All of our heroes

First,

Brenda, thanks again for referring to my book in your "Recognition" thread. I was reminded of something I feel it's very important to reinforce. Audie Murphy was not the only hero of WWII. There were too many to name. While Murphy deserved the recognition he received, there were many others who deserved as much. Should you visit the memorial website, you would find that it pays homage to all those others as well.

For instance, this thread was started by a fellow fan, and it seemed to be a good opportunity to honor Dick Stodghill, a very special veteran whom we all know and love:

http://audiemurphy.com/mb/viewtopic.php?f=2&p=1030#p1030

Ann

I agree, Ann. While Audie Murphy was decorated as a hero, I know many others who were heroes simply because they stayed in the line of fire and did their jobs.

My former husband, for example. He’s quite a few years older than I am, and as a teenager, he manned the big guns on the USS Iowa. He never talked much about the war, but from the few things he said, I could imagine the rest. To me, he was a hero and well as everyone else who didn’t run. I don’t even know that I wouldn’t run if someone were heading my way with the intent to kill. I can’t even imagine the horror of being on board ship with no place to run and being the target of an attack. Like other veterans, he saw many friends die and was helpless to do anything other than defend his ship.

So I feel that every man or woman who dons a uniform and has courage enough to offer his or her life so that I might live, has earned my respect and profound thanks. They may not have a medal, but they have a well-deserved place in my heart.

Yes, and when you look closely at the mythological hero's journey, you see that we all take it, even if we don't get recognized for just living our lives.

Ann

I've studied Joseph Campbell and others as well, and I totally agree. I just wish, in my own life, I'd learned a little earlier.

The following is a piece a pilot wrote about his experience. I think it was a heroic endeavor, but he minimizes it with his last statement.

I was the squadron intelligence officer, and because of that collateral duty had access to the same information as the officers who were “in the loop” as to what was happening minute to minute. It was a very exciting time for a young lieutenant. One incident I recall rather vividly during the Cuban Missile Crisis was a mission I chose to fly. Even though I was a lowly Second Lieutenant, as squadron intelligence officer I had the option of either flying the mission or picking another pilot to do it. Being young and bulletproof, I chose to do it myself.

The mission was a single plane 500-knot flight into Havana Harbor at low level, approximately fifty feet off the ground. The purpose of the mission was to learn if the Russian manned radar sites could pick up an aircraft at that speed and altitude on their radar. If so, could their radar guided missiles track an aircraft well enough to shoot it down.

I planned my flight and made my takeoff early in the morning, and never got above approximately 100 feet as I turned on the heading for Havana Harbor. I recall that as I flew by the Naval ships participating in the blockade, I could see crewmembers on deck looking at me and waving.

Over the water at this early hour, I recall a feeling of total peace and serenity. It was almost as if things were happening in slow motion. Even today, I remember how smooth the air was and how azure blue the ocean.

I was surprised at how quickly I flew the ninety miles to Havana Harbor from Boca Chica Naval Air Station near Key West. As I approached Havana, I could see the taller buildings from a long way off and used them to “target” my approach. The sand was beautifully white and I would estimate that my closest approach was maybe one quarter of a mile. If we had missile and gun batteries along the beaches back in Key West, I assumed they did also.

When I felt I had pressed close enough, I made a 75 to 85 degree right bank right turn reversal of course and waited to see what happened. Nothing did, except that I was amazed at how closely I retraced my southbound route as I flew back northward toward Boca Chica Naval Air Station. I remained at low level until approximately ten miles out from the air field, popped up to pattern altitude, made my break overhead and landed.

I recall how quiet it was after the engine spooled down. No other aircraft were running yet. I was hungry, overwhelmed by my importance and I felt pretty invincible.

The rush was incredible. As I think of it today, I consider it a blessing that I was a young lieutenant and not aware of all that could have happened that day.

Brenda Hill wrote:

I've studied Joseph Campbell and others as well, and I totally agree. I just wish, in my own life, I'd learned a little earlier.

I hear that!

Ann

I am proud of my "hero".
My son is serving right now and I can't wait for him to come home. He will be boarding the plane to return home to his wife and two kids ... on his birthday next month.

But he made me the proudest over 12 years before he was even old enough to enlist.

We were at an A's baseball game in Oakland. And my son, who was then about 11 noticed an elderly man stumble as he climbed the stadium stairs. No one got up to help him. Either they didn't notice or were just waiting to see if he was going to be able to get up on his own. My kid jumped from his seat and helped the man up, he then helped him the rest of the way up to the landing corridor.

My son stayed with the gentleman until a family member (I guess they had gone to the restroom or snack bar) came back.

That to me is what being a hero is.

People who are kind ... just because.

Carol,
you describe one of those "unsung heroes."
Once your book is published, these men will receive deserved recognition.
It is often difficult for people to accept recognition since they feel that they were just doing their duty - placing their life at risk was part of the job.

Unsung hero's the list would be so long you would never capture them all. My uncle in World War II at the tender age of sixteen, fought in five major battles. Started out in the infantry and finished being the gunner in a tank. My daughter and son-in-law both served four years in the military. A lot of people to honor.