire. While attempting to save his comrade, Andrew’s medical kit exploded, forcing him to act quickly.

While applying pressure to stop his comrade's bleeding, Andrew grabbed a nearby weapon in his other hand and started to fire. He dragged his fellow warrior out of the line of fire, stabilized him, and quickly arranged to have him airlifted to safety.

Andrew was awarded the Silver Star for bravery, and by the end of his deployment, he was also awarded a Bronze Star for valor, an Army Commendation Medal with valor, and the Purple Heart.

Andrew’s own injuries include leg wounds, punctured eardrums, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But he, too, had someone to help him when he needed it most. He says: “Wounded Warrior Project has helped me immensely … [including] getting me out with other warriors who have been hurt … resources for finding a job through the Warriors to Work™ program … WWP has all the aspects covered.”

Andrew continues his involvement with WWP through outdoor excursions. “The fact that everyone has had similar experiences really helps. You can be yourself.”

www.hislightshining.com encourages its readers to pray about getting involved with Wounded Warriors Project.

alt

Lt. Col Matthew Dooley’s Military Career is Being Destroyed by Military Political Correctness.

May 15, 2013

Lt. Col Matthew Dooley, a West Point graduate and highly-decorated combat veteran, was an instructor at the Joint Forces Staff College at the National Defense University . He had 19 years of service and experience, and was considered one of the most highly qualified military instructors on Radical Islam & Terrorism.
He taught military students about the situations they would encounter, how to react, about Islamic culture, traditions, and explained the mindset of Islamic extremists. Passing down first hand knowledge and experience, and teaching courses that were suggested (and approved) by the the Joint Forces Staff College . The course "Perspectives on Islam and Islamic Radicalism", which was suggested and approved by the Joint Forces Staff College , caught the attention of several Islamic Groups, and they wanted to make an example of him.
They collectively wrote a letter expressing their outrage, and the Pro-Islamic Obama Administration was all too happy to assist. The letter was passed to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Martin Dempsey. Dempsey publicly degraded and reprimanded Dooley, and Dooley received a negative Officer Evaluation Report almost immediately (which he had aced for the past 5 years). He was relieved of teaching duties, and his career has been red-flagged.
“He had a brilliant career ahead of him. Now, he has been Redflagged.” - Richard Thompson, Thomas More Law Center
"All US military Combatant Commands, Services, the National Guard Bureau, and Joint Chiefs are under Dempsey's Muslim Brotherhood-dictated order to ensure that henceforth, no US military course will ever again teach truth about Islam that the jihadist enemy finds offensive, or just too informative." - Former CIA agent Claire M. Lopez (about Lt. Col Dooley)
The Obama Administration has demonstrated lightning speed to dismiss Military brass that does not conform to it's agenda, and not surprisingly, nobody is speaking up for Lt. Col. Dooley.
IT'S A SAD DAY FOR THIS COUNTRY WHEN GOOD LOYAL MEN LIKE THIS GET THROWN UNDER THE BUS BECAUSE NOBODY HAS THE COURAGE TO STAND UP!

Below are the addresses of top DOD Personnel – Write them!!!! Post Cards or letters

Senior Defense Officials' Mailing Addresses

Office of the Secretary of Defense

Chuck Hagel
Secretary of Defense
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

Frank Kendall
Under Secretary of Defense

3010 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-3010

Jessica L. Wright
Acting Under Secretary of Defense
4000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-4000

James N. Miller
Under Secretary of Defense (Policy)
2000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-2000

Robert F. Hale
Under Secretrary of Defense (Comptroller)
1100 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1100

The Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

General Martin E. Dempsey
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
9999 Joint Staff Pentagon
Washington, DC 20318-9999

Admiral James A. Winnefeld, Jr.
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
9999 Joint Staff Pentagon
Washington, DC 20318-9999

Secretaries of the Armed Forces

John M. McHugh
Secretary of the Army
101 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-0101

Ray Mabus
Secretary of the Navy
1000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-1000

Michael B. Donley
Secretary of the Air Force
1670 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1670

The Chiefs of Staff

Raymond T. Odierno
Army Chief of Staff
200 Army Pentagon
Washington, DC 20310-0200

Admiral Jonathan Greenert
Chief of Naval Operations
2000 Navy Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-2000

General Mark A. Welsh III
Air Force Chief of Staff
1670 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1670

General James F. Amos
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Headquarters, US Marine Corps
3000 Marine Corps, Pentagon
Washington, DC 20350-3000