Happy 20th to Sonny and Cougar!

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Staff Sergeant Isadore S. Jachman (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 4, 1945, at Flamierge, Belgium. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at Flamierge, Belgium, on 4 January 1945, when his company was pinned down by enemy artillery, mortar, and small arms fire, 2 hostile tanks attacked the unit, inflicting heavy. casualties. S/Sgt. Jachman, seeing the desperate plight of his comrades, left his place of cover and with total disregard for his own safety dashed across open ground through a hail of fire and seizing a bazooka from a fallen comrade advanced on the tanks, which concentrated their fire on him. Firing the weapon alone, he damaged one and forced both to retire. S/Sgt. Jachman's heroic action, in which he suffered fatal wounds, disrupted the entire enemy attack, reflecting the highest credit upon himself and the parachute infantry.

Private First Class Arthur J. Jackson (US Marine Corps) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 18, 1944, on the Island of Peleliu in the Palau group. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces on the Island of Peleliu in the Palau group, 18 September 1944. Boldly taking the initiative when his platoon's left flank advance was held up by the fire of Japanese troops concealed in strongly fortified positions, Pfc. Jackson unhesitatingly proceeded forward of our lines and, courageously defying the heavy barrages, charged a large pillbox housing approximately 35 enemy soldiers. Pouring his automatic fire into the opening of the fixed installation to trap the occupying troops, he hurled white phosphorus grenades and explosive charges brought up by a fellow marine, demolishing the pillbox and killing all of the enemy. Advancing alone under the continuous fire from other hostile emplacements, he employed similar means to smash 2 smaller positions in the immediate vicinity. Determined to crush the entire pocket of resistance although harassed on all sides by the shattering blasts of Japanese weapons and covered only by small rifle parties, he stormed 1 gun position after another, dealing death and destruction to the savagely fighting enemy in his inexorable drive against the remaining defenses, and succeeded in wiping out a total of 12 pillboxes and 50 Japanese soldiers. Stouthearted and indomitable despite the terrific odds. Pfc. Jackson resolutely maintained control of the platoon's left flank movement throughout his valiant 1-man assault and, by his cool decision and relentless fighting spirit during a critical situation, contributed essentially to the complete annihilation of the enemy in the southern sector of the island. His gallant initiative and heroic conduct in the face of extreme peril reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Jackson and the U.S. Naval Service.

First Sergeant Frederick R. Jackson (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on June 16, 1862, on James Island, South Carolina. His citation reads:

Having his left arm shot away in a charge on the enemy, he continued on duty, taking part in a second and a third charge until he fell exhausted from the loss of blood.


I'd like to start today by wishing Sonny and Cougar a happy 20th Anniversary!  Or, as Sonny would call it... just another day.  That Sonny, such a romantic. 

I feel like we should be able to vote on which movies can be remade and which movies can't.  In general, I don't think any movies should be remade... I think it's cheap.  Come up with an original idea... or at least an orginial title.  I bring this up, of course, because I've been seeing commercials for Red Dawn.  I'm sorry, Red Dawn has already been made... and it was perfect the first time.  Now, if you want to make a Red Dawn II, fine.  It would probably suck and I doubt I'd watch it... but at least it would be it's own movie and not a remake of a classic.  I did see some of a remake of Steel Magnolias a few weeks ago with an all black starring cast.  It was... interesting.  For one thing, it was done for TV... so I'm not really sure that counts.  The remake had a pretty good cast and for the most part it seemed to "work"... except for the fact that as hard as I tried, I just couldn't stop seeing it as so-and-so playing someone elses role.  For example, I kept seeing Phylicia Rashad playing Olympia Dukakis when I should have seen her as Clairee.  While I should have been watching the movie, I found myself just comparing the new cast to the original cast.  For about the 10 minutes I watched, I thought the new cast held their own (they are, after all, pretty dang good actresses in their own right).  The one thing that made me turn it (other than realizing I had been watching Lifetime for about 10 minutes) was watching Alfre Woodard play Ouiser.  Don't get me wrong, I've seen Alfre Woodard in various things and think she is a fine actress... but she doesn't come close to Shirley MacLaine.  To be fair, I don't know of anyone who could come close to Shirley MacLaine.  You'll remember that in our eyes when it comes to the greatest actresses of all time we've got Shirley MacLaine and that's it... that's the list.  Anyway, the bottom line is we at I'm just sayin... feel great movies shouldn't be remade. 


The I’m just sayin… Quote of the Week

The time to make friends is before you need them. - Coach John Wooden