Author: gideonasche

MAJ. STEPHEN W. PLESS VMD-6, Mag-36 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Quang Nai, RVN 19 August 1967   Major (then Capt.) Pless was serving as a helicopter gunship pilot attached to Marine Observation Squadron 6 in action against enemy forces. During an escort mission Maj.  Pless was monitoring the emergency frequency and heard a call that … Continue reading 19 August

SGT CLYDE THOMASON U.S. Marine Corps Raiders Japanese-held island of Makin 17-18 August 1942 Clyde Thomason enlisted in the Marines in Savannah, Georgia In December of 1934 and served in China. He honorably discharged in 1939. You know what they say about “Once a Marine…” When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Thomason immediately re-enlisted in the … Continue reading 18 August

Pfc WILLIAM A. SODERMAN Co K, 9th Inf, 2d ID Rocherath, Belgium 17 December 1944 Pfc Soderman was armed only with a bazooka as he defended a key road junction near Rocherath, during the German Ardennes counteroffensive. Enemy artillery took his Loader/Asst gunner but Soderman heard enemy armor approaching so he played possum and waited … Continue reading 17 August

Jack (the Dog) 102nd Pennsylvania Volunteers. Various Battlefields 1861 - 1864 Jack, a simple “Fire Dog”, went to war when the men of his fire company enlisted in the 102nd Pennsylvania Volunteers. Jack was wounded in battle but recovered and returned to his unit only to be captured in a future engagement. Jack is reported to have … Continue reading 16 August

SGT. JAMES P. CONNOR 7th Infantry, 3d Infantry Division. Cape Cavalaire, France 15 August 1944 Operation Dragoon took place 2 months after D-Day but was permeated with the same level of heroics and sacrifice. When 7th Infantry hit “Red Beach” they were met with a hail of lead and steel that gave the landing zone’s … Continue reading 15 August

CPL. LESTER HAMMOND JR. Co. A, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. Kumwha, Korea 14 August 1952 Cpl. Hammond was serving as a radio operator for a 6 man reconnaissance patrol. They were approx. 4 klicks into enemy-held territory when they were ambushed and surrounded by a vastly superior enemy force. The patrol engaged then tried to … Continue reading 14 August

HM3 JOHN E. KILMER Navy Corpsman Serving with 3rd Bn, 7th Marines “Bunker Hill”, Korea. 13 Aug 1952 While serving as a Combat Medic (Corpsman) with a Marine rifle company, his company was defending a tactically important piece of high ground well forward of the forward edge of the battle area. Kilmer’s unit was under … Continue reading 13 August

SP/4 Leonard L. Alvarado Co D, 2nd Bn, 12th Cav, 1st Cav Div Phuoc Long Province, RVN 12 Aug 1969 SP/4 Alvarado and a small reaction force was moving through dense jungle to relieve another platoon when Alvarado detected enemy movement and opened fire. Despite his quick response, the squad was pinned down by the … Continue reading 12 August

LCPL ROY M. WHEAT C K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines Quang Nam Province, RVN 11 August 1967 Lcpl Wheat’s unit was assigned to provide security for a See Bee crew operating a construction crane in the Dien Ban District, Quang Nam Province. Once the Marines established security positions in a tree line adjacent to the … Continue reading 11 August

1Lt. Josephine Nesbit aka - Momma Josie XO Nursing Dept Sternberg General Hospital Prisoner of War Bataan Peninsula, Philippines 1941-1945 “They were the only good left in that whole place; they were the only way we knew there was still some good left in the world – they were Hope… the Angels of Bataan is … Continue reading 10 August