Thank You, Cyril O'Brien: The Most Flattering Review I Ever Received: The Late Great Cyril O'Brien

I wrote a novel in 2007, The Chorito Hog Leg: A Novel of Guam in Time of War.  

I was disappointed in the book as I did not do a very good job of editing the work, I had paid an editor to do.  Plenty of typos.

Nevertheless, the book was favorably reviewed by Rose Keefe , the noted Crime biographer and historian, the late Martin J. Tully, USSF(ret), CPD (ret) and several combat veterans.

One of those heroes was the great Cyril O'Brien*, a Baltimore journalist and former White house correspondent who was Marine Combat correspondent on Guam. His review appeared in the Mariannas Islands Press and on Borders Books Review.

I have a very blessed life and this man's opinion of my work means almost as much to me as the good wishes from the hundreds of "kids" that I have taught over these past forty years,

Here is Cy O'Brien's review:

Guam Novel Praises the Chamorros as well as Marines

3190 days ago

Book depicts Chamorros going above and beyond By Cyril J. O'Brien There's an interesting novel with a different scenario on the liberation of Guam by Chicago, Ill., school teacher Pat Hickey. It depicts the often underwritten action on Chonito Ridge, and describes the Chamorro people as going above and beyond. It relates the battle story through fictional as well as actual leaders as a way of demonstrating the caliber of the people who fought that war on Guam. A student of the battle, Hickey is well into Able Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, led by Capt. Gary Bundshu in its impossible, day-and-a-half assault straight up to the crest of Chonito Ridge, a cliff overlooking the Asan beaches on Guam. The top was taken late in the second day after Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, secured the rear and flank to let Able finish its ascent and hold it.

Using the Marines' nickname for the ridge, Hickey, in The Chorito Hog Leg' '(AuthorHouse 2007, Bloomington, Ind.) intersperses the story with surprising incidents, heroic actions, including the gratuitous cruelty of Japanese captors on the Guamanian people. The book is also punctuated with bits of holiness of sisters, mothers and girlfriends back in Chicago with rosaries and novenas. Hickey spices it with some seasoned ribald troop vernacular and surprises you with incidents and anecdotes that could make you lose the course of what is going on. Hickey also brings in the colorful gangster days that represented the Windy City at its zenith because it is from where the young Marines he describes are from.

Action started at sea And you may have forgotten how the first combat action of Guam was at sea. Pat describes it: the Japanese Kate spinning a torpedo toward the troop-jammed tank landing ship. (I was on the starboard side where the torpedo beaded). But a little LCI (landing craft infantry) ship in our assault convey, there to protect the troopship, nosed her bow into the torpedo bound for our ship. It blew off the LCI's bow and killed all on station there. We watched the next morning as a destroyer sunk the remains of the heroic little LCI.

Within the carnage of battle is a conflict arrayed in the book pitting a young man named Tim Cullen against his battalion commander over the possession of an 1860 Army Cold .45 Hog Leg revolver, which can be traced back to a captain who was with Custer. It brings in diversion and other interests, and continues the novel, but makes no 'neverminds' to history. Hickey, well anointed as an author, is a career educator, graduate of Loyola University, Chicago and now with St. Leo's High School in the city.

 

*Cyril J. O'Brien was a combat correspondent with the 3rd Marine Division in World War II, which helped liberate Guam. He lives in Silver Spring, Md.

8:30 A.M. July 21, 1944 - Guam Liberation Begins

PFC Patrick E. Hickey USMCR carrying the Tripod for a .30 Cal. Machine Gun - July, 1944 on the ridges above Guam's Red Beach 2.


My father, Patrick E. Hickey, died April 25, 2010. Most of the young men in his WWII Marine Company - Able, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines were wounded or killed on this day.

My Dad's platoon leader Lt. Krawiec of Chicago was wounded and evacuated getting out of the LVT (Landing Vehicle Tracked) on the Red Beach 2. PFC Boyd Curtis Troup of Jones, Michigan one of my Dad's best friends and fellow .30 Caliber Heavy Machine Gun crew member was wounded on this beach and evacuated as well.

The balance of Company A ( Able)including it's heroic company commander "Skipper" was pretty much wiped out over the next seventy-two hours taking Chorito Cliff and Bundschu Ridge ( named for Capt. Geary Bundschu-Navy Cross Skipper of A-1-3). Very few members of Able Company continued through the Guam Campaign, in fact the regimental casualties on the first day of the battle, exceeded the 3rd Marine Division Campaign casulties for the previous Battle for Bougainville ( Nov. 1-Dec. 25, 1943).

Author Scott Carmichael, while researching Bunschu Ridge acount of  my Dad's Company and the battles that he never talked about for the balance of his life, sent me this note about apicture that I had forwarded to him. . I informed him that my cousin Willie had found my Dad's Seabag with the number 312 stenciled next to his name. Mr. Carmichael replied -

Wow. Do you know what the number 312 represents? The men used a numbering
system for their gear. They didn't take their seabags along as they rode
their amtraks onto the beach, of course. Seabags were left behind on the
LSTs, for later retrieval. The men numbered not only their seabags, but a
lot of other equipment and gear. 312 = 3rd Marine Regiment/1st Battalion/2nd
company. The headquarters company was always listed as the 1st company
(311). That made Able company the 2nd company in the battalion (312).
Thanks for the information about the photograph.

The photograph above was confirmed to be my Dad carrying the tripod of the machine gun.


Mr. Carmichael contacted me days after my Dad passed away. He was looking for the few survivors of Able Company. Marine Lt. Krawiec died in January 0f 2010, but the gentle and humorous Mr. Troup still lives with his wife and the horrible and multiple wounds he received on Red Beach 2 Sixty Six years ago. I had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Troup, back in May.

God Bless Every American Veteran!

I'm No Thomas Friedman and Obama is No TR - Not Even a Wilson

 

Marines and sailors showing the flag in Vera Cruz 1914.

Using military force against an enemy to punish, avenge a wrong, as retribution is a timeless cause of armed conflict. There are many examples throughout history of successful punitiveoperations. Analyzing historical punitive expeditions for the elements that made them successful or unsuccessful can aid future military and government leaders in framing strategic and operational conflicts, and serve as a backplane for attempting to understand the nature of punitive expeditions and strikes. - Punishment, Revenge, and Retribution: A Historical Analysis of Punitive Operations MAJ Brandon D Newton U.S.Army

Thomas Friedman of the New York Times coined the term 'The Arab Spring" which followed in the wake of President Barack H. Obama's  nicely ironic Cairo Speech and his now wildly ironic Apology Tours.  The Arab Spring was intended to signal the triumph of the Obama Doctrine over two hundred years of American Foreign Policy.  The Arab Spring was the mythical dance between Islam and Democracy - it was no walz.  Rather, the Arab Spring became conga line lead by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, Al Queda and the Wahabbist mullahs - a wholly owned subsidiary of the Saudi Royal Family.  Egypt was only saved from anarchy and Shariah theocracy by the military.  Elsewhere, the Arab and Levantine worlds gushed blood, while America went all Dunkirk in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Obama Sesame Street Diplomacy mouthed by then Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and now John Kerry holds that while it might be necessary to whack a few Taliban/Al Queda and now Isis(l) moles with drone dropped ordnance, diversity and inclusive hugs will make a better world.  Following the beheadings of two American and one British citizen by ISIS(L) knifemen, President Obama  bleated the CAIR meme, " The Islamist State is not Islamic"  Such noggin numbing logic would also lead one to believe that the Nazis were not National Socialists and Caliphate don't need no Caliph.

When 9/11 took place the Bush family helped spirit the bin Laden clan out of the states so as not to harm the family noted for their piety and concrete pouring artistry, because of crazy uncle Osama.  Shortly we learned that the 9/11 monsters were almost universally Saudi, like Osama and that one of many Saudi Princes offered Rudy Giuliani some dough which he tossed back in that worthy's soul-patched mug.

The Saudi Royals have underwritten the Wahhabi blood- flavored doctrines by barely literate mullahs and exported the strict constructionist Qu'ranic verses worldwide.

I really rather foolishly believed at the time that President Bush would Delta Force the hell out of Saudi agents of change.  Instead, we feinted to Kabul and returned to Baghdad with Senator Barack Obama and MSNBC the only victors.

So here we are today - American fighting persons are returning to Iraq and Syria while levitating above the rocks and sands like St. Joseph of Cupertino: Numbers to be determined on a Case-to Case Basis. Three thousand military folks will be going to West Africa to war on Ebola.

So, early this morning I read Thomas Friedman and it seems he and I are in complete agreement . . .well kinda.  Thomas Friedman wants no Imperialistic Ventures Part III - no how and no way.  He believes that Arab Existentialists  will sort things out for themselves.

LONDON — An existential struggle is taking place in the Arab world today. But is it ours or is it theirs? Before we step up military action in Iraq and Syria, that’s the question that needs answering.
What concerns me most about President Obama’s decision to re-engage in Iraq is that it feels as if it’s being done in response to some deliberately exaggerated fears — fear engendered by YouTube videos of the beheadings of two U.S. journalists — and fear that ISIS, a.k.a., the Islamic State, is coming to a mall near you. How did we start getting so afraid again so fast? Didn’t we build a Department of Homeland Security?
I am not dismissing ISIS. Obama is right that ISIS needs to be degraded and destroyed. But when you act out of fear, you don’t think strategically and you glide over essential questions, like why is it that Shiite Iran, which helped trigger this whole Sunni rebellion in Iraq, is scoffing at even coordinating with us, and Turkey and some Arab states are setting limits on their involvement?

I agree wholly, Brother Friedman.  The Saudis, Turks and Emirs du jour will again sit this one out, because  - -  

“This is a war over the soul of Islam — that is what differentiates this moment from all others,” argues Ahmad Khalidi, a Palestinian scholar associated with St. Antony’s College, Oxford. Here is why: For decades, Saudi Arabia has been the top funder of the mosques and schools throughout the Muslim world that promote the most puritanical version of Islam, known as Salafism, which is hostile to modernity, women and religious pluralism, or even Islamic pluralism.audi financing for these groups is a byproduct of the ruling bargain there between the al-Saud family and its Salafist religious establishment, known as the Wahhabis. The al-Sauds get to rule and live how they like behind walls, and the Wahhabis get to propagate Salafist Islam both inside Saudi Arabia and across the Muslim world, using Saudi oil wealth. Saudi Arabia is, in effect, helping to fund both the war against ISIS and the Islamist ideology that creates ISIS members (some 1,000 Saudis are believed to be fighting with jihadist groups in Syria), through Salafist mosques in Europe, Pakistan, Central Asia and the Arab world.

Yep and then some.

I am no Thomas Friedman.  I could never have come up with the notion of an Arab Spring brought to you by the nephews of the Grand Mufti who escaped the Nuremberg Trials.  No sir.  I am no sophisticate.

I could never bring myself to call a adjunct lecturer filling a U of C Law School slot as a solid to real estate slum lord Allison Davis and slum lady Valerie Jarret, a Professor - President and Nobel Laureate or not.
Woodrow Wilson was a professor.

Woodrow Wilson was the grandpa of Obama's political coating - a Progressive. Woodrow could reform the hell out of stuff and still enjoy The Birth of a Nation. Wilson was one complex Orangeman.  He would defend democracy at the drop of his silk hat.  Sent the battleship USS Florida sailing into Vera Cruz when dictator Presidente Huerta kidnapped  a score of Americans and then sent Black Jack Pershing after Pancho Villa when he shot up Columbus, NM.

These were punitive expeditions*.  Even a milquetoast like Prof. Woodrow Wilson worked up some gunboat diplomacy and maintained American power in Latin America.  Huerta was no Assad and Pancho Villa, my favorite Mexican patriot, was far from the likes of the Islamist savages; yet, they needed a good bruising.

I wish GW Bush had done so instead of Nation building where there are only desert tribes and self-interest sheiks.

President Obama is no Jefferson, no Monroe, No Teddy Roosevelt and no Wilson.  He is an over-reaching narcissist and a resume inflating empty suit deathly afraid of Valerie Jarrett.

ISIS(L) could use a brief and very thorough punitive expedition.  Once every ISIS(L) caliph in waiting was sent home to the Prophet, every chastising  military person would come home to a heroes welcome, a nice rest, a little something extra in the pay envelop and wait for the next punitive expedition** against directed against anyone foolish enough to kidnap, or kill Americans.

*  Notable punitive expeditions[edit]

The French Navy raids San Juan de Ulua (Mexico) during the Pastry War (1838).
In the 13th century Kublai Khan, the founder of the Yuan Dynasty, sent emissaries demanding tribute from the Singhasari kingdom of Java. The ruler of the Singhasari kingdom, Kertanagara, refused to pay tribute and tattooed a Chinese messenger, Meng Qi, on his face. A punitive expedition sent by Kublai Khan arrived off the coast of Java in 1293. Jayakatwang, a rebel from Kediri, had killed Kertanagara by that time. The Mongols allied with Raden Wijaya of Majapahit against Jayakatwang and, once the Singhasari kingdom was destroyed, Wijaya turned against the Mongols and forced them to withdraw in confusion.
In 1599 the Spanish conquistador Juan de Oñate ordered his nephew Vincente de Zaldivar to engage in a punitive expedition against the Keres natives of Acoma Pueblo. When the Spanish arrived, they fought a three-day battle with the Keres leaving about 800 men, women and children dead.
During the First Anglo-Powhatan War (1610–14), Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr (1577–1618), an English nobleman was appointed Virginia's first royal governor and ordered to defend the colony against the Powhatan. Lord de la Warr waged a punitive campaign to subdue the Powhatan after they had killed the colony’s council president, John Ratcliffe. His tactics against the Indians proved effective and included raiding their villages, burning their homes, torching their cornfields and crops, and plundering their provisions.
From 1838 to 1842 ships of the United States Exploring Expedition engaged in three punitive expeditions against Pacific islanders.
The First Opium War (1839-42), in retaliation of the burning of opiate products by Commissioner Lin Zexu, which resulted in the opening of a number of ports, the cession of Hong Kong to Great Britain, and the Treaty of Nanjing.
The 1842 Ivory Coast Expedition was led by Matthew C. Perry against the Bereby people of West Africa after two attacks on American merchant ships.
The French Campaign against Korea in 1866, a response to the earlier execution by Korea of French priests proselytizing in Korea.
The 1867 Formosa Expedition, a failed punitive operation of the United States.
The United States expedition to Korea in 1871, in retaliation to the General Sherman incident, where a U.S. merchant ship was burned as it entered Pyongyang.
The 1874 Japanese expedition against Formosa.
Benin Expedition of 1897 British punitive action that led to the annexation of the Kingdom of Benin. The New York Times reported on January 13, 1897 that a "punitive expedition" would be formed to "punish the murderers of the Benin City expedition."
The Pancho Villa Expedition from 1916 to 1917, led by General John J. Pershing, was an operation in retaliation against Pancho Villa's incursion into United States.
Suppression of the 1920 Iraqi Revolt against the British Mandate of Mesopotamia,
The 1979 invasion of Vietnam by China was characterised by Deng Xiaoping as an act of punishment necessitated by Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia, saying that "Children who don't listen have to be spanked."

 ** 

The killing or wounding or capture of those opposed to us and the destruction of their property. The destruction of the property of those who aid and abet those hostile to us. The laying waste of entire sections inhabited by people generally supporting those hostile to us. The removal and dispersion of all of the inhabitants of an area of unrest

Major Harold H. Utley, “An Introduction to the Tactics and Techniques of Small Wars.” Marine 

Corps Gazette 16, no. 1 (May 1931): 51. 

Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) - Syria and Peleliu

This week a State Department program dedicated to eliminating the dangers of explosive remnants of war (ERWs) continues to remove bombs, landmines and canisters seventy four years after WWII in Palau Island group.

This week and last week Secretary of State John Kerry has made the rounds of TV news, cable and the United States Congress to make the case of  adding explosives to the surface of Syria.

Syria is a former French colony in the Middle East that evolved to become government for the Assad family of tall male John Cleese look-alikes given to looting and killing Syrians as well as Israel.  The Palua Island group is a lush volcanic chain of islands in the Pacific of which Peleliu is memorable for being turned into charcoal biquet and gave of thousands of Americans in 1944.

In Palau, the non-governmental organization Cleared Ground Demining (CGD) operates a program centered on the island of Peleliu, where for 74 fierce days in late 1944, American forces battled the island’s Japanese defenders.  The scorched earth, and the charred remains of trees and vehicles have long since given way to lush greenery on Peleliu.  A few pillboxes and artillery emplacements still stand, and oil drums, canteens and other war relics still litter the jungle.  However, ERW remain the most dangerous reminders of the fierce combat that swept over the island.  Loose bullets, machine gun bands, mortars and large aerial bombs contrast with the beautiful scenery on land and in the waters around Peleliu, making this picturesque landscape dangerous for the locals, for development and for tourists.  U.S. funding helps CGD to build local capacity to deal with the negative effects of ERW by training Palauan teams to conduct battle area clearance, explosive ordnance disposal spot tasks, and risk education campaigns.  U.S. funding has supported the clearance of suspected hazardous land adjacent to Peleliu’s only power plant, and this coming year, CGD will clear unexploded ordnance (UXO) along a planned pipeline that will supply the residents of Peleliu with running water. -  

The Battle Peleliu was a horrific strategic miscalculation described by military historians as 'unavoidable and unnecessary.' WWII memorrialist Eugene Sledge wrote, " The 1st Marine Division was ordered to seize Peleliu in the Palau Islands, to secure General Douglas MacArthur's right flank for his return to the Philippines. D-Day was 15 September 1944. Our commanding general predicted a three-day battle?a gross miscalculation. The Peleliu campaign turned into one of the bloodiest, most vicious battles of World War II."

Syria has been an Arab Spring meat-grinder for years.  The Assad Family has long been allied to Russia and the Soviet Union before that.  Since Jimmy Carter's American Malaise foreign policy of the late 1970's, Syria has been as tight as ticks with Ayatollah's of Iran.  The Ayatollah's spent their exile years away from the Shah in Paris melding Marxism with Mohammad.  Syria is chock full of chemical weapons, just like the ones used by Saddam Hussein on the Kurds of Iraq.

President Obama is now aware of those Weapons of Mass Destruction and is determined to drop ordinance on Syria.  John Kerry, who dined and cocktailed with Mr. & Mrs. Assad,  is doing his patrician best to see that President Obama gets his wish.

John Kerry's State Department task force on ERWs is cleaning up Peleliu's ordinance.

Peleliu and Syria share the month of September.  The strategists who demanded the invasion Peleliu on Sept 15, 1944 are not unlike the folks who can not give straight answer on the Benghazi massacre that took place on September 11th 2012. Peleliu was taken only with valor and blood in a redundant exercise of ego.

The awful struggle was a testament to the skill and bravery of the Marines against a tenacious foe. But our division intelligence section lacked critical information regarding:

• The large coral ridge complex, containing more than 500 connecting caves.
• The enemy plan to conserve manpower and fight a battle of attrition.
• Enemy plans for intensive night infiltration, greater than Marines had previously experienced.

There had never been anything like Peleliu in the Pacific. It set the stage for the bloodbaths of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. But they had strategic significance. As it turned out, MacArthur walked into the Philippines with little opposition. I shall always harbor a deep sense of bitterness and grief over the suffering and loss of so many fine Marines on Peleliu for no good reason. It was my privilege to fight alongside them, fine, courageous, loyal and dependable men who filled the ranks of the finest division in World War II.
We must never forget them. (emphasis my own)

Sadly, Professor Sledge, the people we elect remember nothing.


Oil paintings of Peleiu by WWII combat artist Tom Lea - I asked my Congressman Dan Lipinski (D 3rd) to vote against this looming Syrian Peleliu.

Thanks, Once Again, Dad!

Battle Ribbons for PFC Patrick E, Hickey, USMCR -1943-1945 ( Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima)

Dad carrying the tripod on Guam* and looking old at 19 years. 


" It was rugged." - Personal narrative of WWII by PFC Patrick E, Hickey, USMCR (dec.)

 God Bless you, Dad and all who protect us and our Freedoms.

Able Company ( Capt. Geary Bundschu) 1st Batallion, 3rd Marines pinned down during the three attack up the cliffs later named for Capt. Bundschu. At the center of this old photo are what is left of A Company in July 1994 on Guam.

the 1st Battalion landed and started across rice paddies toward Bundschu Ridge, a nose of land running down toward the beach,²⁵ enemy machine guns began to fire from the woods bordering the open ground. Company B, in assault on the right, quickly cleared these woods and made good progress until it ran into jungle and rock.
The Japanese did not give Company A, on the left, time to organize for an assault, but opened fire on LVT's as they moved ashore and stopped to unload troops. Casualties mounted as reorganization got under way. Enemy opposition, plus the fact that terrain bore little resemblance to that studied on maps and models, added to the normal confusion which --43--

---

follows any assault landing.²⁶ But cool thinking and the training under adverse conditions on Guadalcanal paid off. Captain Geary R. Bundschu quickly organized his company and made preparations for the assault on the ridge that already bore his name. (See Map 13)
The attack started with two platoons in assault and one in support, but the going was slow and rough. The support platoon had to be committed in short order. This added strength enabled Bundschu to get within 100 yards of the top by 1045, but he reported he needed corpsmen and stretchers badly. This message gave just a hint of things to come. Moving that last 100 yards proved to be a lengthy and costly business. Only one officer, Lieutenant James A. Gallo, Jr., and a few men of the company survived the action that followed.
It is doubtful if Captain Bundschu realized until after 1200 what he was up against.²⁷ The initial assault on the ridge had been driven back by two machine guns emplaced to deliver enfilade fire on advancing troops. A platoon tried to flank one position by going up a heavily wooded gully but the waiting Japanese forced it to withdraw. About 1400 Bundschu asked his battalion commander, Major Henry Aplington, II, for permission to disengage. But Aplington felt this could not be done because of the unit being so involved. However, the right platoon (1st) succeeded in disengaging. Lieutenant Gallo, its leader, reorganized the remnants of his unit and those of the 3d Platoon and awaited orders from his company commander.²⁸After a conference between the regimental commander and Captain Bundschu, Colonel Hall ordered a second frontal assault on the ridge. Bundschu and Gallo organized the remaining men of Company A into two forces for the attempt. The company commander requested that an 81mm mortar barrage be placed on the hill,²⁹ and just before sundown the attack started. Bundschu and his men inched forward but the same machine gun that had caused them trouble earlier in the day soon stopped the advance. Repeated attempts to take the position failed. Finally, covered by fire from every available weapon, the Marines silenced the gun with grenades. An assault reached the top of the hill, but by this time the remaining handful of Marines found it impossible to reorganize and defend this crest.³⁰On the right, Lieutenant Gallo and his men fared no better. Under cover of the 81mm barrage, they crawled up the ridge and reached a position under the machine gun in their sector. But the Japanese, by rolling hand grenades down on the advancing troops, made the position untenable and halted the attack. Little had been accomplished. The company was back where it had been earlier in the day, but this time with fewer men.³¹During the course of the Bundschu Ridge action, the regimental commander had decided to commit his reserve, Lieutenant Colonel Hector de Zayas' 2d Battalion. When it became apparent that the enemy offered the most resistance in the center of the zone of action, Hall alerted de Zayas' unit for a move into the line between the two assault battalions. Shortly thereafter, at 1300, Colonel Hall assembled his battalion commanders on top of Chonito Cliff and issued his fragmentary order:

* from Scott Carmichael's forthcoming book Bundschu Ridge 

Despite the rigorous training schedule which left them filthy and exhausted most days, the enlisted men found time and energy to temporarily escape the regimentation of an infantryman’s life through the pursuit of personal interests and hobbies.  Pfc’s Patrick E. Hickey of Chicago and Boyd C. Troup of Michigan discovered the game of horseshoe.  Hickey was the son of Irish immigrants; he was one of 13 kids in his family, and he was barely 19 years old when he joined the Marine Corps.  He and Boyd were machine gunners in 2LT Henry Oliver’s machine gun platoon, and neither of them had ever played the game of horseshoes before their arrival on Guadalcanal.  Boyd recalled that each of them threw ‘ringers’ on their very first tosses, and ‘laughed like hell’ because they couldn’t possibly have done that on purpose, had they tried.  They were hooked on the game from the beginning, and passed much of their spare time tossing iron shoes at a stake in the ground. 

 

Commanders in Chief Facing the Weather

1944 - n October 21, 1944, as heavy rain and autumn winds pelted the five boroughs, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, approaching an election for an historic fourth term, toured through fifty-one miles of New York City streets in a large motorcade.  With his wife Eleanor at his side, the aging President defied terrible weather to greet his fellow Americans from an open car (and sometimes without a hat). "There was no doubt," the Times wrote, "that he wanted to be seen by as many New Yorkers as possible."  


1946 -On a rainy Washington DC day in July 1946, President Harry S. Truman presented the Presidential Unit Citation to members of the segregated 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team with the words, “You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice, and you have won.”  Now more than 65 years later, in a ceremony on November 2, 2011, Congress will award its highest civilian honor to these same brave men by granting the Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service. With the awarding of this honor, a whole new generation will learn about the heroism of this group of Nisei soldiers—many of whom gave their lives to prove their patriotism to a country that had forsaken them and their families by forcing them from their homes and putting them in American concentration camps.  It is an honor that is coming not a moment too soon: like all Nisei who experienced first-hand the traumas of World War II, many are no longer with us.






1952- President Eisenhower and Sargent Virgil Hutcherson, Squad Leader, Co. “B”, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd US Infantry Division, eat dinner in Korea.  December 4, 1952.



2013 - After an opening statement from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan (REH’-jehp TY’-ihp UR’-doh-wahn), Obama offered to get him an umbrella. Erdogan declined.

But minutes later, the rain seemed to distract Obama. He asked for a pair of Marines to come hold umbrellas for him and his guest.

Obama joked that he had a change of suits but wasn’t so sure about the prime minister.

Depends?

2013 - Never mind.



2013 - Transcendent, Aspirational and dry as an FDR martini

In Obama's Army - Catholics and Evangelical Christians Are Listed as Extremists

Extremist Catholic Priest (above and to the right) Posthumous Recipient Congressional Medal of Honor

Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center: Thoughtful, caring, and well-funded influential American.

As Isaiah the Prophet said [Isaiah 5:20-24]:

Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!
Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes,
and shrewd in their own sight!
Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine,
and valiant men in mixing strong drink,
who acquit the guilty for a bribe,
and deprive the innocent of his right!
Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,
and as dry grass sinks down in the flame,
so their root will be as rottenness,
and their blossom go up like dust;
for they have rejected the law of the LORD of hosts,
and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS) issued the following statement today on the mischaracterization of  “Catholicism” as an example of “religious extremism” on slide #24 of this U.S. Army Reserve training brief:

I got an e-mail from a board member for Brother Rice High School who practices law in Georgia.
This e-mail included a link to the website for the Bishop of Military Chaplains.  

The Archdiocese for the Military Services and Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty recently became aware of a U.S. Army Reserve Equal Opportunity training brief that expressly listed “Catholicism,” “Evangelical Christianity” and other religious groups as examples of “religious extremism” alongside groups such as “Al Qaeda”, “Hamas” and the “KKK.”  
The Archdiocese is astounded that Catholics were listed alongside groups that are, by their very mission and nature, violent and extremist. 
According to an investigation and reply from the Army Chief of Chaplains office, the training in question appears to have been an isolated incident not condoned by the Department of the Army. The Archdiocese and the Chaplain Alliance explained that the Army can and should take steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
The Archdiocese calls upon the Department of Defense to review these materials and to ensure that tax-payer funds are never again used to present blatantly anti-religious material to the men and women in uniform.

A new Army Reserve program warns officers to be on the look out for terrorists, gang-bangers, political extremists, church going Evangelicals and Roman Catholics ( page 24.) as domestic and international terrorists.

From the introduction to the training brief, it appears that President Obama as Commander-in-Chief reached out to the Southern Poverty Law Center for guidance in identifying bad guys and girls.

The number of hate groups, extremists and anti‐govt organizationsin theU.S. has
continued to grow over the past three years, according to reports by the Southern Poverty Law Center. They increased to 1,018 in 2011, up from1,002 in 2010 and 602 in 2000.

The striking rise is fueled by the superheated fears generated by economic dislocation, a proliferation of demonizing conspiracy theories,the changing racialmake‐up of America and the prospect of 4 more years under a black president who many on the far right view as an enemy to their country country. The rise in hate crimes and extremism outside the military may be an indication of internal
issues all services will have to face

On one hand America has an extremist like Padre Grunt

On the other hand you have this runt

Gee, Mark almost to the word of the Army Brief.

There have been many Roman Catholic and Evangelical Christians who went to extreme measures to preserve our democracy.  

Barack H. Obama is the Commander in Chief and not the clowns of the Southern Poverty Law Center, whatever the hell that means?

Here's a few, just the Irish American Extremists:

Civil War

      This along with the *, indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	James Allen	Army	Private		South Mountain,Maryland	September 14, 1862	Single-handed and slightly wounded he accosted a squad of 14 Confederate soldiers bearing the colors of the 16th Georgia Infantry (C.S.A.).
—	Robert Anderson	Navy	Quartermaster		On board the USS Crusader and theUSS Keokuk	1863	Served on board the USS Crusader and the USS Keokuk during various actions of those vessels.
—	Augustus Barry	Army	Sergeant Major		Unknown	1863 – 1865	Gallantry in various actions during the rebellion.[9]
—	David L. Bass	Navy	Seaman		Fort Fisher, North Carolina	January 15, 1865	On board the U.S.S. Minnesota in action during the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865.
—	William R. D. Blackwood	Army	Surgeon		Petersburg, Virginia	April 2, 1865	Removed severely wounded officers and soldiers from the field while under a heavy fire from the enemy, exposing himself beyond the call of duty, thus furnishing an example of most distinguished gallantry.
	John Gregory Bourke	Army	Private	Company E, 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry	Murfreesboro, Tennessee	December 31, 1862 – January 2, 1863	Gallantry in action.[10]
—	James Brady	Army	Private		Battle of Chaffin's Farm, Virginia	Sep 29, 1864	Capture of flag[9]
—	Felix Brannigan	Army	Private		Battle of Chancellorsville,Virginia	May 2, 1863	Volunteered on a dangerous service and brought in valuable information.
—	John Brosnan	Army	Sergeant	Company E, 164th New York Infantry	Second Battle of Petersburg,Virginia	Jun 17, 1864	Rescued a wounded comrade who lay exposed to the enemy's fire, receiving a severe wound in the effort.[9]
—	Denis Buckley	Army	Private		Battle of Peachtree Creek, Ga.	Jul 20, 1864	Capture of flag of 31st Mississippi (C.S.A.).[9]
—	John C. Buckley	Army	Sergeant		Battle of Vicksburg, Miss.	May 22, 1863	Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."[9]
—	E. Michael Burk	Army	Private		Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia	May 12, 1864	Capture of flag, seizing it as his regiment advanced over the enemy's works. He received a bullet wound in the chest while capturing flag.[9]
—	Thomas Burk	Army	Sergeant		Battle of Wilderness	May 6, 1864	At the risk of his own life went back while the rebels were still firing and, finding Col. Wheelock unable to move, alone and unaided, carried him off the field of battle.[9]
—	Daniel W. Burke	Army	First Sergeant		Battle of Shepherdstown,Virginia	Sep 20, 1862	Voluntarily attempted to spike a gun in the face of the enemy.[9]
—	John H. Callahan	Army	Private		Battle of Fort Blakely, Ala.	Apr 9, 1865	Capture of flag.
—	William Campbell	Army	Private		Vicksburg, Mississippi	May 22, 1863	Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."
—	Hugh Carey	Army	Sergeant	82nd New York Infantry	Battle of Gettysburg, Pa.	Jul 2, 1863	Captured the flag of the 7th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.), being twice wounded in the effort.[11]
—	Patrick Colbert	Navy	Coxswain		Aboard theUSS Commodore Hull	October 31, 1864	Served on board the U.S.S. Commodore Hull at the capture of Plymouth, 31 October 1864[9]
—	Charles H. T. Collis	Army	Colonel		Petersburg, Virginia	December 13, 1862	Gallantly led his regiment in battle at a critical moment.
—	Dennis Conlan	Navy	Seaman		Aboard theUSS Agawam,First Battle of Fort Fisher	December 23, 1864	Conlan served on board the U.S.S. Agawam, as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, 23 December 1864.[9]
—	Thomas Connor	Navy	Ordinary Seaman		Fort Fisher, North Carolina	January 15, 1865	On board the U.S.S. Minnesota, in action during the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865.
—	James Connors	Army	Private		Battle of Fisher's Hill, Virginia	September 22, 1864	Capture of enemy flag.
—	John L. M. Cooper	Navy	Coxswain		Mobile Bay,Alabama Mobile, Alabama	August 5, 1864 April 26, 1865	Double MOH recipient
—	John Corcoran	Army	Private		Third Battle of Petersburg,Virginia	Apr 2, 1865	Was one of a detachment of 20 picked artillerymen who voluntarily accompanied an infantry assaulting party, and who turned upon the enemy the guns captured in the assault.[12]
	Thomas E. Corcoran	Navy	Landman		Vicksburg, Mississippi	May 27, 1863	Served on board the U.S.S. Cincinnati during the attack on the Vicksburg batteries and at the time of her sinking
—	John Creed	Army	Private		Battle of Fisher's Hill, Virginia	September 22, 1864	Capture of the enemy flag.
	Cornelius Cronin	Navy	Chief Quartermaster		Aboard theUSS Richmond,Battle of Mobile Bay	August 5, 1864	On board the U.S.S. Richmond in action at Mobile Bay on 5 August 1864[9]
—	Richard J. Curran	Army	Assistant Surgeon		Antietam, Maryland	September 17, 1862	Voluntarily exposed himself to great danger by going to the fighting line there succoring the wounded and helpless and conducting them to the field hospital.
—	Michael Dougherty	Army	Private		Jefferson, Virginia	Oct 12, 1863	At the head of a detachment of his company dashed across an open field, exposed to a deadly fire from the enemy, and succeeded in dislodging them from an unoccupied house, which he and his comrades defended for several hours against repeated attacks, thus preventing the enemy from flanking the position of the Union forces.
—	Patrick Dougherty	Navy	Landsman		Aboard theUSS Lackawanna,Battle of Mobile Bay	August 5, 1864	As a landsman on board the U.S.S. Lackawanna, Dougherty acted gallantly without orders when the powder box at his gun was disabled under the heavy enemy fire, and maintained a supply of powder throughout the prolonged action. Dougherty also aided in the attacks on Fort Morgan and in the capture of the prize ram Tennessee.
—	Edmund English	Army	First Sergeant		Wilderness, Virginia	May 6, 1864	During a rout and while under orders to retreat seized the colors, rallied the men, and drove the enemy back.
—	Thomas T. Fallon	Army	Private		Williamsburg,Virginia	May 1862 andJun 1864	At Williamsburg, Virginia, assisted in driving rebel skirmishers to their main line. Participated in action, at Fair Oaks, Virginia, though excused from duty because of disability. In a charge with his company at Big Shanty, Ga., was the first man on the enemy's works.[6]
—	Thomas Fitzpatrick	Navy	Coxswain		Aboard theUSS Hartford,Battle of Mobile Bay	August 5, 1864	As captain of the No. 1 gun on board the flagship U.S.S. Hartford, during action against rebel gunboats, the ram Tennessee and Fort Morgan in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864.
—	Augustin Flanagan	Army	Sergeant		Battle of Chaffin's Farm, Virginia	Sep 29, 1864	Gallantry in the charge on the enemy's works: rushing forward with the colors and calling upon the men to follow him; was severely wounded.
—	James Flannigan	Army	Private		Nolensville, Tenn.	Feb 15, 1863	Was one of a detachment of 16 men who heroically defended a wagon train against the attack of 125 cavalry, repulsed the attack and saved the train.
—	Christopher Flynn	Army	Corporal	14th Connecticut Infantry	Battle of Gettysburg, Pa.	Jul 3, 1863	Capture of flag of 52d North Carolina Infantry (C.S.A.).[11]
—	James E. Flynn	Army	Sergeant		Battle of Vicksburg, Miss.	May 22, 1863	Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."
	Michael C. Horgan	Navy	Landman		Plymouth, North Carolina	October 31, 1864	"[D]istinguished himself by a display of coolness when he participated in landing and spiking a 9-inch gun while under a devastating fire from enemy musketry."
—	Samuel B. Horne	Army	Captain		Fort Harrison,Virginia	September 29, 1864	While acting as an aide and carrying an important message, was severely wounded and his horse killed but delivered the order and rejoined his general.
—	Michael Hudson	Marine Corps	Sergeant		Mobile Bay,Alabama	August 5, 1864	On board the U.S.S. Brooklyn during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864
—	Thomas R. Kerr	Army	Captain		Moorefield, West Virginia	August 7, 1864	After being most desperately wounded, he captured the colors of the 8th Virginia Cavalry (C.S.A.).
—	Edward M. Knox	Army	Second Lieutenant		Gettysburg,Pennsylvania	Jul 2, 1863	Held his ground with the battery after the other batteries had fallen back until compelled to draw his piece off by hand; he was severely wounded.[13]
—	Bartlett Laffey	Navy	Seaman		Yazoo City, Mississippi	March 5, 1864	Served on board the U.S.S. Marmora off Yazoo City, Miss., 5 March 1864. Landed ashore with his howitzer gun and crew in the midst of battle and contributed to the turning back of the enemy.
—	Hugh Logan	Navy	Captain of the Forecastle		Mobile Bay,Alabama	December 30, 1862	On board the U.S.S. Rhode Island which was engaged in rescuing men from the stricken Monitor in Mobile Bay, on 30 December 1862.
—	John Lonergan	Army	Captain	13th Vermont Infantry	Gettysburg, Pennsylvania	July 2, 1863	Gallantry in the recapture of 4 guns and the capture of 2 additional guns from the enemy; also the capture of a number of prisoners.[11]
—	Michael Madden	Army	Private		Mason's Island,Maryland	September 3, 1861	Assisted a wounded comrade to the riverbank and, under heavy fire of the enemy, swam with him across a branch of the Potomac to the Union lines.
—	Richard C. Mangam	Army	Private		Battle of Hatcher's Run, Virginia	April 2, 1865	Capture of flag of 8th Mississippi Infantry (C.S.A.)
—	James Martin II	Marine Corps	Sergeant		Mobile Bay,Alabama	August 5, 1864	Despite damage to his ship and the loss of several men on board as enemy fire raked her decks, Sgt. Martin fought his gun with skill and courage throughout the furious 2 hour battle which resulted in the surrender of the rebel ram Tennessee and in the damaging and destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.
—	Peter McAdams	Army	Corporal		Salem Heights,Virginia	May 3, 1863	Went 250 yards in front of his regiment toward the position of the enemy and under fire brought within the lines a wounded and unconscious comrade.[14]
—	Charles McAnally	Army	Second Lieutenant		Spotsylvania County, Virginia	May 12, 1864	In a hand-to-hand encounter with the enemy captured a flag, was wounded in the act, but continued on duty until he received a second wound.
—	Patrick H. McEnroe	Army	Sergeant		Winchester, Virginia	September 19, 1864	Capture of colors of 36th Virginia Infantry (C.S.A.).
—	Martin McHugh	Navy	Seaman		Aboard theUSS Cincinnati,Operations against Vicksburg	May 27, 1863	Serving on board the USS Cincinnati during the attack on the Vicksburg batteries and at the time of her sinking, 27 May 1863.[15]
	Hugh Molloy	Navy	Ordinary Seaman		Harrisonburg, Louisiana	March 2, 1864	Served on board the USS Fort Hindman during the engagement near Harrisonburg, La., 2 March 1864.
—	Patrick Monaghan	Army	Corporal		Second Battle of Petersburg,Virginia	Jun 17, 1864	Recapture of colors of 7th New York Heavy Artillery.
—	John G. Morrison	Navy	Coxswain		On board the USS Carondelet	July 15, 1862	Serving as coxswain on board the USS Carondelet, Morrison was commended for meritorious conduct in general and especially for his heroic conduct and his inspiring example to the crew in the engagement with the rebel ram Arkansas, Yazoo River, 15 July 1862.
	St. Clair A. Mulholland	Army	Major		Chancellorsville, Virginia	May 4–5, 1863	In command of the picket line held the enemy in check all night to cover the retreat of the Army.
—	Dennis Murphy	Army	Sergeant		Corinth, Mississippi	October 3, 1862	Although wounded three times, carried the colors throughout the conflict.
—	Michael C. Murphy	Army	Lieutenant Colonel		Battle of North Anna, Virginia	May 24, 1864	This officer, commanding the regiment, kept it on the field exposed to the fire of the enemy for 3 hours without being able to fire one shot in return because of the ammunition being exhausted.
—	Christopher Nugent	Marine Corps	Sergeant		On board the USS Fort Henry	June 15, 1863	For his actions while serving on board the USS Fort Henry, Crystal River, Fla., 15 June 1863.
—	James R. O'Beirne	Army	Captain		Battle of Seven Pines, Virginia	May 31-June 1, 1862	Gallantly maintained the line of battle until ordered to fall back.
—	Henry D. O'Brien	Army	Corporal		Battle of Gettysburg, Pa.	Jul 3, 1863	Taking up the colors where they had fallen, he rushed ahead of his regiment, close to the muzzles of the enemy's guns, and engaged in the desperate struggle in which the enemy was defeated, and though severely wounded, he held the colors until wounded a second time.
—	Oliver O'Brien	Navy	Coxswain		Aboard theUSS John Adams	November 28, 1864	Served as coxswain on board the U.S. Sloop John Adams, Sullvan's Island Channel, 28 November 1864. Taking part in the boarding of the blockade runner Beatrice while under heavy enemy fire from Fort Moultrie, O'Brien, who was in charge of one of the boarding launches, carried out his duties with prompt and energetic conduct. This action resulted in the firing of the Beatrice and the capture of a quantity of supplies from her.
—	Peter O'Brien	Army	Private		Battle of Waynesboro, Virginia	Mar 2, 1865	Capture of flag and of a Confederate officer with his horse and equipment
—	Thomas O'Connell	Navy		Coal Heaver	Aboard theUSS Hartford,Battle of Mobile Bay	Aug 5, 1864	On board the flagship USS Hartford, during successful attacks against Fort Morgan, rebel gunboats and the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay on 5 August 1864.
—	Timothy O'Connor	Army	Private		Unknown	Unknown	Date and place of act not of record in War Department.
—	John O'Dea	Army	Private		Vicksburg, Mississippi	May 22, 1863	Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party"
—	Menomen O'Donnell	Army	First Lieutenant		Battle of Vicksburg,Mississippi and Fort DeRussey, La.	May 22, 1863 andMar 14, 1864	Voluntarily joined the color guard in the assault on the enemy's works when he saw indications of wavering and caused the colors of his regiment to be planted on the parapet. Voluntarily placed himself in the ranks of an assaulting column (being then on staff duty) and rode with it into the enemy's works, being the only mounted officer present, was twice wounded in battle.
—	Timothy O'Donoghue	Navy	Seaman		Aboard theUSS Signal, Red River Campaign	May 5, 1864	Served as boatswain's mate on board the USS Signal, Red River, 5 May 1864.
—	Stephen O'Neill	Army	Corporal		Battle of Chancellorsville,Virginia	May 1, 1863	Took up the colors from the hands of the color bearer who had been shot down and bore them through the remainder of the battle.
—	George C. Platt	Army	Private		Fairfield, Pennsylvania	July 3, 1863	Seized the regimental flag upon the death of the standard bearer in a hand-to-hand fight and prevented it from falling into the hands of the enemy.
—	Thomas Plunkett	Army	Sergeant		Fredericksburg, Virginia	December 11, 1862	Seized the colors of his regiment, the color bearer having been shot down, and bore them to the front where both his arms were carried off by a shell.
	James Quinlan	Army	Major		Savage's Station, Virginia	June 29, 1862	Led his regiment on the enemy's battery, silenced the guns, held the position against overwhelming numbers, and covered the retreat of the 2d Army Corps.
—	John Rannahan	Marine Corps	Corporal		Fort Fisher, North Carolina	January 15, 1865	On board the USS Minnesota in the assault on Fort Fisher, 15 January 1865.
—	George Reynolds	Army	Private		Winchester, Virginia	September 19, 1864	Capture of Virginia State flag.
—	James S. Roantree	Marine Corps	Sergeant		Mobile Bay,Alabama	August 5, 1864	On board the USS Oneida during action against rebel forts and gunboats and with the ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864.
—	Peter J. Ryan	Army	Private		Winchester, Virginia	September 19, 1864	With one companion, captured 14 Confederates in the severest part of the battle.
—	George Schutt	Navy	Coxswain		St. Marks, Florida	March 5–6, 1865
—	William J. Sewell	Army	Colonel		Chancellorsville, Virginia	May 3, 1863	For assuming command of the brigade, rallying the troops, and remaining in command though wounded.[6]
—	William Smith	Navy	Quartermaster		On board the USS Kearsarge	January 15, 1865	Served as second quartermaster on board the USS Kearsarge when she destroyed the Alabama off Cherbourg, France, 19 June 1864.
—	James Sullivan	Navy	Ordinary Seaman		Battle of Fort Fisher, North Carolina	December 2, 1864	On board the USS Agawam as one of a volunteer crew of a powder boat which was exploded near Fort Fisher, 2 December 1864.
—	John Sullivan	Navy	Seaman		USS Monticello	Jun 23, 1864 –Jun 25, 1864	Served as seaman on board the USS Monticello during the reconnaissance of the harbor and water defenses of Wilmington, North Carolina 23 to 25 June 1864.
—	Timothy Sullivan	Navy	Coxswain		USS Louisville	Various	Served on board the USS Louisville during various actions of that vessel. During the engagements of the Louisville, Sullivan served as first captain of a 9 inch gun and throughout his period of service was "especially commended for his attention to duty, bravery, and coolness in action."
—	John M. Tobin	Army	First Lieutenant		Malvern Hill,Virginia	July 1, 1862	Voluntarily took command of the 9th Massachusetts while adjutant, bravely fighting from 3 p.m. until dusk, rallying and re_forming the regiment under fire; twice picked up the regimental flag, the color bearer having been shot down, and placed it in worthy hands.
—	John Walsh	Army	Corporal		Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia	October 19, 1864	Recaptured the flag of the 15th New Jersey Infantry.
—	Thomas M. Wells	Army	Chief Bugler		Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia	October 19, 1864	Capture of colors of 44th Georgia Infantry (C.S.A.).
—	Edward Welsh	Army	Private		Vicksburg, Mississippi	May 22, 1863	Gallantry in the charge of the "volunteer storming party."
—	James Welsh	Army	Private		Battle of the Crater, Petersburg,Virginia	Jul 30, 1864	Bore off the regimental colors after the color sergeant had been wounded and the color corporal bearing the colors killed thereby saving the colors from capture.[12]
—	Patrick H. White	Army	Captain		Vicksburg, Mississippi	May 22, 1863	Carried with others by hand a cannon up to and fired it through an embrasure of the enemy's works.

[edit]Indian Wars

      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	Richard Barrett	Army	First Sergeant	Company A,1st U.S. Cavalry	Sycamore Canyon, Arizona	May 23, 1872	Conspicuous gallantry in a charge upon the Tonto Apaches.
—	James J. Bell	Army	Private		Big Horn, Montana	July 9, 1876
—	Thomas Boyne	Army	Sergeant	Company C,9th U.S. Cavalry	Mimbres Mountains, N. Mex. and Cuchillo Negro River near Ojo Caliente, New Mexico	May 29, 1879andSep 27, 1879	Bravery in action.[9]
—	Edward Branagan	Army	Private	Company F,4th U.S. Cavalry	Red River, Texas	Sep 29, 1872	"Gallantry in action."
—	James Brogan	Army	Sergeant	Company G,6th U.S. Cavalry	Simon Valley, Arizona	Dec 14, 1877	Engaged singlehanded 2 renegade Indians until his horse was shot under him and then pursued them so long as he was able.
—	James Brophy	Army	Private	Company B,8th U.S. Cavalry	Arizona	1868	Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.
—	James Brown	Army	Sergeant	Company F,5th U.S. Cavalry	Davidson Canyon near Camp Crittenden,Arizona	Aug 27, 1872	In command of a detachment of 4 men defeated a superior force.[9]
—	Patrick J. Burke	Army	Farrier	Company B,8th U.S. Cavalry	Arizona	1868	Bravery in scouts and actions against Indians.[9]
—	Richard Burke	Army	Private	Company G,5th U.S. Infantry	Cedar Creek, etc., Montana	Oct 1876 –Jan 1877	Gallantry in engagements.[9]
	Edmond Butler	Army	Captain	Company C,5th U.S. Infantry	Wolf Mountains, Montana	January 8, 1877	Most distinguished gallantry in action with hostile Indians.[9]
—	Denis Byrne	Army	Sergeant	Company G,5th U.S. Infantry	Cedar Creek, Montana	October 1876 - January 1877	Gallantry in engagements.[9]
—	Thomas J. Callan	Army	Private	Company B, 7th US Cavalry	Little Bighorn, Montana	June 25–26, 1876	Displayed conspicuously good conduct in assisting to drive away the Indians Surname misspelled "Callen" on citation
—	John Connor	Army	Corporal		Near Wichita River, Texas	July 12, 1870
—	William Evans	Army	Private		Big Horn, Montana	July 9, 1876
—	Daniel Farren	Army	Private		Arizona Territory	August - October 1868
—	James Fegan	Army	Sergeant		Near Plum Creek, Kansas	March 1868
—	John H. Foley	Army	Sergeant		Near Platte River, Nebraska	April 26, 1872
—	Nicholas Foran	Army	Private		Arizona Territory	August - October 1868
—	Patrick Golden	Army	Sergeant		Arizona Territory	August - October 1868
—	Henry Hogan	Army	First Sergeant		Cedar Creek, Montana Bear Paw Mountains, Montana	October 1876 - January 8, 1877 September 30, 1877	Double MOH recipient
—	Bernard J. D. Irwin	Army	Assistant Surgeon		Apache Pass, Arizona	February 13–14, 1861
—	John Keenan	Army	Private		Arizona Territory	August - October 1868
—	Patrick J. Leonard	Army	Sergeant		Little Blue, Nebraska	May 15, 1870
—	Patrick T. Leonard	Army	Corporal		Near Fort Hartsuff, Nebraska	April 26, 1876
—	John McHugh	Army	Private	Company A,5th U.S. Infantry	Cedar Creek, etc., Montana	Oct 21, 1876 –Jan 8, 1877	"Gallantry in action"
—	John Nihill	Army	Private		Whetstone Mountains, Arizona	July 13, 1872
—	Richard J. Nolan	Army	Farrier		White Clay Creek, South Dakota	December 30, 1890
—	Moses Orr	Army	Private			Winter of 1872/1873
—	John F. O'Sullivan	Army	Private		Staked Plains, Texas	December 8, 1874
—	William R. Parnell	Army	First Lieutenant		White Bird Canyon, Idaho	June 17, 1877
—	Patrick Rogan	Army	Sergeant		Big Hole, Montana	August 9, 1877
—	Edward Rooney	Army	Private	Company D, 5th US Infantry	Cedar Creek, etc., Montana	Oct 21, 1876 –Jan 8, 1877	"Gallantry in action."[9]
—	David Ryan	Army	Private	Company G, 5th US Infantry	Cedar Creek, etc., Montana	Oct 21, 1876 –Jan 8, 1877	"Gallantry in action."
—	Dennis Ryan	Army	First Sergeant	Company I, 6th US Cavalry	Gageby Creek, Indian Territory	Dec 2, 1874	Courage while in command of a detachment.
—	Thomas Sullivan	Army	Private	Company E, 7th US Cavalry	Wounded Knee Creek, South Dakota	Dec 29, 1890	Conspicuous bravery in action against Indians concealed in a ravine.[6]
	Bernard Taylor	Army	Sergeant	Company A, 5th US Cavalry	Near Sunset Pass, Arizona	Nov 1, 1874	Bravery in rescuing Lt. King, 5th U.S. Cavalry, from Indians.
—	John Tracy	Army	Private		Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona	October 20, 1869	Born as Henry G. Nabers

[edit]Korean Expedition

      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	John Coleman	Marine Corps	Private		On board the USS Colorado	June 11, 1871
—	James Dougherty	Marine Corps	Private		Korea	June 11, 1871
—	Patrick H. Grace	Navy	Chief Quartermaster		On board the USS Benicia	June 10, 1871 - June 11, 1871
—	Michael McNamara	Marine Corps	Private		On board the USS Benicia	June 11, 1871

[edit]Spanish-American War

      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
	Dennis Bell	Army	Private		Tayabacoa, Cuba	Jun 30, 1898	Voluntarily went ashore in the face of the enemy and aided in the rescue of his wounded comrades; this after several previous attempts at rescue had been frustrated.[9]
—	George F. Brady	Navy	Chief Gunner's Mate		Cardenas, Cuba	May 11, 1898
—	Thomas Cavanaugh	Navy	Fireman First Class		Bahamas	November 14, 1898
—	Thomas C. Cooney	Navy	ChiefMachinist		Cardenas, Cuba	May 11, 1898
—	Thomas M. Doherty	Army	Corporal		Santiago de Cuba	July 1, 1898
—	John Fitzgerald	Marine Corps	Private		Cuzco,Cuba	June 14, 1898
—	Philip Gaughan	Marine Corps	Sergeant		Cienfuegos,Cuba	May 11, 1898
—	Michael Gibbons	Navy	Oiler		Cienfuegos,Cuba	May 11, 1898
—	Michael Kearney	Marine Corps	Private		Cienfuegos,Cuba	May 11, 1898
—	Thomas Kelly	Army	Private		Santiago de Cuba	July 1, 1898
—	John Maxwell	Navy	Fireman Second Class		Cienfuegos,Cuba	May 11, 1898
—	Daniel Montague	Navy	Chief Master-at-arms		Santiago de Cuba	June 2, 1898
—	John E. Murphy	Navy	Coxswain		Santiago de Cuba	June 2, 1898
—	Edward Sullivan	Marine Corps	Corporal		Cienfuegos,Cuba	May 11, 1898

[edit]Philippine-American War

      This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	Bernard A. Byrne	Army	Captain	6th U.S. Infantry	Bobong, Negros	July 19, 1899	Rallied his men on the bridge after the line had been broken and pushed back.[9]
—	Cornelius J. Leahy*	Army	Private	Company A, 36th Infantry, U.S. Volunteers	Luzon,Philippines	September 3, 1899	”Distinguished gallantry in action in driving off a superior force and with the assistance of 1 comrade brought from the field of action the bodies of 2 comrades, 1 killed and the other severely wounded, this while on a scout.”
—	Thomas F. Prendergast	Marine Corps	Corporal		Luzon,Philippines	March 25, 1899 -March 29, 1899 andApril 5, 1899	”For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battle”
—	Patrick Shanahan	Navy	ChiefBoatswain's Mate		Philippines	May 28, 1899

[edit]Boxer Rebellion

      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	James Cooney	Marine Corps	Private		Tientsin, China	July 13, 1900
—	Daniel Daly	Marine Corps	Private	15th Company of Marines	Peking, China	July 19, 1901	Double MOH recipient
	Alexander J. Foley	Marine Corps	Sergeant		near Tianjin, China	Jul 13, 1900	"[For] distinguishing himself by meritorious conduct"
—	Martin Hunt	Marine Corps	Private		Beijing, China	June 20, 1900 - July 16, 1900
—	Joseph Killackey	Navy	Landman		China	June 13, 1900 - June 22, 1900

[edit]United States occupation of Haiti

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
	Daniel Daly	Marine Corps	Gunnery Sergeant	15th Company of Marines	near Fort Liberte, Haiti	October 24, 1916	Double MOH recipient

[edit]World War I

      This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
	Michael A. Donaldson	Army	Sergeant		Sommerance-Landres-et-Saint-Georges Road, France	Oct 14, 1918	Rescued six wounded men despite intense fire
	William J. Donovan	Army	Lieutenant Colonel		near Landres-et-Saint-Georges,France	Oct 14, 1918 –Oct 15, 1918	Exposed himself to fire in order to lead and organize his men, remained with them after being wounded[16]
—	Richard W. O'Neill	Army	Sergeant		on the Ourcq River, France	Jul 30, 1918	Continued to lead an attack despite being repeatedly wounded[16]
—	Michael J. Perkins*	Army	Private First Class		Belleu Bois, France	Oct 27, 1918	Singly-handedly attacked and captured a pillbox[17]
—	Joseph H. Thompson	Army	Major		Apremont, France	October 1, 1918

[edit]World War II

      This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	Frank Burke	Army	First Lieutenant		Nuremberg, Germany	April 17, 1945	Also known as Francis X. Burke.[6]
	Daniel J. Callaghan*	Navy	Rear Admiral		Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, Savo Island	November 12, 1942 –November 13, 1942	[18]
—	Robert Craig*	Army	Second Lieutenant		near Favoratta,Sicily	July 11, 1943	[19]
—	Michael J. Daly	Army	First Lieutenant		Nuremberg, Germany	April 18, 1945
—	Charles E. Kelly	Army	Corporal		near Altavilla, Italy	September 13, 1943	[20]
	Joseph J. McCarthy	Marine Corps Reserve	Captain	2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division	Iwo Jima	February 21, 1945	Risked his life to eliminate several enemy troops so his men could move forward
	Thomas B. McGuire, Jr.*	Army Air Forces	Major		over Luzon, Philippine Islands	December 25, 1944 –December 26, 1944	The second leading air ace in World War II before being killed in action in January 1945. McGuire Air Force Base is named for him.[6]
	Audie L. Murphy	Army	Second Lieutenant		near Holtzwihr,France	January 26, 1945	Highest number of decorations for US combatant.
—	William J. O'Brien*	Army	Lieutenant Colonel		Saipan, Marianas Islands	June 20, 1944 –July 7, 1944
	Joseph T. O'Callahan	Navy	Commander		near Kobe, Japan	March 19, 1945	Chaplain aboard aircraft carrier USS Franklin.
	Edward H. O'Hare	Navy	Lieutenant		off Papua New Guinea	February 20, 1942	O'Hare International Airport in Chicago was named in his memory.
	Richard H. O'Kane	Navy	Commander		Philippine Islands	October 23, 1944 –October 24, 1944	For submarine operations against two Japanese convoys.[21]
	Kenneth A. Walsh	Marine Corps	First Lieutenant		Solomon Islands area	August 15, 1943 andAugust 30, 1943

[edit]Korean War

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      This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
	Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.	Navy	Lieutenant, Junior Grade	Fighter Squadron 32, attached to U.S.S. Leyte	Battle of Chosin Reservoir, Korea	December 4, 1950	Risked his life to rescue a downed pilot
	Raymond G. Murphy	USMCR	Second Lieutenant	Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.)	Korea	February 3, 1953	Although wounded he refused medical care to fight the enemy until all his men and casualties had been taken care of.
	George H. O'Brien, Jr.	USMCR	Second Lieutenant	Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.)	Korea	October 27, 1952	Provided cover and care for wounded while his unit was attacking the enemy

[edit]Vietnam War

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Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
	Patrick H. Brady	Army	Major		near Chu Lai,Republic of Vietnam	January 6, 1968	Flew multiple missions against heavy fire to evacuate 51 wounded men[22]
	Roger H. C. Donlon	Army	Captain		near Nam Dong,Republic of Vietnam	July 6, 1964	Rescued and administered first aid to several wounded soldiers and led a group to defeat an enemy force causing them to retreat leaving behind 54 of their dead, many weapons, and grenades.
—	Kern W. Dunagan	Army	Captain		Quang Tin Province,Republic of Vietnam	May 13, 1969	Although wounded he directed fire onto enemy positions and rescued several wounded soldiers
	Robert F. Foley	Army	Captain		near Quan Dau Tieng, Republic of Vietnam	November 5, 1966	Despite his painful wounds he refused medical aid and persevered in the forefront of the attack on the enemy redoubt. He led the assault on several enemy gun emplacements and, single-handedly, destroyed three such positions.
	Thomas G. Kelley	Navy	Lieutenant		Ong Muong Canal, Kien Hoa Province,Republic of Vietnam	June 15, 1969	Successfully relayed commands through one of his men until an enemy attack was silenced and the boats he was leading were able to move to safety
	Thomas J. McMahon*	Army	Specialist Four		Quang Tin Province,Republic of Vietnam	March 19, 1969	While attempting to rescue three wounded soldiers despite heavy enemy fire, he was able to carry two of the men to safety but was killed while trying to rescue the third.
	David H. McNerney	Army	First Sergeant		Polei Doc, Republic of Vietnam	March 22, 1967	Despite being wounded after his unit was attacked, he assumed command of the unit when the company commander was killed, organized the defense, and helped arrange a helicopter evacuation of the wounded. He refused his own medical evacuation and instead stayed with the company until a new commander arrived.
	Thomas P. Noonan, Jr.*	Marine Corps	Lance Corporal		near Vandergrift Combat Base, A Shau Valley,Republic of Vietnam	February 5, 1969	Killed while attempting to rescue a wounded man
	Robert E. O'Malley	Marine Corps	Corporal	Company I, 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines	near An Cu'ong 2,South Vietnam	August 18, 1965	Risked his life and led his men to repeatedly attack the enemy, assist another Marine unit that had inflicted heavy casualties and led his unit to a helicopter for evacuation.
	Daniel J. Shea*	Army	Private First Class		Quảng Trị Province,Republic of Vietnam	May 14, 1969	Killed by enemy gunfire after assisting in the defeat of an attacking enemy force
	Lance P. Sijan*	Air Force	Captain		North Vietnam	November 9, 1967	For actions while as a prisoner of war
	Michael E. Thornton	Navy	EnginemanSecond Class		Quảng Trị Province,Republic of Vietnam	October 31, 1972	Saved the life of his superior officer and allowed the other members of his patrol to escape

[edit]War in Afghanistan

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      This with the * indicates that the Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously
      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
	Michael P. Murphy*	Navy	Lieutenant	SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1	Near Asadabad, Kunar Province	June 28, 2005	Led a four-man reconnaissance team in a fight against superior numbers, exposed himself to hostile fire in order to call for help

[edit]Peacetime

      This indicates that the recipient was born in Ireland

Image	Name	Service	Rank	Unit	Place of action	Date of action	Notes
—	William Ahern	Navy	Watertender		On board the USS Puritan	July 1, 1897
—	Thomas Cahey	Navy	Seaman		On board the USS Petrel	March 31, 1901
—	John J. Clausey	Navy	Chief Gunner's Mate		USS Bennington (PG-4), San Diego, Calif.	Jul 21, 1905	For extraordinary heroism when boiler exploded on ship.[9]
—	John Costello	Navy	Ordinary Seaman		USS Hartford, Philadelphia, Pa.	Jul 16, 1876	For rescuing from drowning a Landsman of the USS Hartford[9]
—	Thomas Cramen	Navy	Boatswain's Mate		On board the USS Portsmouth	February 7, 1882
—	Frank W. Crilley	Navy	Chief Gunner's Mate		wreck site of the USS F-4 (SS-23), off Honolulu, Hawaii	Apr 17, 1915	For rescuing a fellow diver who had become tangled in the wreckage and trapped underwater[6][9]
—	Willie Cronan	Navy	Boatswain's Mate		USS Bennington (PG-4), San Diego, Calif.	Jul 21, 1905	Bravery shown during ship's boiler explosion[9]
—	John Dempsey	Navy	Seaman		Shanghai, China	January 23, 1875
—	John Flannagan	Navy	Boatswain's Mate		Le Havre, France	October 26, 1878
—	Edward Floyd	Navy	Boilermaker		On board the USS Iowa	January 25, 1905
—	Hugh King	Navy	Ordinary Seaman		On board the USS Iroquois	September 7, 1871
—	John King	Navy	Watertender		On board the USS Vicksburg On board the USS Salem	May 29, 1901 September 13, 1909	Double MOH recipient
—	Patrick J. Kyle	Navy	Landman		Port Mahon, Minorca	March 13, 1879
—	John O'Neal	Navy	Boatswain's Mate		Greytown, Nicaragua	April 12, 1872
—	Patrick Regan	Navy	Ordinary Seaman		Coquimbo, Chile	July 30, 1873
—	Patrick Reid	Navy	Chief Watertender		On board the USS North Dakota	September 8, 1910
—	Thomas Smith	Navy	Seaman		Pará, Brazil	October 1, 1878
—	Thomas Stanton	Navy	Chief Machinist's Mate		On board the USS North Dakota	September 8, 1910
—	James Thayer	Navy	Ship's Corporal		On board the USS Constitution	November 16, 1879
—	Michael Thornton	Navy	Seaman		On board the USS Leyden	August 26, 1881