I wonder how many of you knew this

[Kejtar]

got this in my inbox today....


What an interesting read....and some people made fun of Mr
Rogers....I'm proud of them all America's real heroes sometimes hide from us in plain view and in packages that we'd least suspect.

Quite a few of us grew up with Captain Kangaroo, as your children probably did. I knew nothing of his background only that his show was both entertaining, educational and as kids, we looked forward to it with great anticipation. Captain Kangaroo turned 76 recently, which is odd, because he never looked a day under 76. (DOB 6/27/27). It reminded me of the following story. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Some people have been a bit offended that Lee Marvin is buried in a grave alongside 3 and 4 star generals at Arlington National Cemetery. His marker gave his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here's a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer.

I always like Lee Marvin, but did not know the extent of his Corps
experiences. In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces, often in rear-echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima. There is only one higher Naval award.the Medal Of Honor. If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.

Dialog from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson: His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny said, "Lee, Ill bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded." "Yeah, yeah... I got shot square in the ass and they gave me a cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi.bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting' shot hauling you down. But Johnny, at Iwo, I served under the bravest man I ever knew..We both got the Cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross
made mine look cheap in comparison. The dumb bastard actually stood up on Red Beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off of the beach. That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me lying on my belly on the litter and said, "Where'd they get you Lee?" "Well Bob if you make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse! Johnny, I'm not lying. Sergeant Keeshan was the
bravest man I ever knew Bob Keeshan..you and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo."

On another note, there was this wimpy little man that just passed away on PBS, gentle and quite. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything by what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long sleeve sweater to cover many of the tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat. He hid that away and won our hearts with his quiet wit and
charm.

America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they go quietly abouttheir day-to-day lives, doing what they do best. They earned our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy. Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst.
Often they are one of the one's you'd least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened.

 

[Eagle]

Good post. Thanks for sharing it.

By coincidence (in which I don't believe), I read this just after stopping by the cemetary to see my parents' graves. I was happy to see that the VFW has put a flag on my father's grave marker for Memorial Day, but they missed my uncle's. My father was Army Air Corps in WW2, my uncle was Navy.

If you want to talk about dedication, I have a cousin (first cousin once removed, I think is how it works out) who is now in his late 80's and just retired from his "day job." He was a decorated fighter pilot in WW2, but that wasn't enough for him. He was also a fighter pilot in Korea, and then became the commander of the Arizona Air National Guard. He was too old to fly fighters in Vietnam, so he volunteered to fly cargo planes to and from 'Nam. I guess he was asleep the day they told new recruits "never volunter."

 

[Kejtar]

oops....... my bad..... Should have checked before posting

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-marvin-keeshan.htm

Looks like only parts of it are true.....
Kejtar

 

[Beezil]

as I began reading I figured this would be rebutted on snopes.com......

all these stories have a pattern, and they all sound the same.....

next thing you know there will be a story that Grover saved a dozen kids from a burning orphanage........and people will believe it too.

 

[Kejtar]

well... I ussually check those, but I knew that Lee Marvin did serve and was shot and was taking part in fights for the islands.... I figured from the getgo that some parts were a bit embelished (show me an actore that doesn't embelish... especialy on tonight show!) but I didn't figure that it'd be that bad....

Kejtar

 

[KY Chris]

Just reconfirms that Lee Marvin was a bad ass and I can't wait til Ted Turner plays "The Dirty Dozen" 5 times over Memorial Day Weekend.

 

[Rev Den]

Truth in this case is secondary. The real issue is how we should treat vets. My brother was in 'nam and is still in the USAF..he is a career man. He does not discuss his service, he believes it was his responsability to serve, but, unless asked he will not talk about it. You will not find him walking around in his old greens, protesting, asking for vets rights, etc. You will find him, on duty, when, where, as, needed, with no complaints.
As Memorial day nears, and the BBQ warms up, let us all take a moment and remember what Memorial day is.....teach your kids more than its a day off, remind them what others have given up for our freedom. Let us remember that freedom is not free. Bow your head, shed a tear, for those that can no longer cry, for those that did what they were asked, for those that do not consider themselfs heros.

Dennis

 

[HossHoffer]

Old Heroes

What Rev Dan said. I spent 6 years in the Air Force in the 80's. I met many career men who had served in Korea and Vietnam. These guys were the real deal and made me proud to serve with them. My hero is my father, who after narrowly missing deployment to D-day in France spent his war years on the island of Tinian making B-29s flyable for their crews. He often flew with these aircraft as an extra gunner. Yet he never tells us horror stories or complains about his time in the service but recalls with joy his chance to serve with the men he knew. He still attends reunions with his squadron although at 82 is one of the few left of an historic cadre. God bless America!

 

[Beezil]

I can dig what the rev has to say, right awn.

I still wanted to believe that Mr. Rogers was an ass-kicker though.....

 

[Kejtar]

lol... that'd be one neighbour you wouldn't want to piss off! LOL

 

[Boatwrench]

Hoss,
My dad's my hero too. Joined the navy in WWII at 17, didn't talk much about it when I was a kid, didn't like me watching Combat, or Hogan's Heroes, Rat Patrol, etc. Well now that his life is winding down, he's starting to talk. I was telling him my sea story how I missed going to Iraq with the CG this time around, needed a root canal and was placed on medical hold, and he relayed that the samething happened to him during WWII. He had the mumps and was sent to the hospital while the ship sailed off. Later, his younger brother, my uncle told me "the rest of the story" ship sunk with all hands lost at sea. The very next ship my father was assigned to took a hit and was flooding by the bow, he was on the repair party and was the last man out of the compartment before it was sealed and dogged.

That's why 27 years later I understand why he didn't want me to be a damage controlman.

I look at him and my uncles and then at my snot nosed spoiled nephews (wifes side) and think wow, what a difference. It truly was the greatest generation and they are finally getting their monument on the Washington Mall.

Had older cousins all Vietnam vets, with different attitudes, the ones that didn't leave the US don't mind telling you had rough they had it, & they were in during Nam, but the ones who really were really there in the thick of, just don't talk about it to those that aren't "in the club" (for lack of a better term).

It'll be interesting to see how this next group of guys coming back get treated. Larger outcry from the anti-war crowd then twelve years ago.

 

[Kejtar]

Hmm...... I gotta say that you guys are lucky..... I had two grandfathers who have fought in WWII...... my maternal one, I have never met.... He was part of the active resitance in Poland, and he was taken by Germans when my mom was 2 and never seen/heard from again..... sad thing is he was taken about 6 months before that part of the country got liberated.
My paternal grandfather has went all the way to Berlin... I know that he had some bad experiences during the war as in part he has never recovered from it..... He has died in '78 from cancer of all things..... couple months after I was born, but the whole time, he expected having to fight Germans again. He couldn't settle anywhere for too long as he always feared that that area will be attacked..... He wasn't paranoid mind you that he saw things behind every tree and corner. It was more of a feeling of oncoming war and he didn't want to have to face it again......

In any case, with Memorial day coming up, I will be honoring all those that have fought for freedom, no matter where did they fight, or who did they fight for, as long as their cause was just and fought honorobly. Even though I'm not too religious, I will say a prayer for them and hope that in their last moments they found peace that they must have been always searching for as war never leaves a man unchanged......

Kejtar

 

[Cliffy]

My Grandfather was in the 496th Medical Collecting Company in France in 1945. Growing up the only thing I ever heard about his service matched his happy-go-lucky personality - a grinning, half drunk photo of him on leave in front of the Eiffel Tower.
It wasn't until after his passing that I learned more. Bullet holes in his ambulance, an interesting story about when he joined up with his unit in Europe - he was given red and white paint and ordered to paint the medical cross on his helmet. Others nearby laughed and offered one that had already been painted, unfortunately it had a bullet hole in it.
It was as though he left the farm to go to a worksite in Europe and when he got back home, he just unpacked and went to work.

 

[ChiXJeff]

Dad was an Army MP on Okinawa at the tail end of WW II. Only did one hitch, though, came home and got married (still married some 53 years later, and only once!) He talks a little about his service.

My oldest sister is an Air Force Colonel. Not a short one either.

I will *NEVER* give anyone s**t for being a vet. They've sacrificed far more than most of us will every know for this country.

 

[Eagle]

It'll be interesting to see how this next group of guys coming back get treated. Larger outcry from the anti-war crowd then twelve years ago.

I don't think so.

I think the protesters are more focused this time. They are not anti-soldier, they are anti-WAR. They know that the troops didn't choose to go there, even though they did volunteer to be in the service. I just don't see anything to suggest that when these guys and gals come home anyone's going to spit on them or call them "baby killer." The Vietnam era was a time when young people protested against everything, just "because."