RIP Merle Haggard

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Gunnery Sergeant William Gary Walsh (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on February 27, 1945, at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands. His citation reads:

For extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as leader of an assault platoon, attached to Company G, 3d Battalion, 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands on 27 February 1945. With the advance of his company toward Hill 362 disrupted by vicious machinegun fire from a forward position which guarded the approaches to this key enemy stronghold, G/Sgt. Walsh fearlessly charged at the head of his platoon against the Japanese entrenched on the ridge above him, utterly oblivious to the unrelenting fury of hostile automatic weapons fire and handgrenades employed with fanatic desperation to smash his daring assault. Thrown back by the enemy's savage resistance, he once again led his men in a seemingly impossible attack up the steep, rocky slope, boldly defiant of the annihilating streams of bullets which saturated the area. Despite his own casualty losses and the overwhelming advantage held by the Japanese in superior numbers and dominant position, he gained the ridge's top only to be subjected to an intense barrage of handgrenades thrown by the remaining Japanese staging a suicidal last stand on the reverse slope. When 1 of the grenades fell in the midst of his surviving men, huddled together in a small trench, G/Sgt. Walsh, in a final valiant act of complete self-sacrifice, instantly threw himself upon the deadly bomb, absorbing with his own body the full and terrific force of the explosion. Through his extraordinary initiative and inspiring valor in the face of almost certain death, he saved his comrades from injury and possible loss of life and enabled his company to seize and hold this vital enemy position. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Private George W. Walton (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 29, 1864, at Fort Hell, Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Went outside the trenches, under heavy fire at short range, and rescued a comrade who had been wounded and thrown out of the trench by an exploding shell.

Private Martin Wambsgan (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 19, 1864, at Cedar Creek, Virginia. His citation reads:

While the enemy were in close proximity, this soldier sprang forward and bore off in safety the regimental colors, the color bearer having fallen on the field of battle.


I know I’m a few days late reporting this, but Country Music great Merle Haggard passed away a few days ago. Haggard had a number of great songs, but my all-time favorite will always be Mama Tried. I hope he can now rest in peace.

My Cubbies have gotten off to a good start so far… but already have lost a starting position player to a season ending knee injury. We will keep our fingers crossed that this will not hurt their season.

Good news on the weight-loss front… I’m down 30 pounds so far this year. I’m now at 219. Getting below 220 feels pretty nice. My next goal is to get under 210. Thanks for all of your prayers… keep them coming.

I just recently read two books by Pat Conroy (The Prince of Tides and The Lords of Discipline) for the first time… it seems I am a little late to this great writer. So, like anyone late to something like this, I will simply tell you if you haven’t read any of his books then you are missing out. Figures it would be after his passing (which, sadly, I’m not sure I covered here… so it’s possible some of you are just now finding out that he died this past March 4th while I was moving… his passing was unrelated to my move) that I would discover what a great author he was. Even when he used big words (and there were times he used big words), it was done in such a way that I didn’t feel like I needed to have a dictionary beside me. I look forward to adding the rest of his books to my reading list…