One of the greatest Americans of the last 70 years is dead.
Rest in peace, David Hackworth.
If you haven’t read About Face, you do not know what you are missing. Hackworth was one of America’s most decorated soldier:
Individual Decorations & Service Medals:
Distinguished Service Cross (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
Silver Star (with nine Oak Leaf Clusters)
Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters)
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star Medal (with “V” Device & seven Oak Leaf Clusters)(Seven of the awards for heroism)
Purple Heart (with seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (with “V” Device & Numeral 34)(One for heroism and 33 for aerial achievement)
Army Commendation Medal (w/ “V” Device & 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
Good Conduct Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Army of Occupation Medal (with Germany and Japan Clasps)
National Defense Service Medal (with one Bronze Service Star)
Korean Service Medal (with Service Stars for eight campaigns)
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Vietnam Service Medal (2 Silver Service Stars = 10 campaigns)
Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Unit Awards:
Presidential Unit Citation
Valorous Unit Award (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
Meritorious Unit Commendation
Badges & Tabs:
Combat Infantryman Badge (w/ one Star; representing 2 awards)
Master Parachutist Badge
Army General Staff Identification Badge
Foreign Awards:
United Nations Service Medal (Korea)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960)
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Gold Stars)
Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Silver Stars)
Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal (1st Class)
Vietnam Staff Service Medal (1st Class)
Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order, 2d Class
Vietnam Parachutist Badge (Master Level)
Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with three Palm oak leaf clusters)
Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class Unit Citation (with one Palm oak leaf cluster)
World War II Merchant Marine Awards:
Pacific War Zone Bar
Victory Medal
Dave Ruddell
Silver Star (with nine Oak Leaf Clusters)
Holy crap!
Stormy70
A Hero of the first water. Rest in Peace.
Mr Furious
Amen.
Gary Farber
Also a few books, worth reading. Not honors awarded by the government, but not all honors are awarded by the government, nor should be.
JKC
Sad news. May he rest in peace.
rilkefan
He always seemed like a straight shooter to me. Respects.
frontinus
“Hackworth died Wednesday in Tijuana, Mexico, where he was receiving treatment for bladder cancer.”
Huh?
Gary Farber
I said my thing here, incidentally.
“Huh?”
A lot of folks buy into, in desperation, um, “Mexican cures,” which is to say, claims the evil regulatory agency of the U.S. tends to ban — evil, evil, regulatory Democratic heirs of FDR! — because they, you know, don’t actually work. Clearly this is another Democratic restriction of Freedom!, and people should be allowed to be defrauded as they wish in our own country, because that is Freedom!