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#Medal of Honor
dronescapesvideos · 6 months
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Eddie Rickenbacker: From Race Car Driver To Flying Ace.
VIDEO ➤➤ https://youtu.be/bTFPYpvl8FY
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kemetic-dreams · 8 months
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What happened to colored troops taken POW by Confederates in the Civil War?
Three-fifths of all African troops in the Union army were former slaves and those that fought in combat units did so at great risk to their lives (beyond the expected risks associated with combat). The Confederate government’s official position was that black POWs would be executed, reclaimed by their former masters or sold into slavery. Lincoln’s threats of reprisals helped minimize the impact of Confederate actions.
Details of the brutality African soldiers suffered are known, but with less specificity. We know of the multiple slaughters of surrendering or captured blacks that occurred. And, we know that armed Africans were the South’s worst nightmare as southerners were terrified that the example of these soldiers would “infect” the rest of the slave population and inspire them to take-up arms against their enslavers. In southern eyes, that alone warranted the harshest treatment for captured Africans.
What is clear is that these soldiers faced harsher and more cruel treatment at the hands of their captors than did their white counterparts. We know with clarity the physical violence that slaves suffered pre-war as well as after the war. Further, while 14% of Union prisoners died while being held as POWs and 11.8% of Confederate POWs died in northern captivity, historian Caroline Newhall notes that almost 35% of African POWs died in southern captivity. These data points converge with official Confederate statements and southern attitudes on slaves as property and provide strong evidence of the cruelty African Union soldiers faced.
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Cruelty and atrocities against African Union soldiers were not random acts of war, but were legislated and directed by the Confederate Congress and Jefferson Davis himself.
In late 1862, Davis stated: “All negro slaves captured in arms be at once delivered over to the executive authorities of the respective States to which they belong.” A resolution later adopted by the Confederate Congress provided that all “negroes or mulattoes,” slave or free, taken in arms should be tried for inciting servile insurrection and be subject to the death penalty.
In a letter to General Beauregard on this issue, The Confederate Secretary of War pointed out that "Slaves in flagrant rebellion are subject to death by the laws of every slave-holding State" but that "to guard, however, against possible abuse...the order of execution should be reposed in the general commanding the special locality of the capture."
Lincoln responded to this by threatening to retaliate against Confederate prisoners whenever African soldiers were killed or enslaved.
Davis publicly denounced Lincoln’s order; but, it did have — for the most part — the desired effect, as most African prisoners were not treated with the harsh justice mandated by Confederate policy, even though the Confederacy never officially acknowledged African-Americans as P.O.W.’s. Instead, what emerged were inconsistent practices in dealing with captured African American troops, depending on the time, place and the commander into whose hands they fell. Indeed, some Confederate officers encouraged the killing of African-American soldiers rather than taking them prisoner, and the atrocities committed against surrendering African soldiers at Poison Spring, Fort Pillow and Petersburg are now well known.
If not executed, captured African soldiers often found themselves treated very differently from white prisoners. Instead of being confined to camps, many African-American prisoners were put to forced labor.
As Robert Jones, a African soldier captured at Milliken’s Bend, La., recalled, “They took me to … Rust, Tex., where they … had me at work doing every kind of work, loading steamboats, rebuilding breastworks, while I was in captivity.”
Near Fort Gilmer, Va., captured African troops were forced to work under enemy fire in the trenches. In retaliation, the Union general Benjamin F. Butler placed an equal number of Confederate P.O.W.’s on forward trenches. Within a week, the African prisoners were removed from the front lines.
The sentiment that Africans under arms aroused -- along with the ingrained hostility of many Confederate soldiers -- set the stage for wartime atrocities. The most notorious incident occurred at a small Federal outpost north of Memphis, Tennessee, where Confederate cavalrymen under Nathan Bedford Forrest attacked Fort Pillow, which was garrisoned by about 500 troops.
More than half of the soldiers were African. The superior Confederate force overwhelmed the fort's defenders; Union casualties were high. But after the Federals surrendered, Forrest's men shot and killed a number of unarmed soldiers and officers, both black and white.
In October 1864 Saltville, Virginia, Confederate soldiers executed unarmed African prisoners, even raiding a hospital on two separate occasions and murdering wounded Africans in their sickbeds.
High casualty rates in combat were also common for African American units — usually for two reasons. First, since Africans had not previously served in the military, they were inexperienced fighters. Second, feeling social pressure to prove themselves as men, they often took risks on the battlefield that their white counterparts would not.
But, despite facing intense racism and humiliating treatment from their own white colleagues in arms, Africans excelled in combat, providing an additional, critical edge in manpower to what the Union already possessed.
One Union captain explained the significance of African military participation on the attitudes of many white soldiers. "A great many [white people]," he wrote, "have the idea that the entire Negro race are vastly their inferiors. A few weeks of calm unprejudiced life here would disabuse them, I think. I have a more elevated opinion of their abilities than I ever had before. I know that many of them are vastly the superiors of those...who would condemn them to a life of brutal degradation."
Of the 180,000 African Americans who fought for the Union, 37,300 died. More than 20 African Americans were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation's most prestigious military decoration. Fourteen of those men earned their medals at Chaffin's Farm.
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sgtgrunt0331-3 · 6 months
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On September 15, 1950, 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez, is photographed leading his men of 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach, as the second assault wave lands at Incheon, Korea.
Lt. Lopez would be killed in action within a few minutes after this photo was taken. He threw himself on top of a hand grenade to shield his men from the blast. He would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for his selfless act of heroism.
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beardedmrbean · 7 months
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It's about damn time
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taraross-1787 · 20 days
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This Week in History: Bennie Adkins's Medal of Honor
At about this time in 1966, a Green Beret engages in a multi-day battle in Vietnam. The Army estimates that Bennie Adkins took out anywhere from 135 to 175 enemy forces during the course of the conflict.
You never would have known that Adkins himself had sustained multiple injuries. He just kept going! And he refused to leave until every other soldier had been evacuated.
Adkins was drafted into the Army, but he volunteered to serve in the Special Forces. “I wanted to be the best that I could possibly be,” he explained.
He would more than live up to that statement during the Battle of A Shau, a conflict that began when the Vietnamese attacked an American camp on March 9, 1966.
The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-bennie-adkins-moh
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sots-crypt · 6 months
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105 years go today, September 29, 1918, this precious boy was killed in combat.
Frank Luke Jr., who would posthumously become the first pilot to receive the Medal of Honor, earned fame for his reckless, daring attacks of observation balloons, regarded as difficult and suicidal targets. Balloons were responsible for the slaughter of thousands of troops in the trenches as they allowed enemy artillery to fire more accurately, resulting in horrible deaths for men trapped like fish in a barrel.
Frank’s commanding officer said his unshakeable drive came from seeing the carnage firsthand while visiting the front lines. From childhood he had a history of reckless courage to help others in danger or being mistreated, and this trait not only carried into his combat tendencies, but also his personal life at the front. He befriended a pilot of the same age name Joe Wehner, a quiet boy from Boston who was receiving mistreatment for his German ancestry, his previous work in Germany with war refugees, and general anti-war attitudes. They became fast friends and roommates, and when posted to the same squadron flew together as often as possible, fixing up an abandoned cottage at the edge of their airfield to stay in.
Frank’s small stature and slightly-naive personality made him seem younger than he was, and his eager, excitable demeaner endeared him to many who knew him in civilian life and other squadronmates such as his commanding officer Harold Hartney, legendary pilot Eddie Rickenbacker, and others. Yet many in his squadron disliked him bitterly, cited as due to his eager chatter, bravado, and generally annoying, attention-seeking behavior, which was at odds with the description of those closest to him. A combination of his nervousness, desire to fit in, boyish eagerness, and effort to take the negative attention away from Joe are all logical reasons that could explain this. In any case, hostility among his comrades grew so bad as for them to intentionally send him and Joe on dangerous missions.
When the big American offensives began, the success of Frank’s combat strategies skyrocketed. In a scant 17 days he destroyed at least 14 balloons and 4 aircraft, making him America’s top ace at the time. Frank never told his family he was at the front because he didn’t want them to worry, and they only found out from the newspapers raging of his exploits. He tried to reassure them, but he wouldn’t give up his reckless strategy—it was working very well, even at maximum personal risk. Joe did his best to protect Frank on missions, even giving up his own victories to instead be Frank’s bodyguard in the air. One day after taking on 6 enemy planes who were trying to stop Frank from getting a balloon, Joe was shot down and killed.
Frank was devastated, and by all accounts was never the same again. He became even more reckless and roamed the front attacking at will, much to the consternation of his superior officers. Finally, after one night attacking several balloons in a matter of minutes, he was badly wounded and brought his damaged plane down in a field outside a little village, where he died. There is a statue of him in his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona, and he is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery in France.
Frank and Joe’s remarkable and touching story have been close to me for many years, and I have just finished a second draft of a nonfiction novel about them. We must always remember—not only the historical aspect, but who they were as people. Take a look at the photo again. Could you see him as a beloved family member?
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norseminuteman · 7 months
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Don't say you like strong female characters if you don't know this queen.
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playstationpark · 2 months
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A trailer for 'Medal Of Honor' on the PlayStation. Source: PlayStation Underground 3.2 demo disc.
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katgrey14 · 10 months
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I made a collage of my favorite video game leads.
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tequi1a-sunset · 1 year
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nocternalrandomness · 5 months
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"Valor Park"
Valor Park is located within Memorial Park at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Dayton, Ohio and honors U.S. Air Force Medal of Honor recipients.,
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dronescapesvideos · 2 months
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Bud Anderson’s F-105D “Old Crow II” awaits a mission in Vietnam in 1970, when he led the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing
➤➤ VIDEO: https://dronescapes.video/Bud
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kemetic-dreams · 1 year
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Who is the greatest historical figure never to have been depicted in film or on stage?
The highest ranking African-American to ever receive the Medal of Honor.On Nov. 2, 1968, The North Vietnamese Army attacked Lt. Col. Charles Calvin Rogers’ base camp with heavy mortars, rocket propelled grenade fire.Battle hardened NVA soldiers breached the defensive barriers. As the NVA charged, Lt. Col. Rogers grabbed his helmet & rifle and raced up to the frontline positions. He organized his battalion to return fire despite being severely injured.He led a mid-night assault to regain the units positions. The NVA retreated. A 2nd wave of attacks began..
Rogers led a counter-attack to defended the base and his men. A 3rd assault began. Despite heavy bleeding, Rogers re-stocked his men for final battle.A mortar explosion left him unable to stand, but, he kept going. The line held.This moment of heroism doesn’t reflect the racism he faced as he rose thru the ranks.But, it does depict one brave & selfless soldier. The highest ranking African American to ever receive the Medal of Honor.Nary a film, a play or a book was undertaken to honor our American hero.
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sgtgrunt0331-3 · 2 years
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On September 15, 1950, 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez, is photographed leading his men of 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach, as the second assault wave lands at Incheon, Korea.
Lt. Lopez would be killed in action within a few minutes after this photo was taken. He threw himself on top of a hand grenade to shield his men from the blast. He would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for his selfless act of heroism.
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heyimspade · 7 months
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Video games will forever fill me with the pride I could never achieve in life.
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taraross-1787 · 10 months
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Medal of Honor Monday: Neel Kearby
At about this time in 1911, a hero is born. Neel E. Kearby would go on to become one of the most decorated pilots in World War II. He achieved 22 kills during his time in combat, the most of any Thunderbolt pilot in the Pacific.
He received the Medal of Honor during the war, but he was known for so much more: Kearby turned the P-47 Thunderbolt into a weapon of war that the Japanese could not ignore.
“Since the P-47 could not maneuver with the enemy at low altitude,” the National Museum of the United States Air Force explains, “Kearby would lead his group into hostile territory at high altitude where the Thunderbolt’s turbosupercharged engine gave it an advantage. Upon sighting the enemy below, Kearby and his pilots made high-speed attacks exploiting the P-47s remarkable diving ability. The energy built up in the dive allowed them to quickly climb back up to altitude for another diving pass.”
The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-neel-kearby-moh
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