Comments on: We Haz Stamps!

By: MajHarvey

MajHarvey — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:13:29 +0000

On an interesting note, I had the pleasure of meeting Col. Mitch Paige years ago – earned his MOH by defending “Bloody Ridge” on Guadalcanal during a night attack, then gathering the survivors and leading them on a bayonet charge to finish off the rest, with him out in front cradling a Browning .30 cal in his arms. As I recall, he had some less than pleasant things to say about Basilone – I never did get the full story, but left with the impression that he felt Basilone hadn’t really merited his honors.

‘Course, what one MOH recipient thinks “merits” the award could be different than what you and I may think. YMMV.

By: MajHarvey

MajHarvey — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:09:10 +0000

I remember when those came out – I think it was back in 2005 or so. It is Puller, Lejeune, Basilone & Daly. I have three whole sheets that I’ve managed to save, although I did enjoy putting ‘em on envelopes at one point!

By: Sim

Sim — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:17:43 +0000

We have two living VC recipients.

Now to get another USS Canberra

By: Curtis

Curtis — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:45:44 +0000

There is a surprising memorial to Basilone in Little Italy hard by Filippis. Me, Mark, Megan and the boys stopped to read it after dinner. It was not there when I lived there years ago.

By: Justthisguy

Justthisguy — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:40:19 +0000

A year or two ago, I bought the sheet of stamps with Marines on it. I think it had Lejeune, Daly, Puller, and Basilone on it. I think I still half of it around here _somewhere_.

Did y’all know that there was a USS Basilone, sponsored and christened by his widow, also a Sergeant, USMC? Read the account of their courtship and marriage; the regs barely allowed them a day and a night together before he shipped out to his death.

By: MajHarvey

MajHarvey — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:14:42 +0000

Yes, but of the seven Marine Corps double awardees, only two – Dan Daly & Smedley Butler – are legitimate. The rest were awarded both Army & Navy Medals of Honor for the same act in WWI. Daly & Butler earned theirs for separate actions: Daly for defending the American Legation during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, and again for his part in engaging a band of 400 Cacos in Haiti in 1915. Butler received his first for actions at Veracruz, Mexico in 1914 (which he tried to return) and his second barely a year later for his intrepid capture of the Caco stronghold of Fort Rivière. Butler also has the distinction of being awarded the rare Brevet Medal for service in China in 1900.