Article

2008-02-03 Iraq

A Marine who held up his end of the bargain

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Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-02-03 01:25|| || Front Page|| [11133 views ] Top
File under: Iraqi Insurgency

#1 Oh my God.

Posted by Icerigger 2008-02-03 04:45|| coonlakebeach.com]">[coonlakebeach.com] 2008-02-03 04:45|| Front Page Top

#2 true American hero

Posted by sinse 2008-02-03 07:21|| 2008-02-03 07:21|| Front Page Top

#3 His name will be honored by all who remain faithful.

Semper Fi, Marine.

Posted by lotp 2008-02-03 08:14|| 2008-02-03 08:14|| Front Page Top

#4 While surely deserving of a Silver Star, it again makes me sad that the preponderance of such citations are posthumous. Why is there such hesitation to having living heroes recognized for their valor as well?

In our society, there are two groups opposed to living heroes. The first are the bitterly envious and neurotic, who despise heroes precisely because heroes were and are undeniably better than they.

These people are obsessed with being given honors themselves, though undeserved, and create endless empty honorariums to award each other. Be it a dozen Oscars or Grammys or such effluvia, it cannot hold a candle to even a Purple Heart.

As such, they live to tear down those who are cited for their *actions*, not just their neurosis and ability to pretend to be someone else.

The other, and far larger group are those who fear the wrath of such neurotics. They are loathe to cite heroics for fear that those who are cited will be torn down and despised, somehow lowering the honor of the citation itself.

And these are the more tragic of the two. Who love and respect the citation so much that there is no living person they will dare cite.

Sergeant York, and those who followed in his footsteps, no longer are perfect enough, while alive. Even saving the world itself may not be enough for this second group.

They fail to realize that if anything becomes priceless, it is very close to being worthless. A treasure locked away from all, never exhibited, unknown to all except its keeper, is meaningless.

Already the Medal of Honor is forgotten by many Americans. Joe Foss was despised because no one knew what his Medal of Honor was, so to them it was just a potentially dangerous piece of metal.

Only one recipient of the MoH is still in the Army. Of the two cited in Somalia, two in Iraq, and one in Afghanistan, all were posthumous. As were the great majority of Silver and Bronze Star citations.

This does not mean America has no heroes, just that it refuses to admire them while alive.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-02-03 09:34|| 2008-02-03 09:34|| Front Page Top

#5 The citations for all of the CMOH are hair raising.
Just reading them sends chills up your back.
This kid personifies the type of men and women we have in the military. We should be very proud of these kids. Being in the military should be promoted to being considered an honor to serve instead of the last resort of the uneducated or unemployed as the F###ing democrats are want to portray these fine young kids.
I have to say the young men I met in Iraq and the young men I saw in Iraq all looked like recruiting posters....good looking, fit, articulate, courteous and most of all bristling with confidence and the eyes of eagles.
God Bless Sean Stokes and God's Blessings on his family in their time of grief.

Posted by Junior Assistant Sock Puppet of Doom 2008-02-03 09:45|| 2008-02-03 09:45|| Front Page Top

#6 I read O'Donnell's book awhile back and I thought these Marines were up to their asses in hand-to-hand and door to door fighting. They were in the finest tradition of the Marine Corp. Part of today's greatest generation-uncommon bravery was commonplace.

Posted by JohnQC 2008-02-03 10:40|| 2008-02-03 10:40|| Front Page Top

#7 thank you.

Posted by Butch Ununs2831 2008-02-03 11:03|| 2008-02-03 11:03|| Front Page Top

#8 David Bellavia's "House to house" is another excellent book on Fallujah

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-03 11:12|| 2008-02-03 11:12|| Front Page Top

#9 Amen JASPOD. Your impressions of our fighting men dovetails exactly with mine. I was trying to explain, in vain (I live in Marin Co, CA), to a dinner guest last night how each of our guys is an ambassador and an absolute contrast to the savages of Al Q. Each of these guys makes an impression on the Iraqi people. I'm sure many Iraqis won't get the message, but a whole lot will. Men, real men, like Sean, will leave that as their legacy.

Posted by remoteman 2008-02-03 11:18|| 2008-02-03 11:18|| Front Page Top

#10 Ladies and Gents,
I would like to see some numbers, please, before we use terms like "preponderance" and "most". Where I'm at, I see many citations for living heroes, mostly Marine Corps and Navy. I am not as close to the Army and have no interaction with the USAF, so I don't know about them. Sorry about the nitpicking, but the accuracy thing is important to me.

Posted by Clart Henbane8757 2008-02-03 11:20|| 2008-02-03 11:20|| Front Page Top

#11 Fort Carson, home of the 3rd ID, is just down the road a bit. The local newspaper isn't a left-wing society rag, and covers Fort Carson pretty well. We also have Peterson AFB, Schriever AFB, NORAD (Cheyenne Mountain), and the Air Force Academy. The covers most medals ceremonies. From what I've read and seen in the newspaper, about half the medals other than Purple Hearts are awarded posthumously. Carson has awarded four Silver Stars to living troops in the last month, so there are heroes in our midst.

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2008-02-03 13:35|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2008-02-03 13:35|| Front Page Top

#12 someone said these men are The Best of Us.. Sean A. Stokes died with the men he loved and fought with.. he has my families gratutude and respect.
******************************************

re: Marin Co.
remoteman 1/2 of my family lives in Moron County! Sis has a home in Mill Valley.

Posted by RD">RD 2008-02-03 14:16|| 2008-02-03 14:16|| Front Page Top

#13 This brave young man was going to be thrown out of the Corps for smoking a little reefer, give me a freaking break. How many of us in Nam chiefed daily. Goddamn near all of us. Ridiculous.The world should be getting simpler, but it just gets more complicated every day. Lies, bullshit, politics, all bullshit. We'll say a prayer for your family tonight son. Hoorah!

Posted by ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2008-02-03 14:22|| 2008-02-03 14:22|| Front Page Top

#14 RD, if sis thinks like you, she is swimming up stream in MV. Fun to rattle the lins chains there though.

Posted by remoteman 2008-02-03 15:58|| 2008-02-03 15:58|| Front Page Top

#15 We have zero tolerance on drugs in the Corps - and for good reason. Stokes was a real man- true...but an exception to the rule as far as drug waivers go. Every recruit or officer candidate that starts day one gets that beaten into their head. Civilians may be able to smoke weed but Marines are held to the highest standards.

Most of the guys that do weed (which is what they get caught for and never usually the first time) and get a second chance end up screwing up again....I've seen that happen in just about every drug case and NJP I either sat in on or presided over.

Posted by Broadhead6 2008-02-03 16:01|| 2008-02-03 16:01|| Front Page Top

#16 "House to House" is a good read but my favorite book on the battle of Fallujah is Bing West's "No true Glory". He really captures the unbelievable heroism of these fine young warriors.

Posted by GolfBravoUSMC 2008-02-03 17:16|| 2008-02-03 17:16|| Front Page Top

#17 The world never gets simpler. It just gets... different.

I went to see a performance at one of the nearby high schools Thursday night, an affluent one where many company directors and vice presidents live. I noticed that right near the entrance there were two large glass cases with the pictures of graduates who'd gone into the military. Most of the pictures were Class of 2002 and beyond, and all but one of those were tip of the spear units. Everyone who's joined (or re-joined) the military since 9/11 has known exactly what they were getting into.

Based on the stories I've read here and elsewhere, these young men and women keeping the bargain they made to the nation and each other. I'm quite certain the numbers that deserve Stars would be staggering if known... and their peers do know who they are.

Posted by trailing wife">trailing wife 2008-02-03 18:00|| 2008-02-03 18:00|| Front Page Top

#18 GolfBravoUSMC, couldn't be because of the pro-Army bias, huh? LOL, just teasing...House to House had a definite "lean" - I'll make it a point to check your recommendation out

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-02-03 18:14|| 2008-02-03 18:14|| Front Page Top

#19 Remoteman,
Trust me, From my conversations with the Iraqis when I was there and the email and IM's I get from them regularly, the Iraqis "get it" about our kids.
Dang, I have to say that after two weeks in Baghdad, I would have given my left one to have had a company of these guys to command when I was a rifle company commander in Nam.

Posted by Junior Assistant Sock Puppet of Doom 2008-02-03 22:49|| 2008-02-03 22:49|| Front Page Top

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