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The Afghanistan Memorial Vigil visited 9 Canadian centres, our DC  Embassy and plans a further 9 stops before returning to Ottawa.

7/30/2014

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Friday's blog told of the memorial created by the serving men and women from the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan in honour of their fallen comrades. The 192 plaques in this memorial contain the names of 158 Canadian service members, a diplomat, journalist and 2 contractors. The memorial also includes plaques for about 40 American's serving their units but Killed in Action whilst their battalions were under the control of a Canadian Commander. Today's blog will share some more images from this Vigil.

The above image appears in the government's book of remembrance that gives brief details of the Canadians and Americans attached, who lost their lives while serving their country. The photo  is of men leaving Canada en-route to their duties so far away. 

From the same book comes these two images to the right. The first with the profound message.. "Lest we Forget!" Below this is a photo of the memorial as it stood at the Kandahar Air Base before being  carefully dismantled and returned to Canada with hopes of being put on display in Ottawa once a suitable location is chosen. The black slabs below the flags are difficult to see but are the marble and slate memorials to each of the fallen men and women.

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Of the 158 Canadians I have selected these nine plaques,  each representing a fallen hero from a separate  Canadian Province. Time did not allow locating those provinces/territories missed.

At the top, left to right are the late Cpl Kenneth O'Quinn, 25, from Newfoundland, Pte John  Curwin, 26, Nova Scotia, and Pte Colin Wilmot, 24 from New Brunswick. At the centre, in the same direction are Cpl Brendan Downey, 36, Quebec, Pte Joshua Klukie, 23, Ontario, and Sgt. Jason Boyes, 32, Manitoba.  At the bottom of the image are Cpl James Arnaz, 25, Saskatchewan, Cpl Michael Starker, 36, Alberta, and Lt. Andrew Nuttall, 30, from British Columbia. The average age of these men was 28.5 years.

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When we stop and think about these men and women we should also keep in mind that there were also two civilian contractors, Martin Glazer and Peter McShoffrey, that were also killed while in Afghanistan in aid of the Canadian efforts there. These men were killed when a civilian entity was attacked in Kabul. The last blog also told you about the details of the civilian journalist Michelle Lang, embedded with the CF forces. She was on a 6 week assignment with the Calgary Herald when the carrier she was riding in was blown up by a roadside bomb, taking the lives of four Canadian soldiers at the same time.

We must also honour Glyn Berry, a 59 year old civilian and diplomat serving with the reconstruction team. He was killed by a suicide car bombing attack while he travelled in a convoy about a mile SE of Kandahar. His plaque is shown  above.

As noted in the last blog, there were four battalions of US troops attached to the Canadian command structure between 2009 and 2011. From these troops the US lost about 40 men and women.  Canada's memorial also includes these members in this Vigil, as they should!  

I am sure the Americans visiting the memorial when it was at our embassy in DC must have appreciated this gesture of our highest of respect for their heroes as well. 

The two panels at the right, have been joined together, and display the plaques for these deceased American service members.(A few on top at right are Canadian men) 
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The image above is of a roof rafter from a makeshift bunker set up by the Canadians as a sub-police station in the Panjwai District of Afghanistan. The Cdn. troops were often coming under fire of rocket and mortar fire and so the bunker was built to help protect the troops including the Afghanistan National Police trying to do their duties.

In April of 2008, Hull Quebec born 24 yr old Private Terry Street, was killed while on patrol when his armoured vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in the area. One of the members of his platoon in the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry was so moved by this soldier's death that he wrote a poem in Terry's memory. Others  then carved it on this rafter, which now has become an important part of the Vigil travelling  across Canada for you and I to see and pay our respects.

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While hard to read on the rafter, above is the moving poem. It should be read in every class room in the country. Above is a picture of this late hero.

This memorial has already travelled to Trenton, Kingston, Ottawa, the Canadian Embassy at Washington DC, Quebec City, Valcartier, Montreal, Toronto, Petawawa, Victoria and is at Vancouver until 2 August. It then moves on to Edmonton for  11-16 August, Calgary 25-29th, Regina 30th to 6 Sept., Shilo Manitoba 9-13 Sept., Wpg., 16-20th, Fredericton 30th till 4 Oct., Charlottetown 8-11 October, Halifax 14-18th, St John's Nfld.,  23-27 Oct., and then off to Ottawa  for display from 5 -12 November.

Further details are available by contacting  Captain Plottinville at (613) 945-2221.

Before closing I would again urge all readers to try to see this memorial. It is well worth the visit. And these men and women deserve our utmost respect.

At a time like this I think it important for Canadians to get another shot in the arm, about our own roles in life, and to reflect on the pride that we all share as Canadians in out military and the Canadian way of life. And who better to help us do this than a Yank...  Tom Brocaw.

Please visit this site....     www.youtube.com/watch?v=bV_041oYDjg

And some music to make us all proud....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34n4AJu2mkg

and a few words from journalist Brian Williams at...   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uc6t6HLt7vA

and from Britain...    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pKzAZc3So8

back on Friday...

Bart










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Canada continues to honour the Canadians, and Americans under their command, who lost their lives while serving in Afghanistan

7/26/2014

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Several months ago I wrote a few blogs about the Great Escape, the incredible part the Canadians played in that historic event, and how many of them and others were murdered after escaping from the German POW Camp for Air Force officers.

The later of these columns told of the recent march by British serving officers a few months ago and their march from that very POW camp in Germany to the victims'  final resting place  to conduct suitable ceremonies.

In May of this year I brought you as few blogs about the march of some of the Canadians who became injured or disabled during their service in Afghanistan and how a group formed representing them, and called SOAR... Soldiers on Afghanistan Relay... sent a relay of 19 heroes on a march from Trenton Ontario through several small towns etc en-route to  Ottawa to participate in the National Day of Heroes  on May 9th.

At that time I also shared news on the Vigil.. a memorial created by the service men and women themselves...to honour their lost comrades, both Canadian, and American but under Canadian command at the time, who were killed in actions in Afghanistan. Two of the later blogs on subject can be re-read at...    
http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/canada-remembers-and-honours-our-afghanistan-war-dead-and-injured-over-40000-more-who-served-families-and-communities-back-at-home-who-supported-these-troops  


and    http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/may-9th-was-the-nation-day-of-honour-in-Canada  

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The above three images show the veterans marching to Ottawa and having arrived, at right.

The top picture is a display of the Afghanistan Memorial Vigil, that  was built and added to over the years in that far away place and added to as additional Canadians and Americans died for their countries. Our Governor General and our Prime Minister and their wives visited the memorial in May at the Parliament Buildings.


Canada sent over 40,000 troops, both men and women, to S/W Asia between 2002 and 2014 to perform various functions including combat, security and training missions mostly in the Kabul and Kandahar theatres of operations. The overall deployment into harm's way was the longest in Canada's history and the largest since WW ll.

In our first months of service we lost four soldiers... to friendly fire in a horrible miscalculation of enemy positions. Since then service men and women would contribute their all in every year following till 2010. We would lose 158 heroes, and to that we must add 3 other heroes... a Canadian diplomat, a female journalist, and a contractor. During the later years of 2009 till 2011 there were four US battalions attached to the Canadians on the ground and actually came under our command. During that time 40 of these men and women, heroes more,  would also lose their lives.

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The display at top showing the plaques in Ottawa consist of several panels with individual plaques mounted on each. The whole affair is portable, and this very series of plaques is being sent across Canada and will make 20 stops at major military centres and cities and end up back at Ottawa in time for Rembrance Day services. The display was in Victoria BC  for several days and I made it a point to visit the showing twice to pay respects and gather these photo's to bring  to this space.

When you stand in front of any of the panels, and read the names of these heroes and see how young they were..many in their late teens it is no longer a story on the TV or in the news. It is real. These are the very markers the service men and woman created and that were in honour of their comrades who died for you and me and for our country. It was so  emotional to stand in this room and think of all that these men and women gave, but I was even more painful to see service men and women, touching markers for those they obviously knew..or perhaps were even related to. And it made me wonder... how can you and I ever repay these folks for what they did, what they gave and what they will never known in life so that you and I can live our lives.

The least we can do is get out and see this memorial when it comes to our neck of the woods. And failing that, a trip to Ottawa to pay respects would be well worth it as well.

I was told that there were a very limited mumber of books produced by the federal government that list all of these heroes and tells a little about their service and how they died. The book also contains information on where the individual plaque for each member is on the panels. Above you can see one of the pages of this book as well as another book for guests to sign, as I did.

At the bottom right is the very flag of Canada last flow at Kandihar Airbase, a set of bagpipes that played as the bodies left the country on their way to being repatriated back to Canada, along Canada's new Highway of Heroes and ultimately to their final resting places. Also shown to the right is the scarf worn by the padre conducting final services before repatriations home.


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In 2006 Nichole Goddard was a crew commander in an armored vehicle. Her job was as a Forward Observation Officer and she was calling down fire on enemy positions when her crew carrier came under heavy fire. This included two rocket propelled grades. One of these killed her. She was only 26 and in the country just 4 months at the time.  Captain Goddard became Canada's 16th  member killed in action in the war. The year was  2006. Her plaque is at the bottom right.

Above her is  the plaque for an embedded journalist... Michelle Lang from the Calgary Herald.. She was killed when the carrier she was riding in with troops ran over a concealed bomb on the roadside. Four Canadian soldiers in the same carrier were also killed in that attack. The year was 2009 and she was only 34 years of age. She was only to be on this temporary assigned to Afghanistan for 6 weeks.

There is much more to come but I will bring this to you  on Wednesday next.

Bart



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Some tying up of loose ends means the Friday blog will run on Saturday this week. Sorry folks!

7/25/2014

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The United States Post Office is yet again honouring another group of heroes awarded the Medal of Honor!

7/23/2014

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Many months ago I brought readers a few stories in this space about the US Post's honoring MOH recipient's who were awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism back in WW ll. The post office produced a four page commemorative booklet containing 20 actual first class stamps. Half had an image of the current navy and half an image of the current army Medals of  Honor. There were no price values marked on any of the stamps, and regardless of the rates down the road, each will be honoured as a first class stamp whenever used. 

While  over 16 MILLION would serve during that conflict, only 424 of these brave men and women went on to be awarded the MOH, and each has their name listed within this booklet of stamps. 

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On Veterans Day last November 11th, over 500 arrived to witness the unveiling of the new stamps (shown above)  at Washington, at the WW ll Memorial. Most in the audience waiting till the hour long ceremony was concluded before meeting and greeting with, and no doubt having the honour to shake hands with, and probably get autographs from the four Medal of Honor recipients who participated in the ceremony.

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Above is  a portion of all the names listed in the commemorative booklet.  Note Charles MacGillivary's name, a MOH recipient from the battle of the Bulge. That is him with Congressman JFK presenting him with the game ball from Fenway Park after a game  in 1945. John C Morgan came to Canada from the US to join up for the war when the US refused to enlist him because he had earlier broken his neck. The good doctors in Canada forgot to ask if he had previously done such a silly thing, took him on and trained him and sent him off to war. Shortly thereafter the Americans entered the war, he was permitted to switch back over to the US military and later earned his MOH. Doug Munro from Vancouver BC, pictured at right is the only MOH recipient in the history of the US Coast Guards and was killed in action at Guadalcanal. 

While the search engine at my site allows you to look for more info on all these heroes and plenty more, you can start to re-read about the above  at the following links...

The earlier stamps... 

http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/did-the-us-post-inadvertentlystamp-out-an-injustice-of-november-11th

and at...     www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/16-million-wore-the-american-uniform-in-ww11-only-464-would-earn-the-medal-ofhonor-folks-that-is-one-in-every-34482-men-and-women-who-served

 
Sgt MacGillivary... 

http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/another-medal-of-honor-mystery-solved-in-canada-part-2 


John Morgan ...

http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/declaired-4f-unfit-for-duty-so-he-earns-a-medal-of-honor


Doug Munro... 
www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/the-united-states-coast-guard-continues-to-show-its-incredible-respect-and-admiration-for-canadian-born-medal-of-honor-man-douglas-munro


This Saturday, July 26th, for my 65th birthday I am quite excited to announce that at the Amphitheatre at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia the US Post will be unveiling another set of commemorative stamps. This time 13 heroes will have their images on the front cover and 145 men in all, will be listed within the booklet of 20 stamps, all being recipients from the fighting days of Korea. There were 6.8 million in US uniform during the Korean conflict.


(I can hardly wait to see what they will be doing for my 70th. (hehe)

There is not a whole lot on the net yet but I am sure there will be lots on Saturday. But I have found an image of the new cover as shown here.   More information will be noted in this space about this stamp issue next week.  


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One of the heroes of Korea is of course Colonel Lewis  Millett and much about him has appeared in these blogs. Serving in the National Guard at the beginning of WW ll, he found that the US would not be entering the war, so he came to Canada, signed up and got trained and sent off to the England to serve. He would later switch over to the US service after they joined and went on to earn a considerable number of awards culminating with the  MOH later in Korea. His name of course will be among the 145 names within the stamp booklet. 

More can be found by searching this site and perhaps a start with...  

www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/of-the-40-million-or-more-that-have-served-in-us-uniform-only-one-apparently-went-from-the-rank-of-private-to-colonel-got-court-marshalled-along-the-way-served-in-military-services-of-three-different-countries-fought-in-three-wars-and-was-awarded-a

You can see the most impressive group of medal ribbons the Colonel is quite proudly wearing above. A few years ago I was quite honoured to be allowed to not only attend his funeral in California, but also in visiting several times with his son, a war veteran in his own right, and his daughter in law. At their home I was allowed to hold his medals but the darn family made be go through their medal detector before I left. hehe. Speaking with them a few days ago about the unveiling and the further honor to the Colonel and the others from Korea with the stamps, they were surprised to hear the news. Apparently no official at the PO or elsewhere thought it nice to give them notice. 


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I will close with this image of Arlington Virginia and western portion of Washington DC. At the bottom left the letter "A" seems to have gotten lost in the mail. But you can just see the right edge of it pointing out the location of the Amphitheatre at Arlington where the stamp unveiling will take place on Saturday. The letter "B"  points out the location of the burial spot for the several Unknown Soldiers. It is here that the British plaque for the 4 American Victoria Cross recipients, being sent off  from England may well ultimately end up. (I am still following that story and will bring more as it is learned. "C" shows the Memorial Bridge and "D" is the famous Potomac River so often mentioned in Civil War days. "E" is the location of the Lincoln memorial, "F" is the Reflecting Pool, and "G" is the location of the WW ll Memorial where the WW ll stamps above mentioned were first unveiled last November11th. "H" marks the Washington Memorial and just 2 blocks North and just off the map to the top is where the White House stands. 

Back on Friday with a little twist perhaps!

Bart

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First Major Battle of Civil War has Many Canadian Connections.

7/19/2014

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While there were a few incidents that arguably began the US Civil War pre mid April of 1961, most assign the start of the conflict with dropping of cannon shells on Fort Sumter that month. A few prominent Canadians were touring the area and sent home their descriptions of the excitement and the horror as the shells flew back and forth across the harbour.  Newspapers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, covered the bombing of the fort, many favouring the South but most cheering the North.

But it would be at the railway hub known as Manassas by the South and Bull Run by the North, that many of the 35,000 Union troops would have a deadly clash with the South's Confederates. Union Generals did not want to get into the thick of things because the troops were too new to the game, being short term units, untested and not yet properly trained. But politics of the day and politics at DC forced them forward and into a day long battle that would catch the North off guard when the equally untrained or experienced Southern men brought in unexpected reinforcements. By the time the sun went down 4.700 men from both sides lay dying or dead on the battlefield. 
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Did I say men?  OOOPs. I should have said men and women, though the women were usually impersonating men. One of these was Sarah Emma Edmondson  from Nova Scotia or New Brunswick who ran away from home because her father was trying to marry her off to someone that did not catch her eye. Doing odd jobs selling books, but about to be discovered, she fled to the US dressed up as  a man and joining the war effort as a soldier...Frank Thompson. Her story has been told in earlier blogs, one can be read again at http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/farmer-book-seller-soldier-courier-spy-nurse-and-author  Sarah/Frank (pictured at left) fought side by side with her Union company at the First Battle of Bull Run above noted. As did Assistant Surgeon Mary Walker who would go on to earn the Medal of Honor, the only female in the medal's entire history to do so. (Her medal was one of the 911 you read about in the last three blogs to be illegally rescinded, but a zillion years later returned to the family.)

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Bull Run also saw a Lieutenant from Toronto Ontario fighting and later becoming a Prisoner of War for about a year. His name ought to ring bells and has also been mentioned in past blogs. He was the very man ordered to take his troop off to capture John Wilkes Booth. Many others from Eastern Canada served on one side or the other in this famous battle. The Lt.'s name was Edward Paul Doherty. (pictured at left) A past blog is at... http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/9-years-and-5-regiments-served-a-pow-international-hero-but-no-medal-of-honor

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The July Bull Run battle also saw an arms length connection to Canada. This fellow commanded a regiment and led numerous charges against the enemy and the only thing that stopped him was a final battle leg wound. He would also be captured but later paroled and would end up staying in the military for 26 years. His name was Orlando Willcox and more can be read about his incredible military life and more at the url ... http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/promotions-from-2nd-lt-to-major-generalover-26-yr-career-earns-medal-of-honor-in-1st-yr-but-has-to-waitanother-34-years-to-get-it


He spent his last 2 years of retirement outside Toronto at a place called Cobourg and died there. The General received a Medal of Honor for bravery in 1895 for actions in the First Battle of Bull Run. (There were 2) 

It was also in the month of July 113 years ago that a Canadian by the name of John W Powers had his medal rescinded for unknown reasons. One must wonder if a court action was involved, lest it be yet another illegal cancellation of a MOH. John and another fellow... Michael Connolly dove of their vessel to save a drowning citizen while in harbour. That harbor was at Halifax Nova Scotia in August of 1876.  

This event is the only time in the history of the medal that one was awarded for actions in Canadian waters. It was awarded the same month but somehow the inscription gives the date of action being the 17th of August when it was the 7th. The medal is held by the naval museum at DC and their records indicated that it was never awarded. It's very existence suggests that it was but perhaps it was never ISSUED, for whatever reason. I have yet to find the Connolly medal, and if this one, is the only one in existence, would therefore make it an incredibly rare medal.

Here is an image of the front and back of this medal. 

See you next week

Bart

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The final Chapter on the famous Medal of Honor Purge of 1917 has yet to be written!

7/17/2014

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The last two columns, a revisit on three of last year at this time, have again retold the story of the 27th Maine Volunteer Infantry of Civil War days. A unit that had their terms of enlistment expire, and were asked to stay behind. Some did, most did not. Those that did were promised a Medal of Honor under the rules of the day. But bureaucrats screwed it up and sent a medal to almost 860.  Only about 300 were actually given to the qualified, and the rest safely secured, but after death of the Colonel of the regiment they were found and distributed to many unqualified. Over the years several attempts to make all of the medals and others totaling 911, illegal,  and demands came left and right to cancel them all.

That sums up the last two columns. But before I write today's I want to make a point of noting that I have done considerable research into this topic as it involved over a dozen Canadians in the 27th Maine. My opinions are my own and, hopefully reflect those of many others. I'd further note that any advocacy with regards to this unit is no doubt most unpopular and thus, almost unheard of.

In this regard I am not speaking on behalf of any organization. But having said this I am most proud to claim that the purge was not legal for a variety of reasons. Several of these highlighted in the last two blogs, and more to come today. Though about 500 of the medals were not issued correctly, their method of  removal was as incorrect, and thus illegal, again on several grounds. The removal of the other 300 was doubly illegal. If such is possible!

But on with some details, that most in the know about MOH matters, seem to  know little. I base this on the fact that I have held many, many, many, talks about this unit over the past dozen and more years with folks that ought to know more about the subject than they do.

I'll start back one day before the Battle of Gettysburg started. On 30 June 1863, after just over  300  soldiers of the 27th Maine volunteered to remain to protect the country's capital the commanding general issued an order that set the seriousness of matters of the day in their perspective. He wrote to his corps commanders to say that they... "are authorized to order the instant death of any soldier who fails in his duty at this hour." That of course applied to the 300 men of the 27th and all others. Seems serious enough, despite  the usual lack of basic understanding of the events to unfold, and conveyed in  a flippant attitude by many speaking on the subject.

Now jumping forward to 1893, it is then reported that there were less than 150 Medal of Honor recipients from Civil War days still alive. Add another 20 years and it was reported that the average age of a CW veterans was then about 75 years old. I give these numbers to show that any adverse reaction towards the 27th medals were actions against men, mostly long dead and the rest probably about 80 yrs of age. Seniors that most countries would treat hopefully with  kid gloves instead of boxing gloves.

In April of 1916 the US government complied with many of the wishes of the Medal of Honor Legion. It created what it called a Medal of Honor Roll, similar to that of many world countries for their highest heroes of military bravery. Entry to the list would allow the man a small pension, over and above any others they may have been entitled to. But is had caveats. He had to be no longer in the military. He had to be at least 65 years of age. His medal had to be awarded for action in the face of the enemy, had to be voluntary, over and above the call of duty, and had to involve actions that included distinguished and conspicuous gallantry or  intrepidity at the risk of his life.

Sure sounds most honourable until you read between the lines and realize that many medals awarded over the past 50 or more years had been issued under another set or rules far less stringent. Rules that nevertheless met the requirements of law of that day.

In short, any new list would eliminate all the men of the 27th and others totalling over 900.  But the new rules did not call for the rescinding of any medals outright, just their devious and cruel  disappearance from official lists. 

Then matters fell even farther down the slippery slope of abuse.

In June of 1916 the federal government was getting prepared to join the Great War effort. In support of this Congress passed the National Defence Act. At section 122 the Act called for the creation of a board of five eminent Generals to review the whole Medal of Honor situation. Their direction was to look at every MOH issued to date to determine if they were awarded legally for actions involving  bravery in the face of the enemy. (A requirement not in existence for over 50 years.) If the Board found any that failed the NEW TEST for qualification, their name was to be struck from the Medal of Honor Roll. Further, once so determined as failing the new test, anyone caught wearing the medal or even displaying the medal in public could be charged of committing a misdemeanor. Further yet, the Board was ordered to take steps to recover the medals failing the new test.

If that is not offensive enough, consider further this point. Section 122 was never in the Bill that went before Congress. It did not add the section. Bureaucrats later added it, did not send it back to Congress for approval, and saw to it that it was forced onto the Board to implement. It further gave the board no funding to so recover any medals.

The Board was given six months to review 2,625 cases. In the midst of this work the Commission of Pensions started its own Honor Roll list and added 129 names to it, despite the fact that those and many others wear still before the Board for its perusal. The Adjutant General of the day, on learning this, quashed the list stating that the Board ought to have the time to do its work first. But then along came the Judge Advocate General saying all is well and life was pumped back into the list. 

The Board apparently met every two weeks from 16 October till early February of 1917. Details of their work is difficult to locate. But one reference says that  in one meeting lasting 1 hour and 55 minutes they heard  33 cases, in another of 2 hours there heard 44 and in a third of 2 hours and 10 minutes they heard a whopping 82 separate cases. If this is any sort of an average... they spent about 2 minutes on a case of the most important war heroes the country ever produced. Cases were many of these men wore medals with immense pride for half a century. And that left no time whatsoever to deal with the paperwork involved on the board research into  the task at hand, the compiling of and forwarding of various letters etc.

And one of these letters was written by Lt. General Miles, the senior General and Chair of the Board to the Secretary of War. He pleaded about the unfairness of implementing new rules and making them retroactive and effecting so many heroes. He argued that no army in the world would perform as they were so ordered. He brought to the attention of the Secretary the very fact that section 122 was not even part of the bill voted on by Congress and that the whole matter had caused the board considerable grief and ever one of them being men whom all of course had ample military backgrounds.

General Miles also noted that the injustice could be altered by an amendment put before Congress that would rule that new rules do not apply to old cases. He added that were a medal was legally issued, according to the rules day, it must remain as valid as on that day. 

Henry Cabot Lodge would rise in the Congress to argue the points made by the Board and was quieted by a ruling on a point of order, and  section 122 (not even voted on) was never reversed.

In February of 1917 the Board wrapped up its work by issuing a final report that saw 555 27th names of soldiers who did not remain of duty, 307 who did, 29 members of the Funeral Guard for the protection of President Lincoln's coffin after he was assassinated, 5 Indian Scouts, Assistant Surgeon Mary Walker and several other having their names struck of the list and thus having their medals rescinded.

The Board also had written about 140 letters to those then ruled unqualified to return their medals. Many were already dead. Some did not even know that they had been awarded a medal because the government did not think it important enough to find them and tell the so.

Still later the orders to return the medals were rescinded and orders issued to send them back in the cases were honourable men... or families... complied with the illegal orders of the government of the day.

Several years ago the actions of two Presidents reversed the rescinded medals for Mary Walker and the six native scouts and added them back into lists they should never have been removed from. Perhaps some day they might have the decency to fix the remaining 905, or at the very least have those 27th 550 or so rescinded as a result of court action rather than political whim of the day.

I again remind readers to re-read the past blogs on this subject wherein you will read about it being illegal for one President to revisit the decisions of an earlier President and that no medals could be quashed..by law without the due processes of law... read COURT ACTION by those authorized at law to hear evidence and ALLOW THE VICITIM an opportunity to be heard before being judged.

This story has to be one of the worst tragedies in military award circles around the world for a century. It is a travesty of justice to all the heroes involved, their families ,the public and those wearing theuniforms of today or coming forth tomorrow for the same suit of armour. a burden that perhaps ought to be taken up by those wearing the medal today.

Bart












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blog delayed one day.

7/16/2014

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The story of the 27th Maine and the illegal cancelation of over 900 medals will wrap up on Thursday... not today. And the Friday blog for this week is being moved to Saturday due to other commitments.

Sorry for the changes but unavoidable. Hope you can join me tomorrow.

Bart

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Several attempts to steal about 850 Medals of Honor, infighting about legality going both ways, numbers inflated to 911 stolen, US fixes things by returning 6.    DAH!

7/11/2014

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The last blog gave you links to three of several blogs in this space last year about the biggest travesty to the entire Medal of Honor story from day one till today. It suggested  that since the events involved the battle at Gettysburg 151 years ago this month, that it is again a fitting time to revisit this issue. It's hope is that someone will do something about it. The very holders of the medal today ought to be concerned about how easy these medals were killed and how easy a future government might do the same to theirs.

Last blog told of the 27th Maine and how they were asked to stay behind after their term of service was up, and protect the capital in the event the Union lost  at Gettysburg. They were promised Medals of Honor by President Lincoln for those staying behind but bureaucratic foul ups ended up in medals destined for about 300, being awarded to the entire regiment of about 860.

Powerful groups like the Grand Army of the Republic and the Medal of Honor Legion, forerunner of today's Congressional Medal of Honor Society, took various shots at trying to kill all the medals issued to the 27th Maine, both those perfectly valid under the rules of the day, and those issued in error.

Repeated failures at making any real ground on the matter were further frustrated when  the Adjutant General's office  in 1886 issued a list of MOH men. In this were included all of the 27th men, both those staying behind and the rest as well. Such a list would later be argued as yet more proof, issued by government,  of the validity of all the 27th medals.

Matters  bumbled along till 1891 when the Commander in Chief of the MOH Legion wrote the Adjutant General. He argued that since the men of the 27th had been ruled by his organization to be not entitled to membership therein, how was it that they could be argued to still hold the same medal as the rest of their membership.

Their cause was not supported by the Adj. General and they were told to knock it off as the medals were issued pursuant to the laws of the day. (Despite the fact that over half were awarded by mistake, but be that as it was, they were still awarded.)

Matters on another front would meld with the 27th story. Many were fed up with the badge of membership used by GAR. It looked too much like the MOH and people were getting confused as to whom had the medal and whom did not. This coupled with the fact that lists of recipients were often full of mistakes, and even at that, yet hard to find. So a move came about to pressure to have a new medal designed to be quite different then the CW Army and Navy versions of the medal. And at the same time, the issuing authority could then only send these to all except the 27th men.

Then the heat started getting turned up.

With the creation of a new design came issuing instructions. They were to be  provided to all those covered by previous legislation... thus the acts creating the medals back in Civil War days. The wording therefore further confirmed, rather than disqualified the 27th men's medals. All of them!

The Adjutant General, who had already fought off the demands of several groups re the 27th matter, then knew that this new act and wording would start up yet another round of attacks. To head these off he wrote to the  Judge Advocate General for a formal legal opinion to end all the bickering. The later then passed it on to the Attorney General of the country for advise.

While all this was going on the powerful groups also sought help from President Roosevelt. He in turn  wrote to the Secretary of War (future President Howard Taft) and demanded that the 27th medals be rescinded... not some but all of them. But before sending off his letter he had second thoughts and toned down his letter with the REQUEST that the thoughts of the groups to rescind ought to be followed.

On becoming aware of the Roosevelt "request" the Adjutant General wrote to Taft and enclosed a copy of an opinion of the Judge Adjutant General. In short, that opinion said that everybody better slow down, forget pressures from all sides, and smell the coffee.

That opinion began with the direction that it was high time all the current players (in 1904) (and perhaps 2014) better start respecting the directives of President Lincoln and his Secretary of War back in CW days.

The opinion then noted that there was case law on the fact that when a right (read.. .a medal) is passed on to a citizen by a President, that right IS NOT SUBJECT  TO REVIEW OR REVERSAL BY A SUCCESSOR. ... "for if it were, there would be no stability or security for any rights of property acquired under the action of a government."

It continued with the note that when the property has been transferred... (ie the medal given) a property right has also been given... and that equated  to a guarantee ... 'which can only be divested by the action of a court, and the result of a legal proceeding."  

It added further that....  "if the act of investing property title is not warranted by statue,.. the courts ALONE can apply a remedy." This, it said, was by virtue of the Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution where the reader will find the familiar phrase, oft ignored by many, that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law. (On reading that amendment I saw no note saying that the provision did not apply to the men of the 27th Maine Infantry.) 

The opinion then made two profound statements, First that the men of the 27th were awarded the medals pursuant to the laws of the day. More profound, it said that the Secretary of War had no authority to review the actions of President Lincoln and his Secretary of War. In summary he said that whilst others would have liked to see the issue of the new 1904 medal to all but the 27th, they were in fact as entitled to it as any other was.

Roosevelt backed down as did the Secretary of War and the medals were issued to all... including all those from the 27th still alive, and or their families. And yet again their names were continued on the lists of all other MOH recipients.

When a Congressmen pushed Howard Taft as Secretary of War to continue the fight, Taft wrote back that the medals were legally awarded.

Surely all of this ought to have ended the battle... but instead of smelling the coffee many sat back and watched in burn.. till the machine  exploded in 1916-7.

I'll tell you about that on Wednesday.

Bart.






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Have you read the headline yet about the 911 Medals of Honor that were stolen.  Neither have I!     But that doesn't mean it did not happen!

7/9/2014

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It all happened 97 years ago, but I have yet to find anyone who has tackled doing anything about the 94.6 percent of the medals still missing. Guess the cause makes it too unpopular for anyone to risk their reputation to take it on.  What a reputation for the one who will!

Regular readers of these blogs have read about the matter raised at this site several times including in blogs at....  http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/ive-got-some-good-news-and-ive-got-some-bad 

and  http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/no-depriving-of-property-without-due-process-of-law

and  http://www.canadianmedalofhonor.com/wednesday-and-friday-blogs/the-answer-often-depends-on-how-the-question-is-asked  

I would challenge you to not only re-read these but pass them, or the URL to this site, along to anyone in the military or with connections to the military for some powerful details about the matter covered in the above headline. These matters have a direct link to the horrific battles at Gettysburg 151 years ago last week, and so yet again, the matter needs to be raised.

The matter to which I refer is of course the 1916-17 Purge of 911 Medals of Honor at the stroke of a pen. Almost! The five men, most distinguished generals all, knew it was an unprecedented move, that no army in the rest of the world would do the same, were acting under direct orders that they knew had not come from the proper authorities, and in fact were illegal. Their pleads  to higher authority... i.e. the War Office and Congress fell on deaf ears of the cowardly who lacked the stamina to quash the whole thing and walla... the stroke of the pen stole the medals by rescinding them. And they stole other benefits and reputations of hundreds in the process and robbed history of its legitimate heritage.

To this day when you ask how many MOH's were awarded or read about those awarded you will get the fake number that is over 900 short. Two of the very victims were in fact double recipients but again their true place in the history of the medal has also been stolen and from generations of their families, and from you.

I guess you could say that it all started at the beginning of the Civil War when belief was that the war would be over by next Wednesday at noon, or the very most, a few months later. And so those in power called for the recruiting of very short termed regiments. Those with 30, 60 and 90 days. Over 300,000 thus served. But then many would serve again and again in other units, some longer term, some shorter. In late June of 1863 the authorities could see that there was to be a major battle around Gettysburg in the immediate future and sent off almost all their men. But seeing the capital unprotected they approached 2 regiments to stay at the capital. But both being short term and those very terms being up on 30 June, they  had the option of declining the offer to stay around and could go home. Plenty of other regiments had similar offers earlier in the war and declined so it was nothing new to Wahington.  One regiment, to a man, declined. The other, the 27th Maine, took a vote and just over 300 decided to stay and the rest went home.

The President directed the Secretary of War, and he directed a state Senator to go out to the field and see his state regiment and tell the  men...after they had volunteered... that the government was so happy it would award each a Medal of Honor. The award was certainly within the power of the President to so award, and technically was often issued for reasons far less than those called for today.  But then was then, and the offer of that day was perfectly legal.

Trouble is that then along came the bureaucrats. After the war they argued they did not have sufficient evidence on who stayed behind. They finally came up with a list of about 310, but then did what bureaucrats sometimes do. They screwed it all up and sent almost 900 medals to the state governor who sent them to the regiment's former Colonel, who took out those medals for the men staying and sent the rest back to the Governor. Being a wise man... not.... the Governor sent the rest right back to the Colonel who buried them in his barn and refused to issue them to those not entitled, regardless of his orders.  After his death they were found and soon many  ended up in hands that ought not to have received them.

Over the following years men entitled to the medal were infuriated when seeing those not entitled wearing it. They took their concerns to a new group formed called the Grand Army of the Republic, which among other things was an advocate for the veterans. It even created a badge of membership. A badge that looked almost identical to the actual Medal of Honor. This  of course infuriated those entitled to the MOH and actually amounted to its downgrading in the eyes of many. 

Then another group started up and  sought it's members from the ranks of the actual medal holders. It called itself the Medal of Honor Legion. This group took many steps to push government to deal with the medals issued to the 27th Maine. It also wanted to see ribbon and actual medal design changes that would result, hopefully in a tighter control when created and issued. Many attempts were made with little result. Then it came up with the idea that the MOH should be elevated to that of other nations by the creation of a Medal of Honor Roll, and that if same were created, a pension should also be created for the true medal recipients. With such, it would be the opportune time to, once and for all,  control the entry to these lists in a way that would eliminate the men of the 27th Maine.

On Friday I will tell you where all that ended up. Then I will tell you where the whole travesty of justice has belonged every day for the last 97 years.

Bart





















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Yet another recent monument unveiled to Canadian Victoria Cross recipients

7/4/2014

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Regular followers of this blog know of the deep interest I have in the Rowland Bourke VC, DSO story. For many years I conducted a lone Remembrance Day ceremony at his grave site here in Victoria BC. Several years ago I contacted the Commanding Officer of the local reserve naval unit... HMS Malahat. I asked that he consider bringing his unit to the grave site and performing a ceremony on Nov. 11th. He investigated and complied. Since then he has committed his unit, and a later commander has continued the commitment to perform a service there each year on 11 November. At each, more and more troops are brought along.

Soon the idea was floated about that the current marker ought to be upgrading to a Commonwealth War Graves Commission style  larger marker to better honour the hero at rest. A year  long effort then ensued and with the incredible assistance of many parties and agencies, the new marker was unveiled last May  8th at the Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria BC.
Picture
A search of this site will produce several stories of Rowland Bourke. At the left above, is the original marker, still in place. At centre I am shaking the hands of a young ellow named Shane. His grandmother was this hero's sister. Behind  stands Rear Admiral Truelove, the most senior officer of the Canadian Navy on the West Coast and current commander of Maritime Forces Pacific. To his right is the honorable Belgian Ambassador to Canada, Mr. Bruno  van der Pluijm.

That being said, Several weeks ago I started to bring blogs to this space about recent developments in England to further help keep alive the stories of past Victoria Cross recipients.

One of the developments noted in the blogs was the fact that the government planed to create memorial paving stones for a select group of deceased recipients. These are to be distributed to the towns and villages and cities etc. where the men were actually born in England and Ireland. This was to help those towns etc that have no marker to honour the hero, as he may be buried elsewhere. That plan has now been expanded as noted in past blogs.

But in doing that research I found Rowland Bourke's name being listed as one of the original grouping on men to be honored. Thus said, a paving stone similar in appearance to images in a recent blog, with be no doubt unveiled in London in the future. The idea is for an unveiling exactly 100 years after the battle in which the VC was awarded to the individual. In Bourke's case it was during the night of 9-10 May 1918. Thus an expected unveiling in London for May of 2018.

But there is still more news on 2 fronts for this hero. 

Last week I discovered in my research that another memorial to VC men was unveiled last Fall back in Ontario. It was 100 km north of Toronto at the Barrie waterfront. 

There is a several phase, several park plan moving forward, and underway for years, to commemorate the military of the area going back as far as the War of 1812 and on right up to Afghanistan. When completed it will be known as the Military Heritage Park.

Last October its first phase was not only opened, by actually officiated at by the Royal Princess Anne who is the honorary Colonel in Chief of the historic Grey and Simcoe Foresters, an infantry regiment of the area. The Royal Princess conducted duties in that regard, carried out other visits and business and also unveiled a 7 foot high obelisk that arrived just a few days earlier and still in three pieces, and mounted on site in very quick order.


Picture
The names of the Canadian Victoria Cross recipient are inscribed on this face as well, probably as on two other sides of the triangular memorial. Some of these heroes' stories have appeared already in this space. Note Rowland Bourke's name  near the base and better shown in the image on right. Part of this memorial also incudes two benches that you can rest on and enjoy the wonderful waterfront view.

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A larger viewing showing the two benches as well. Further information can be obtained by simply searching Google for the Barrie Military Heritage Park.

There is still more information about yet another monument of sorts working its way through the planning stages and when finalized I will share it will you.


Happy belated Canada Day and current 4th of July to our American friends.

See you next Wednesday, but in the mean time why not search this site for the story of the US first recipient of the Victoria Cross... back in mid 1800's. Search for William Seeley and enjoy. And note also the connection the 4th of July.

Bart




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    Author;
    Bart Armstrong, C.D.,
    Recipient, Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers 

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