Thursday

Good morning:

Quote of the day:

“Sometimes God punishes us by answering our prayers.”

                                         Oscar Wilde

Here lately we have learned that there are those that are anti-flag and those that are pro-flag. We also have heard from those that are anti-gay and those that are pro-gay. Then there are those that don't give a shit one way or the other. There has been much crowing and breast-beating by those that are anti-flag and those that are pro-flag along with those that are anti-gay and those that are pro-gay yelling “Look at me, Look at me!” It has been my experience that those that yell for attention and breast beat are those with the least self esteem...and the most fear. Then there are those that don't give a shit one way or another.

If the church burnings are proven to be hate driven arson, let me designate the sentence...I can assure you that kind of crap will come to an end. What bothers me the most about this is while the Mt. Zion AME church in Greeleyville, SC was still aflame the nationwide news media plus the local stations here in the piney woods of northwestern South Carolina were bemoaning how racial hatred in so rampant. The latest information tell us that the fire was caused by lightening. We are brain-washed by the media because sensationalism sells. In my opinion the only true news organization left is the Christian Science Monitor...they don't have an agenda...like the others.

Here is a short history lesson and then a question. President of the United States James Monroe initiated the concept of “Manifest Destiny”. This essentially means that “Americans” were “destined” to capture all the lands in North America to turn it into an agrarian (farming) America sooner or later. Of course the down side of this is the Native Americans wanted to stay the way they were as mostly hunter/gatherers in various tribes. Manifest Destiny and the Native Americans did not compute and there were wars in spite of the fact that the Native Americans had been in North America for about 12,000 years before the arrival of the Europeans. Manifest Destiny allowed and justified attempted genocide of the Native Americans to get their lands. When Columbus landed there was an estimated 26 million Native Americans. At the last armed engagement between the US Cavalry and the Native American (massacre at Wounded Knee, S.D.) in 1890 there was an estimated 750,000 Native Americans left. We came very close to completion of genocide. During all of this bloodletting there were several US Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Secretaries of State, etc., etc. that either agreed with the annihilation or did nothing to stop it. There are statues and monuments to these people...why haven't these objects been defaced? I know why. It is because those that are defacing present day statues and monuments are stupid and ignorant and know nothing of this country's history. They only know and do what other tell them making them the slaves. How many of you can guarantee your ancestors did not help slaughter the Native Americans or tried to stop it? That's what I thought...the excuse is going to be “That's the way things were back then.” That's right, y'all...that's the way things were back then. The American Civil War ended in 1865 but we continued the massacre of the Native Americans for another 25 years. Sleep well tonight.

I was going to enter the history of the Battle of Gettysburg at this point because this day in 1863 was the mid-point of that horrible massacre. I have decided not to because it is very long and it will be more memorable to you if you do the research yourself. If the Confederacy had won this battle we probably would not be the United States of today...it is worth your time and effort to find out.

A while back I wrote y'all about “George” Company in Korea. Here is the completion of that story. In this citation the “beleaguered Marine rifle company” mentioned was “George” company. A good friend of mine used to work for the son of the hero below. The son was a judge in Pensacola, Florida.

Medal of Honor

DAVIS, RAYMOND G.

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps

Commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine

Division.

(Rein.). Place and date: Vicinity Hagaru-ri, Korea, 1 through 4

December 1950. Entered service at: Atlanta, Ga. Born: January 15, 1915 in Fitzgerald, Georgia.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, in action against enemy aggressor forces. Although keenly aware that the operation involved breaking through a surrounding enemy and advancing 8 miles along primitive icy trails in the bitter cold with every passage disputed by a savage and determined foe, Lt. Col. Davis boldly led his battalion into the attack in a daring attempt to relieve a beleaguered rifle company and to seize, hold, and defend a vital mountain pass controlling the only route available for 2 Marine regiments in danger of being cut off by numerically superior hostile forces during their re-deployment to the port of Hungnam. When the battalion immediately encountered strong opposition from entrenched enemy forces commanding high ground in the path of the advance, he promptly spearheaded his unit in a fierce attack up the steep, ice-covered slopes in the face of withering fire and, personally leading the assault groups in a hand-to-hand encounter, drove the hostile troops from their positions, rested his men, and reconnoitered the area under enemy fire to determine the best route for continuing the mission. Always in the thick of the fighting Lt. Col. Davis led his battalion over 3 successive ridges in the deep snow in continuous attacks against the enemy and, constantly inspiring and encouraging his men throughout the night, brought his unit to a point within 1,500 yards of the surrounded rifle company by daybreak. Although knocked to the ground when a shell fragment struck his helmet and 2 bullets pierced his clothing, he arose and fought his way forward at the head of his men until he reached the isolated Marines. On the following morning, he bravely led his battalion in securing the vital mountain pass from a strongly entrenched and numerically superior hostile force, carrying all his wounded with him, including 22 litter cases and numerous ambulatory patients. Despite repeated savage and heavy assaults by the enemy, he stubbornly held the vital terrain until the 2 regiments of the division had deployed through the pass and, on the morning of 4 December, led his battalion into Hagaru-ri intact. By his superb leadership, outstanding courage, and brilliant tactical ability, Lt. Col. Davis was directly instrumental in saving the beleaguered rifle company from complete annihilation and enabled the 2 Marine regiments to escape possible destruction. His valiant devotion to duty and unyielding fighting spirit in the face of almost insurmountable odds enhance and sustain the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow