Second Lieutenant Van T. Barfoot

This is a real medal of honor recipient:


This 1944 Medal of Honor citation, listed with the National Medal of Honor Society, is for Second Lieutenant Van T. Barfoot, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry:

"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano , Italy . With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machine gun nest and made a direct hit on it with a hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machine gun emplacement, and with his tommy gun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machine gun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks. From a distance of 75yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it,while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommy gun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German field piece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts,assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety.Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of point blank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers."

Fuck you Xavier Alverez!

Later,

obi

50 Years Slides Away

The 50th reunion of my high school graduating class was this past July. I didn’t attend, but I did send them $20 for the booklet containing a list of all the graduates, where they live and what they do for a living. Most of them are retired of course, but some of the self-employed ones are still dabbling at their real estate or accounting businesses.

One very striking fact is that since the last reunion five years ago, another 20 have passed away. In the 45 years before that, we had only lost 42. Hell of a jump.

I also got the group photo. Luckily they included a row-by-row listing of who was who. I only recognized two of them without the list. One because I’ve seen a recent picture of him and one because he hasn’t changed in 50 years.

But the thing that struck me more than any other – God…they’re all so fucking old.

Later,

obi

Yeah....I'm Pissed

I am one pissed off American right now. Yeah…I’m pissed off about illegal immigration; I’m a little less pissed off now that we’re finally pulling out of the war that never should have been (Iraq); but what I’m really REALLY pissed off about was on the NBC Evening News the other night, and also in the New York Times last week.

The Stolen Valor Act has been declared unconstitutional by the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in guess where? San Francisco, California. It was enacted in 2006 and made it a crime to lie about having received a military medal or service badge.

I’m all for free speech…I wanna say what I want where I want and to whomever I want. That includes telling the three-judge panel that declared the law unconstitutional, they are a bunch of dumb-ass motherfuckers!

Xavier Alverez has at various times claimed to be an ex-marine (not true); to have played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings (a lie); to have rescued the American ambassador during the Iranian hostage crisis (a complete fabrication); and to have received the Medal of Honor, the highest award that can be given to military personnel (the big ‘un.)

The judges claimed that his freedom of speech would be hampered if he wasn't allowed to say that he won the medal.

Lie about getting the Purple Heart? No problem…the government hands them out like candy. Lie about serving in Nam? No biggie…If everyone who said they were in Nam actually was, maybe we would have kicked some ass over there instead of leaving with our tails between our legs. But to say you have been awarded the Medal of Honor?

There aren’t that many of them still alive. In fact, the network news anchors report whenever one of them dies…that’s how important to our history these guys are. and what they did to get that medal was normally some off-the-wall heroic shit.

Alverez needs to have someone give him, at the least, a swift kick in the balls.

If he actually has any, that is.

Later

obi

Year # 2

Happy Anniversary to me – Happy Anniversary to me – Happy Anniversary to me...eee –

Happy Anniversary to me...and many more.


Haven’t sucked on a cigarette in two…count ‘em two whole years.


Later,


obi

CSI

Like I said a few weeks ago, I'm not much of a daytime TV watcher. My wife, on the
other hand, has the tube on all morning while she plays on the computer.

Normally, while I have my usual late breakfast, a program called "CSI Miami" is
blaring in the background. I usually don't pay much attention to it because I think
it sucks. The acting is terrible and the female cops are all too attractive - not that that's a bad thing - but check out your typical female law enforcement personnel sometime. No comparison. And, if they have boobs at all, they're covered up, not like the bimbos on CSI who walk around with them hanging out - again, not that it's a bad thing.

A few days ago my least favorite character on that program, Horatio, was rolling "Code 3" down a Miami boulevard in his Hummer. Full out lights and siren Just when I looked up at the TV screen, he was passed by a station wagon.

See what I mean?

Later,

obi