Our Veterans Inspire Future Generations

Veterans Day 2015 is upon us. As we reflect upon the meaning of Veterans Day this year, we should recognize that we are fortunate in this country, in that our military has been for many years, and thank God, still is today, the greatest military on the face of the earth – and that includes all services and all components.

Many times civilians who never served in the military ask me – why is the United States military so great and powerful. Is it because of our equipment? Is it because of our technology? Is it because of our weapons systems? I always give them the same answer – and I am absolutely certain of this – the reason we have the greatest military the world has ever seen is because of our Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen – it is because of the great people we have. It is all about the people.

As a young boy, I remember being proud of my father who served during WWII. And, I have had the honor to personally know a number of our nation’s Veterans who have served our country over the past 70 years. I thought it would be fitting if I told a few short stories about some of these Veterans – military heroes who served in WWII, Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.  I had the privilege to know, know about, and in some cases serve with these Warriors whose stories I will share.

The first Soldier I would like to mention is Wally Morgan. He is a 90 year old WWII Veteran who now lives in California. Wally served with the 110th Infantry Regiment, 28th Infantry Division. I last saw Wally just over a year ago at a 28ID reunion and he promised me he would write down his recollections of his time as a German POW during WWII.  He mailed me his 13 page memoir a few weeks later and I treasure what he has sent me.

Wally says that he had a typical boyhood as a child growing up during the depression in Iowa. He was a senior in high school on DEC 7th 1941, when our country was attacked at Pearl Harbor.  He started college the following September but soon decided he had to follow his two brothers into the Army.

He fought with the 28ID into Germany through the Siegfried Line in September 1944 in some very bitter combat. He then fought with the 28th in a famous battle in the Hurtgen Forest in November 1944. The fighting was truly hellish. It was the coldest winter in 100 years in that part of Germany. The Hurtgen Forest was marked by steep terrain and dense forest. During the battle the Soldiers faced constant artillery bombardment.  On November 13, 1944 Corporal Wally Morgan was wounded in the foot as a result of artillery fire and became a POW of the German Army, and he remained a POW until Germany surrendered in May 1945.

Wally wrote about how in those first months as a POW he was constantly hungry. He was placed in a boxcar of a train without food, heat, or sanitary facilities - and he says he has tried to block that experience from his memory for over sixty years.

His meals consisted of a small piece of bread and when he was lucky he would also be provided thin watery soup. But even in those trying times, Wally and his fellow American POWs would watch each other’s back. One day Wally traded his pocket watch, which he had hidden in his sock, for a very small piece of dark bread. Even with this meager portion, he broke the bread up and shared it with his fellow Soldiers. Wally faced many trials in his 6 months as a POW that have left emotional and physical scars that he carries to this day.

But Wally has a strong spirit, and I am inspired by his story of loyalty and resiliency – of how Wally and his fellow POWs looked out for one another – and how when Wally returned from the war – he did not complain – but he went back to school, received his education, and made a life for himself and for his family.

There are many other Veterans just like Wally Morgan, who served in WWII – and there is good reason they became known as the greatest generation. However, 5 years after WWII ended, another war began on the Korean peninsula.

There were many American service men and women who made great sacrifices during the Korean War, -- and I am fortunate to have as a friend Korean War Veteran BG (ret) James Herbert. Jim graduated from West Point in the spring of 1945, just as WWII was coming to a close.

But on June 25, 1950, when 75,000 Soldiers from the North Korean People’s Army poured across the 38th parallel into South Korea, Jim Herbert, then a young Army Captain, was called to combat duty to command an elite Ranger company.

In April 1951, the Chinese and North Korean armies committed 350,000 troops to an all-out offensive to drive United Nations forces from Korea. Captain Jim Herbert led 89 Rangers into a gap to find the enemy and report on their strength and activities.

Through the dark night Jim Herbert led his men on a long and arduous climb to a high mountaintop observation point. As dawn broke, the Rangers could see masses of Chinese soldiers flowing southward. After reporting in by radio, Captain Herbert began to call in artillery fire and air strikes.

Jim Herbert became aware that the flank of an American unit in the area was exposed. Rather than allow the Chinese Soldiers to surprise the American unit by attacking into their flank, CPT Herbert ordered his Ranger Company to conduct a spoiling attack into the Chinese unit. This tactic saved many American lives.

The fighting became very intense and Jim Herbert was shot through his, arm, shoulder, and neck. Once the Chinese attack was halted CPT Herbert then had to walk over two miles, to an American aid station for treatment, still applying pressure to the wound in his throat with his own hand.  Jim told me when his medic saw the blood oozing out of his throat – the medic looked at Jim with a bewildered expression on his face. The medic said, “gee captain – during our medical training the way they taught us to treat a wound like yours is with a tourniquet – and I don’t know exactly what to do because I don’t want to tie a tourniquet around your neck. Jim always tells me that story with a smile.

Jim recovered from his wounds and continued to serve his country. As a matter of fact, in the 1960s, Jim served five tours in Viet Nam.  Many of our Korean War Veterans never received the thanks they deserve, - and the same holds true for our Viet Nam War Veterans.

Rocky Bleier is a Viet Nam War Veteran whom I have had the pleasure of meeting a couple of times over the past few years. He is someone I admired when I was a young man back in the 1970s for two reasons: he was a Viet Nam Veteran - and he was a star running back for the Pittsburg Steelers helping them win their first four Super Bowls.

After Rocky Bleier graduated from Notre Dame, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted him in the 16th-round in 1968. Even as a 16th-round draft pick, Rocky was able to earn on spot with the Steelers. However, Rocky received a surprise after the 10th game of his rookie season. He received another draft notice – this time from the U.S. Army.

Less than a year later, Rocky Bleier found himself lugging a grenade launcher instead of a football in the steaming rice paddies of Viet Nam. On August 20, 1969 Rocky and his unit were engaged in a fierce firefight with elements of a North Vietnamese regiment. Rocky was first shot through his thigh, and later in the day an enemy grenade took off a portion of his right foot and riddled his right leg with over 100 pieces of shrapnel.

As Rocky Bleier tells it, he was carried from the field of battle by Soldiers he did not even know. They placed themselves at risk to evacuate Rocky because that is what Soldiers do – they look out for their battle buddies.

Rocky Bleier found himself lying in a hospital bed with some serious wounds.  999 out of 1,000 other people would have resigned themselves to living a life hobbling around with a cane.  But Rocky Bleier was not just one in a thousand – he was more like one in a million. With a remarkable display of resiliency, Rocky fought back from his wounds and with an amazing force of will, he made the Steelers team again in 1972.

He then went on to become a starting running back for the Steelers and contributed to their first four Steeler Super Bowl victories during the 1970s.
Rocky Bleier has the notoriety of being the only Viet Nam War Veteran who has earned the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star – and four Super Bowl rings. And if you ask Rocky Bleier what accomplishment he is most proud of, I am sure he will tell you that he is most proud that he bears the distinction of being called a military Veteran.

We could be proud of all who served in the Viet Nam War. They all sacrificed so much for our country – and over 58,000 of those who served during the Viet Nam War made the ultimate sacrifice.

Fast forward to September 11, 2001. The events of that day changed our country and the world itself forever. Since that fateful day tens of thousands of men and women serving in the military have fought in Southwest Asia.  My friend, SSG Earl Granville served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Earl graduated from Carbondale Area High School, in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and upon graduation he decided to join the 28th Infantry Division, PA Army National Guard. Earl served with me in Iraq in 2005 and he served in Afghanistan in 2008.

It was in Afghanistan, when he was conducting a mounted patrol with his platoon, that his unit was attacked by an enemy force with a roadside bombs and small arms fire. During the course of the attack Earl was wounded in his left leg and he eventually lost that leg.

But Earl is one of those inspiring people who just will not give up. Earl continues to push himself beyond physical endurance limits that would be difficult for anyone with two legs let alone one. As an example, last fall - Earl competed in a 28 mile ruck-march competition. It was a grueling course that climbed over very mountainous and difficult terrain at Fort Indiantown Gap in central Pennsylvania. He started the march at 8 o’clock in the morning and did not finish until after 10 o’clock at night – but he refused to give up.

Witnessing Earl negotiating the mountain trails with his prosthetic leg, motivated all of us. Earl is another Warrior who never complains about his wounds, but pushes himself beyond his limits in an effort to help motivate other people.

Earl Granville made the long trip back to Afghanistan in December 2012 with a group of other Wounded Warriors in order to talk with military personnel who were currently serving there about their experiences. Earl continues to engage Soldiers who are struggling with post-traumatic stress, or more visible wounds, in order to help them cope and gain resiliency and strength.

There are many other Veterans just like Earl Granville, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan – and they continue to live a life of service to others.

The last Warrior I would like to mention is a true National Treasure – and he happens to be a dear friend of the 28th Infantry Division. His name is LTG (retired) David E Grange Jr. He was a private during WWII, a lieutenant in the Korean War, and a Colonel in Viet Nam. He is a member of the Ranger Hall of Fame and the Best Ranger Trophy is named in honor of General Grange.

General Grange had combat jumps in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. Not too many Soldiers could say they had combat jumps in three different wars.
General Grange told me a story about a company commander he had during WWII.  This company commander would sometimes carry a squirt gun in his holster for comic relief. GEN Grange said maintaining a sense of humor in combat was extremely important. He went on to say that three of the most important leadership traits are:
1. Courage
2. Competence – and
3. A Sense of Humor

So what is the common thread among these Veterans?

Well, they have a sense of service, they believe in something greater than themselves. They all believe we have a great country and the blessings we have are worth making a sacrifice for.  And finally, they are remarkably resilient – they will never quit and they will never accept defeat.

They are a breed whose wounds and trials do not make them weaker – but make them stronger. - Some people would describe the Soldiers I talked about as “survivors” – but I have a more powerful word to describe them, - they are “winners”.

Thank God, we have many more Americans just like Wally Morgan, Jim Herbert, Rocky Bleier, Earl Granville, and David Grange.  Our nation has raised generation after generation of patriotic and courageous men and women, and I have great confidence that our current generation of young men and women are just as service oriented, just as tough, and just as resilient.

So as we reflect upon the service our military Veterans have rendered to our nation, we can be proud of the legacy past generations of Warriors have left for us. We can also be hopeful that future generations will continue to protect the freedom and blessings we Americans hold so dear.