A little credit where a lot of credit has been overlooked-

[captaint]

Somewhere in recent history we hear the term "the me generation'. Pretty obvious how they got that handle. Oh, for a few real men. Great thread. Mike Great post Bill.

[Bret4207]

Sterling Hayden, not Stewart Hayden. Read up on him. He was the type of man John Waynes characters were modeled after.

Jack Palances faces looked like it did because that's the best they could do with reconstructive surgery back then.

I recently read that Ted Knight, (Ted Baxter on Mary Tyler Moore show) had 5 Bronze Stars.....FIVE! Supposedly that makes him one of the most decorated FOR VALOR men ever. Hard to say if its true or not. Anyone who's been int he military knows that a lot of the salad on a uniform is "I didn't get in trouble" awards. Some branches seem to give out a lot more of that than others. Actual awards for valor like Silver and Bronze Stars, Navy Crosses, stuff like that usually get earned the hard way.

[dragonrider]

A great list of good people. How many of you know who Alan Hale jr. was?

[Moonie]

My grandfather was a professional football player and a sparing partner for Joe Lewis, he and half his team quit the team and signed up. He gave up his dream and career to serve. None of you know him, but he was my hero, I am the man I am today thanks to him.

[MtGun44]

The Skipper, on Gilligan's Island, of course. His Dad was Doug Fairbanks, Jr's sidekick in many of his movies.

Alan Hale Jr looked EXACTLY like his father, so it is weird to see "The Skipper" in old 1920s & 1930s B&W
adventure movies looking exactly like he did in the 1960s TV series!

Bill

[EDG]

Look up Dan Rowan of Laugh In.
He shot down two enemy planes and was seriously injured in the crash of his own P-40

[bruce drake]

This current generation of veterans should be given some credence as well. Less than 1% of the United States' current overall population have volunteered to serve their nation in keeping Islamic Militants from destroying everything we have worked to maintain for our country. Many of their have done multiple tours overseas in nasty places to ensure others have the ability to drive to Starbucks and complain about the cost of the Venti Mocha Latte...
As we move into our 13th year of war, we have young men and women who remember the attacks on 9/11 but still step forward to defend our nation.

That said, When I was awarded my Last Bronze Star in Afghanistan, I was personally chewed out by my Division Commander because I originally refused to sign off on what I did to protect our convoy during a complex ambush attack. I considered it just doing my duty as an officer. He considered it a reason to be used to pass the message along the troops that he would recognize efforts above an beyond. He (the DC)had our Division Command Sergeant Major talk to all surviving patrol members without my noticing and then wrote the award and had it approved in 24 hours. I got pinned with the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for Valor a week later when I came in from out in the field with my ANA counterparts...
I told MGen Terry that this award I would accept on behalf of my soldiers. He smiled and said he expected me to say that.

Bruce

[Col4570]

The list of Stars brings back many memories of men who where truly qualified to play parts that closely reflected their real life experiences.Look at for example Lee Marvin or Robert Ryan,they where so natural as if acting was just an extension of their former existence.Long may they all live in our thoughts.

[Bret4207]

This current generation of veterans should be given some credence as well. Less than 1% of the United States' current overall population have volunteered to serve their nation in keeping Islamic Militants from destroying everything we have worked to maintain for our country. Many of their have done multiple tours overseas in nasty places to ensure others have the ability to drive to Starbucks and complain about the cost of the Venti Mocha Latte...
As we move into our 13th year of war, we have young men and women who remember the attacks on 9/11 but still step forward to defend our nation.

That said, When I was awarded my Last Bronze Star in Afghanistan, I was personally chewed out by my Division Commander because I originally refused to sign off on what I did to protect our convoy during a complex ambush attack. I considered it just doing my duty as an officer. He considered it a reason to be used to pass the message along the troops that he would recognize efforts above an beyond. He (the DC)had our Division Command Sergeant Major talk to all surviving patrol members without my noticing and then wrote the award and had it approved in 24 hours. I got pinned with the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device for Valor a week later when I came in from out in the field with my ANA counterparts...
I told MGen Terry that this award I would accept on behalf of my soldiers. He smiled and said he expected me to say that.

Bruce

Bruce, I would say congratulations, but I don't think that word conveys what I mean. So I'll leave it at, "I'm honored to have had the opportunity to have known you a little and am proud of you and your troops."

Semper Fi!

[Bad Water Bill]

Bruce

I did not mean to say that those folks were the ONLY folks we should say THANK YOU to.

Each and every person that has signed the big check should never be forgotten.

I was sent this list by a D A V so i thought some of us older folks might be interested.

Thank you for your service sir.

[MaryB]

out of 13 nieces and nephews 6 are in the military so a few in my family are doing their part.

[TXGunNut]

Thanks for the post, Bill. Time will tell if our current crop of veterans have the stomach for Hollywierd or politics but I'll understand if they don't. The Vietnam vets I know are/were grateful to come home and try to resume their lives.
Times have changed, indeed.

[Thumbcocker]

IIRC Bob Keeshan and Lee Marvin crossed paths on Iwo Jima. When I think about "Captain Kangaroo" I am reminded of the line from the Emmylou Harris song "Spanish Johnny" "the hands so gentle to a child had killed so many men".

[shdwlkr]

Bill
How many of today's Hollywood types even enlisted when Vietnam was looking for individuals. When my number came up in the lottery I enlisted.

Oh that's right the New Demorat want to be in 2016 Husband did run to Canada and she has continued the act of cowardice she learned from him to this very day.

[Bad Water Bill]

Bill
How many of today's Hollywood types even enlisted when Vietnam was looking for individuals. When my number came up in the lottery I enlisted.

Oh that's right the New Demorat want to be in 2016 Husband did run to Canada and she has continued the act of cowardice she learned from him to this very day.

When I was growing up I lived,fished and hunted with a ton of that generation.

When I was active 1/2 of the squadron had been there including the coreman that landed on several islands with the Marines.

In the reserves My pilots flew bombers over Europe and the Pacific.

My plane captain was a tail gunner flying off of a carrier in the pacific.

Our Chaplain was torpedoed 3 times on the run to Russia.

One Marine relative has 11 holes in his body,speaks several oriental languages and was in Nam for many years but do NOT ask.

The brave folks from there I do or had known is a very long list.

I will never forget what any AND all who have served have done to keep us free and not having to learn another language.

I meant no disrespect to ANYONE that has ever stepped up.

Nor will I EVER do so.

When I saw that list it brought back a ton of memories that I thought older members here would enjoy and definitely meant no disrespect to you or any other vet.

[shdwlkr]

Bill
thanks for the list and the ability to see just why they were the greatest generation.
I am supposed to be related to one of those interesting people, his last name and my first name are the same and the reason I have the first name I do is to keep it going, my son shares my first name his is only in a different language as I didn't want him to be known as junior.

I worked with guys from WWII and Korea and even Vietnam and they all had one thing in common, they did what their country did when asked just like I did. Never saw it as a big deal more doing what was required to be in a free country. Now I wonder if we are still really free anymore.

[Moonie]

As I've mentioned before I do have a son that is one of Uncle Sams Misguided Children, serving a tour in Afghanistan now. He decided to become a Marine on 09/11/2001, he was 11. A far cry from the 6'4" man he is today.

[marlin39a]

Now that homosexual behavior is endorsed by current military regs you think all of Hollywood would enlist. Can you imagine Justin Bieber USMC?

[crazy mark]

I graduated from high school when I was 17. Me and another 17 year old joined the CG. a 20 year old also joined the CG. one of the 18 year old went into the Navy. None of us had low draft numbers or didn't have to sign up for the draft. This was out of 38 students in our class. Now they are lucky if one signs up for the military. I can't understand peoples attitudes any more. I also say thank you to the ones who served. My dad was Army in WW2 and my great uncles were Army air corp and Merchant Marine.

[shdwlkr]

My dad was a pilot and an Ag teacher when WWII broke out he went to enlist in the Army Air Corp but was turned down as he was and Ag teacher and they told him he was needed more here. Knowing my dad's personality and what being the military does for one I am glad they didn't let him go. Now me I wish I had gone to helicopter school and got me an Apache, would I be here now more than likely not, see if I had a bird, fuel and ammo and help was asked for it would have been delivered period. Yes I have talked to some that fly those birds and yes they agreed I would have been H*ll to deal with as long as I had a way to fight.

I don't see that much anymore in today's young people, sad the direction our nation is going. Now even at my old age if I could be honored and have a chance to do sea trials on the new PT boats that the navy will have I would jump at the chance to again be part of something so much bigger than I could ever be. A member of the United States Military, even once removed would be close enough and what a way to end one's life knowing that you helped to give the best to those that followed on those "devil boats" so named by those that had to deal with them in the south pacific.