This Day in History

There are some (many… most?) in this world who think I’m… how should I say this… they think I love me some me. They think that I think the world revolves around me. As a rule, I typically do not argue with people who say this because… well… I’m not 100% sure they are wrong. However, on this date in history I made the ultimate sacrifice for a friend. And by ultimate, I don’t mean I died… or took a bullet… or gave blood… or even loaned money (as another rule, I don’t loan money, I give money… but that’s a different topic for a different day). No, friends, what I did on this day (July 11) back in 2003 was miss a baseball game. It was Game 5 of the first round of the American Legion playoffs between West Ashley and Georgetown. It had been a heated series and Game 5 was looking like it would be great. I was an assistant coach at the time… in fact; I was the only assistant coach that season. Why wasn’t I there? A wedding. Actually, not a wedding… a wedding rehearsal. Really, now that I think about it, the rehearsal didn’t last all that long… I mainly missed because of the rehearsal dinner. A certain friend of mine, who I won’t name on here (but if you guess Jeremy, you’d be right), decided to get married right in the middle of the legion playoffs. You could make the point that his wedding date was set well before I began helping with the Legion program… because it was. But as soon as he saw what was going to happen, he should have done the right thing and pushed the wedding back a day. But no… he held firm and made me miss the game. Big deal, you say, it was just a game. Friends, you know I would never lie to you. Ok, that’s not true at all, I would lie to you and this would be the perfect time to do it… but the truth (the real truth) is that this ended up being more than just a game. The head coach for West Ashley at that time coached for 20 years before he stepped down two seasons ago. If you were to ask him right now what was the greatest game he ever coached in his 20 seasons as the head coach of the West Ashley program, he would say without even thinking about it, “Game 5 of the Georgetown series in 2003”. The game went into extra innings with West Ashely’s starting pitcher going the distance. It ended with a walk off home run (by said pitcher). It’s a game that is still talked about today by all who were there (and by at least one person [me] who wasn’t there).

I will say this… I remember the look in Jeremy’s eyes when I first told him how that game ended. It was a look that said, “Oh crap… I’m going to hear about this for the rest of my life”. He knows me so well…

In the end, I’m glad I was at the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner to do my part to help get those crazy kids’ life together started off on the right foot. I can’t help but think that it’s because of me that they have been happily married all of these years.

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Sergeant First Class Tony K. Burris (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 8 and 9, 1951 in the vicinity of Mundung-ni, Korea. His citation reads:

Sfc. Burris, a member of Company L, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty. On 8 October, when his company encountered intense fire from an entrenched hostile force, Sfc. Burris charged forward alone, throwing grenades into the position and destroying approximately 15 of the enemy. On the following day, spearheading a renewed assault on enemy positions on the next ridge, he was wounded by machine gun fire but continued the assault, reaching the crest of the ridge ahead of his unit and sustaining a second wound. Calling for a 57mm. recoilless rifle team, he deliberately exposed himself to draw hostile fire and reveal the enemy position. The enemy machine gun emplacement was destroyed. The company then moved forward and prepared to assault other positions on the ridge line. Sfc. Burris, refusing evacuation and submitting only to emergency treatment, joined the unit in its renewed attack but fire from hostile emplacement halted the advance. Sfc. Burris rose to his feet, charged forward and destroyed the first emplacement with its heavy machine gun and crew of 6 men. Moving out to the next emplacement, and throwing his last grenade which destroyed this position, he fell mortally wounded by enemy fire. Inspired by his consummate gallantry, his comrades renewed a spirited assault which overran enemy positions and secured Hill 605, a strategic position in the battle for "Heartbreak Ridge," Sfc. Burris' indomitable fighting spirit, outstanding heroism, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest glory upon himself, the infantry and the U.S. Army.

Private William W. Burritt (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 27, 1863 at Vicksburg, Mississippi. His citation reads:

Voluntarily acted as a fireman on a steam tug which ran the blockade and passed the batteries under a heavy fire.

Captain James M. Burt (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 13, 1944 near Wurselen, Germany. His citation reads:

Capt. James M. Burt was in command of Company B, 66th Armored Regiment on the western outskirts of Wurselen, Germany, on 13 October 1944, when his organization participated in a coordinated infantry-tank attack destined to isolate the large German garrison which was tenaciously defending the city of Aachen. In the first day's action, when infantrymen ran into murderous small-arms and mortar fire, Capt. Burt dismounted from his tank about 200 yards to the rear and moved forward on foot beyond the infantry positions, where, as the enemy concentrated a tremendous volume of fire upon him, he calmly motioned his tanks into good firing positions. As our attack gained momentum, he climbed aboard his tank and directed the action from the rear deck, exposed to hostile volleys which finally wounded him painfully in the face and neck. He maintained his dangerous post despite pointblank self-propelled gunfire until friendly artillery knocked out these enemy weapons, and then proceeded to the advanced infantry scouts' positions to deploy his tanks for the defense of the gains which had been made. The next day, when the enemy counterattacked, he left cover and went 75 yards through heavy fire to assist the infantry battalion commander who was seriously wounded. For the next 8 days, through rainy, miserable weather and under constant, heavy shelling, Capt. Burt held the combined forces together, dominating and controlling the critical situation through the sheer force of his heroic example. To direct artillery fire, on 15 October, he took his tank 300 yards into the enemy lines, where he dismounted and remained for 1 hour giving accurate data to friendly gunners. Twice more that day he went into enemy territory under deadly fire on reconnaissance. In succeeding days he never faltered in his determination to defeat the strong German forces opposing him. Twice the tank in which he was riding was knocked out by enemy action, and each time he climbed aboard another vehicle and continued the fight. He took great risks to rescue wounded comrades and inflicted prodigious destruction on enemy personnel and materiel even though suffering from the wounds he received in the battle's opening phase. Capt. Burt's intrepidity and disregard of personal safety were so complete that his own men and the infantry who attached themselves to him were inspired to overcome the wretched and extremely hazardous conditions which accompanied one of the most bitter local actions of the war. The victory achieved closed the Aachen gap.