Today in U.S. military history: Pat Tillman, Hitler, and the first gas attack

Unto the Breach ^ | 22 Apr 2017 | Chris Carter

[fugazi]

1863: Union cavalry troopers, led by Col. Benjamin Grierson, begin a two-week raid through Mississippi. Grierson’s raiders cut the state's telegraph lines, destroy two train loads of Confederate ammunition, sabotage 50 miles of railroad, kill 100 and capture 500 Confederates - at the cost of three wounded, seven wounded, and 14 missing.

1915: German artillery near Gravenstafel, Belgium fires over 150 tons of chlorine gas on French forces, including French Colonial Moroccan and Algerian troops, in the first large-scale successful use of chemical weapons. Within moments, the toxic gas cloud inflicts about 6,000 casualties - including many of the German artillery troops. Some 2,000 Americans alone would die from chemical weapons during World War I, and the deadly new tactic inflicts half a million casualties by war's end.

1942: The Coordinator of Information (predecessor to the Office of Strategic Services, and ultimately, the CIA) activates Detachment 101 - a special operations unit in Burma. The group collected intelligence, destroyed bridges, derailed trains, captured or destroyed enemy vehicles, located targets for the 10th Air Force, rescued downed Allied airmen, and most importantly...

[fugazi]

Pat Tillman is the first professional athlete to die for his country since former offensive lineman Bob Kalsu is killed in Vietnam. But did you know that he served alongside his brother Kevin, who was a minor league baseball player for the Cleveland Indians Double-A affiliate?

[fugazi]

Former Cleveland Brown Don Steinbrunner also gave his life in Vietnam.

[Mollypitcher1]

I don’t think any special recognition should be given to professional athletes who served their country. EVERY life that was lost in the many wars we have fought is equally important. Just because somebody was a football player does not make his life any more important than the farmer’s son or the boy next door. Are we as a nation doomed to forever be controlled by the Celebrity Complex which leads to worship of some persons over others who have also sacrificed the last full measure?