Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:
Corporal Francis A. Wilson (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 2, 1865, at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:
Was among the first to penetrate the enemy's lines and himself captured a gun of the 2 batteries captured.
Technical Sergeant Harold E. Wilson (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 23-24, 1951, in Korea. His citation reads:
For gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as platoon sergeant of a rifle platoon attached to Company G, in action against enemy aggressor forces on the night of 23-24 April 1951. When the company outpost was overrun by the enemy while his platoon, firing from hastily constructed foxholes, was engaged in resisting the brunt of a fierce mortar, machine gun, grenade, and small-arms attack launched by hostile forces from high ground under cover of darkness, T/Sgt. Wilson braved intense fire to assist the survivors back into the line and to direct the treatment of casualties. Although twice wounded by gunfire, in the right arm and the left leg, he refused medical aid for himself and continued to move about among his men, shouting words of encouragement. After receiving further wounds in the head and shoulder as the attack increased in intensity, he again insisted upon remaining with his unit. Unable to use either arm to fire, and with mounting casualties among our forces, he resupplied his men with rifles and ammunition taken from the wounded. Personally reporting to his company commander on several occasions, he requested and received additional assistance when the enemy attack became even more fierce and, after placing the reinforcements in strategic positions in the line, directed effective fire until blown off his feet by the bursting of a hostile mortar round in his face. Dazed and suffering from concussion, he still refused medical aid and, despite weakness from loss of blood, moved from foxhole to foxhole, directing fire, resupplying ammunition, rendering first aid, and encouraging his men. By his heroic actions in the face of almost certain death, when the unit's ability to hold the disadvantageous position was doubtful, he instilled confidence in his troops, inspiring them to rally repeatedly and turn back the furious assaults. At dawn, after the final attack had been repulsed, he personally accounted for each man in his platoon before walking unassisted l/2 mile to the aid station where he submitted to treatment. His outstanding courage, initiative, and skilled leadership in the face of overwhelming odds were contributing factors in the success of his company's mission and reflect the highest credit upon T/Sgt. Wilson and the U.S. Naval Service.
Sergeant John Wilson (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on March 31, 1865, at Chamberlains Creek, Virginia. His citation reads:
With the assistance of one comrade, headed off the advance of the enemy, shooting 2 of his color bearers; also posted himself between the enemy and the lead horses of his own command, thus saving the herd from capture.
Today’s Pic
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| Like all of my best ideas, this one kind of started as a joke... |
Speaking of Janie, I am reminded of when I was leaving James Island headed to Rock Hill to start my time at Winthrop University. Going off to college can be somewhat of a stressful time to someone like me who 1. Already likes where he’s at and 2. Doesn’t like making new friends. One of the things that helped keep me from being overcome with stress (other than a God given gift of not stressing too much over stuff) is the simple fact that I had Aunt Janie and Not Aunt Janie (I can’t remember if I’m allowed to use her name on the internet or not) in my life. What do I mean by that? I mean when Mom left Knightsville back in the 20’s or 30’s (I don’t remember the exact year she went to college) to head to Columbia College, she was not going with life-long friends. Yet, what happened when she got there was she was put in a unique situation of having not one roommate, but two. Who knew back then that 90 years later (give or take a few years… like I said, I’m not big on dates) these three women would still be great friends and that multiple generations of their families would share decades of happy memories and a great love of Mom’s youngest son? Yet that is what happened. Of course, at the time I was leaving for Winthrop we didn’t have the 3rd generation of our Labor Day family, but the fact that I had a Labor Day family gave me comfort. And while it didn’t happen right away, I did end up making life-long friends (and meeting The Wife) while at Winthrop. So, again, Happy Birthday Janie! We at I’m just sayin… love you (and will most likely be voting for you in November)!
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