# Army soldier receives posthumous Medal of Honor



## evangilder (Apr 4, 2005)

Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith has been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, America's highest military honor. His story is below.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/04/04/medal.of.honor.ap/index.html


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## Nonskimmer (Apr 4, 2005)

Well deserved, I'd say.  
Based on the article, he was a helluva guy too. A hard ass, but a fair hard ass.


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## evangilder (Apr 4, 2005)

I agree. Sounds like a guy I would follow to the gates of hell, if necessary. A hard ass is okay if he lives by the same standards that he commands of his troops. He sure sounds like that kind of guy.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Apr 19, 2005)

It is a shame for his son that he will not see his father anymore but the son should be proud. His father is a hero! In combat sometimes Hard Ass's are what is required to get your guys home.


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## lesofprimus (May 15, 2005)

I really dont consider Hero to be the proper word Adler........ I dont think Ive ever met any heros that served in uniform....

I met a bunch of guys that showed great acts of heroism, but they were trained to do it, and protect civilian and their comrades lives......

On the otherhand, I watched this 16 year old kid in Naples, Italy run INTO a burning house that had already partially collapsed, and rescue his sister and cat.... He burned himself bad......... 3rd degrees on 30% of his body... His face... Man, it was bad...........

That is a hero............


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 16, 2005)

I will actually agree with you on that because of the way you put it. A soldier does what is expected of him and that is what he did.


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## Nonskimmer (May 16, 2005)

I like that definition of a hero, les. I tend to agree.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 16, 2005)

Same here.


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## lesofprimus (May 17, 2005)

<<<<<<<<< Smiles....


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## evangilder (May 17, 2005)

I would certainly call that kid a hero as well. There are a few military guys that I would call a hero as well. One of my WWII veteran friends saved 7 of his wounded comrades by returning time and again to the firing line to bring them all to safety, while himself wounded with over 25 shrapnel wounds in his feet, legs butt and back. He still to this day carries shrapnel in his legs and feet from that day in Italy. For this action, he was awarded a Silver Star. I have been looking at the archives to see if he was put in for something higher. I would call him a hero as well.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 17, 2005)

The thing that sucks today is that the military hands out awards like they are candy. It is as if they are expected to do so. In my battalion 9 people so far have been awarded the Bronze Star and they did absolutley nothing but sit in an air conditioned office in Iraq. In comparision 7 people in my whole division got the Silver Star and they all earned it.


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## evangilder (May 17, 2005)

SHame that they have cheapened the bronze star like that.


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## lesofprimus (May 17, 2005)

I think its a matter of the command and who is responsible for processing those awards... I was nominated for a broze star, and it was knocked down to a Commendation....

And i was perfectly fine with that.........


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 17, 2005)

To be honest I am not an awards man, I just believe in doing my job but it really pisses me off when people get awards for things that do not warrant it or for things that they did not do. I actually told one of our battle captains the other day who got one that I dont feel anyone in the battalion deserved a Brong Star and he tried to justify it. I just walked away. As long as he knows that he is wearing an award that he did nothing for, I am happy. Presenting awards like this really does lower the value of the award and lower what it means for the people who actually earned them.


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## evangilder (May 17, 2005)

Agreed. There really should be better standards.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 17, 2005)

I like to think that the average soldier does there jobs because it is expected not becaues of awards, but I see it every day that people complain, why am I only getting a pat on the back. What more do you need?


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## evangilder (May 17, 2005)

I never looked at anything I did as a path to a medal, ever. I did get some, but that waas not my motivation for doing a good job. It was the pride of doing a good job that was enough for me. I would rather be judged on my performance than by my fruit salad.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 17, 2005)

Same here.


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## Nonskimmer (May 17, 2005)

Heh. So it _isn't_ just us then. I often think the awards and medals are handed out for political reasons, up here anyway. You see a lot of flag officers and senior chiefs with awards, who you _know_ didn't exactly deserve them.


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## lesofprimus (May 17, 2005)

Did I miss something, or are they now giving out Bronze Stars for NON-COMBAT Bravery and Heroics???

How can that be???? Adler can u comment on what was the reason or purpose behind these so called "Bronze Stars..."

I have a couple buddies that earned Bronze Stars the correct way, and if what ur saying is true, Im ed.......... That whole "givingaway" medals for valor to non-combattants tarnishes everything that the real guys who earned them stand 4.......

If what ur saying is true Adler, do u think that u could maybe supply me with some concrete info that I can call my Congressman on...... This situation sounds TOTALLY unacceptable and is really getting me more and more pissed off as i sit here typing and thinking about it..........

Dammit!!!!!


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 19, 2005)

I am sorry it is absolutely true. Several people recieved Bronze Stars and did absolutely nothing to deserve it. We had 2 (I belive maybe 3) Battle Captains that recieved them and they enver even saw a shot fired. The closest they came to getting hit was when a mortor landed about 300 yards from there bunker. We had 2 Seargent First Classes who never left the hanger recieve them for personnally leading 6 downed aircraft recovery (I flew on 4 of them and did not see them once). 2 of the people who recieved them were in my company and were Blackhawk Crewchiefs who did recieve them for a Casualty Evac under enemy fire. Theose 2 are the only that I can see who deserved them. It really makes me sick when there are soldiers out there who do great things day in and day out under enemy fire and all they get is a pat on the back because they are only E-4 or below. The big ones are given out by rank for service now not by deeds done on the field.


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## the lancaster kicks ass (May 19, 2005)

man that's screwed up.......


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 19, 2005)

Yes it most deffinatly is. If you see a Cpt. wearing a high decoration chances are they did not earn it.


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## Nonskimmer (May 19, 2005)

That really _is_ screwed up, I've gotta say. It's a kick in the face to the guys (and girls) who actually deserved the decoration!


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 19, 2005)

What makes it worse is they make us stand in formation while they award them, and then go and shake there hands afterwards.


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## trackend (May 19, 2005)

Nothing changes Adler its always been like that look at Prince Charles he's got medals coming out of his ears the big prat and what has done. bloody zip that's what.
In 44 my old mans Rhodesian lieutenant got a gong for his part on D-Day and all he did was crouch in the bottom of me old mans LCA and shit himself even now my old man says if he saw him in the street he would punch his lights out (as he's 85 I think it's more of a wish than a fact)
But like yourself he had to turn out on parade and watch him get his bit of tin. I think that's why he don't rate medals a lot because they don't always mean what there meant to mean if you get my drift.
And to me I would rather see that young lad go home to his family than get a gong.


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## FLYBOYJ (May 19, 2005)

trackend said:


> I think that's why he don't rate medals a lot because they don't always mean what there meant to mean if you get my drift.
> And to me I would rather see that young lad go home to his family than get a gong.



My brother is a two-tour Viet Nam Vet, served in 68-69. He received a Silver Star during that period that he doesn't talk much about. The only thing he says is "Several guys got one, I just happened to be there. The only thing its good for is to show some piss-ant I saw combat and survived. The real heros were the guys who were with me that didn't come home."


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## lesofprimus (May 20, 2005)

Thx Adler...... Can I have ur units name so I can use something specific when I call.... The other info is great and will help me in my call..

I WILL NOT USE UR NAME OR HANDLE OR POSITION OR JOB TITLE..........


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 22, 2005)

No problem I PM it to you Les.


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## trackend (May 22, 2005)

Good luck Les at least you can have a good moan about the situation 
although personal if your politicians are anything like ours they give a nice
smile, nod and say "oh dear thats terrible", send out pleasant consolatory letters then do shit.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 22, 2005)

And that is what they will do.


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## trackend (May 22, 2005)

Bleeding great pile of knob headed no nothings. Take away a travel privilege or a fact find swaray and they scream blue murder, but ask them too look into a matter that could make waves with the higher ups and squat diddly.


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## Nonskimmer (May 22, 2005)

Letters like that sometimes, and I reiterate _sometimes_, have an effect here in Hoserville. I think it's due to our small military combined with a small population, but things like that tend to get noticed by the public here. If enough noise is made about it, sometimes it works.

Good luck with it les.


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## trackend (May 23, 2005)

I sure hope your right Skim because it certainly needs to.


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 24, 2005)

The just gave out 4 more today!


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