Veterans Day

Today we at I’m just sayin... would like to wish all the veterans out there a very happy Veterans Day. Thank you for all of your service. No matter when you served, we appreciate it (even if Jane Fonda [who we still feel should have been arrested, tried, and convicted of treason for her actions in Vietnam] and others like her don’t). (***I could be fair right now and say I don’t know how she feels about veterans now, but I’m not in the mood to be fair to her***). I’m going to show a video now that was sent to me by a long time friend of I’m just sayin..., DG. It is about a Medal of Honor Recipient who we haven’t gotten to yet in our Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients section of the blog.



We talk on here about Medal of Honor Recipients (as we should) but they aren’t the only heroes out there. There are a lot of guys (and gals) out there who have served (and/or died) without us ever hearing about them. This day is for them, too. I joke on here a good bit, but one thing I am serious about is my respect for men and women who serve our country. Just making it through boot camp is something I’m not 100% sure I could do. People yell at you in boot camp and I don’t like it when people yell at me (it makes my eyes water). And don’t get me started on the physical stuff. I have recommend various “war” books to you before and I’m going to recommend them again (and will keep doing so until I die because these books are that dang good). There are a lot of guys in these books who, while they didn’t receive the Medal of Honor, did a TON of brave things. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again... if you’re like me then you’ll read these books and realize you’ve never had a real bad day before in your life.  I am amazed by so much in these books.  One thing that REALLY amazes me is that people actually lived through this stuff.  WOW.

Halsey’s Typhoon – A book about a typhoon during WWII that tossed around a bunch of aircraft carriers and battleships like they were little toys.

In Harm’s Way – About the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. One word... sharks.

We Were Soldiers Once... And Young – The movie was very close to the book... but the book was 100 times better. Amazing book.

Breakout – A book about the Chosin Reservoir Campaign in Korea (1950).

A Civil War: Army vs. Navy - While this book is about the Army/Navy football game, it is also a reminder that the guys who play in this game will one day serve in either the Army, Navy, or Marines. Great book. Go Navy! Beat Army!

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Private Frank J. Bart (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 3, 1918 near Medeah Ferme, France. His citation reads:

Pvt. Bart, being on duty as a company runner, when the advance was held up by machinegun fire voluntarily picked up an automatic rifle, ran out ahead of the line, and silenced a hostile machinegun nest, killing the German gunners. The advance then continued, and when it was again hindered shortly afterward by another machinegun nest this courageous soldier repeated his bold exploit by putting the second machinegun out of action.

Landsman Gurdon H. Barter (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 15, 1865 on board the USS Minnesota. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Minnesota in action during the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865. Landing on the beach with the assaulting party from his ship, L/man Barter advanced to the top of the sandhill and partly through the breach in the palisades despite enemy fire which killed and wounded many officers and men. When more than two-thirds of the men became seized with panic and retreated on the run, he remained with the party until dark, when it came safely away, bringing its wounded, its arms, and its colors.

Seaman Thomas Barton (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 3, 1862 on board the USS Hunchback. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Hunchback in the attack on Franklin, Va., 3 October 1862. When an ignited shell, with cartridge attached, fell out of the howitzer upon the deck, S/man Barton promptly seized a pail of water and threw it upon the missile, thereby preventing it from exploding.