Almost half of these awards were posthumous, meaning of course that the hero died and a medal was later awarded and presented to families back home.
A few weeks back I brought you the blog about the US unveiling a new stamp at Washington to continue the efforts to preserve the stories of these heroes for generations to come.
Since then I have become the very proud owner of one of the sets of these memorial stamps.These were sent to me as an Xmas gift from by good friend and colleague in the fraternity of those doing their best to keep these stories alive. Stories from both Canada and the US, and indeed over 30 other countries around the world.
That friend is Paul Cathell Jnr of Delaware, and a very active advocate for the veteran's cause. He and his good wife have been the driving force behind the Delaware Medal of Honor Historical Association for years. It goes without saying that they have also been very strong advocates for the plight of veterans across the US. Two functions that they are still knee deep in.
We have shared efforts in the past to keep the story alive of Leonard Chadwick, a MOH recipient from the Spanish American War, and subject of several blogs in this space in the past. Chadwick was also one of only 8 heroes in the world to be awarded with the Queens's Scarf, but again you know that from past blogs.
A few weeks back I brought you the blog about the US unveiling a new stamp at Washington to continue the efforts to preserve the stories of these heroes for generations to come.
Since then I have become the very proud owner of one of the sets of these memorial stamps.These were sent to me as an Xmas gift from by good friend and colleague in the fraternity of those doing their best to keep these stories alive. Stories from both Canada and the US, and indeed over 30 other countries around the world.
That friend is Paul Cathell Jnr of Delaware, and a very active advocate for the veteran's cause. He and his good wife have been the driving force behind the Delaware Medal of Honor Historical Association for years. It goes without saying that they have also been very strong advocates for the plight of veterans across the US. Two functions that they are still knee deep in.
We have shared efforts in the past to keep the story alive of Leonard Chadwick, a MOH recipient from the Spanish American War, and subject of several blogs in this space in the past. Chadwick was also one of only 8 heroes in the world to be awarded with the Queens's Scarf, but again you know that from past blogs.
Here is the front page of the new Medal of Honor stamps, as shown in a recent blog. Those honoured by these stamps are the men who earned the medal in WW11. These 12 men on the front, as seen above, were the last living recipients. Since the post office stated working on this memorial stamp series, 4 have sadly now passed away. Note only an army and navy MOH in the centre portion. In WW11 the navy had not yet received their own designed MOH. That would come a few years after the war.
This is the back of the booklet. Each of the above are real stamps that can be pealed off for use.
Each one of the WW11 recipients are listed on the two inside pages of this commemorative. This the left page. And below is the right page...
On the 8th line down you can see the famous name Douglas MacArthur and right next to this is that of Charles MacGillivary, Prince Edward Island born recipient, awarded for actions during the Battle of the Bulge. After the war he would go on to become the first and I believe, ONLY President of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society who was non-American born.
Fourteen lines down you can see the name of Douglas Munro, another Canadian, from the other end of the country. He was born in Vancouver BC, and went on to earn the ONLY MOH in the entire history of the US Coast Guard. His award was fort bravery in the saving of 500 marines at Guadalcanal. There have been several USCG vessels named after him and one is in service today in Alaska. The brand new Multimillion dollar CGHQ buildings in DC have just been occupied in the last few months and are named in his honour. The project was bigger than the buildings of the Pentagon.
(I should take a moment to note that the Coast Guard men and women daily risk their lives in the very dangerous work they do and are far too often SELDOM given the credit due them. Next time you see one of these men or women, shake their hands and thank them for their services. Their counterparts in the other services often get thanks galore, and that is fair, but lets hear it once in a while for the USCG as well.)
The line immediately above Munro's lists the name John C Morgan. John broke his neck in an industrial accident and then the war came along and no one in the US would enlist him for military service. So, like thousands of other air force and army wannabees... he came to Canada were they apparently forgot to ask.. heh Buddy... did you ever break your neck before? Soon he was training on planes, and sent off to war. Later when the Americans joined the war effort he switch to a US unit and went on to become such an incredible hero that his actions spurred others to make the movie Twelve O'Clock High.
Google his name and check him out. More on him to come in this space in a future date.
But before that happens... I'll be back on Monday,
thanks for joining me and please stay tuned for more.
Bart
Fourteen lines down you can see the name of Douglas Munro, another Canadian, from the other end of the country. He was born in Vancouver BC, and went on to earn the ONLY MOH in the entire history of the US Coast Guard. His award was fort bravery in the saving of 500 marines at Guadalcanal. There have been several USCG vessels named after him and one is in service today in Alaska. The brand new Multimillion dollar CGHQ buildings in DC have just been occupied in the last few months and are named in his honour. The project was bigger than the buildings of the Pentagon.
(I should take a moment to note that the Coast Guard men and women daily risk their lives in the very dangerous work they do and are far too often SELDOM given the credit due them. Next time you see one of these men or women, shake their hands and thank them for their services. Their counterparts in the other services often get thanks galore, and that is fair, but lets hear it once in a while for the USCG as well.)
The line immediately above Munro's lists the name John C Morgan. John broke his neck in an industrial accident and then the war came along and no one in the US would enlist him for military service. So, like thousands of other air force and army wannabees... he came to Canada were they apparently forgot to ask.. heh Buddy... did you ever break your neck before? Soon he was training on planes, and sent off to war. Later when the Americans joined the war effort he switch to a US unit and went on to become such an incredible hero that his actions spurred others to make the movie Twelve O'Clock High.
Google his name and check him out. More on him to come in this space in a future date.
But before that happens... I'll be back on Monday,
thanks for joining me and please stay tuned for more.
Bart
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