Category: Manly Stuff
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Royce Williams
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Williams in 1973
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| Birth name | Elmer Royce Williams |
| Nickname | Royce |
| Born | 4 April 1925
Wilmot, South Dakota, U.S.
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| Branch |  United States Navy |
| Service years | 1943–1980 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Commands | USS Eldorado, CVW-11, VF-33[1] |
| Known for | Downing four Soviet MiG-15s in one engagement during the Korean War |
| Conflicts | World War II Korean War Vietnam War |
| Awards | |
| Alma mater | University of Minnesota |
Elmer Royce Williams[2] (born 4 April 1925) is a retired United States Navy (USN) naval aviator. He is known for his solo dogfight with seven Soviet pilots during the Korean War in 1952, which military experts have called “one of the greatest feats in aviation history”.[3] Originally awarded the Silver Star in 1953 for his conduct during the dogfight, in 2023 he was given an upgrade to the Navy Cross, the Navy’s second highest decoration. In 2026, Williams was awarded the Medal of Honor.[4] Williams is the last living Medal of Honor recipient of the Korean War.[note 1]
Early life and military career
Royce Williams was born on 4 April 1925, and grew up in Wilmot, South Dakota and Clinton, Minnesota.[5] He and his brother aspired to become pilots; both enlisted during World War II, although Royce Williams’ flight training was deferred while he attended college in Minnesota. He qualified as a naval aviator at Pensacola in August 1945.[6]
He learned to fly the F9F-5 Panther jet and was assigned to active duty in the Korean War, during which he flew 70 missions.[3]
In 1952, then-Lieutenant Williams was serving with VF-781 aboard the USS Oriskany as part of Task Force 77. On 18 November 1952, on his second mission of the day, while on combat air patrol near Hoeryong, North Korea, his group of four pilots spotted seven MiG-15s overhead. Two of the other three pilots had to return to the carrier and the MiGs began attacking Williams, putting him into a 35-minute dogfight with seven MiG-15s.[7] It is believed to be the longest dogfight in U.S. Navy history.[3] Commanders on his carrier ordered him away, but Williams had to tell them that he was already fighting for his life.[8] He shot down four of the MiGs and likely hit two others.[9] By the end of the 35-minute period, only one of the MiGs was still in the air with him, and he managed to escape back to his carrier, out of ammunition and having lost his hydraulics. He was uninjured, but 263 holes were counted in his Panther jet. Some accounts state that he never saw the plane again as it was pushed into the sea.[7]
The story of his battle with the Soviet MiGs led to Williams being debriefed at the time by admirals, the Secretary of Defense, and a few weeks later by newly inaugurated President Dwight D. Eisenhower.[8] These authorities decided to cover up the specifics of the battle, because the Soviet Union was not officially a combatant in the Korean War and it was feared that publicity about the air battle would draw the Soviets further into the conflict. The dogfight was scrubbed from U.S. Navy and National Security Agency records, and Williams was sworn to secrecy about the incident—so much so that he never told anyone about it, not even his wife nor his pilot brother, until the Korean War records were declassified in 2002.[3] The record of the incident in Navy records said only that he shot down one enemy (not listed as “Soviet”)[8] plane and damaged another, for which he was awarded the Silver Star in 1953.[10]
However, the dogfight was recorded in Soviet archives which were released after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. The Soviet records say that only one of four MiGs returned to base. A 2014 Russian book, Red Devils over the Yalu: A Chronicle of Soviet Aerial Operations in the Korean War 1950–53, describes the battle and mentions Williams. The four MiGs were flown by Soviet Naval Aviation pilots, with Captain Beliakov and Lieutenants Pakhomkin and Vandaev being shot down, and Lieutenant Pushkarev returning to base.[11]
In his book Holding the Line about Task Force 77, Thomas McKelvey Cleaver described the fight, saying “On November 18, 1952, Royce Williams became the top-scoring carrier-based naval aviator and the top-scoring naval aviator in a Navy jet of the ‘forgotten war’.” He added, “In the fight of his life, Royce Williams had accomplished what no other American fighter pilot would ever accomplish: shoot down four MiG-15s in one fight.”[6]
Between 1965 and 1967, he flew 110 missions in A-4 Skyhawks and F-4 Phantoms from the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War.[12] Williams was the commanding officer of the command ship USS Eldorado between September 1969 and January 1971.[2] He retired from the Navy as a captain in 1980. In retirement, he lives in Escondido, California.[9]
A 50+ year secret
Williams maintained his secrecy about his aerial feat for decades. After the information was declassified, he shared his story with close friends and spoke about it at small gatherings. His story first received national attention when the American Legion Magazine published a cover story in November 2017.
In the story, Williams detailed the aerial battle, his vow of secrecy and his other military service. Williams, a longtime member of The American Legion, also received support from the national organization. In August 2017, the Legion’s National Executive Committee approved Resolution 70, which calls for the Legion to petition Congress and the Department of Defense to award the Medal of Honor to recognize Williams.
Medal of Honor campaign
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In 2014, retired Rear Admiral Doniphan Shelton became aware of Williams’ feat, and he began an unsuccessful years-long campaign for the Navy or Department of Defense to recommend him for the Medal of Honor for his exploit. Shelton said that Williams’ heroism was “unmatched either in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, or since then”.[13] On 14 July 2022, a bipartisan group of five congressmen persuaded the House of Representatives to approve an amendment to the Defense Authorization Act which would waive the statute of limitations for a potential Medal of Honor for Williams. The amendment and bill were approved for the House version of the bill, which were then forwarded to the United States Senate, which removed the provision in conference.[14][9][15]
In December 2022 Williams was awarded the Navy Cross as an upgrade of the Silver Star the Navy awarded him in 1953.[16] The award was approved by U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, who said, “Having reviewed the findings of now numerous investigations related to the case of Capt. Royce Williams, I have determined this case to be special and extraordinary. His actions clearly distinguished himself during a high-risk mission and deserve proper recognition.”[17]
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On 4 February 2026, Williams’ congressman Darrell Issa announced confirmation from President Donald Trump that Williams would be receiving the Medal of Honor.[18] The award was received at the 2026 State of the Union Address on 24 February 2026, presented by First Lady Melania Trump.[4] Following the awarding, Williams is the last living Korean War Medal of Honor recipient.[19]
Medal of Honor Citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 18 November 1952 while leading a division of three jet fighters attached to Fighter Squadron SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY-ONE (VF-781) and embarked on the USS ORISKANY. While flying a combat patrol mission over the northeastern coastal waters of enemy-held North Korea, Lieutenant Williams demonstrated extraordinary heroism by intercepting a superior force of attacking enemy MiG-15 fighters in order to protect the ships of Task Force 77. After thwarting the enemy’s initial attack, he maneuvered his aircraft to make two firing passes on one MiG, which then spiraled into the sea. He inflicted heavy damage to a second MiG-15, which started smoking badly and retired from the fight. When his own aircraft was severely damaged by a direct hit from one of the remaining enemy MiG-15s, Lieutenant WIlliams evaded further enemy attack while continuing to direct the dogfight. He eventually found cover in a cloud bank, broke off the engagement, and miraculously landed his nearly uncontrollable aircraft on the USS ORISKANY. His exceptional airmanship, coupled with his complete disregard for his own personal safety, resulted in the destruction of three enemy MiG-15s and severe damage to a fourth, and undoubtedly saved the lives of hundreds of Task Force 77 sailors. By his undaunted courage, bold initiative, and total devotion to duty, Lieutenant Williams reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.[20]
Awards and decorations
His medals include the Medal of Honor, the Legion of Merit with Combat “V” and two Distinguished Flying Crosses.[5][12]
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| Badge | Naval Aviator Badge | ||
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| 1st row | Medal of Honor | ||
| 2nd row | Legion of Meritwith “V” Device | Distinguished Flying Crosswith 5⁄16-inch star | Bronze Star Medal |
| 3rd row | Meritorious Service Medalwith 5⁄16-inch star | Air Medalwith 10 5⁄16-inch stars | Navy Commendation Medalwith “V” Device |
| 4th row | Navy Unit Commendationwith 1 Service star | Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation | China Service Medal |
| 5th row | American Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal | Navy Occupation Service Medalwith ‘Asia’ clasp |
| 6th row | National Defense Service Medalwith 1 Service star | Korean Service Medalwith 3 Campaign stars | Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal |
| 7th row | Vietnam Service Medalwith 4 Campaign stars | Korean Presidential Unit Citation | RVN Gallantry Cross Unit Citationwith Palm |
| 8th row | Korean Presidential Unit Citation | United Nations Service Medal Korea | Korean War Service MedalRetroactively awarded, 2003 |
Foreign awards
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| Order of Military MeritTaeguk Cordon Medal |
In popular culture
In 2020, a 20-minute documentary, Actions Speak Louder Than Medals – the Royce Williams Story, directed by John Mollison, was screened at the GI Film Festival, San Diego.[21] Captain Royce Williams dictated his life story to author W. Craig Reed for publishing in the book The 7 Secrets of Neuron Leadership, the only book in print with Royce’s full biographical life story. Reed lives near Royce and spent many nights on his balcony listening to his incredible “sea stories.” Royce notes that President Eisenhower convinced him to switch from bourbon to scotch, however, Reed introduced Royce to Monkey Shoulder scotch, which is now the only drink he prefers.
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Eric Slover
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CW5 Eric Slover receiving the Medal of Honor
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| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch | United States Army |
| Rank | Chief Warrant Officer 5 |
| Unit | 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) |
| Conflicts | War in Afghanistan 2026 United States intervention in Venezuela |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Distinguished Flying Cross (2) with one valor device Bronze Star (3) Purple Heart Meritorious Service Medal (4) Air Medal (4) |
Eric Slover is a United States Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 (CW5) who received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Operation Absolute Resolve.[1] During the operation, Slover was a MH-47 Chinook pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), colloquially known as the Night Stalkers.[2][3]
Military career
Slover enlisted in the Army in 2005. After completing basic training he attended Warrant Officer Candidate School and flight school, becoming a Chinook pilot.[4]
Afghanistan
While assisting in a medical evacuation in the Badghis Province in November of 2009 with the 82nd Airborne Division, a helicopter Slover was piloting was pierced by a rocket-propelled grenade. The munition failed to explode and remained in the helicopter for the duration of the flight. After landing, Slover was the first off the Chinook to get explosives experts and help for the wounded. This medical evacuation mission was described in 2009 as one of the “biggest of the Afghan War”.[5][6]
Operation Absolute Resolve
During the American raid that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Slover was the flight lead in the cockpit of the first helicopter, a MH-47 Chinook. The helicopter came under severe machine-gun fire and Slover was hit four times in his leg and hip. Maintaining control of the aircraft despite his wounds, Slover safely landed the helicopter, allowing the operation to continue. Slover was awarded the Medal of Honor by US President Donald Trump at the 2026 State of the Union Address.[7] Slover was one of two men to receive the Medal of Honor during the address, alongside the 100-year-old US Navy Captain E. Royce Williams, a veteran of the Korean War.[8] This was the first time the Medal of Honor had been awarded at the State of the Union Address.[9]
Medal of Honor citation
Chief Warrant Officer Five Eric A. Slover distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, above and beyond the call of duty, on January 3, 2026, during a mission in Venezuela, in support of Operation Absolute Resolve. Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover piloted his MH-47 as the lead aircraft of the operation, tasked with executing a highly complex infiltration through hostile Integrated Air Defense Systems to safely deliver military forces. During ingress, Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover skillfully led the helicopter force through a dense jungle valley in a mountainous region, navigating marginal weather conditions, numerous topographical hazards, and near insurmountable surface to air threats. Upon touching down at the designated landing zone, Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover’s aircraft was immediately engaged by multiple machine gun positions at close range. The hostile fire resulted in 15 armor-piercing rounds entering his cockpit, with four rounds striking his leg. Despite the intense and effective enemy fire, and at great personal risk, Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover maintained his situational awareness and aircraft’s position in the line of fire to ensure the safe infiltration of the military forces. After the force disembarked, and despite suffering significant life-threatening injuries, Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover identified hostile heavy machine gun positions that were engaging his aircraft and targeting the ground forces. He maneuvered his aircraft to enable his door gunner to deliver effective fire, successfully neutralizing the threats. Chief Warrant Officer Five Slover’s heroic actions undoubtedly saved countless American lives and ensured the complete and overwhelming success of the mission. His gallantry under fire and extraordinary valor are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.[10]
Personal life
Slover is a graduate of the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies at Norwich University located in Northfield, Vermont.[11] His wife, Amy, blessed his dog tags with holy water before the mission that resulted in his Medal of Honor-winning actions.[12]
Awards
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References
Categories
The last great act of defiance
Remembering Pascal Cleatus Poolaw, Sr., the most decorated Native American soldier in U.S. history – 4 Silver Stars, 5 Bronze Stars 3 Purple Hearts. He earned a total of 42 medals and citations.
Born on January 29, 1922, in Apache, Oklahoma, Poolaw, a full-blooded Kiowa, served with the United States Army in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Poolaw, his father and two brothers joined the Armed forces in 1942 during World War II.
He earned his first Purple Heart when he was wounded in September 1944. While serving with the 8th Infantry Regiment’s M Company near Recogne, Belgium, Poolaw’s unit was engaging fire with the Germans.
He pushed his unit forward under heavy fire and hurled hand grenades at enemy machine guns, causing numerous enemy casualties and as a result of his heroic actions, many of his comrades lives were saved and the company was able to continue the attack and capture strongly defended enemy positions.
Poolaw’s military career did not end in Belgium with fighting Germans. During the Korean War, Poolaw saw combat and was wounded again and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, a second Purple Heart, and two more Silver Stars.
He returned to the U.S. in 1952 and retired from the Army ten years later. This is not where his military career ends.
During the Vietnam War, all four of the Poolaw’s sons were in the military. In February 1967, his son, Pascal Jr., was injured by a landmine in Vietnam.
This injury resulted in amputation of his right leg below the knee. Poolaw’s youngest son, Lindy, was also drafted. Afraid of what could happen to his sons as the war progressed, Poolaw rejoined the Army at the age of 45. Giving up his rank as a 2nd Lieutenant (a promotion he earned in Korea), with the intentions of serving in direct combat, Poolaw hoped to keep his youngest son away from the front lines by taking his place.
Regulations prohibited two members of the same family from serving in combat at the same time without their consent. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived on the West Coast, Lindy had left for Vietnam the day before.
(Lindy did not make it)
Poolaw was deployed on May 31, 1967 as a first sergeant of the 26th Infantry Regiment’s C Company.
His last Silver Star was for an event that occurred a few months later. On November 7, 1967, Poolaw’s unit were part of a search and destroy mission near the village of Loc Ninh. Poolaw and his unit were ambushed by the Viet Cong force with intensive claymore mine, rocket, small arms, and automatic weapons fire – saving countless lives.
While wounded, he continued moving among his squad making sure everyone was positioned properly while pulling casualties back.
As Poolaw was carrying a wounded soldier to safety, he was struck by a rocket propelled grenade and killed. For his heroic actions Poolaw was awarded a Silver Star and a third Purple Heart posthumously. ” He has followed the trail of the great chiefs,” his wife Irene said at Poolaw’s funeral. His people hold him in honor and highest esteem. He has given his life for the people and the country he loved so much.”
We honor and thank First Sgt. Pascal Poolaw Sr. for his exemplary service and the ultimate sacrifice he made for our country. Rest in peace good warrior. You will never be forgotten!!
Its a B-2 Bomber with it’s bomb Bay open by the way! Grumpy
When SCCY Firearms introduced their inexpensive striker-fired handgun, they called it the DVG-1. What not just everybody knew was that DVG stood for “Davis Versus Goliath.” Israel’s King David was one of the most compelling figures in human history.
Most folks know at least the rudiments of the story. David was just a kid, likely barely even a teenager, when he faced down the nine-foot Philistine giant Goliath. Per the Biblical narrative, David used his shepherd’s sling to brain the guy in the forehead with a rock before decapitating him with his own sword.
When David was preparing for this epic battle, he selected five smooth stones from a modest creek near the Valley of Elah, some 15 miles west of Bethlehem. I’ve actually picked up a few similar rocks in that very spot myself. The joke at the time was that the Israeli government likely came out every couple of weeks with a front loader full of gravel just to keep the place stocked up for visitors. Tradition holds that David picked five stones because Goliath had four brothers.
David’s life is a powerful example of redemption. David was a rock star. However, he had an affair with a married woman named Bathsheba, murdered her husband, and subsequently got caught. Their first son perished as a result.
David subsequently repented before the Lord and was forgiven. Despite the grievous nature of his sin, he was nonetheless still described as a man after God’s own heart. I take encouragement from that myself. The David and Bathsheba’s second son was named Solomon. Scripture claims Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived.
Rulers came from all over the world to sit before Solomon and bask in his knowledge. One of those leaders was the Queen of Sheba. The Land of Sheba included modern-day Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Yemen.
One of countless unsubstantiated legends to have spawned from the Biblical narrative holds that Solomon and this visiting queen exchanged more than just pleasantries. The book of I Kings reports that Solomon already had 700 wives and 300 concubines. I simply cannot imagine. Keeping just my one wife happy seems like a full-time job to me. Regardless, this extra-Biblical tale proposes that the queen became pregnant by Solomon and eventually gave birth to a son known as Menelik I. The queen then supposedly raised the boy back home as a pious Jew. Now, hold that thought….
The Man
In the mid-1930s, fascist Italy under Benito Mussolini harbored aspirations to resurrect the greatness of Imperial Rome. Mussolini subsequently had designs on most of the Mediterranean Sea. In 1935, his first major conquest was Ethiopia. Ethiopia was led at the time by Emperor Haile Selassie.
Born in 1892, Selassie reigned over Ethiopia from 1930 through 1974. History recognizes Selassie as an enlightened reformer. Like all public figures, however, his actual legacy was mixed. While lauded for such stuff as a new freedom-centric Constitution in 1931 and the abolition of slavery eleven years later, he was nonetheless still criticized for the repression of human rights among certain ethnic groups and a failure to modernize quickly enough. Nobody’s perfect, but he was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 1935.
Desperation Nation
Ethiopia had beaten Italy during the First Italo-Abyssinian War, which ran from 1895 through 1896. By the mid-1930s, Mussolini remained quite butthurt over that. In October of 1935, the fascist dictator set out to make things right.
At the time, Italy was a world-class military power, while Ethiopia remained fairly primitive. Overall troop strength was about the same, but the Italians had the Ethiopians lyrically outmatched in combat power. Ethiopia fielded four tanks and seven armored cars against some 700 modern Italian armored vehicles. Italy outnumbered Ethiopia ten-to-one in artillery. Ethiopia possessed thirteen military aircraft against 595 Italian combat planes. This was shaping up to be a proper bloodbath.
The Emperor Responds
It is in moments of desperation that the true measure of a man’s character is exposed. When things looked darkest for Volodymyr Zelensky and the Russians were pouring across his national borders, President Biden offered him the use of an American helicopter to whisk him and his family to safety. Zelensky famously responded with, “The fight is here; I need ammunition, not a ride.”
As the Italians mobilized to seize his nation, Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie had a similar defining moment. With his military teetering and the option of capitulation on the table, Selassie issued the following proclamation:
“Everyone will now be mobilized…All men and boys able to carry a spear will be sent to Addis Ababa. Married men will take their wives to carry food and cook. Those without wives will take any woman without a husband. Women with small babies need not go. Those blind, those who cannot walk or for any other reason cannot carry a spear are exempted. Anyone found at home after receipt of this order will be hanged.”
That sums things up nicely.
How Goes the War?
The Ethiopians never really had a chance. They nonetheless still fought like lions in the face of crushing opposition. There had been an arms embargo enacted by the major powers, including France and the UK. This disproportionately affected the Ethiopians, given their lack of indigenous manufacturing capability. Despite the relative parity in raw troop numbers, only about one in four Ethiopians had any formal military training. Many were armed with nothing more than a spear or bow. What rifles they did have were often antiquated, as were their few artillery pieces.
Selassie’s forces fielded some 1,150 machine guns of various sorts. Curiously, in an effort to influence Anglo-Italian relations and cause a rift between the UK and France, the Germans sent the Ethiopians three combat planes, 10,000 Mauser rifles, and 10 million rounds of ammunition. It was only later that Mussolini and Hitler became BFFs. It was obviously a complicated time.
As is so often the case, a well-funded but overmatched power leaned on mercenaries to flesh out its military machine. The Ethiopian Air Force was commanded by a Frenchman. Professional soldiers from the US, Nazi Germany, Sweden, Russia, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, and Trinidad all came together to advise and command Ethiopian troops. Italian commanders later attributed Ethiopia’s battlefield successes to the influence of these soldiers for hire.
The Conflict Matures
The Italians attacked along several axes and made some modest early gains. Two weeks into the campaign, Italian troops seized Aksum and stole its historical obelisk. This they sent to Rome for display in front of the Ministry for Colonies.
Frustrated by his troops’ slow progress, Mussolini sacked his commander, Marshal Emilio De Bono, and replaced him with General Pietro Badoglio. Badoglio later became Prime Minister of Italy after the fall of the fascists in 1943.
Despite the enthusiasm of the Ethiopian forces, the technological superiority of the Italian Army gradually prevailed. In the absence of radios, the Ethiopians relied upon foot messengers for communication. In the face of a modern army, such stuff as this sealed their fate.
The Italians were absolutely barbarous in their prosecution of this war, something that served as a preview for what was to come in World War 2. In response to an assassination attempt against General Rodolfo Graziani, Italian forces massacred as many as 30,000 Ethiopian civilians. The primitive nature of the battlefield made verification of numbers unreliable. The Italians also deployed mustard gas against both military and civilian targets. Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian civilians perished.
The Christmas Offensive
Around Christmas of 1935, Haile Selassie took personal command of his troops and launched an aggressive counteroffensive against Italian forces ground down by two months of heavy fighting. His objective was to split the Italian army, isolate their Corps commands, and lay a foundation for a follow-on operation to crush the invaders.
It was a solid plan deftly executed. However, ground troops simply cannot maneuver in the face of enemy air superiority. Despite the overwhelming technological disparities, the Ethiopians nonetheless still gave a good accounting of themselves.
At one point, an Italian Major named Criniti commanded a squadron of light tanks tasked to block the Ethiopian advance. One valiant Ethiopian soldier charged through withering machinegun fire to mount one of the compact Italian armored vehicles. He then banged on the turret to get the crew’s attention. The two gunners popped their hatches to deal with this unexpected threat. In response, the Ethiopian soldier decapitated them both with his sword.
Emperor Selassie Runs Out of Options
Despite the success of the Christmas Offensive, the Italians’ use of poison gas, to include both mustard and phosgene, ultimately turned the tide of the conflict. Emperor Selassie left Ethiopia to make an impassioned speech for support before the League of Nations in Geneva. World opinion was solidly against the Italians, but the League of Nations had no substantive power. Ethiopia fell, and the emperor spent the rest of the war in exile with his family in the UK.
You recall we began this discussion with King Solomon. Haile Selassie claimed to be the direct descendant of the Solomonic Dynasty. He posited that Menelik I, the purported son of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon, had sired a line of kings that led unbroken right up to his person in the 20th century. Considering this dynasty really gained a foothold in 1270 AD, that’s most likely not true. However, it is thought-provoking to ponder.
A group of Russian-backed Marxists called the Derg eventually removed Haile Selassie in a coup in 1975. Soon afterwards, Derg operatives strangled the deposed emperor to death in his bed. He was 83 years old. The sordid details were not uncovered for another two decades.
There is much more to this story than we have space to explore. Many followers of the Rastafari movement venerated Haile Selassie as a god. That’s itself a most fascinating tale.
Time Magazine rated Selassie as being among the “Top 25 Political Icons of All Time.” His legacy remains influential in the region to this day. It was a curious end to the line of wise men that just might have descended all the way from the Israelite King Solomon.
Categories
A Victory! COOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hard Nosed Folks Both Good & Bad I am so grateful!! If I was in Charge Interesting stuff Leadership of the highest kind Manly Stuff One Hell of a Good Fight Our Great Kids Paint me surprised by this Real men Soldiering Some Red Hot Gospel there! Stand & Deliver This great Nation & Its People War
Another, this man is one Hell of a stud!! William Frederick Harris
William Frederick Harris (March 6, 1918 – December 7, 1950) was a United States Marine Corps (USMC) lieutenant colonel during the Korean War. The son of USMC General Field Harris, he was a prisoner of war during World War II and a recipient of the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism during the breakout in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir. He was last seen by American forces on December 7, 1950, was listed missing in action and is presumed to have been killed in action. Harris was featured in the book and film Unbroken.[1][2]
Biography
William Frederick Harris was born on March 6, 1918, at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, to Field Harris (1895–1967) and Katherine Chinn-Harris (1899–1990).[1]
Harris graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, in the class of 1939. He was in A Company, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines[3] and was captured by Japanese forces during the Battle of Corregidor in May 1942.
He escaped with Edgar Whitcomb, future governor of Indiana,[4] and on May 22, 1942, swam 8+1⁄2 hours across Manila Bay to Bataan, where he joined Filipino guerrillas fighting Japan just after the Battle of Bataan.[5] In the summer of 1942, Harris and two others left Whitcomb and attempted to sail to China in a motorboat, but the engine failed and the boat drifted for 29 days with little food or water. The monsoon blew them back to an island in the southern part of the Philippines where they split up and he joined another resistance group.[6] Harris headed towards Australia hoping to rejoin American forces he heard were fighting in Guadalcanal, but he was recaptured in June[7] or September 1943[8] by Japan on Morotai island, Indonesia, around 1,000 miles (1,600 km) from Bataan.[9][10]
Harris was taken to Ōfuna POW camp, arriving February 13, 1944[11] and became acquainted with Louis Zamperini. Harris experienced malnutrition and brutal treatment at the hands of his jailers, notably by Sueharu Kitamura (later convicted of war crimes). Due to malnutrition, by mid-1944 the over 6 feet (180 cm) tall Harris weighed only 120 pounds (54 kg) and had beriberi.[12] In September and November 1944, Harris was beaten severely, to the point of unconsciousness, by Kitamura.[13][14] According to fellow captive, Pappy Boyington, Harris was knocked down 20 times with a baseball bat for reading a newspaper stolen from the trash.[15] Harris was near death when he arrived at a POW camp near Ōmori in early 1945. Zamperini provided Harris with additional rations and he recovered.[16] William Harris was chosen to represent prisoners of war during the surrender of Japan, aboard USS Missouri on September 2, 1945.
After World War II, Harris remained in the Marines. He married Jeanne Lejeune Glennon in 1946 and had two daughters.[1]
He was recalled to active duty during the Korean War.[2] He was the commanding officer of Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced) in the Korean War. During the breakout in the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, his unit stayed behind as a rear guard to protect retreating forces. Despite heavy losses, Harris rallied his troops and personally went into harm’s way during the battle. Harris was last seen by American forces on December 7, 1950, walking and carrying two rifles on his shoulders. He was listed as missing in action, but after the war when former POWs had neither seen nor heard of him, Harris was declared to be dead. He was awarded the Navy Cross in 1951 for his actions at Chosin. Because of his penchant for escape and survival exhibited during World War II, his peers and family were reluctant to accept his death. A superior officer held on to his Navy Cross for a number of years, expecting to be able to give it to Harris personally.[17]
Remains thought to be his were eventually recovered. His family doubted the remains were his, and conclusive testing using DNA had not been attempted as of 2014.[1]
Awards
For his leadership and heroism on December 7, 1950, Harris was awarded the Navy Cross.
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Lieutenant Colonel William Frederick Harris (MCSN: 0-5917), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commanding Officer of the Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in the Republic of Korea the early morning of 7 December 1950. Directing his Battalion in affording flank protection for the regimental vehicle train and the first echelon of the division trains proceeding from Hagaru-ri to Koto-ri, Lieutenant Colonel Harris, despite numerous casualties suffered in the bitterly fought advance, promptly went into action when a vastly outnumbering, deeply entrenched hostile force suddenly attacked at point-blank range from commanding ground during the hours of darkness. With his column disposed on open, frozen terrain and in danger of being cut off from the convoy as the enemy laid down enfilade fire from a strong roadblock, he organized a group of men and personally led them in a bold attack to neutralize the position with heavy losses to the enemy, thereby enabling the convoy to move through the blockade. Consistently exposing himself to devastating hostile grenade, rifle and automatic weapons fire throughout repeated determined attempts by the enemy to break through, Lieutenant Colonel Harris fought gallantly with his men, offering words of encouragement and directing their heroic efforts in driving off the fanatic attackers. Stout-hearted and indomitable despite tremendous losses in dead and wounded, Lieutenant Colonel Harris, by his inspiring leadership, daring combat tactics and valiant devotion to duty, contributed to the successful accomplishment of a vital mission and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
— Board of Awards, Serial 1089, 17 October 1951[18]
Harris also received the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, the Korean War Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.[19]
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| 1st Row | Navy Cross | Purple Heart | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Row | Combat Action Ribbon | Prisoner of War Medal | Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal | World War II Victory Medal | ||||||||||||
| 3rd Row | National Defense Service Medal | Korean Service Medal | Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation | United Nations Korea Medal | ||||||||||||
Categories
One of my favorite rounds – The 44 Magnum
New York City has always been pretty congested.
This picture dates back to the 1930s.
The news this morning sported yet another headline trumpeting the sordid state of my countrymen living in New York City. It seems every day brings some fresh new tragedy from some Leftist enclave overrun with homelessness, drug abuse, crime, violence and despair. In this case, some well-to-do woman was walking back to her building when she was accosted by a pair of muggers.
The criminals threw the poor woman against the building and snatched away her purse and phone. The many bystanders present just looked on with disinterest. What made the event newsworthy was that the doorman at her building actually chose to intervene. He shooed away the two miscreants and escorted the shaken woman inside. The two scumbags strolled away laughing as they cataloged their new swag. Oddly, that sort of thing really doesn’t happen down here in the Deep South where I live.
I don’t much want to live in New York City myself. However, the
Statue of Liberty is pretty darn awesome, so there’s that.
Photo by MCJ1800 / Wikipedia
Daylight and Dark
Far be it from me to insinuate that one part of our great republic is superior to any other. I freely admit that, in addition to more than 90,000 homeless people and roughly half a million illegal immigrants, the Big Apple also plays host to the Statue of Liberty. That is indeed pretty darn cool.
My own home state of Mississippi admittedly rates 47th in literacy. Only New Mexico, Texas and California beat us in our race to the bottom. Incidentally, New York is 43rd.
Mine is still a pretty Godly state. We are number one in the country for adults who pray daily and believe in God. We are fourth in church attendance. Additionally, Everytown for Gun Safety, a rabid mob of freedom-averse gun-hating hoplophobes, rates us 49th for gun law strength. I’m pretty proud of that myself.
Every single day at work, I see some redneck guy in my medical clinic and ask him to shed his jacket or vest so I can listen to his chest. That’s when I see it. The next question is invariably, “What you packing?”
I already know the answer to that question, of course, but it is a great way to start a conversation. And that is why we don’t have thugs throwing women up against buildings on the square in Oxford, Mississippi. It is not hyperbole to say that the first time you do that around here, half a dozen armed rednecks are just going to blow you away.
Mine is a constitutional carry state. Down here, your birth certificate is your concealed carry license. We also really love our cops, and they love us. The local fuzz is forever offering free classes on self-defense for women and similar civic-minded stuff. My wife took it. That was great until she got home and wanted to practice what she learned on me.
We had to call the cops a few years ago for a disturbance in the waiting room. Some crazy person was getting out of hand. It happens. One of the responding officers actually arrived on horseback. He had been across the street showing off his police horse at the nearby nursing home when he got the call.
Rednecks are a timeless part of the Deep South. These were photographed back in the early 20th century. However, guys like this are tough, they love America, and they will not stand idly by while women get beat up.
Find a Need and Fill It
If random armed rednecks are a deterrent to crime, that seems like an opportunity to me. We have plenty of armed rednecks down here in Mississippi, while our friends in New York appear to have a relative dearth. As such, I would like to announce my newest business venture. I call it Will’s Redneck Rentals. We gladly export.
Here is one of our hypothetical armed rednecks available for rent — Colt Thompson (I actually know a guy down here named Colt Thompson) has worked for the past 15 years as an electrician. He is 40 pounds overweight, married and has three children. He was a Bud Light man until last year when he inexplicably switched to Coors. His preferred carry piece is a 9mm Springfield Armory Hellcat in a well-used CrossBreed IWB rig. He’s looking for a side gig to help keep things spicy.
Nowadays, Colt is an overweight middle-aged redneck. However, right out of high school, he spent four years in a Ranger battalion. He still shoots regularly and recreationally. That fat, unassuming HVAC repairman can run that Hellcat like a Delta Force commando. He also loves America, goes to church regularly and absolutely hates people who pick on women, like viscerally. Give the guy a cot and keep him in food and beer, and he’s yours for as long as you need him.
So, surf on over to www.mississippiactuallysoundsprettyfreakingawesome.com to sign up for your own rental redneck. We deliver. Additionally, if you are the sort who shakes down women in public spaces, be forewarned. Try that in front of Colt Thompson or one of his peers, and that guy is going to kill you deader than rocks. We guarantee it.