I know what the intent was.
It was to jump on the NCAA Final Four Fever and to toss a match up of Marine greats against each other to increase public knowledge of the Corps.
Sorry to tell whoever is in charge of this effort but its bullshit.
Pure, 100%, rolled in the hay...BULLSHIT.
Example. They're pitting Cpl Joseph Vittori against Col John Glenn.
How do you even think of doing something like this? Cpl Vittori was a Medal of Honor winner, dying in the act of winning the award! What follows is a PORTION of his citation....
With a forward platoon suffering heavy casualties and forced to withdraw under a vicious enemy counterattack as his company assaulted strong hostile forces entrenched on Hill 749, Corporal Vittori boldly rushed through the withdrawing troops with two other volunteers from his reserve platoon and plunged directly into the midst of the enemy. Overwhelming them in a fierce hand-to-hand struggle, he enabled his company to consolidate its positions to meet further imminent on slaughts. Quick to respond to an urgent call for a rifleman to defend a heavymachine gun positioned on the extreme point of the northern flank and virtually isolated from the remainder of the unit when the enemy again struck in force during the night, he assumed position under the devastating barrage and, fighting a singlehanded battle, leaped from one flank to the other, covering each foxhole in turn as casualties continued to mount, manning a machine gun when the gunner was struck down and making repeated trips through the heaviest shellfire to replenish ammunition. With the situation becoming extremely critical, reinforcing units to the rear pinned down under the blistering attack and foxholes left practically void by dead and wounded for a distance of 100 yards (91 m), Corporal Vittori continued his valiant stand, refusing to give ground as the enemy penetrated to within feet of his position, simulating strength in the line and denying the foe physical occupation of the ground. Mortally wounded by enemy machine-gun and rifle bullets while persisting in his magnificent defense of the sector where approximately 200 enemy dead were found the following morning, Corporal Vittori, by his fortitude, stouthearted courage and great personal valor, had kept the point position intact despite the tremendous odds and undoubtedly prevented the entire battalion position from collapsing.Colonel Glenn's heroic's should be known to everyone...even those outside the Corps.
But back to the issue at hand. How do you pit two Marine greats against each other like this in order to be like everyone else during this Final Four stuff?
MOH or no, isn't a Gunny allowed to kill a Marine on-sight if they have hair that long?
ReplyDeleteWW2 Marine Corps. that was within regs. you saw the same thing in the other services too.
DeleteFor one thing, don't pit Grunt NCO's against Aviation Officers.
ReplyDeleteIt's not fair to the Airedales!