Subject: TODAY--January 8th--A Day Of Stunning Valor
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
January 7, 2010
Pg. 12
Medals of Honor
A Day Of Stunning Valor
Americans are fortunate for heroes who risked everything for us and our nation.
By Ben Weber
It is an extraordinary day in our history of war on foreign soil.
On Jan. 8 in five different years, Medal of Honor recipients performed their incredible feats of valor. Today, we hardly know their names, yet these distinguished Americans all risked their lives - two died - to protect the freedom that we cherish.
I am privileged that one of these recipients, Christian F. Schilt, is my uncle.
Uncle Frank, as we respectfully called him, is from my hometown of Olney, Ill. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1917 and became an aviator. In 1928, he was a first lieutenant in Nicaragua when he volunteered to evacuate 18 wounded Marines from the village of Quilali. Over three days, Jan. 6-8, he flew into the village 10 times, under enemy fire each time, and succeeded in rescuing the wounded. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Calvin Coolidge.
Uncle Frank joined our family when he married my Aunt Liz, the sixth of 14 children. He enjoyed the support and affection of all the family as he led Marine air combat units in the Pacific during World War II and in the Korean War. He advanced in rank to general and was a highly decorated combat veteran. In 1957, after a distinguished 40-year career, he retired.
His six children and all the aunts, uncles and cousins took great pride in Uncle Frank and do to this day. He was an unpretentious leader in the family. He inspired all of us to honor military service and the sacrifices that come with it.
As time passes, I have come to appreciate more than ever the magnitude of his achievements, not only in Nicaragua, but also in his military career.
Uncle Frank died in Norfolk, Va., at age 91 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The date of his death: Jan. 8, 1987.
My uncle's Medal of Honor compatriots represent the finest of our armed forces. Their legacy is the story of exceptional bravery, leadership and sacrifice.
On Jan. 8, 1945, in Luxembourg and Northern France, three Army sergeants were up against overwhelming German forces. They were Day G. Turner of Pennsylvania, Charles F. Carey Jr. of Wyoming, and Russell E. Dunham of Illinois.
Sgt. Turner was locked in a four-hour battle as he fought in hand-to-hand combat, hurled grenades and bayoneted Germans until they surrendered. The enemy suffered heavy casualties, including 11 dead, many wounded and 25 captured. One month later, as Sgt. Turner crossed into Germany, he was killed in combat. He was 23 years old.
Sgt. Carey was fighting 80 miles south of Sgt. Turner. Following a vicious enemy attack, he led a daring rescue of his men and his wounded and then attacked a house, killing two and capturing 16. He later disabled an enemy tank, killing three crewmen and wounding a fourth. The next day, Sgt. Carey was shot and killed by sniper fire. He was 29 years old and left behind a wife and three young sons.
Remarkably, Sgt. Dunham was only 67 miles from Sgt. Carey the afternoon of Jan. 8. Despite being under fierce enemy fire and wounded, he single-handedly assaulted three enemy machine gun nests and destroyed them. During this spectacular battle, he killed nine Germans, wounded seven and captured two.
After the war, Sgt. Dunham returned to Illinois and raised a family. On April 6, 2009, Russell Dunham, age 89, died in his sleep.
On Jan. 8, 1968, Pfc. Gary George Wetzel, 20, of Milwaukee, was the door gunner aboard an assault helicopter in Vietnam when it was hit by enemy fire and crashed. As Pfc. Wetzel was aiding his injured commander, he was blown into a rice paddy and critically wounded. Despite the excruciating pain of his nearly severed arm and other wounds, he destroyed the enemy gun position that was causing heavy American casualties. Today, Gary Wetzel is one of only 92 living Medal recipients.
We Americans are truly fortunate these five heroes risked everything for us and our nation. It is fitting we remember them and their sacrifices and realize Jan. 8 is no ordinary day.
Ben Weber is a retired health care executive from South St. Louis County.
.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
January 7, 2010
Pg. 12
Medals of Honor
A Day Of Stunning Valor
Americans are fortunate for heroes who risked everything for us and our nation.
By Ben Weber
It is an extraordinary day in our history of war on foreign soil.
On Jan. 8 in five different years, Medal of Honor recipients performed their incredible feats of valor. Today, we hardly know their names, yet these distinguished Americans all risked their lives - two died - to protect the freedom that we cherish.
I am privileged that one of these recipients, Christian F. Schilt, is my uncle.
Uncle Frank, as we respectfully called him, is from my hometown of Olney, Ill. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1917 and became an aviator. In 1928, he was a first lieutenant in Nicaragua when he volunteered to evacuate 18 wounded Marines from the village of Quilali. Over three days, Jan. 6-8, he flew into the village 10 times, under enemy fire each time, and succeeded in rescuing the wounded. He was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Calvin Coolidge.
Uncle Frank joined our family when he married my Aunt Liz, the sixth of 14 children. He enjoyed the support and affection of all the family as he led Marine air combat units in the Pacific during World War II and in the Korean War. He advanced in rank to general and was a highly decorated combat veteran. In 1957, after a distinguished 40-year career, he retired.
His six children and all the aunts, uncles and cousins took great pride in Uncle Frank and do to this day. He was an unpretentious leader in the family. He inspired all of us to honor military service and the sacrifices that come with it.
As time passes, I have come to appreciate more than ever the magnitude of his achievements, not only in Nicaragua, but also in his military career.
Uncle Frank died in Norfolk, Va., at age 91 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The date of his death: Jan. 8, 1987.
My uncle's Medal of Honor compatriots represent the finest of our armed forces. Their legacy is the story of exceptional bravery, leadership and sacrifice.
On Jan. 8, 1945, in Luxembourg and Northern France, three Army sergeants were up against overwhelming German forces. They were Day G. Turner of Pennsylvania, Charles F. Carey Jr. of Wyoming, and Russell E. Dunham of Illinois.
Sgt. Turner was locked in a four-hour battle as he fought in hand-to-hand combat, hurled grenades and bayoneted Germans until they surrendered. The enemy suffered heavy casualties, including 11 dead, many wounded and 25 captured. One month later, as Sgt. Turner crossed into Germany, he was killed in combat. He was 23 years old.
Sgt. Carey was fighting 80 miles south of Sgt. Turner. Following a vicious enemy attack, he led a daring rescue of his men and his wounded and then attacked a house, killing two and capturing 16. He later disabled an enemy tank, killing three crewmen and wounding a fourth. The next day, Sgt. Carey was shot and killed by sniper fire. He was 29 years old and left behind a wife and three young sons.
Remarkably, Sgt. Dunham was only 67 miles from Sgt. Carey the afternoon of Jan. 8. Despite being under fierce enemy fire and wounded, he single-handedly assaulted three enemy machine gun nests and destroyed them. During this spectacular battle, he killed nine Germans, wounded seven and captured two.
After the war, Sgt. Dunham returned to Illinois and raised a family. On April 6, 2009, Russell Dunham, age 89, died in his sleep.
On Jan. 8, 1968, Pfc. Gary George Wetzel, 20, of Milwaukee, was the door gunner aboard an assault helicopter in Vietnam when it was hit by enemy fire and crashed. As Pfc. Wetzel was aiding his injured commander, he was blown into a rice paddy and critically wounded. Despite the excruciating pain of his nearly severed arm and other wounds, he destroyed the enemy gun position that was causing heavy American casualties. Today, Gary Wetzel is one of only 92 living Medal recipients.
We Americans are truly fortunate these five heroes risked everything for us and our nation. It is fitting we remember them and their sacrifices and realize Jan. 8 is no ordinary day.
Ben Weber is a retired health care executive from South St. Louis County.
.
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