Thankful Thursday...

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Lieutenant Nathan Green Gordon (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on February 15, 1944, in the Bismarck Sea. His citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands, Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lt. Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese.

First Lieutenant Donald J. Gott (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on November 9, 1944, at Saarbrucken, Germany. His citation reads:

On a bombing run upon the marshaling yards at Saarbrucken a B-17 aircraft piloted by 1st. Lt. Gott was seriously damaged by antiaircraft fire. Three of the aircraft's engines were damaged beyond control and on fire; dangerous flames from the No. 4 engine were leaping back as far as the tail assembly. Flares in the cockpit were ignited and a fire raged therein, which was further increased by free-flowing fluid from damaged hydraulic lines. The interphone system was rendered useless. In addition to these serious mechanical difficulties the engineer was wounded in the leg and the radio operator's arm was severed below the elbow. Suffering from intense pain, despite the application of a tourniquet, the radio operator fell unconscious. Faced with the imminent explosion of his aircraft, and death to his entire crew, mere seconds before bombs away on the target, 1st. Lt. Gott and his copilot conferred. Something had to be done immediately to save the life of the wounded radio operator. The lack of a static line and the thought that his unconscious body striking the ground in unknown territory would not bring immediate medical attention forced a quick decision. 1st. Lt. Gott and his copilot decided to fly the flaming aircraft to friendly territory and then attempt to crash land. Bombs were released on the target and the crippled aircraft proceeded alone to Allied-controlled territory. When that had been reached, 1st. Lt. Gott had the copilot personally inform all crewmembers to bail out. The copilot chose to remain with 1st. Lt. Gott in order to assist in landing the bomber. With only one normally functioning engine, and with the danger of explosion much greater, the aircraft banked into an open field, and when it was at an altitude of 100 feet it exploded, crashed, exploded again and then disintegrated. All 3 crewmembers were instantly killed. 1st. Lt. Gott's loyalty to his crew, his determination to accomplish the task set forth to him, and his deed of knowingly performing what may have been his last service to his country was an example of valor at its highest.

Captain Charles G. Gould (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 2, 1865, at Petersburg, Virginia. His citation reads:

Among the first to mount the enemy's works in the assault, he received a serious bayonet wound in the face, was struck several times with clubbed muskets, but bravely stood his ground, and with his sword killed the man who bayoneted him.

We’ve got around 37 days until the Hootie concert and just under 50 days until the Labor Day Weekend. What a great time of the year!

Thankful Thursday

Daniel was sick this past weekend. While I’m not thankful for that, I am thankful for our doctor (Dr. Keller). Unlike some doctors, Dr. Keller takes time to get to know his patients and doesn’t just treat everyone as a number. He is our family doctor (that means he sees me, The Wife, Mary Ruth, Susie and Daniel). Anyway, The Wife took Daniel to the after-hours doctor when we got back in town Tuesday night and it was a waste of time. The doctor there asked her if she wanted Daniel to have an x-ray and if she wanted medicine for him. Um… last I checked, The Wife isn’t The Wife, MD. We believe in paying our doctors so they will tell us what to do… not the other way around. And that’s why we like Dr. Keller. He understands the whole doctor/patient thing… we pay him to tell us what to do when it comes to health things. I also like him because he understands that when I bring the kids in without The Wife, he needs to write down all important information because there’s a real good chance I won’t remember any of it (sad, but true). The Wife took Daniel to see Dr. Keller yesterday and like the real doctor that he is, he checked both of Daniel’s ears and his throat. Seems the boy has an ear infection and swollen tonsils… Dr. Keller did not ask if The Wife wanted to order x-rays or give him medicine, he prescribed medicine and told her how often to give it to him. I tell you all of this to say that I’m very thankful for Dr. Keller and all that he’s done for my family over the last ten years.