Reflections. Plus. By general Jimmy Doolittle

Transcription

1 Summer 2008 American Valor A publication of The American Veterans Center - World War II Veterans Committee - National Vietnam Veterans Committee Quarterly Reflections By general Jimmy Doolittle Plus The Black Sheep Squadron General Andrew J. Goodpaster & Principled Leadership Shock Medicine: A Navy Corpsman in Iraq And A recap of the 2008 National Memorial Day Parade

2 American Valor Quarterly A Quarterly Publication of the American Veterans Center World War II Veterans Committee Summer 2008 National Vietnam Veterans Committee Feature The 2008 National Memorial Day Parade A recap of the Fourth Annual National Memorial Day Parade, our nation s largest Memorial Day celebration presented by the American Veterans Center. Articles Reflections by General James H. Doolittle Prior to his passing in 1993, Jimmy Doolittle shared his thoughts on the military, pilots, and life. In this issue, we print these reflections, as well as the original proposed plan to attack Japan in Jimmy Doolittle with his crew, just prior to their famous raid. Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, standing next to Doolittle, will join the American Veterans Center s 11th Annual Conference this November to recount his memories of General Doolittle and the raid. -In This Issue- Master of the Calculated Risk On April 18, 1942, Jimmy Doolittle led sixteen B-25 planes on a daring raid on the Japanese homeland. In this issue, we share some thoughts from the General written prior to his passing which demonstrate the qualities that made him a hero to generations of Americans. Baa Baa Black Sheep 13 An excerpt from Veterans Chronicles 17 Brigadier General Bruce Matheson of the famed Black Sheep Squadron tells the story of Boyington s Bastards. Principled Leadership by Dr. Lewis S. Sorley In 2007, the American Veterans Center inaugurated the Andrew J. Goodpaster Prize and Lecture in honor of one of America s finest military men. The first lecture was delivered by Vietnam veteran and Pulitzer Prize-nominated historian Lewis Sorley, who examined the career, and character, of several distinguished veterans. Department of Defense Photo 23 Shock Medicine by Luis Fonseca Jr. The eyewitness account of the 2003 Battle of Nasiriyah from the first corpsman to receive the Navy Cross in over three decades. Now playing at AVC Video! Bob Feller talks about his World War II experience at the 2006 conference as televised by C-SPAN. Feller, and other Major League Baseball players who served in WWII will join the 2008 conference. Not able to make the Annual Conference? Miss the National Memorial Day Parade? Don t worry! The American Veterans Center is proud to share video clips from all of our events on our website at Log on today to watch America s greatest heroes share their stories! Hollywood legend and World War II veteran Mickey Rooney speaks on the importance of Memorial Day during the television broadcast of the 2008 National Memorial Day Parade.

3 FROM THE EDITOR Valor s Champion By Tim Holbert In his must-read new book The Strongest Tribe chronicling the war in Iraq, Marine Corps veteran and author Bing West laments the fact that the American media has often been quick to denounce our military while generally ignoring our heroes. He writes, When a single deed of negligence receives vastly more attention than a hundred deeds of valor, the country is diminished. More directly, he writes, When valor has no champion, America loses. Most Americans look back with shame on the way our veterans were treated after Vietnam. A brave and noble generation of American servicemen came home to scorn, contempt, and ridicule. Never again, most agree, should our uniformed men and women be treated in such a fashion, regardless of our opinions of the foreign policy of the U.S. government. Yet while most Americans will say they support the troops, and most genuinely do appreciate their service, there is something missing. Acknowledgment of heroism among our men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan is often looked at by media as tacit support of the war or the administration. This should certainly not be the case. Heroism among those in uniform should be as lauded today as it was when they stormed the beaches of Normandy or scaled Mt. Suribachi. They have nothing to do with government policy; as Tennyson wrote, Their's not to reason why, Their's but to do and die. Yet, they are not victims, and should not be portrayed as such they are soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines as great and noble as any in American history. Honor is their right, as it is what they have earned. The mission of the American Veterans Center is to be valor's champion. Everything we do is designed to not only honor our veterans from every generation, but to spotlight their stories of heroism and to provide a forum for them to share their lessons with the public and future generations. Their selfless service is a model from which all of us can learn. That is why AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY is devoted to first-hand accounts from those who have borne witness to the great moments in American military history. It is also why the Center has produced a long history of documentary work, including the weekly radio series Veterans Chronicles, featuring interviews with America's most distinguished veterans and service members, as well as full-length programs like D-Day: They Were There and Pearl Harbor: 60 Years of Echoes. The Center also produces and sponsors the annual National Memorial Day Parade, which drew over 250,000 spectators and was televised around the world in an effort to call attention to the true meaning of the holiday. This Veterans Day weekend, we will work to provide another forum for these heroes, as we hold the American Veterans Center s 11th Annual Conference in Washington, DC. The conference, which has been televised on C-SPAN, brings together distinguished and decorated veterans from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan. There, they share their experiences with their fellow veterans, students and young active duty personnel, and citizens who believe in the importance of spreading an appreciation of our military and its history. Our mission is not one that we take lightly. We remain grateful for your support, and hope that you too will continue to champion American valor wherever you find it. AVQ AMERICAN VALO R QUARTERLY, Summer 2008 A quarterly publication of the American Veterans Center, 1100 N. Glebe Rd. Suite 910, Arlington, VA Telephone: Fax: The American Veterans Center is comprised of two divisions, the World War II Veterans Committee and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee. American Valor Quarterly is mailed to donors to the World War II Veterans Committee or National Vietnam Veterans Committee who make a contribution of $50 or more per-year. Contributions help fund the Center and Committees various speaker conferences, student programs, the National Memorial Day Parade, documentary and oral history projects, and this publication. To make a contribution or subscribe, call ext. 214 or avc@americanveteranscenter.org. James C. Roberts - President Tim Holbert - Editor/Program Director Jim Michels - Director of Development Jordan Cross - Director of Communication Andrew Lee - Graphic Illustrator Chris Graham - Researcher Michael Paradiso - Publisher AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

4 The 2008 National Memorial Day Parade Presented by the American Veterans Center Memorial Day is one of our nation s most important and solemn holidays. It is not merely a day off work or school, or the unofficial start of summer as many call it. Instead, it is a day for Americans of all ages and backgrounds to come together and honor those who have sacrificed in service to our country. The National Memorial Day Parade was founded by the American Veterans Center in 2005 to serve as such an outlet. Prior to that year, Washington, DC - the nation s capital and headquarters of our military - was without a parade on Memorial Day for nearly 70 years. Additionally, while parades on Memorial Day have been a tradition in small towns and cities around the country for well over a century, sadly, they are slowly fading away as the true spirit of the holiday becomes lost. On May 26, 2008, more than 250,000 spectators lined Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC for the Fourth Annual National Memorial Day Parade, presented by the American Veterans Center. In a spectacular tribute to those who have served and are serving, and most importantly those who have given their lives for our country, the parade featured thousands of participants that included marching bands, veterans, military vehicles, and active duty service personnel. It was televised worldwide on the Pentagon Channel where it could be seen by service members stationed both at home and abroad. The National Memorial Day Parade is our effort to call attention to the meaning of the day, while providing an opportunity for families to gather and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. A major theme of this year s National Memorial Day Parade was honoring the citizen-soldiers of the U.S. Army Reserve on the 100th Anniversary of the Reserve. Marching past the hundreds of thousands of spectators were platoons of Reservists (above), the U.S. Army Reserve Band (left), and the parade s Honorary Grand Marshal, Lt. Gen. Jack Stultz, Chief, Army Reserve and Commanding General, U.S. Army Reserve Command. As the 2007 parade focused on the 60th Anniversary of the Air Force, the 2008 parade was largely devoted to the United States Army and Army Reserve. The parade featured distinguished Army veterans and active duty soldiers throughout, including those who have served from World War II to the present day. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

5 The Grand Marshals of the 2008 National Memorial Day Parade were Today s Heroes - decorated service members from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The parade was a chance to spotlight their tremendous stories of valor, too often overlooked by the media. Riding along with the Grand Marshals to help bring attention to their stories were Honorary Marshals Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna. Also accompanying the heroes of the U.S. Army was CSM Leon Caffie (pictured right, standing center), Command Sergeant Major of the Army Reserve. Gary Sinise and Joe Mantegna have long been supporters of our men and women in uniform, and gladly donated their time to help call attention to the stories of our uniformed heroes. Sinise (pictured left), currently the star of CSI: NY on CBS, is perhaps best known for his role as Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump. His band, the Lt. Dan Band, has played for military personnel stationed around the world. Joe Mantegna (above) currently stars on the hit CBS drama Criminal Minds. In 2004, he was named chairperson of the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs and for several years has been co-host, along with Gary Sinise, of the National Memorial Day Concert. Perhaps the highlight of the parade was the inclusion of stage and screen legend Mickey Rooney (right), veteran of the United States Army during World War II. Joining the Army in 1944, Rooney was sent to Europe on a jeep tour along the front lines, entertaining the troops and helping to raise morale. He was awarded the Bronze Star, and served as the Honorary Marshal for World War II Veterans in the 2008 National Memorial Day Parade. Helping to honor our service members who have been wounded while serving abroad was Miss America 2008, Kirsten Haglund. Miss Haglund (left) rode alongside soldiers and Marines who are currently recovering from their wounds at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and the National Naval Medical Center. She also helped begin the parade with the singing of America the Beautiful. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

6 As previously mentioned, the National Memorial Day Parade was televised to homes and military bases worldwide on the Pentagon Channel. Not only did this allow for millions of Americans to share in the parade festivities, it also helped to further spotlight the tremendous stories of the parade participants and bring focus to the meaning and importance of the holiday. Pictured left, American Veterans Center President James C. Roberts is interviewed by the host of the parade broadcast Paul McKellips. Clips of the parade telecast can be seen on the parade s website at Thank you for your service is something that we should all be sure to tell a veteran on days like Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The National Memorial Day Parade is a chance for hundreds of thousands of patriotic Americans to gather to do just that. Sometimes, just a simple handshake is all that is necessary to let a veteran know how grateful we are for what they have done for us. The National Memorial Day Parade is a marching timeline of American military history. From fife and drum corps and reenactors of soldiers from the American Revolution and Civil War to the veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam to the active duty service members of today, the parade seeks to honor those who served in all eras of American military history. Of course, amid the celebrations, we should never forget the true meaning of Memorial Day - remembering those who have fallen in service to our country. This is their day, and we should remember to pause and reflect on their sacrifice. At exactly 3:00 PM, the parade paused to observe the National Moment of Remembrance (right). The 250,000 spectators were asked to remain silent, as taps was played and bells were rung in honor of the fallen. After a few minutes of silence, the parade resumed. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

7 A tremendously important part of the National Memorial Day Parade is the inclusion of hundreds of young people in marching bands, youth groups, ROTC, and organizations like the Young Marines, U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps, and National Guard Youth ChalleNGe. They are the ones who will be counted on to carry the legacy of our veterans into the future, and the parade provides them an opportunity to learn about the values of duty, service, and sacrifice so prevalent among our military men and women. Many of these youth organizations volunteer to help carry banners (such as the Young Marines, pictured right), escort veterans and VIPs, and to provide water to those marching in the parade. The National Memorial Day Parade is largely a volunteer effort, and we are very grateful for their support. A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors... The National Memorial Day Parade would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. From television coverage and parade floats to food and accommodations for the parade participants, it is because of them that the parade was a success. We thank each of them for their support of the parade, our veterans, and our men and women in uniform. Mostly, we are grateful for the support of tens of thousands of individuals from around the country who have helped make the National Memorial Day Parade into an annual tradition. Their help has enabled it to become the largest Memorial Day parade in America in only a few short years, a testament to their dedication and to the public s desire to ensure that we never forget the sacrifices made by those who have come before. AVQ All photos courtesy of the American Veterans Center. The Nation of Kuwait U-Haul TriWest Healthcare Alliance The Perot Foundation U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute Booz Allen Hamilton Commerce Bank CACI Fund Raising Strategies The Dodge Jones Foundation Argon ST Raytheon United Technologies Subway Trader Joe's The Washington Times Marriott Hotels AMVETS Soldiers Angels Harris Teeter We are especially grateful for the support of thousands of individuals from around the country, including the following who contributed $500 or more: Tutt Bradford Joan Crawford Hannah Cunningham Julian Gingold Richard Hurley The musical group United We Sing performs on a float sponsored by U-Haul in the 2008 National Memorial Day Parade. Neil Jacoby Malcolm Jeffrey Lunsford Richardson J. Peter Ricketts Charles Robinson Betty Rose Carl Salonites Ann Seibert Neusa Skeoch Patricia Walker AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

8 Reflections By General James H. Jimmy Doolittle Jimmy Doolittle ( ) is one of the most admired military men in U.S. history. He was already famous as an aviation pioneer by the time of his legendary raid on Japan on April 18, 1942, for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. In his later years, he reflected on his career, life, and our country. In this issue, we share the general s thoughts with our readers. One of the privileges of age is the opportunity to sit back and think about what you ve seen and done over the years. In my nine-plus decades, I ve formed some views about life and living that I have freely imposed on trusting audiences, readers and listeners. The following thoughts have been extracted from my speeches, writings and interviews for whatever value may be derived. My Philosophy of Life I believe we were all put here on this earth with just one purpose: to serve our fellow man. It doesn t matter what form this service takes. You can build a bridge or have a house by the side of the road for the weary traveler. The criterion is this: If a man leaves the earth a better place than he found it, then his life has been worthwhile. I believe we were put on this earth for a purpose. That purpose is to make it, within our capabilities, a better place in which to live. We can do this by painting a picture, writing a poem, building a bridge, protecting the environment, combating prejudice and injustice, providing help to those in need, or in thousands of other ways. Just so we serve. We should unselfishly serve our fellow man, our Nation and our Deity. If we do, then our time on earth will have been worthwhile And when our time comes to go, we can go happily and peacefully in the knowledge that we have accomplished God s purpose. I feel that a person should so comport himself as to do no one harm, afford others happiness, extract such personal happiness from life as he can, and make the world a little better place as a result of having lived in it. One s destiny which in the final analysis is one s ability to serve his fellow man is determined to some degree by his immediate associates, subordinates, contemporaries, and superiors and, most of all, by himself. Doolittle s takeoff from the USS Hornet as seen from the USS Enterprise. About Pilots and Flying Flying must be learned from the ground up. In no other vocation is ground work or preliminary training more important. For a pilot, you look for a chap who has good eyesight, who has fast reactions, a good sense of balance, but most important, you look for someone who really loves to fly. It would be very difficult to make a good pilot out of someone who hates it. We always incline to do best those things that we enjoy doing. Young Lt. Jimmy Doolittle in a photo taken on October 23, Doolittle gained fame as a pilot long before World War II, having pioneered blind flying or flying solely by the use of instruments rather than sight. Another thing you look for is a pilot who can learn his limitations. A poor pilot is not necessarily a dangerous pilot as long as he remains within his limitations. And you find your limits in the air by getting closer and closer and closer and sometimes going beyond them and still getting out of it. If you go beyond and don t get out of it, you haven t learned your limitations, because you are dead. Aviators are a different breed. And among aviators there is the fighter pilot who is a rugged individualist, and the bomber pilot who is a team player. The fighter pilot is up there all alone, just him and his deity. I think he has a different outlook on life and perhaps a different code of ethics. The fighter pilot in time of war does an excellent job; the fighter pilot in time of peace doesn t seem to fit in quite as well because he never really learns to compromise. The bomber pilot has to, and life is a series of compromises. A fighter pilot is a chap who flies alone and must think very clearly and act very promptly. He is a chap who develops a lot of self-confidence and with that, a desire not to be disciplined. The fighter pilot does very well and is essential in time of war. It is a little harder for him to adapt to peacetime activity in the military. A bomber pilot is a team player and accepts responsibility for others in his plane. He usually does better in peacetime. Top: Bettman/Corbis; Bottom: U.S. Navy Photo

9 Much of today s aircraft complexity is the result of mechanization, electrification and automation in order to permit the equipment to accomplish its function and still take as many functions away from the overloaded pilot as possible. When an airplane takes a pilot where he s going and brings him back, and does it repeatedly, he develops a certain attachment for it. And when that airplane does that over a long period of time, it can have some very basic faults, but that pilot no longer sees them. He becomes a part of the airplane. You come to think of airplanes as forgiving and unforgiving. A forgiving airplane is one which corrects a fault if you make it. An unforgiving airplane is one that amplifies a fault. When I went into aviation in 1917, my interest in the technical end was minimal and my interest in flying was predominant. I don t know whether the change in outlook has been in the times or in me. But I am sure at this time I would be interested in piloting as a means to understanding the tool a little better. My great interest would be in improving the tool. There is no work as intensely interesting as testing and improving high speed airplanes. Not even air racing. But I have yet to hear of the first case of anyone engaged in this work dying of old age. The only good that can come from an aircraft crash is to find out what caused it and then take the remedial action necessary to avoid a reputation. About Worrying Worry about those things you can fix. If you can t fix it, don t worry about it; accept it and do the best you can. It is possible to worry about something until you lose your effectiveness. About Fear I have never known fear. I have a one-track mind When I get into a difficult situation, I am so busy trying to get myself out of it that I don t have time for fear. Anxiety comes from a feeling you may not succeed. Fear is something else. Fear is what you feel when you re in an inextricable position. Otherwise, if there s any chance at all, you don t feel fear at the time, it comes later. At the time you re too busy working your way out. Wisdom and Intelligence Wisdom is different from intelligence and comes more slowly. Intelligence enables you to learn about things, from books and other sources of information. Wisdom enables you to understand people, and you acquire it from living. You see many intelligent young people but few wise ones. The Work Ethic I m afraid most of us in America have had it too good for too long. We ve gotten soft. On the average, we re not as courageous or ambitious or hard-working as our ancestors. Of course, there are many people today who are willing to dare, who will work, who have integrity. But a high percentage are suffering from what a friend of mine calls the ravages of prosperity. There is one thing that worries me about today s philosophical outlook. There is a tendency to feel that we don t need to work hard but can rely on society to take care of us. This is opposite of what a dynamic society must have. The Lessons of History Man, as a tool-making animal, has been on the earth at least a million years. But it s only been in the last 5,000 years that he has shown any sense of obligation, any concern for anyone but himself. The Great Teacher only appeared on earth 2,000 years ago to change the law of expediency to the golden rule. Slavery was with us until a little over 100 years ago. Our national conscience has emerged only in recent years. I think the trend is up, and that is part of God s plan for mankind. I think as a nation we have had it good too long. As a result we have inclined to become selfish. We are certainly becoming immoral and if we look at history, that has been the course taken by almost every nation in history after they have had it good for a long time. They become lazy, they become selfish, they become immoral, they become decadent, and then somebody else comes in and takes them over. I hope we correct our faults before that occurs. The best way to avoid war is to have the potential enemy know that it s very unlikely he can win it in other words, to remove the temptation. The best way to assure peace is to remain militarily strong. There is an optimum time to write history. That is after the emotions have cooled down and before memory has started to fade. Very frequently when an individual writes history immediately after the event, he is still knowingly or unknowingly emotionally involved. I think only after those emotions have cooled can you have a real rationalization. Rational thinking and emotions don t go together. History teaches us that every great civilization which has flourished and fallen has failed largely because of an erosion of moral values and a gradual unwillingness to exert the considerable effort necessary to continue to progress and to compete. Parenting Parents must set an example. Children are influenced by what you do much more than by what you say. If they see you try to AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

10 White House Photo President Ronald Reagan and Senator Barry Goldwater pin General Doolittle s fourth star on his uniform in a ceremony on April 10, get traffic tickets fixed or hear you lie about their age in order to get them into a movie at half-price, they re going to discount all your pious talk about morality. A parent must learn to say No occasionally, especially when children are in their formative years. A parent has to be a companion, someone a child can turn to with problems, someone who cares. It s really a very subtle and complex relationship. I don t think laying down the law does much good; people have to make their own mistakes and learn from them. Why America is Great There are certain human qualities that make this country great: 1. Courage, physical and moral. 2. Integrity, honesty in word and deed. 3. Intelligence, a knowledge of things and of people. 4. Ambition, a willingness to work, to strive mightily to attain our ends but not at the expense of others. 5. Patriotism, a willingness to place country above self. 6. Discipline, a capacity for orderly conduct, self-imposed. 7. Respect, for the person of superior attainments, for excellence of every kind, for law, for self. 8. Morality, a knowledge of what is right and wrong, and the fortitude to chose the right. 9. Humanity, kindness, courtesy, fairness to other human beings of every sort. 10. Spirituality, reverence for the power that created and controls the universe. I m glad I was born an American. I never had any desire to be anything but an American. Religion I have supreme confidence in the efficacy of prayer and believe, wholeheartedly, in the Golden Rule. I know that bringing God into the picture has made a big difference in many situations I ve faced. Not that God should remove obstacles or grant special protection or favors but he helps give one confidence and power to overcome the difficulty and fear. Prayer doesn t need a dramatic answer to be effective. And there have been times when without prayer to help guide me, I ve done stupid and foolhardy things. This is enough proof for me. Proposal for the Bombing Attack on Tokyo Lt. Col. Doolittle had earned a doctorate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and knew the necessity for thorough planning for any assigned task. After being given the order in January 1942 to plan a secret mission to retaliate for the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he knew that modified Army B-25 Mitchell bombers launched from a Navy aircraft carrier was the only way it could be done at that time. Doolittle wrote the following proposal to General Henry H. Arnold, commander of the Army Air Forces. It is this document that led to one of the most daring attacks of World War II; it had far-reaching favorable effects on American morale, and was such a psychological blow to the Japanese that they changed their strategy in the Pacific by attacking Midway Island and lost four carriers and hundreds of men and planes to American forces. Although some changes were made during preparations for the mission, this classic document shows why Doolittle became known as Master of the Calculated Risk. Subject B-25 Special Project To: Commanding General, Army Air Forces The purpose of this special project is to bomb and fire the industrial center of Japan. It is anticipated that this not only will cause confusion and impede production but will undoubtedly facilitate operation against Japan in other theaters due to their probable withdrawal of troops for the purpose of defending the home country. An action of this kind is most desirable now due to psychological effect on the American public, our allies, and our enemies. The method contemplated is to bring carrier-borne bombers to within 400 to 500 miles (all distances mentioned will be in statute miles) of the coast of Japan, preferably to south-south-east. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

11 assures that the airplane will be fully operational and minimizes the fire and explosion hazard characteristic of a nearly empty tank. In all other respects the airplanes are conventional. The work of installing the required additional tankage is being done by Mid- Continential Airlines at Minneapolis. All production and installation work is progressing according to schedule, and the 24 airplanes (six spares) should be completely converted by March 15 th. Extensive range and performance tests will be conducted on airplane number 1 while the others are being converted. A short period will be required to assemble and give special training to the crews. The training will include teamwork in bombing, gunnery, navigation, flying, short takeoff, and at least one carrier takeoff for each pilot. Then-Lt. Col. Doolittle wires a Japanese medal to a 500-pound bomb during a ceremony on the flight deck of the USS Hornet shortly before the launch of his raid on Japan. They will then take off from the carrier deck and proceed directly to selected targets in the Tokyo-Yokohama, Nagoya, and Osaka- Kobe areas. Simultaneous bombings of these areas is contemplated, with the bombers coming in up waterways from the southeast and, after dropping their bombs, returning in the same direction. After clearing the Japanese outside coastline a sufficient distance, a general westerly course will be set for one or more of the following airports in China: Chuchow, Chuchow (Lishui) Yushan, and/or Chienou. Chuchow is about 70 miles inland and 200 miles to the south-southwest of Shanghai. After refueling, the airplanes will proceed to the strong Chinese air base at Chungking, about 800 miles distant, and from here to such ultimate objective as may, at that time, be indicated. If the crews are selected promptly from men familiar with their jobs and the B-25B airplane, the complete unit should be ready for loading on the carrier by April 1. General operational instructions will be issued just before takeoff from the carrier. Due to the greater accuracy of daylight bombing, a daylight raid is contemplated. The present concept of the project calls for a night takeoff from the carrier and arrival over objective at dawn. Rapid refueling at the landing points will permit arrival at Chungking before dark. A night raid will be made, if, due to last-minute information received from our intelligence section or other source, a daylight raid is definitely inadvisable. The night raid should be made on a clear night, moonlight if Japan is blacked out, moonless if it is not. All available pertinent information regarding targets and defenses will be obtained from A-2, G-2, and other existing sources. The greatest nonstop distance that any airplane will have to fly is 2,000 miles. Eighteen B-25 (North American medium bomber) airplanes will be employed in this raid. Each will carry about 1,100 gallons of gasoline, which assures a range of 2,400 miles at 5,000 feet in still air. Each bomber will carry two 500-pound demolition bombs and as near as possible to 1,000 pounds of incendiaries. The extra gasoline will be carried in a 175-gallon auxiliary leak proof tank in the top of the bomb bay, and a 175- gallon flexible rubber tank in the passageway above the bomb bay. It is anticipated that the gasoline from this top tank will be used up and the tank flattened out or rolled up and removed prior to entering the combat zone. This Top: U.S. Navy Photograph Bottom: U.S. Air Force Photograph AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

12 A portrait of General Doolittle commissioned by the American Veterans Center. Prints signed by several of the Doolittle Raiders are still available by contacting the American Veterans Center. The Navy has already supervised takeoff tests made at Norfolk, Virginia, using B-25B bombers carrying loads of 23,000 pounds, 26,000 pounds, and 29,000 pounds. These tests indicate that no difficulty need be anticipated in taking off from the carrier deck with a gross load of around 31,000 pounds. The Navy will be charged with providing a carrier (probably the Hornet), with loading and storing the airplanes, and with delivering them to their takeoff position. The Chemical Warfare Service is designing and preparing special incendiary bomb clusters in order to assure that the maximum amount that limited space permits, up to 1,000 pounds per airplane, may be carried. Forty-eight of these clusters will be ready for shipment from Edgewood Arsenal (Maryland) by March 15 th. drop their bombs may be used to indicate arrival at gassing points some six or seven hours later. Care must be exercised to see that the Chinese are advised just in time, as any information given to the Chinese may be expected to fall into Japanese hands and a premature notification would be fatal to the project. An initial study of meteorological conditions indicates that the sooner the raid is made the better will be the prevailing weather conditions. The weather will become increasingly unfavorable after the end of April. Weather was considered largely from the point of view of avoiding morning fog over Tokyo and other targets, low overcast over Chuchow and Chungking, icing, and strong westerly winds. If possible, daily weather predictions or anticipated weather conditions at Chungking and the coast should be sent, at a specified time, in suitable code, in order to assist the meteorologist on the carrier in analyzing his forecasts. Lieutenant Colonel J.H. Doolittle, Air Corps, will be in charge of preparations for and will be in personal command of the project. Other flight personnel will, due to the considerable hazard incident to such a mission, be volunteers. Each airplane will carry its normal complement of five crew members: pilot, copilot, bombardier-navigator, radio operator, and gunner-mechanic. Top: American Veterans Center Bottom: Random House About 20,000 US gallons of 100-octaine aviation gasoline and 600 gallons of lubricating oil will be laid down at Chuchow and associated fields. All other supplies and necessary emergency repair equipment will be carried on the airplanes. First Lieutenant Harry W. Howze, now with the Air Service Command and formerly with the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey, will be charged with making arrangements for the fuel caches in China. He will work through A-2 and A-4 and with Colonel Claire Chennault, a former Air Corps officer and now aviation advisor to the Chinese government. Colonel Chennault should assign a responsible American or a Chinese who speaks English to physically check and assure that the supplies are in place. This man should also be available to assist the crews in servicing the airplanes. That the supplies are in place can be indicated by suitable radio code signal. Work on placing supplies must start at once. Shortly before the airplanes arrive, the proper Chinese agencies should be advised that the airplanes are coming soon, but the inference will be that they are flying up from the south in order to stage a raid on Japan. From which they plan to return to the same base. Radio signals from the bombing planes immediately after they One crew member will be a competent meteorologist and one an experienced navigator. All navigators will be trained in celestial navigation. Two ground liaison officers will be assigned. One will remain on the mainland and the other on the carrier. At least three crew members will speak Chinese one on each of the target units. Should the Soviets be willing to accept delivery of 18 B-25B airplanes, on lease-lend, at Vladivostok, our problem would be greatly simplified and conflict with the Halverson project avoided. The Proposal for the Bombing Attack on Tokyo can be found in General Doolittle s autobiography, I Could Never Be So Lucky Again, written with Colonel C.V. Glines available in hardcover from Schiffer Publications and paperback from Bantam Books, as well as at bookstores nationwide. Veterans of Jimmy Doolittle s legendary raid will be appearing at the American Veterans Center s 11th Annual Conference - November 6-8, Washington, DC. AVQ AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

13 Baa Baa Black Sheep VMF-214 and the Marine Corps Most Famous Aviators of WWII An Excerpt from Veterans Chronicles Veterans Chronicles, the American Veterans Center s weekly radio series, features the stories of America s greatest military heroes, in their own words. The program is hosted by Gene Pell, former NBC Pentagon Correspondent and Moscow Bureau Chief, as well as Director for Voice of America and President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Each week, Gene talks to distinguished service members from World War II all the way through Operation Iraqi Freedom, allowing them to share their insights on the great and tragic moments in American military history. Veterans Chronicles airs nationwide on the Radio America network, downloaded via podcast, and heard online at In this issue of American Valor Quarterly, we print the excerpt from a recent episode focusing on the legendary Black Sheep Squadron of World War II. Led by ace pilot Gregory Pappy Boyington, the squadron was formed in 1943 and was in action over a half-dozen South Pacific islands. In less than three months, the Black Sheep pilots destroyed or damaged 273 Japanese aircraft, sank ships, destroyed ground facilities, and perhaps most remarkably produced eight ace fighter pilots from only a single squadron. Retired Brigadier General Bruce Matheson served in that squadron, and he recently sat down with Gene to talk of his experiences and how they came to be known as the Black Sheep. Brigadier General Bruce Matheson: The Black Sheep name came from our first combat tour. We had a squadron which was comprised almost entirely of college students, and these college students came from colleges all over the country. These were the days before television and we didn t have any radio out there and there was no entertainment. So our entertainment was comprised of singing, which sounds like an ancient thing to do. We had several good voices in the group and we sang four-part harmony. One of the songs that one of the Ivy Leaguers brought along was the Black Sheep or the Whiffinpoof Song, which is the Yale drinking song. And we dearly loved that song. We managed to sing it frequently and it was always the very last one in our repertoire. Figuring the squadron should have a name, it was suggested that the name be Boyington s Bastards because the squadron was kind of formed in a bastardly fashion. We had no ground echelon. We had no airplanes. The press people at the time said if you do anything noteworthy we can t hardly go back and mention your name in those days Prior to commanding the Black Sheep, Greg Pappy Boyington flew for another famed outfit of American pilots - the American Volunteer Group, best known as the Flying Tigers. He would earn both the Navy Cross and the Medal of Honor for his heroism in leading the Black Sheep. when you couldn t use four letter words so we had to do better than Boyington s Bastards. So somebody said why don t we make it the Black Sheep? We thought that was a pretty good idea, so we decided we were the Black Sheep, and referred to ourselves that way, as did the press. When we went to Sydney on our first R&R rest and recuperation visit in November of 1943, our squadron intelligence officer had patches made up, unknown to us. The patches featured a little hump-backed sheep, the words VMF14, and a corsair on the top. But across diagonally it had the bar sinister, which represents bastardly. We made our point, but we made it orally through our patch, and we have carried this bastard patch ever since. And the bastard patch is still proudly worn by 214 s pilots who are today in Yuma, Arizona, and I believe they have also made a deployment to Iraq. Gene Pell: Well that s a great history, though as a Harvard man I can say I might have preferred Boyington s Bastards in the first place! Top & bottom: National Archives photos BG Matheson: I imagine you would! Pell: How did you get involved in it? AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

14 Pappy Boyington speaks with other Marines of VMF-214. With 97 confirmed air-to-air kills and eight fighter aces, the Black Sheep became one of the most recognizable air units of World War II, earning the Presidential Unit Citation. Years later, the squadron would be portrayed in the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep (later syndicated under the name Black Sheep Squadron) with Robert Conrad playing Boyington. BG Matheson: I came into the squadron pretty much like everybody else, as one of a large replacement pool. It really was comprised of two sorts of folks folks like me, brand new 2 nd Lieutenants literally just off the boat who had never seen combat, and a group of people who had one or two or more combat tours behind them and were looking to fly a third tour. The requirement out there was three combat tours and then you went home. So we were in this replacement pool which was in the past used to feed pilots into the squadrons as the need arose, either as people got sick, shot down, killed, wounded, whatever. The time we arrived out there, however, there was sort of a lull in the war, and we didn t need many replacements, so this pool built up until eventually we had 20 or 30 people built up. At the same time, the war looked to be gaining momentum in that they intended to invade Bougainville. So the call went out to see what we could do to strengthen our forces. The obvious solution to the generals in charge was, Why don t we do something with these replacement pilots? Rather than dribble them out one at a time, maybe we could form them into a squadron. And this was done. We took the squadron number 214 from a squadron which at the time was on R&R in Sydney, Australia stole the number, really, as I found out after the war, and many people were very bitter about that. Boyington was placed in charge as the commander, and we went into combat as VMF-214, nicknamed Black Sheep. We were still bastards because we had no ground echelon. We had no ground troops of our own because there weren t any for us. So we were forced during our two combat tours to kind of prevail on whoever was around to help us with such things as refueling, rearming, repair, that sort of thing. So we went through our entire two tours as a kind of a bastard outfit. Pell: Where were you permanently based? You had to have a place to park your planes. BG Matheson: We were permanently based on some of the forward airstrips. For instance, when we started out combat, we started at a little island called the Russells, which is north of Guadalcanal. We flew strikes from there, up north into the Solomons. Then when Munda was captured by the Americans, they completed the airfield that the Japanese had started and made it usable, and we flew from Munda Air Strip for the balance of our six-week tour. By the time we returned from our first R&R in Sydney, we came back to the New Hebrides to reform, retrain, and absorb new pilots for replacements for the people we lost. That made the squadron a little bit bigger. The next permanent base, as you might call it, for six weeks was a place called Vella Lavella VMF-214 continued to serve beyond World War II, becoming the first Marine squadron to see action during the Korean War in which they participated in the Inchon landing and the withdrawal from Chosin Reservoir. In 1957, VMF was redesignated VMA (for attack as opposed to fighter ). VMA-214 was deployed to Vietnam, and continues on today, having been twice deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Pictured above are AV-8Bs of VMA-214 stationed aboard the USS Peleliu in AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

15 Brigadier General Bruce Matheson, USMC (Ret) speaks at the American Veterans Center s 10th Annual Conference in November Joining Matheson were his fellow Black Sheep, Tom Emrich, Ed Harper, and Jim Hill. which is in the Northern Solomons, and we flew from there. At this point, we were fighting against the Japanese at Rabaul and at that time, the thought was that Rabaul probably would have to be invaded as we invaded the other islands in the Solomons. But we were successful enough and when I say we I mean the entire air effort: U.S. Marine Corps, Army Air Corps we were successful enough to completely rid the area of Japanese planes. When we left after our second tour, there were almost no Japanese aircraft available because they were either shot down or they had been evacuated. So the powers that be decided that we didn t have to invade Rabaul, we could just bypass it. They literally left about 50,000 Japanese in the Rabaul area to more or less wither on the vine. Some survived, most didn t. the RAF had fighter sweeps where they sent huge gaggles of fighters up against each other. But in the Pacific we didn t have fighter sweeps. The fighters did all escort work and air defense. For instance, most of the victories at Guadalcanal were air defense victories. It was people who were there to defend the Guadalcanal complex. The Japanese were in the offensive mode, and our Marine and Navy fighters on the strip there would take off to defend the strip. I don t want to take anything away from those people Marion Carl as well as Medal of Honor recipients Joe Foss and John L. Smith, but they had the comfort of knowing they were fighting right above their own home field. If they got shot down, made a water landing or bailed out, they had a fairly good chance they would be brought back. When we got involved, particularly in our second tour, we were flying above 200 miles across open water, to a Japanese bastion, which is what Rabaul was, and you took your chances there. When we ve gotten together, we ve often talked about the 12 people we lost, which was a quarter of our squadron, and wondered how many of these guys were really shot down versus how many of them got lost and couldn t find their way back. We had zero navigational aids we had no radar, no LORAN, no SHORAN, no TACAN, none of the things which are common. No GPS of course, so it was purely magnetic headings on the compass and you picked a course and if your compass was working right, you got back to your little island. But as I say, we often wonder how many of our contemporaries and buddies and squadron mates might not have been shot down, but were lost on the way home. Pell: So what Boyington really did was shift the squadron to a proactive from a reactive mode? Pell: Given the nature of this squadron, having no ground echelon did you have comparatively more of the autonomy to act on your own? Was Boyington capable of drawing up assignments? BG Matheson: No, no. Boyington was a major, which in those days was a pretty high-ranking officer for the Marines. But Boyington was relatively firmly under control of the General who was ComAirSols, which was Commander Aircraft Solomon Islands. Boyington took his directives from ComAirSols and various general officers. General Mulcahey was one who I remembered as a personal friend of Boyington s. Boyington was able to prevail upon Mulcahey to get us to go on fighter sweeps because before that time our pure mission was to escort bombers, both Navy and Marine Corps, and Army Air Corps B-25 bombers. He argued that we should do fighter sweeps, so maybe we could go up to places like Rabaul, and catch the fighters before they came down to do harm. I don t think that Boyington invented fighter sweeps because I am pretty sure that the fighter sweep program per se was a product of the battle of Britain. I think both the German Luftwaffe and BG Matheson: Precisely. And it was not just the squadron because he was able to enlist the generals support. At times we would have the early fighter sweeps with as many as 60 or 80 fighter aircraft on our side, but Boyington soon decided that this was far too big an outfit just far, far too big to control. So the later fighter sweeps got down to be around maybe 24 planes, and they were usually comprised of two or three different squadrons who would each contribute some of the planes. So, for instance, on Boyington s last flight, which I happened to end up flying, I think we had pilots and fighters there from three Marine squadrons and a couple of Navy squadrons. It was a pretty big mixture. Matheson would go on to fly missions in Korea and command Marine Air Group 36 in Vietnam, retiring with the rank of brigadier general. To hear this and many other episodes of Veterans Chronicles, visit our site at AVQ AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

16 Thank You For Your Support! The American Veterans Center, with its two divisions - the World War II Veterans Committee and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee - is grateful for your continued support in our shared mission of preserving the history and legacy of America s veterans and service members. Through its various programs, the Center has sought to provide an outlet for veterans to share their experiences with the public, and to teach their lessons to the younger generation. The support of thousands of individuals across America has allowed the Center to expand its efforts over the years, instituting a number of quality projects, including: The National Memorial Day Parade Our nation s largest Memorial Day commemorative event. Annual Veterans Conference A gathering of America s greatest military heroes, where their stories are recorded for posterity. Documentaries and Radio Series Programs including Veterans Chronicles, Proudly We Hail, and the upcoming Medal of Honor Moment. American Valor Quarterly Our magazine devoted entirely to first-hand accounts from the eyewitnesses to the great and tragic moments in military history. Youth Activities and Educational Outreach Including scholarships, internships, and opportunities for students to learn from our military men and women. Supporting Our Troops How You Can Help All of our programs, including this magazine, are solely funded through the voluntary contributions of individuals like you. If you would like to support our work, please send your tax-deductible donation in the enclosed envelope today or visit our website at Every bit helps, and we remain grateful for your support. Featuring regular steak dinners for our wounded warriors recuperating at Walter Reed and Bethesda Medical Center. A Special Thank You to the Members of Our Presidents Club Robert Abbe Dorothy Augustyn Dave Barr Jana Bartlit George Bermant John Brogan Denis Brown Victor Buscaino Margaret Buxton Ronald Carey Baudelio Carreon Sherwood Cleaveland Joan Crawford Hannah Cunningham Warren Cunningham Edele de Kirby Jane Dick Brewster Durkee Keith Erlenbach James Fanning Carol Fisher Yvonne Franklin Richard Griffith Jim Hasslocher Joyce Heinrich Searle Highleyman Robert Hopper Doris Hunter Richard Hurley Neil Jacoby Malcolm Jeffrey Earl Johnson Donald Lathem Philip Lathrap Paul Lienemann Norman Lino William Loftus Robert Mac Donald Albert Mazza Zygmunt Mientek C. Miller Joseph Moore Sara Moxley John Nichols Dorothy Olson Vera Olson Thomas Palazzi Robert Partrick Robert Perkin John Pfalzer Frank Phelan Peter Prudden Robert Randall Dale Rankin Lunsford Richardson Charles Robinson Betty Rose Mary Ruhlin Ronald Rule Carl Salonites Paul Schilling Christine Sedler Ann Seibert John Simms Louis Simon J. Phil Smith Marilyn Stewart Jeanette Thompson Carson Tucker Philip Wagner Patricia Walker Rawleigh Warner Leroy Weber Barbara Wolter Louis Zorko AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

17 Principled Leadership The Inaugural Andrew J. Goodpaster Prize and Lecture General Andrew J. Goodpaster is one of the U.S. Military s towering figures of the 20th century. A recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross and Silver Star for valor during World War II, he would go on to serve as staff secretary for President Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, and Superintendent of West Point. He was universally admired for his intellect, devotion to duty, fairness, and sense of decency. Despite his battlefield heroics and rise through the ranks, General Goodpaster was at heart a scholar. Having earned graduate degrees in Engineering and International Affairs from Princeton, Goodpaster was most proud of his scholarly achievements, and was often regarded as the epitome of the soldier-scholar. From its founding, General Goodpaster was a strong supporter of the World War II Veterans Committee and the American Veterans Center until his passing in His advice in those early years helped ensure that the Center would not merely survive, but thrive, and we owe him a debt that can never be repaid. To honor his legacy, the Center inaugurated the Andrew J. Goodpaster Prize and Lecture in 2007, honoring achievements of other soldier-scholars. Made possible by the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, this prize and lecture is our way of spotlighting the finest in military scholarship and honoring one of our military s most noble soldiers, helping to ensure that his legacy will live on. The inaugural Goodpaster Prize was presented to Dr. Lewis Sorley. A 1956 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, his service included leadership of tank and armored cavalry units in Germany and Vietnam. He retired a lt. colonel and has gone on to write several books, including Honorable Warrior: General Harold K. Johnson and the Ethics of Command, Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Times, and the Pulitzer Prize-nominated A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and Final Tragedy of America s Last Years in Vietnam. His recent work Honor Bright: History and Origins of the West Point Honor Code and System was released in July The American Veterans Center congratulates Dr. Sorley on his outstanding work, and is proud to print his remarks, delivered on December 11, 2007 in Washington, DC. General Andrew J. Goodpaster as Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. I read once that a biographer should show rather than tell. I have always liked show and tell. In these remarks I will try to mostly show. In these examples of principled leadership you will find qualities I am sure you expect integrity, courage (both physical and moral), decency, selflessness and reliability among them. But there are other attributes, perhaps less often thought of in connection with warriors, that are also part of the story. These include compassion, kindness, consideration and sensitivity. Goodpaster First, then, to Andrew J. Goodpaster, whose lifetime of dedication and service has inspired this memorial. He got off to a good start, graduating second in his 456-man West Point Class of 1939, which was itself one of West Point s most distinguished, rising quickly as young officers during World War II and thereafter serving at very significant levels for many years. General Goodpaster s intellect made him a natural for the Corps of Engineers, in which he was commissioned upon graduation, and in it he proved as brave as he was brainy, earning the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and two Purple Hearts while leading a combat engineer battalion through desperate fighting in Italy. After the war he earned a Ph.D. at Princeton. His utilization tour for that schooling was four years at SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters, Allied Powers Europe). A well-known journalist, with perhaps only a little hyperbole, observed that as a colonel Goodpaster was given a blank sheet of paper and told to create NATO. Colonel Goodpaster did in fact personally draft General Order Number 1 by which the newly activated SHAPE assumed operational control of allied forces dedicated to defense of Western Europe. He also became a close associate of and a trusted aide to Dwight Eisenhower, subsequently serving him as staff secretary throughout the Eisenhower presidency. General Goodpaster s long tenure in that key position stemmed from the universal perception that he was an honest broker, a man to be trusted, one who was invariably fair and discreet and who had the total confidence of the President. I am grateful for this opportunity to talk with you about a topic of great contemporary relevance. That topic is principled leadership. I will begin with General Andrew J. Goodpaster, in whose honor this lecture series is being inaugurated. My other examples will also be drawn from the military realm, for that is what I know best, it has been the focus of my scholarly endeavors, and it is where my heart resides. No one was surprised when, an appropriate number of years later, General Goodpaster followed his former boss by becoming SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander, Europe) in his own right, holding that position for five critical years. First, though, he served in another demanding post, deputy commander of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. I will tell you of one AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

18 United States Military Academy Andrew J. Goodpaster as a West Point cadet episode which illustrates how he brought to bear the full weight of his professional integrity in that difficult environment. Field commanders in Vietnam were continually vexed by what many viewed as unreasonable restrictions on conduct of the war. Besides what were known as rules of engagement, prescribing how the forces and their weaponry could be employed, there were the major geographical restrictions which placed enemy sanctuaries across Vietnam s borders with Laos and Cambodia off limits to allied forces. MACV s leadership was determined that, however disadvantageous, these orders would be scrupulously observed. At a given staff meeting another senior officer, in fact the MACV chief of staff, took the occasion to suggest some deviousness deliberately keeping up border violations, which had thus far been infrequent accidental incursions, until, he proposed, they become the norm. General Goodpaster reacted very strongly to this suggestion of willful disobedience. I don t think our government can or will get into the Cambodian business by the by-products, side effects, of a pattern of violations, he counseled. Persisted the other officer, a major general: My thought is that this is what we would force by getting into accepting this as the norm. General Goodpaster, this time in a harder tone: I must say my reaction right now is that that s an improper course on our part, it s an improper thing to do, and we can t be drawn into playing that kind of a game. And they were not. General Goodpaster often spoke forthrightly of what officers should be like, and what we have a right to expect of them. The Association of the United States Army has a lecture program named in honor of General Lyman L. Lemnitzer. I was present on the evening of the inaugural presentation in that series, when the speaker was General Goodpaster. He cited wise and effective American leadership as the major reason for success in WWII and the Cold War, and spoke of the essentiality of respect for American-style civil-military relationships under both good and not so good civilian leadership. Commanding the NATO armed forces was a task demanding principled leadership of a high order, along with well-honed diplomacy. One of the perennial problems was making progress toward burden sharing so that the various partner nations were carrying their fair shares of the load. General Goodpaster often characterized progress in that realm as being a lot like a wonderful sporting event for English ladies called the slow bicycle race. The object was, while riding one of those old-fashioned bicycles with a very large front wheel, to go as slowly as possible without being disqualified by going out of your lane or putting your feet down. This required extreme feats and gyrations of balance at near-immobility. It was an apt analogy. The personal relationships General Goodpaster established with NATO leaders, military and civilian alike, and the respect and admiration those officials had for him, were key elements in his considerable ability to influence the alliance during his tenure. General Goodpaster also brought to the command in Europe a realistic understanding of the multiple constituencies he served. At one point, when the Air Force offered to upgrade the aircraft assigned to him, his executive officer explained that the new model would not require refueling stops and would thus be able to get him to Washington much faster. Responded General Goodpaster, I don t want to get to Washington any faster. At the heart of his strength as a leader was one fundamental trait, uncompromising integrity. This, and his unflagging willingness to serve, resulted in his being called out of retirement to become Superintendent at West Point in the wake of a very serious honor crisis. Moreover, he accepted the assignment even though it carried only three-star rank, this after he had served for many years wearing four stars. Here his essential modesty was on display, as was his customary placing of service before self. There are many stories from his days back at West Point that illustrate the kind of man General Goodpaster was, and the kind of example and influence he brought to bear exactly, I might say, what was needed at that crucial juncture. I like one rather simple story about a stained glass window given by the West Point Class of 1944 as a thirtieth reunion gift to the Military Academy. The window was installed above the main entrance to the Cadet Mess, and featured powerful lights that shone through the glass at night, producing a dramatic display. Part of West Point s agreement in accepting the gift was a commitment to turn on the lights and illuminate the window every night. Three years later, when the nation faced an energy crisis, the Department of the Army issued stringent conservation guidelines. At West Point the Post Engineer ordered an end to outdoor illumination including the Class of 1944 s stained glass window. In due course a member of that class saw what had happened and complained to the Superintendent. General Goodpaster called the appropriate staff member into his office, along with the Post Engineer. The conversation was brief. Is it true that we promised to illuminate the 1944 window at night? General Goodpaster asked. Yes, sir, we did, said the staff officer. A promise is a promise, General Goodpaster replied. We will continue to illuminate their window. End of meeting. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

19 General Goodpaster was still serving as Superintendent when, on 20 January 1981, Iran released 52 American diplomats and military personnel who had been held hostage for 444 days. When they returned to the United States, these people and their families were taken to a place where they could have some quiet time together before having to deal with the press and the public. The place chosen was West Point. Goodpaster greeted the former hostages and their families with these reassuring words: You have been delivered from evil, and you are now safe at a place of great strength and beauty. One can only imagine the impact of that simple statement, so typical of the man who delivered it. Abrams General Goodpaster s career was, at a most important juncture, linked with that of Creighton W. Abrams. During the first year General Abrams commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam, General Goodpaster was his deputy. As those familiar with my work know, I have long been interested in the professional values exemplified by General Abrams. That interest began in the early 1970s, when I commanded a tank battalion in Germany that was descended from the 37th Tank Battalion then-lieutenant Colonel Abrams had commanded during World War II. The Army we had in Europe in the 1970s was in desperate straits, having been adversely affected in almost every realm by the ongoing war in Vietnam. There was not enough money, not enough spare parts, not enough gasoline or ammunition, and especially not enough experienced leadership at the crucial lower levels captains and lieutenants and sergeants. In an effort to motivate the soldiers in my battalion, I tried to learn more about the history of the outfit in World War II. I read everything I could find, even made a trip to Bastogne. Then I wrote a short history and had that mimeographed, gave little talks throughout the battalion, and so on. In retrospect I don t think I much influenced the troops, who were basically just passing through. Our battalion, like many others of that day, was turning over about a quarter of its strength every 90 days. But in the process of all this I influenced myself a good deal, so much so that later I decided to tell the Abrams story for a wider audience. That eventually became a book entitled Thunderbolt: General Creighton Abrams and the Army of His Times. Lt. General Goodpaster as Superintendent of West Point. General Goodpaster came out of retirement following the notorious cheating scandal of 1976 to restore a sense of honor to the academy. When he retired from the academy in 1981, Goodpaster s rank was immediately returned to the four stars of a full general. the battalion, I can recall during our tank battles Abe was right alongside of our tank giving orders to my tank commander and having a ball shooting tanks like the rest of the boys. He would mix in wherever the toughest battle was. And, he added, It made us feel more like fighting harder when you could see a great man like Abe right alongside of you. Officers in higher headquarters said that in the morning they would tune their radios to Abrams frequency, just to be entertained by his hard-driving leadership. In a combat situation Abrams turned out to be a fairly impatient man, observed one officer. That was an accurate assessment, and the results were nothing short of spectacular. The 37th Tank Battalion was often the lead element of Patton s Third Army in its drive across France. It was the first to cross the Moselle River; it was the outfit that punched through to Bastogne, on the day after Christmas of 1944, to relieve the encircled 101st Airborne Division; and it was the first element of Third Army to reach the Rhine. Wrote his division commander, The brilliant combat record of Lieutenant. Colonel Creighton Abrams constitutes one of the sagas of this war. I went into that project viewing Abrams as an exemplar of the kinds of values soldiers ought to admire and emulate. Had the research revealed otherwise, I would of course have been quite disappointed. Fortunately, the more I learned about General Abrams the clearer it was that he was exactly as he seemed to be. The motto of the 37th Tank Battalion, led by Abrams throughout World War II, was Courage Conquers, and if ever there was a motto exactly right for the outfit bearing it, this was the one. Abrams led from the front, standing in the turret of his Sherman tank, which was named Thunderbolt. Said a tank driver from Along the way Abrams was awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses, two Silver Stars, and a battlefield promotion to colonel. What is most remarkable to me about this aggressive battle leader is how he was regarded by the men under his command. A radio operator from the battalion would later write to Abrams that he had never forgotten his strong sense of values and his magnetic feeling of leadership. As a result, he said, I still respect you as a soldier and love you as a fine human being. I teach children to grow up to be like General Abe. Wrote his maintenance sergeant: I have fond memories of the kind of man Abrams was. He never made things more difficult and unhappy than they were, as did some of the officers of far less rank. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer United States Military Academy

20 U.S. Army Abrams retained his personal modesty through it all. He was no change from a captain to a colonel, said Marvin Mattingly, his reconnaissance sergeant throughout the war. Abrams himself gave the credit to his soldiers. I have traveled in gallant company, he wrote to his wife Julie as the campaign drew to a close. In later years Abrams had many occasions to speak to younger soldiers about what he thought was important about their profession. One especially moving example occurred during the period when American forces were withdrawing from Vietnam. Over time General Abrams was literally sending his army home before himself. As each major unit prepared to depart, Abrams visited to thank them and bid them farewell. To an outfit in which he had once served he said that, in a changing world, changing times and changing attitudes, the 1st Infantry Division, more than any other division in our Army, represents a constancy of those essential virtues of mankind humility, courage, devotion and sacrifice. The world is changed a lot, he continued, but this division continues to serve, as it had in the beginning. I choose to feel that this is part of the cement, and the rock, and the steel that holds our great country together. And then, his voice husky with emotion, he closed by quoting back to them the division s own great motto: No Mission Too Difficult, No Sacrifice Too Great Duty First. Abrams served in Vietnam for five years, the last four as commander of all U.S. forces there. On his last night, speaking to officers assembled in the command mess, he told his colleagues: The longer I serve, the more I am convinced that the single most important attribute of the professional officer is integrity. Then he came home to become Army Chief of Staff. During those last years General Abrams would often speak about what it had meant to him to be a soldier. At one of his last public appearances he died after not quite two years in office as Chief of Staff General and Mrs. Abrams were attending an Armor Ball in Washington. After dinner he was asked to say a few words. Dancing had already begun, so he just stood at a microphone alongside the dance floor as people gathered around him. He spoke very quietly, but with obvious emotion, about service, and about the privilege of service. He had no script or notes, and spoke for only a few minutes. Afterward, on the way back to Fort Myer, General Abrams was slumped in the back seat of the sedan, tired and subdued. How do you think my talk went? he asked Julie. Well, she replied, all I can tell you is what I heard in the ladies room. Two young women were talking, and one said to the other, I ve been trying to get my husband to get out of the Army. But after listening to that, I m glad he wants to stay in. General Creighton W. Abrams Johnson General Abrams was in turn linked with another officer of impressive probity and moral strength, Harold K. Johnson. During the crucial three years of the build-up of American ground forces in Vietnam ( ), Abrams was Vice Chief of Staff for Chief of Staff Johnson. They developed a relationship of extraordinary professional and personal closeness. General Johnson had been serving as the Army s Deputy Chief of Staff for Military Operations for less than a year when one of those periodic games of musical chairs took place in the upper echelons of leadership. General Maxwell Taylor left his post as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to become U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Vietnam, and Army Chief of Staff General Earle Wheeler moved up to become the new Chairman. While decisions on successor leadership were pending, the Army s Chief of Chaplains, Major General Charles Brown, made a Saturday afternoon visit to the home of Secretary of the Army Stephen Ailes. Brown was an amateur clockmaker, and had volunteered to see if he could repair one of Ailes s clocks. That job successfully accomplished, the two men were sitting on the back stoop drinking a beer. Ailes asked Chaplain Brown what he thought about General Johnson. Well, I ll tell you, Stephen, Brown responded, he s the strongest moral force in the Army today. Not long afterward Harold K. Johnson was announced as the next Army Chief of Staff. He had come to that high post by a very difficult and challenging road. As a young officer he was assigned to the Philippine Scouts, commanding a battalion of the 57th Infantry, as he put it, only long enough to lose it when American forces were ordered to surrender to the Japanese early in World War II. Johnson survived the Bataan Death March and the ghastly ordeal of two Japanese hell ships. Altogether he was a prisoner of war for 41 agonizingly long months. The Japanese treated their prisoners brutally and unpredictably. Dealing with them was thus risky at best. Under these circumstances Colonel Johnson held a succession of positions of trust, beginning with that of commissary officer for the prisoners, who in the vital matter of food chose the man they trusted the most. Food, after all, represented the difference between life and death, and there was never enough. Johnson set about doing what he could to remedy that. The prisoners who worked were allowed to retain a small portion of their meager wages, and to spend that on supplemental food AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

21 purchased by the commissary officer. During eighteen months in that position, Johnson spent a million and a half pesos to procure fruits and vegetables, sugar, oil, lard, rice and eggs. Only a third of the total, half a million pesos, came from legitimate prisoner pay. The rest was money the men had concealed, money they had obtained by selling watches and rings to their guards, and money smuggled in from outside. The Japanese said that the prisoners could not spend more for food than they earned in wages. To circumvent this, Johnson kept two sets of books one for the benefit of the Japanese, a second for scrutiny by his fellow prisoners. It is ironic that the most ethical of men would, in the higher interest of saving lives, prove to be so creatively deceptive. Johnson also used the power of his position to insist that those prisoners who were able to work and earn money donate some of it to help those who were too ill to work. When the food ration was cut to two sacks of rice a day, he replaced the shortfall with purchases made from the commissary fund s profits. This undoubtedly saved more lives. When the tide of battle turned in the Pacific, and allied forces were on the verge of liberating the Philippines, the Japanese in manic determination not to give up their prisoners began evacuating them on commercial vessels bound for Japan. These ships, their holds crammed with sick and starving prisoners, were not marked in any way. The allies thus bombed them repeatedly, unaware that their own men were on board. Many prisoners were killed and wounded. That disaster, and the unspeakable conditions in which the prisoners were held, led to these being called Hell Ships, a designation still recalled by every survivor. General Harold K. Johnson survive. At one point Johnson himself was down to 92 pounds from his customary 180, and an American physician said there was no medical reason why he should have been alive. But Johnson survived, and did so with his spirit and self-respect intact. Johnson s future held many further challenges, not the least of which was assignment to command a hastily thrown-together provisional infantry battalion in the very early days of the Korean War. His valor in that assignment earned him a Distinguished Service Cross, promotion to colonel, and successive command of two regiments. Professionally, he was back in business. General Johnson came to the Army s top job as Chief of Staff at a very difficult time. The buildup for the Vietnam War was underway, and without the call-up of reserve forces that every contingency plan had contemplated for such a campaign. Upon being sworn in Johnson recited a portion of the Scout Oath: On my honor I will do my duty to God and to my country. He laid out the imperatives of professional conduct to every audience he addressed. To ROTC cadets about to be commissioned he said: Our standard is truth basic, unadulterated truth. There can be no trifling with the truth. You can t be content with the half truth. The whole truth that is what is expected of you. He told cadets about to graduate from the Military Academy: You will be expected to know your profession. As leaders you must be firm, fair and yet human and compassionate. You must be selfless. You should be aware of a basic fact that a great deal can be accomplished if one is not overly concerned with who gets the credit for the deed. On one such ship Colonel Johnson, the senior American aboard, sought to do what he could to keep a few men alive. Every day they were pushing overboard the corpses of men who had died during the night. Somehow Johnson had managed to hang on to his West Point class ring. Now he traded it to a guard for some water and tinned fish. Another officer recalled what Johnson had done. He carefully brought this food and water down, he said, and, in view of all these men in that hold, he meted out what he had been given. In his lifetime many honors were accorded him, but never to equal how he was regarded by these men in this instance. It was a small amount of food and a small amount of water, but it was distributed with perfect integrity on his part. Johnson later called the period when he was a prisoner of war a great laboratory of human behavior. Some men lost all scruples, others demonstrated previously unrevealed strength of character. Some simply gave up and died, while others were determined to To newly appointed brigadier generals he said: Your job is to uphold th[e] integrity [of the Army] just play it straight. And to Army officers working outside the Department of the Army: You do what is right for the country, and the Army will live with it. All those were admonitions he demonstrated by example every day of his life. Soldiers These leaders were masters of the art of building trust. At the heart of that ability was their genuine love of soldiers, their becoming personal modesty, and the admirable standards of integrity and competence they demonstrated in all aspects of their lives, personal and professional alike. At Carlisle Barracks, home of the Army War College, there is a memorial to General Abrams on which are carved these words U.S. Army AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

22 General Goodpaster speaks at the World War II Veterans Committee s annual conference. General Goodpaster spoke at every conference during its early years, lending his prestige and credibility. Seated next to him is American Veterans Center president, James C. Roberts. of his own: There must be, within our Army, a sense of purpose and a dedication to that purpose. There must be a willingness to march a little farther, to carry a heavier load, to step out into the darkness and the unknown for the safety and well-being of others. That is the soldier s task. One of General Abrams favorite sayings was that people are not in the Army, people are the Army. Often he would add, and by people I do not mean personnel. I do not mean endstrength. I do not mean MOS s. I do not mean files. I do not mean any such categories that deal with people as a commodity. I mean living, breathing, serving human beings. Whatever is accomplished, he stressed, is accomplished with people. They are at the heart of our preparedness, and this preparedness as a nation and as an Army depends upon the spirit of our soldiers. Without it we cannot succeed. HKJ held a like view: It is the soldier who fights; it is the soldier who bleeds and dies if he must; it is the soldier who brings the victory home, he said. Where does he get this devotion? I wish I could say that we issue it to him in the Army, but we can only help him find it. He brings it with him from family, the church, and schools of his hometown, or he doesn t bring it at all. The exemplars of principled leadership I have spoken about were alike in their devotion to, respect for, and commitment to the well-being of the soldier. I am sure all would have agreed with General Abrams: We ve got to always remember whatever echelon you serve at, no matter how sublime the strategic concept, and no matter how infinite the detail of the plan, the Army decision is rendered by these men whose normal habitat in time of war is forward of the artillery. I am almost finished, but I want to tell you about one such man. I don t know very much about him, but you will soon see why I respect him for his fortitude and courage. His name was Robert Calvert Jr., and this is the story from his diary of about two weeks with Company C, 51st Armored Infantry Battalion, 4th Armored Division, during the Battle of the Bulge. Sunday 24 December 1944 (Christmas Eve): Our company commander was evacuated with pneumonia, and we lost our platoon sergeant because his feet froze. My squad leader, Ted, moved up to platoon sergeant. Larry, a private who joined the division in October, is now in charge of our squad. Monday 25 December 1944 (Christmas Day): Three days earlier, we had five officers in the company; now we are down to only one, Lieutenant Green. At this point, our company is down to less than 100 men, and our daily casualties are from 15 to 20. Tuesday 26 December 1944: Only five men are left in our squad today, but we are the biggest one in the platoon. Wednesday 27 December 1944: We received five replacements in our squad, doubling its size. Thursday 28 December 1944: Our platoon is down to around 20 men, loosely grouped into three squads. Friday 29 December 1944: We moved up to the paratroopers and talked with them for a few minutes. We were impressed by how much more rested they looked than we did. Saturday 30 December 1944: It was so cold that the water in our canteens froze right on our bodies. We ate snow or melted it down to drink or to make coffee. Thursday 4 January 1945 (jumping forward five days since the last diary entry): I am now the leader of a rifle squad, a tribute to how much seniority one acquires in an infantry company in five weeks. Later, reflecting on this period, Private Calvert wrote that official records show that our 51st Armored Infantry Battalion entered the Bulge with about 600 men and had total casualties of 461 in three weeks, including 54 killed and 151 wounded. The rest of the casualties resulted from injuries, frozen feet, other illnesses or captivity. As our activity had top priority, we received 347 replacements during the 21 days, some of whom are also included in the casualty figures, plus another 85 men who returned to duty from hospitals. We need to remember men like Robert Calvert with reverence and awe. I conclude where I began, by expressing my deepest gratitude for the privilege of helping to honor the memory, the life, the example, and the contributions to our nation of General Andrew J. Goodpaster. He, and the others I have spoken about, represent the absolute best of the profession of arms, of service to our nation, and of principled leadership. Thanks to all of you for being here to help celebrate their memory. Lewis Sorley s new book, Honor Bright: History and Origins of the West Point Honor Code and System is now available from McGraw-Hill publishing and bookstores nationwide. He will be appearing with the American Veterans Center s 11th Annual Conference from November 6-8 in Washington, DC. AVQ AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

23 Shock Medicine By Luis Fonseca Jr., Hospitalman Second Class, U.S. Navy Luis Fonseca Jr. received the Navy Cross - second only to the Medal of Honor - for heroism serving with the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during the Battle of An Nasiriyah in Iraq on March 23, He was the first Navy corpsman to receive the Navy Cross in 32 years. Marine Company A, First Platoon, to which Fonseca was assigned, was charged with the capture of the northernmost bridge in An Nasiriyah. After embarking on their mission, they began to take heavy RPG, mortar, machine-gun, and small arms fire. A direct mortar hit knocked out a vehicle, leaving several Marines wounded. He evacuated them from the burning vehicle and administered aid, then loaded them into his amtrac. When the amtrac was hit, he evacuated them again, carrying one of the Marines across open ground despite being under intense enemy fire. The valor he displayed was reminiscent of the corpsmen who served on Iwo Jima and in Hue City. HM2 Fonsenca will join the American Veterans Center s 11th Annual Conference from November 6-8, In this issue of American Valor Quarterly, we share his first-hand account of the Battle of An Nasiriyah. When I was in high school, I was into a little bit of everything. I played soccer from the ninth grade to my senior year. I was in band. I was part of a Hispanic Club that put on shows in traditional Latin-style dances. I think I always had a girlfriend. But I was just kind of stuck. I was eighteen years old and I felt I needed a change in my life. I didn t want to be at my ten-year high school class reunion and have my friends ask me what I was doing and have to answer, I m not really doing anything. I wanted to do something with my life. I wanted to feel some sense of accomplishment. I ve always been intrigued with medicine. I have always liked helping people even as a little kid. In fact, I was CPR and first-aid-certified at the age of thirteen. When I went to talk with the Marine Corps, I found out that they didn t have a medical section. They use the Navy s. I didn t want to join the army because my dad had already done it, and I wanted to create my own path. When I decided to join the Navy, I thought to myself, what is the hardest thing someone can do in life that everyone always talks about? Of course I thought of the medical services. Since I had dropped out of high school I wanted to prove to people I could still do what I really wanted to do in life. Just like any enlisted guy, I went to basic training. Then I went into what s called the Navy A School, where I learned my primary job. I am a general-duty corpsman, so I learned the basics of what a corpsman does every day dealing with medical records, dealing with drugs, everything from Tylenol to morphine. I learned the basics of IV punctures, how to start an IV line, draw blood and give immunizations. After that training, I got what s called a dream sheet, where I listed my top three priorities that I wanted to do. I always knew I wanted to be a field medical corpsman. I always knew I wanted to be with a Marine Corps unit. I wanted to do trauma medicine and shock medicine. I had been trained well, but the question remained: How well can you train to go to war and prepare to die? It s just something you have to accept. I tell junior corpsmen when they re getting ready to go over to Iraq or Afghanistan for the first time, You know, you could die in your sleep tonight or you could die a hundred years from now. You don t know. Because you know that you might die doesn t mean you should stop living life. Everything you do in combat has to be second nature. You do not have time to stop and think about what s next in the process. You can t pull out a book and look up the answer or ask a buddy what to do next. The one second that you stop to think about what s going on could cost someone their life. In the heat of battle, that one split second decision could cost a life or save a life. Joe Raedle/Getty Images AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

24 I wondered what our enemy could have been thinking. They weren t going to do anything to us with this small-arms fire. I knew we were going over to secure this bridge in five or ten minutes and nothing could stop us. Then the rest of the First Marine Division could push forward to Baghdad. Unfortunately it didn t play out like that. Marines dodge sniper fire during the epic 2003 Battle of An Nasiriyah, the toughest fight in the initial march toward Baghdad. The battle is chronicled in the book Marines in the Garden of Eden: The True Story of Seven Bloody Days in Iraq by Richard S. Lowry. By March 23, 2003 in An Nasiriyah, I d been in Iraq for just two or three days. It started off pretty much like any day. We woke up in the morning, cleaned ourselves up, and prepared to push forward. We knew what our mission was and that we would be securing a bridge later that day. It was the Saddam Canal Bridge over the Euphrates River near An Nasiriyah, about two hundred miles southeast of Baghdad. I don t think anyone in their wildest dreams really thought it was going to get as bad as it did. We pulled up and stopped on the southern part of the town. I remember seeing all these Iraqi tanks on fire, so we knew that our air support had been there and pretty much demolished all of their mobilized units. We stopped and crept forward a little bit. That was the same time and place where Jessica Lynch and her convoy got ambushed, so one of our tanks and one of our amtracs got diverted to go help them. Word came over the radio that we were still supposed to push forward to help secure the northern bridge. A lot of question marks went up in the air. We didn t have tanks. We didn t all have armor plating. My platoon sergeant got on the horn to verify the command. He verified that we were still supposed to push forward. He gave the order. When we got to the southern bridge, all the locals were smiling and waving at us, saying hi and giving us the thumbs-up. Real friendly. All of a sudden, it was like you see in the movies, where you have daylight and then it turns black. We crossed a point where everything was gloomy. No one was on the streets anymore. As soon as the first RPG hit, we heard mortar rounds coming in at us and heavy machine guns. Artillery was striking down on us. We were getting hit for the left, the right, from behind, from the front and from above. About five minutes after the fight started, my platoon sergeant called over the intercom system: One of our tracs got hit, number 211, the one right in front of me. There were hurt Marines, and instinctively I knew it was my job to go out there and help them. In the three years before this moment, I had never done what I considered to be my real job. This was my time to show my guys that I knew what I was doing. My platoon sergeant told me he was going to open up the back hatch for just a second. I thought about my family and something along the lines of Lord, help me. In the time it takes you to turn a doorknob and step out of your house, that s how long I thought about all that. Then my mind went blank, and all I thought about was that I had to get to my guys. I ran about thirty-five to forty meters north towards the amtrac. When I got there, I saw that it was engulfed in flames. There were five wounded, and I helped get them out of the amtrac. Two of them had partial lower limb amputations; three had shrapnel or flash burns. One had a broken leg. Once we got them out, we set them on the deck and I did basic first aid, stopped the bleeding, and put splints on. We had to move the men, though, because their amtrac was on fire and it was going to blow up due to secondary explosion from their own ammunition going off inside. Right before we moved them, I heard a crackling from above. I looked up and saw scatter bombs. Once the bombs went off, I gave the order to move the casualties into my amtrac. When we got there, I reassessed and redressed the wounds. I flushed out people s eyes who had flash burns. I decided to give them sedation, and the two that had partial lower leg amputations, I went ahead and gave them morphine for the pain. Using a black permanent marker, I put a big M for morphine on their foreheads along with 12:31 for the time I administered it. This way everybody down the line knows what is going on with this patient. U.S. Marine Corps Photo Our convoy was twelve vehicles deep, and we were number twelve. Our lead vehicle was taking small-arms fire. I was standing lookout and my platoon sergeant said, Hey Doc, get back in the vehicle. As soon as I sat down, I heard the first small-arms rounds ding off our amtrac. Then we heard, rocket in the center lane. Seconds later our vehicle diverted to the right and then came back up to the left. We were moving out of the path of the RPG that an insurgent had shot down the road towards us. These were definitely life-threatening wounds. With amputations, especially ones that happen so quickly and aggressively, all the veins and arteries retract into the muscle. The muscles contract to stop the bleeding. That s the perfect time to apply the tourniquet. If you don t, the muscles will naturally begin to relax and the veins and arteries open up and all the blood rushes out just like water from a hose. That will send your body into shock. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer

25 I had been taking care of these patients for about ten or fifteen minutes when they called me over the intercom and said that number 206 had been hit. I ran north about two hundred to two hundred and fifty yards with my medical bag. I couldn t find number 206, but I stopped and helped out some other grunt corpsmen who were attached to the infantry unit. We set up a collection point to help them medevac their casualties. I kept running another two hundred yards, trying to find 206, but I still couldn t find it. I ran into the commanding officer for Charlie Company, and I said, Hey sir, I got word that 206 had been hit but I can t find it. Do you have any word on that? He told me, Doc, I believe that is a message in error so go back to your amtrac. You re doing a great job and keep up the good work. Roger that, sir, I said and went back to my amtrac. I stood outside of my amtrac, taking a pee. The crazy things a person does. I don t want to say that I was shell-shocked but I didn t really grasp the enormity of what was going on. I heard everyone shouting, Doc, get back inside, and I said, Hold on, I ve got to finish peeing. As soon as I got back inside and closed the hatch, a mortar round landed on our amtrac. We took two more hits, another one on the right side and one on the top. Then an RPG struck the front, blowing out our transmission and disabling our vehicle. At that time, I decided to take the casualties out of my now-disabled vehicle and get them somewhere safer. We opened up the hatch and moved four patients to another amtrac. The fifth Marine I personally firemancarried over open ground under intense machine-gun and rocket fire. I made it to a ditch, and he and I hung out there for a while. This was the sixth hour of the firefight. We were in the ditch for about ten minutes. Sometimes it feels like we were there two hours. The badly wounded Marine was one of the guys who had a lower leg amputation. I kept monitoring him and he was doing well. I kept talking to him, keeping him alert and awake. Then we saw an amtrac come by. I flagged him down, ran up the road and told him to follow me. I ran back to the ditch and we loaded up our casualty. We went south through the city, offloaded our casualties to the Second Battalion, Eighth Marines, cleaned up our amtrac, and proceed back north to regroup with our platoon, which was engaged in the fight. We took fire on the way. By the time we got there, things had calmed down. There were little sporadic firefights here and there. Air support was coming in. The tanks finally caught back up with us. Luis Fonseca Jr. after being presented the Navy Cross - the first corpsman to receive the award since Vietnam. We lost eighteen Marines that day. Fifteen others were wounded and had to leave the battlefield. Ten others were wounded slightly and didn t have to leave the battlefield. That had to have been one of the worst days of the war. The one thing that surprised me, and it surprises just about everyone, was that I weighed 150 pounds at the time. I m five feet five and I carried a two-hundred-pound Marine on my back, plus all of my equipment and my medical gear. I was also surprised by how much knowledge and training I retained. I was able to make split-second decisions. Honestly, I thought I was going to die. I knew there was a bullet with my name on it. I thought, I m going to do my job until I get hit. I needed to save my boys. I needed to take them back home. I was running up and down looking for number 206 for an hour or an hour and a half, just coming up on wounded and, unfortunately, deceased Marines. I didn t think I was going to make it out of this alive. But it wasn t an overwhelming feeling. I would honestly say it was more of a calming feeling, like I can t believe this is where I m going to die. But then I d hear Marines crying in pain and think, I may die but these guys need me right now. I was doing my job, which is not to think about my safety but to think about the safety of my Marines. I wish I could have done more. Because I was in the Navy and was assigned to a Marine unit, I felt like an outsider at first. They had earned the title United States Marine, and I hadn t. I had to prove myself, that I could hang with them, do PT with them, hump with them. One of the greatest honors, believe it or not, is hearing my Marines tell me, Doc, regardless of what branch of the service you re in, you are a Marine in our eyes. Marines are some of the best people I ve ever met. Guys trust me now. AMERICAN VALOR QUARTERLY - Summer Shock Medicine by Luis Fonseca, Jr. is excerpted from HEROES AMONG US, edited by Chuck Larson, copyright (c) 2008 by Chuck Larson. Used by permission of Dutton Signet, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. HEROES AMONG US: Firsthand Accounts from America s Most Decorated Warriors in Iraq and Afghanistan is available at bookstores nationwide. AVQ Top: U.S. Navy Photo Bottom: NAL Hardcover

26 Registration Now Open! The American Veterans Center s 11th Annual Conference November 6-8 -Washington, DC The American Veterans Center invites you to join us for the nation s premier Veterans Day event! From November 6-8, 2008, some of America s most distinguished veterans and active duty service members will gather in Washington to share their experiences and memories of the defining moments in American military history. The conference will feature three days of speakers and panels, wreath-laying ceremonies at our nation s war memorials, private VIP receptions, and the annual gala awards banquet honoring our greatest military heroes. The 11th Annual Conference will be a weekend none who attend will ever forget. Registration is now open, and space is limited, so sign up today! To request a daily schedule and registration form, call ext. 220 or avc@americanveteranscenter.org Highlights Include: The Doolittle Raiders - Veterans of Jimmy Doolittle s legendary attack on Japan. In the famous photo from Stars and Stripes, men of the Filthy Thirteen apply war paint prior to D-Day. The war paint and mohawks were inspired by their leader, Jake McNiece. Joining McNiece at the 2008 conference will be the four other survivors of the famed unit. The Filthy Thirteen - The men of the 101st Airborne Division who made up the true story behind the famous film, The Dirty Dozen. Theodore Dutch Van Kirk - The navigator of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb. The Tuskegee Airmen - Veterans of the legendary air unit which comprised the first black pilots in U.S. military history. Dr. Lewis Sorley - Veteran of Vietnam and author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book, A Better War They Also Serve: The Contribution of Women to the U.S. Military - Some of the military s most distinguished female veterans and active duty personnel share their experiences. Major League Baseball Veterans of WWII - Men who put their sports careers on hold to serve in the United States Military. Including Bob Feller, Monte Irvin, Mickey Vernon, Lou Brissie and Jerry Coleman (Additional participants TBA) Col. Dave R. Severance - Commander of E. Co., 28th Marines on Iwo Jima, which scaled Mt. Suribachi and raised the flags. Lt. Gen. Julius Becton - Decorated veteran of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, and later director of FEMA & President of Prairie View A&M University. The first flag is raised atop Mt. Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. Then-Captain Dave Severance led the company that secured the mountain. The Tet Offensive: 40th Anniversary - A discussion on the major turning point of the Vietnam War.

27 We Were Soldiers - Lt. General Hal Moore, Joseph Galloway, and veterans of the battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam. Gen. Moore and Joe Galloway will discuss their new book, WE ARE SOLDIERS STILL: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam. The Medal of Honor - Veterans who have received our nation s highest military award. Black Hawk Down - Featuring Matthew Eversmann, veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu whose story was told in the best-selling book and portrayed by Josh Hartnett in the 2001 film. Hal Moore walks among the North Vietnamese casualties during the epic battle of Ia Drang. General Moore and Joe Galloway will join the conference in an exclusive discussion of their long-awaited sequel to the best-selling We Were Soldiers Once...And Young. Good Morning, Vietnam - Featuring famed Air Force DJ Adrian Cronauer, portrayed by Robin Williams in the famous film. The Last Ace - Brig. Gen. R. Steve Ritchie, the only Air Force ace pilot of Vietnam and the U.S. military s last ace. Today s Heroes - Several of the most highly decorated service members from Iraq and Afghanistan. The Medal of Honor: A New Generation - Service members who served alongside the five recipients from Iraq and Afghanistan share their stories of valor. War and New Media - War correspondents and military bloggers share how new forms of media are changing the way we look at war. Back to Iraq - Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom who have returned to report on the effects of The Surge and the current situation. Also Included An exclusive discussion and reception at the historic Army & Navy Club to celebrate the publication of General Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway s new book, WE ARE SOLDIERS STILL. Black Hawk helicopter Super64 flies over the Somali capital of Mogadishu on its fateful mission, October 3, Super64 was downed in the battle, and two Delta Snipers - Randy Shugart and Gary Gordon - were inserted at their own request to protect the injured crew from an approaching mob. Shugart and Gordon were killed in that action, and would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. A VIP reception in honor of the Major League Baseball players who served in World War II with tribute to Bob Feller on his 90th birthday. Special guests include our heroic Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital and Bethesda Naval Hospital. Wreath-laying ceremonies at the National World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The 11th Annual Awards Banquet, the grand finale of the conference honoring America s greatest military heroes. To request a daily schedule or registration form, call ext. 220, avc@americanveteranscenter.org, or write us at: American Veterans Center / 1100 N. Glebe Rd. Suite 910 / Arlington, VA The conference will be held at the Renaissance Washington Hotel / 999 9th St., NW / Washington, DC Transportation will be provided to all off-site events from the Renaissance. Hotel reservations should be made directly with the Renaissance by calling or Be sure to tell the reservation clerk that you are attending the American Veterans Center s conference in order to obtain the reduced rate of $219 (single/double). Room rates available through October 5, Again, space is limited! Be a part of history, and register today! Please note that while participants are confirmed, schedule is subject to change.

28 The American Veterans Center 1100 N. Glebe Rd. Suite 910 Arlington, VA 22201