Happy Birthday Ross!

I’d like to start today by wishing my good friend Ross a very Happy Birthday!!! We hope he has a good day. Some other people born on July 13:

Julius Caesar (100 BC)
Pope Clement X (1590)
Jack Kemp (1935)
Patrick Stewart (1940)
Harrison Ford (1942)
Tony Kornheiser (1948)
David Thompson (1954)
Spud Webb (1963)

Happy Anniversary to The Wife! It was on this day 12 years ago that we went on our first ‘official’ date. We went to the Applebee’s on Old Trolley Road in Summerville. Something else that happened that night… The MLB All-Star Game. The AL All-Stars won 4-1 over the NL All-Stars. The starting line-ups were:

NL All-Stars
Barry Larkin – SS
Larry Walker – RF
Sammy Sosa – CF (Booo!)
Mark McGwire – 1B
Matt Williams – 3B
Jeff Bagwell – DH
Mike Piazza – C
Jeromy Burnitz – LF
Jay Bell – 2B
Starting Pitcher - Curt Schilling

AL All-Stars
Kenny Lofton – LF
Nomar Garciaparra – SS
Ken Griffey – CF
Manny Ramirez – RF
Jim Thome – 1B
Cal Ripken – 3B
Rafael Palmeiro – DH
Ivan Rodriguez – C
Roberto Alomar – 2B
Starting Pitcher - Pedro Martinez

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Seaman Albert Burton (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 15, 1865 on board the USS Wabash. His citation reads:

Served on board the U.S.S. Wabash in the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865. Advancing gallantly through the severe enemy fire while armed only with a revolver and cutlass which made it impossible to return the fire at that range, Burton succeeded in reaching the angle of the fort and going on, to be one of the few who entered the fort. When the rest of the body of men to his rear were forced to retreat under a devastating fire, he was forced to withdraw through lack of support, and to seek the shelter of one of the mounds near the stockade from which point he succeeded in regaining the safety of his ship.

Corporal Richard Earl Bush (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 16, 1945 at Mount Yaetake on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a squad leader serving with the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 6th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces, during the final assault against Mount Yaetake on Okinawa, Ryukyu Islands, 16 April 1945. Rallying his men forward with indomitable determination, Cpl. Bush boldly defied the slashing fury of concentrated Japanese artillery fire pouring down from the gun-studded mountain fortress to lead his squad up the face of the rocky precipice, sweep over the ridge, and drive the defending troops from their deeply entrenched position. With his unit, the first to break through to the inner defense of Mount Yaetake, he fought relentlessly in the forefront of the action until seriously wounded and evacuated with others under protecting rocks. Although prostrate under medical treatment when a Japanese hand grenade landed in the midst of the group, Cpl. Bush, alert and courageous in extremity as in battle, unhesitatingly pulled the deadly missile to himself and absorbed the shattering violence of the exploding charge in his body, thereby saving his fellow marines from severe injury or death despite the certain peril to his own life. By his valiant leadership and aggressive tactics in the face of savage opposition, Cpl. Bush contributed materially to the success of the sustained drive toward the conquest of this fiercely defended outpost of the Japanese Empire. His constant concern for the welfare of his men, his resolute spirit of self-sacrifice, and his unwavering devotion to duty throughout the bitter conflict enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Hospital Apprentice First Class Robert Eugene Bush (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on May 2, 1945 on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Medical Corpsman with a rifle company, in action against enemy Japanese forces on Okinawa Jima, Ryukyu Islands, 2 May 1945. Fearlessly braving the fury of artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire from strongly entrenched hostile positions, Bush constantly and unhesitatingly moved from 1 casualty to another to attend the wounded falling under the enemy's murderous barrages. As the attack passed over a ridge top, Bush was advancing to administer blood plasma to a marine officer Iying wounded on the skyline when the Japanese launched a savage counterattack. In this perilously exposed position, he resolutely maintained the flow of life-giving plasma. With the bottle held high in 1 hand, Bush drew his pistol with the other and fired into the enemy's ranks until his ammunition was expended. Quickly seizing a discarded carbine, he trained his fire on the Japanese charging pointblank over the hill, accounting for 6 of the enemy despite his own serious wounds and the loss of 1 eye suffered during his desperate battle in defense of the helpless man. With the hostile force finally routed, he calmly disregarded his own critical condition to complete his mission, valiantly refusing medical treatment for himself until his officer patient had been evacuated, and collapsing only after attempting to walk to the battle aid station. His daring initiative, great personal valor, and heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in service of others reflect great credit upon Bush and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.