Bet you didn't know this:
Some people were a bit offended when Lee
Marvin was buried in a grave alongside 3
and 4 star generals at Arlington National
Cemetery. His marker gives 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? And
what does that have to do with Captain
Kangaroo? Well, following is the amazing
answer. Most people don't know or don't
remember the extent of Lee's Corps
experience. 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. Here is an
excerpt of dialog from The Tonight Show
with Johnny Carson, when his guest was Lee
Marvin: Johnny said, "Lee, I'll 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 tail and they gave me
the Cross for securing a hot spot about
halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about
getting shot up on a mountain is guys
gettin' 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
bunny actually stood up on Red Beach and
directed his troops to move forward and get
the heck off 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?' I said
"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 . . .
Sergeant Bob Keeshan. . . you and the world
knew him as Captain Kangaroo (birthday
6/27/27)."
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, August 13, 2004 8:24 AM
Subject: The best speech John Glenn ever
made; short and to the point...............
The best speech John Glenn ever made;
short and to the point.
Some people still don't understand why military
personnel do what they do for aliving. The
following exchange between Senator John Glenn (D
-OH) and Senator Howard Metzenbaum (D - OH) is
worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive
and impromptu speech, but it's also a good
example of one man's explanation of why men and
women in the Armed Services do what they do for a
living. This IS a typical, though sad,example of
what some who have never served think of the
Military.
Senator Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you
run for the Senate when you've never held a "real
job?"
Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United
States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I
flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by
anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I
was in the Space Program. It wasn't my checkbook,
Howard, it was my Life on the line. It was not a
9 to 5 job, where I took time off to take the
daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go
with me .... as I went the other day ... to a
Veterans Hospital and look those men - with their
mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell THEM they
didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space
Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the
widows and orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and
Roger Chaffee ....and you look those kids in the
eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a
job. You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand
in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more
friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you
watch those waving flags. You stand there, and
you think about this Nation, and you tell ME that
those people didn'thave a job? I'll tell you,
Howard Metzenbaum... you should be on your knees
every day of our life thanking God that there
were some men - SOME MEN - who held a REAL job.
And they required a dedication to a purpose - and
a love of country and a dedication to duty- that
was more important than life itself. And their
self-sacrifice is what made this country
possible. I HAVE held a job, Howard! --- What
about you?"
For those who don't remember - During WW II,
Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing
the Communist Party in the USA. Now he is a
Senator!
If you can read this, thank a teacher....
If you are reading it in English, thank a
Veteran.......
More
Heroes
