Army soldier receives posthumous Medal of Honor

[evangilder]

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

 

[Nonskimmer]

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

 

[evangilder]

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.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

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.

 

[lesofprimus]

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............

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

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.

 

[Nonskimmer]

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

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Same here.

 

[lesofprimus]

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

 

[evangilder]

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.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

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.

 

[evangilder]

SHame that they have cheapened the bronze star like that.

 

[lesofprimus]

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.........

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

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.

 

[evangilder]

Agreed. There really should be better standards.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

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?

 

[evangilder]

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.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Same here.

 

[Nonskimmer]

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.

 

[lesofprimus]

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 disgusted.......... 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!!!!!