Monday

                        Musings and History

Quote of the day:

“Me and Jake LaMotta grew up in the same neighborhood. Here is how popular he was. When we played hide and seek, nobody went looking for Jake.”

                                             Rocky Graziano

There was a cartoon in the local newspaper indicating that it is freedom of the press that separates freedom from slavery. That is right to a degree. Freedom of the press and sincere journalism is a benchmark of freedom and liberty. The problem is journalism has taken a back seat to who gets the best ratings meaning it has morphed into show business. Is there any doubt in anyone's mind that the major networks and most of the press have chosen one side or the other and allowed incomplete stories, no story at all or outright lies and "false news" so as to influence the news one way or another? I wrote an essay on Watergate and the power of the press in the destruction of Richard Nixon and his staff by Washington Post and reporters Woodward and Bernstein. When they were assigned this project editor Bill Bradlee told them straight up that they could not report anything that was not verified and authenticated as factual, he would not allow anything resembling speculation. Do we see that integrity today or do we see an avalanche of personal opinion? It amuses me to see those in show business pontificate about their standpoint on politics. To me it is like seeing a convention of the American Medical Association and the subject of discussion is the Daytona 500 NASCAR race or why the Falcons lost the Super Bowl. Those in show business apparently believe they are omnipotent. Graveyards are full of those with that attitude and no one remembers them.

                This Date in History   August 7

1942 On this date the United States Marines made their first of many amphibious invasions of WWII. The 1^st Marines were tasked with capturing the partially completed airfield on the Japanese held island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. This operation was known as Operation Watchtower. The Marines landed and captured the airfield almost unopposed because the Japanese did not know of the landing due to bad weather grounding their patrol planes. But once the Japanese had found that over 11,000 Marines were dug in on and around the airfield they unleashed a ferocious counter-attack that persisted for days and weeks. The American Marines had never witnessed such unfettered savagery. The Marine commander stated “I have never seen anything like it. These people just will not surrender.” Finally the military command in Tokyo decided they could not continue to pay the price in blood for that airfield and ordered a withdrawal. The Japanese withdrew so secretly that the Marines did not know they had left until their patrols began running across abandoned fortifications and ammo dumps. What I did not mention was that after the Marines had made the original landing, their supply ships spotted some Japanese warships approaching and weighed anchor and left those Marines on their own. The Japanese warships did not leave; they bombarded the Marines day and night for months with naval gunfire. But the Marines held on and were responsible for killing 26,000 Japanese soldiers to 1,600 of their own. Eventually, American warships showed up and a running naval battle began. The waters east of Guadalcanal have so many ships that were sunk (24 American and 24 Japanese) that area is named “Iron Bottom Sound”. The first Medal of Honor given to a Marine in WWII was given to Sgt. John Basilone during this battle. I will attach his commendation to this lesson.

Born today:

1885 US actress Billie Burke. She said “Age doesn’t mean anything unless you are a cheese.” Or another cheese.

1904 US diplomat and Nobelist Dr. Ralph Bunche. He said “There are no warlike peoples, just warlike leaders.”

Died today:

1957 US comic actor Oliver Hardy. He said “I don’t know very much but I know a little about a lot of things.” Oliver was a funny guy, especially with Stan Laurel.

2005 US anchorman Peter Jennings. He said “Some people still try to pretend that anchors are reporters.” Peter died of lung cancer. He just could not give up those cigarettes.

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR to

SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty, while serving with the First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, in the Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on October 24 and 25, 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sergeant Basilone, in charge of two sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sergeant Basilone's sections, with its gun crews, was put out of action, leaving only two men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sergeant Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in a large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

/S/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

A side note:

Sergeant “Manila John” Basilone was selected to come back to America and tour the country selling War Bonds. He did that for a short while and then requested to return to his unit.

He was killed shortly after coming ashore on Iwo Jima.

Where do we find such men?

               Thanks for listening I can hardly wait until tomorrow