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In a priority mail five-paragraph letter, the Coates & Davenport law firm in Richmond has ordered Colonel Van Barfoot to remove the pole by 5 p.m. Friday or face legal action. According to the letter, Barfoot would have to pay all legal fees and costs if the legal proceeding pursued by Sussex Square Homeowners Association is successful. Family members say Barfoot is the most decorated American combat veteran alive. He has been awarded more than 20 medals, including the Medal of Honor, The Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, The Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts. This fall, his native...

Col. Van T. Barfoot, one of the country's last-surviving Medal of Honor winners, is under the gun from his Henrico County community's homeowner association. In a five-paragraph letter to Barfoot that he received yesterday, Barfoot is being ordered to remove a flagpole from his yard.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20, 2009 – Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millett, who earned the Medal of Honor during the Korean War for leading what reportedly was the last major American bayonet charge, died Nov 14. Retired Army Col. Lewis L. Millet wears his Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star and other medals earned in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He served as honorary colonel of the 27th Infantry Regiment Association, and was active in veterans events almost to his death Nov. 14, 2009. U.S. Army photo  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Millett, 88, died in Loma...

In 1940, Lewis L. "Red" Millett, a 17 year old native of Mechanic Falls, Maine, dropped out of high school and joined the Army Air Corps in order to fight the increasing fascist threat in Europe. But when President Roosevelt stated that the U.S. would not be entering the war, Millett decided to become a deserter and head to Canada - not to avoid combat, but to seek it out as part of the Canadian army. He was sent to London where he served as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Nazi's "Blitz" bombing campaign. "I deeply believe that if you're...

On Dec. 4, 2009, the radical Hollywood left is poised to release its latest tribute to the men and women of the armed services, entitled "Brothers." The film stars Tobey Maguire as a military man serving in Afghanistan. When he is presumed killed in action, his wife, played by Natalie Portman, has an affair with his brother, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Naturally, Maguire shows up at home with a tremendous case of post-traumatic disorder -- which, if we are to judge from the trailer, causes him to fire weapons at random and physically abuse his wife. "Brothers" follows hot on...

In observance of Veterans Day, the University of Washington will dedicate a new memorial to eight UW alumni who have received the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest honor for valor in battle.Earning a medal, of any sort, was the furthest thing from Bruce Crandall's mind on the morning of Nov. 14, 1965, as he repeatedly flew his Huey helicopter through a hail of enemy fire in Vietnam. Only this mattered: His comrades needed him. Likewise, John "Bud" Hawk wasn't looking for glory on Aug. 20, 1944, when he stayed exposed in a French orchard, taking a shot in the...

It's hard to envision -- or, for the dwindling few, to remember -- what the world looked like on Oct. 26, 1942, when a few thousand U.S. Marines stood essentially stranded on the God-forsaken jungle island of Guadalcanal, placed like a speed bump at the end of the long blue-water slot between New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago, the most likely route for the Japanese Navy to take if they hoped to reach Australia. On Guadalcanal, the Marines struggled to complete an airfield. Japanese Adm. Isoroku Yamamoto knew what that meant. No effort would be spared to dislodge these upstart...

Texas Rep. Sam Johnson -- one member that colleagues of both parties routinely refer to as “ a hero” and “great American” -- was honored October 10 for being precisely that by a group of the most honored Americans of all. Johnson, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot during the Vietnam War who was a prisoner of war for seven years, received the coveted National Patriot Award from the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. The award is a medallion that is awarded annually, according to its sponsors, “to distinguished Americans who exemplify the ideals that make our country strong. Their...

POMONA - A judge sentenced Xavier Alvarez to five years in prison on Thursday for defrauding the Three Valleys Municipal Water District. Alvarez, who served on the water district Board of Directors since 2006, also was forced to resign his seat. Alvarez was convicted of knowingly registering his ex-wife Juanita Ruiz for health benefits with the district from Jan. 24 to Oct. 31, 2007. "This sends a message to public officials," said Sandi Roth, prosecutor with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Public Integrity Division. "Even if the loss is small, we will not tolerate your actions. It's a warning...

You might think a posthumous Medal of Honor award ceremony would be a somber occasion, but not everyone would agree with you. Either this is an especially skillful photo shop effort or Michelle Obama has no clue whatsoever about the nature of this event. U.S. Army Sergeant First Class Jared C. Monti’s parents received the award for him. I hope they didn’t notice the first lady’s stunningly inappropriate dress, but that’s unlikely.

Attention to Orders: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Staff Sergeant Jared C. Monti distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a team leader with Headquarters and Headquarters troop, 3rd Squadron, 71st Calvary Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, in connection with combat operations against an enemy in Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, on June 21st, 2006. While Staff Sergeant Monti was leading a mission aimed at gathering intelligence and directing fire against the enemy, his 16-man...

Sen. John Kerry paid tribute today to Sergeant First Class Jared Monti, who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2006. Sen. Kerry attended a Medal of Honor Ceremony earlier today at the White House where President Obama posthumously awarded Monti the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Monti, a native of Raynham, is the first Massachusetts veteran to receive the Medal of Honor since 1970.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Across just a few deadly yards of rocky terrain, the private’s cries grew weaker. Even though bullets came pouring in like hail, Staff Sgt. Jared Monti made a break for it. The enemy was strong — maybe 50, to the 16 Americans. But Pvt. Brian Bradbury was Monti’s guy. He was isolated and bleeding badly on this grim mountain ridge in northeastern Afghanistan’s Nuristan province. Monti didn’t get far. A barrage of fire cut down the 30-year-old moments before air cover he’d requested arrived. Exhausted and reeling from a desperate fight that left Monti and another...

MOUNT PLEASANT -- Five dark-suited FBI agents showed up at Patriots Point on Friday with two Civil War-era Medals of Honor. And while the agents had few details about the investigation it took to bring the medals to their new home, they didn't mince words when it came to describing the kind of people involved in the theft of the nation's highest military honor. "I can't imagine anything more despicable than taking away the honor of those people who earned those medals," said David Thomas, South Carolina special agent in charge. The FBI investigates stolen and counterfeit Medals of Honor...

For Conspicuous Gallantry Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Greyhawk, at The Mudville Gazette provides the circumstances: On 21 June 2006, SFC Monti, then a staff sergeant, was the assistant patrol leader for a 16-man patrol tasked to conduct surveillance in the Gowardesh region. The patrol was to provide up-to-date intelligence, interdict enemy movement and ensure early warning for the squadron’s main effort as it inserted into the province. As nightfall approached, the patrol was attacked by a well organized enemy force of at least 60 personnel. Outnumbered four-to-one, SFC Monti’s patrol was in serious danger of being overrun....

Eight years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. About 4,000 members of the U.S. military killed in action. More than 34,000 wounded. Just six considered worthy of America's highest military award for battlefield valor. For some veterans and members of Congress, that last number doesn't add up. They question how so few Medals of Honor—all awarded posthumously—could be bestowed for wars of such magnitude and duration. Pentagon officials say the nature of war has changed. Laser-guided missiles destroy enemy positions without putting soldiers in harm's way. Insurgents deploy roadside bombs rather than engage in firefights they're certain to lose. Those...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Eight years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq. About 4,000 members of the U.S. military killed in action. More than 34,000 wounded. Just six considered worthy of America's highest military award for battlefield valor. For some veterans and members of Congress, that last number doesn't add up. They question how so few Medals of Honor—all awarded posthumously—could be bestowed for wars of such magnitude and duration. Pentagon officials say the nature of war has changed. Laser-guided missiles destroy enemy positions without putting soldiers in harm's way. Insurgents deploy roadside bombs rather than engage in firefights they're certain...

WASHINGTON, July 24, 2009 – President Barack Obama will posthumously award Army Sgt. 1st Class Jared C. Monti the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry in Afghanistan, White House officials announced today. The ceremony, scheduled for Sept. 17 at the White House, will mark the first time Obama confers the highest military honor, making Monti the sixth servicemember to receive the Medal of Honor for service in Afghanistan or Iraq since Sept. 11, 2001, all of which have been awarded posthumously. Then a staff sergeant, Monti, 30, was killed June 21, 2006, while deployed to Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain...

WASHINGTON, July 17, 2009 – At least 59 of the 96 living Medal of Honor recipients are expected to attend the upcoming annual convention of the society named for them. The host committee of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s convention, scheduled for Sept. 15 to 19 in Chicago, announced the number in a statement released on the convention Web site, http://cmoh2009chicago.org, noting the unlikelihood of assembling that many recipients of the military’s highest honor at once. Of the 42 million men and women who have served in the military since the award began during the Civil War, only 3,447...

As Ed "Too Tall" Freeman lay ill in a Boise hospital over the past few weeks, many came to pay their respects to the 80-year-old national war hero and former helicopter pilot. One unexpected visitor offered a very personal thank you to Freeman, a veteran of three wars and recipient of the highest military award -- the Congressional Medal of Honor -- for his actions on Nov. 14, 1965, at Landing Zone X-Ray, Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam.

Over the last seven years of combat operations in the War on Terrorism, more than a million brave servicemen and women have faithfully served in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nearly 5,000 have died; thousands of others bear the scars of war. All of them, regardless of their individual experience or contribution, were exposed to some level of risk. For those soldiers and Marines on the front lines, many of whom carried the brunt of the security responsibility in Iraq or continue to lead the fight in Afghanistan, dangerous confrontations with the enemy are a daily occurrence. While many have been recognized...

Michael Jackson dies and it's 24/7 news coverage. A real American hero dies and not a mention of it in the news. The media has no honor and God is watching Ed Freeman You're a 19-year-old kid. You're critically wounded and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley , 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam . Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8-1 and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you...

This page is devoted to the pre-eminent heroes of the War on Terror. The men who have been awarded their nations very highest decorations for bravery in service in this war. This page will be updated to include all people who receive those decorations. The decorations are:

Defense official tells Hunter that modern warfare limits troop-on-troop contactIs high-tech warfare making combat safer and leading to fewer Medal of Honor winners from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? That's the suggestion of a Defense Department official in a letter to Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-El Cajon, who says there are more deserving troops from America's current conflicts than the five who have won the honor. Gail McGinn, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, wrote Hunter a letter earlier this month suggesting electronic warfare may be one reason why only a handful of U.S. troops have been awarded...

Medal of Honor recipient, George Wahlen dies June 5th, 2009 @ 6:30pm Salt Lake City -- Congressional Medal of Honor recipient and Utah resident George E. Wahlen died Friday morning after an extended illness. Wahlen was 84-years-old. Wahlen earned the Medal of Honor as a Navy Corpsman at the battle of Iwo Jima where he is credited for saving countless lives. He was injured on three separate occasions but refused to leave the battlefield. President Harry S. Truman presented the Medal of Honor to Wahlen in 1945. He later re-enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served during the Korean...

The U.S. military appears to have toughened its standards for bestowing the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor in battle, to exclude troops who survive their heroic acts, a California lawmaker charged Thursday. Either troops are "not as brave as they used to be, which I don't believe is true," or the criteria for the award have been amended "so that you have to die" to receive it, Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., told the Army's top civilian and uniformed leaders. Hunter's assertion during a House Armed Services Committee hearing drew a rebuke from Gen. George Casey,...

You're an 19 year old kid. You're critically wounded, and dying in the jungle in the Ia Drang Valley, 11-14-1965, LZ X-ray, Vietnam.... and you are learning that War is Hell. Your infantry unit is outnumbered 8 - 1, and the enemy fire is so intense, from 100 or 200 yards away, that your own Infantry Commander has ordered the MediVac helicopters to stop coming in. You're lying there, listening to the enemy machine guns, and you know you're not getting out. Your family is 1/2 way around the world, 12,000 miles away, and you'll never see them again. As...

Russell Dunham, a World War II Army veteran who received the Medal of Honor, the military's highest decoration for valor, after he assaulted three German machine gun emplacements, killed nine German soldiers and took two prisoners on a snowy morning in 1945, died Monday at his home in Godfrey, Ill., of congestive heart failure. He was 89. On Jan. 8, 1945, Tech. Sgt. Dunham's company, part of the 3rd Infantry Division, was facing a formidable German force at the small town of Kayserberg, France, on the Franco-German border. The men were issued white mattress covers as camouflage in the deep...

The Freeper Canteen Observes National Medal Of Honor Day Just one day after awarding the Medal of Honor to Bruce Crandall--a veteran of the Vietnam War--the U.S. Congress acted to recommend creation of a national "Medal of Honor Day." WHY MARCH 25th? The date of March 25th was chosen to highlight this special day because it was on March 25 (1863) that the first Medals of Honor were presented...to six members of Andrews' Raiders. WHAT CAN YOU DO ABOUT IT? National Medal of Honor day is celebrated in some communities, however for the most part the occasion comes and...

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2009 – The challenge issued by a flight attendant during a recent commercial air flight seemed innocuous enough: “Name just one of the five Medal of Honor recipients from the current engagements in Afghanistan or Iraq, and get a free drink coupon.” But the passengers’ response – more specifically, the inability of all but just one to respond – revealed how little the average American knows about its military heroes. Bombarded by superhero lore almost from birth, many Americans grow to revere fictional heroes as well as sports and celebrity icons. But silence descended over the...

“On 29 September (2006), Monsoor was part of a sniper overwatch security position in eastern Ramadi, Iraq, with three other SEALs and eight Iraqi soldiers. They were providing overwatch security while joint and combined forces were conducting missions in the area. Ramadi had been a violent and intense area for a very strong and aggressive insurgency for some time. All morning long the overwatch position received harassment fire that had become a typical part of the day for the security team. Around midday, the exterior of the building was struck by a single rocket propelled grenade (RPG), but no injuries...

Colonel James Swett, USMC Another legend has left us. Colonel James Swett Sr., United States Marine Corps pilot of WWII passed away at the age of 88 here in Redding, California. He was the recipient of the Medal of Honor, the DFC and held two Purple Hearts for his actions in the South Pacific while assigned to VMF-221.

According to TSO who was at the “Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball”, this newly sworn-in President for the first time in 56 years blew off the ball (that’s 14 Inaugurations). TSO is one of the Mil-bloggers at "This Ain't Hell". A tradition for over a half century until "The Loser" with his nose in the air snubbed the Medal of Honor winners.

Another milestone for our new President: he’s the first President in 56 years to snub the American Legion’s “Salute to Heroes Inaugural Ball.”

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2009 – America’s most senior defense leaders honored 43 men who risked their lives with unmatched heroism in service to their country during a luncheon here today. The men honored had all earned the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration, and they will attend the presidential inauguration as honored guests tomorrow. “More than 1,500 Medals of Honor were awarded in the Civil War,” Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told the men. “In the century-and-a-half since, whenever the United States has been forced into action on the battlefield, wherever we have been forced to defend and...

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!   For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.   Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!     ~ Hall of Heroes ~ Ed W. FreemanInfo from this website.             Ed W. "Too Tall" Freeman (November 20, 1927 - August 20, 2008) was a United States Army fixed- and rotary wing aircraft pilot who received the Medal of Honor on July 16, 2001 for his actions in the Battle of Ia Drang...

Bronx soldier Cornelius Charlton gave his life for his country in the Korean War and got a Medal of Honor for it.  This week, he will finally get the rest of what was coming to him when the Army sergeant's remains are buried in Arlington National Cemetery - ending a half century of mystery, bitter tears and a quest to ennoble the young hero. Snapping a salute as Army soldiers fold the U.S. flag into a triangle and a chaplain prays over the grave will be a cluster of graying veterans from the Bronx who made it their mission to...

Nathan G. Gordon, a Navy pilot who received the Medal of Honor for rescuing other aviators in World War II, and who later became Arkansas's longest-serving lieutenant governor, died Sept. 8 at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences hospital in Little Rock. He was 92 and had pneumonia and other ailments.

September 12, 2008, 0:00 a.m. Giants Among the Lilliputians True honor. By Kathleen Parker Camden, S.C. — While the political class was focused on the meaning of pigs wearing lipstick, a few fortunate South Carolinians were riveted by the meaning of valor. The occasion was a celebration of four of the state’s living recipients of the Medal of Honor — Charles Murray Jr., (Army, WWII, 1944), John Baker (Army, Vietnam, 1966), James Livingston (USMC, Vietnam, 1968), and Michael Thornton (Navy, Vietnam, 1972). (snip)

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Ed Freeman of Boise died Wednesday morning, according to a friend of the Freeman family. He was 80 years old. -- SNIP -- As a flight leader and second in command of a 16-helicopter lift unit, he supported a heavily engaged infantry battalion at Landing Zone X-Ray in the la Drang Valley.

LOS ANGELES - Local water director Xavier Alvarez was sentenced to three years' probation and fined $5,000 in federal court Monday morning for falsely claiming he was awarded the Medal of Honor. MP3 Audio: Alvarez Medal of Honor claimBefore he was sentenced, Alvarez told Judge R. Gary Klausner that he was "very remorseful" for his false claims of military valor. "I'd like to apologize to everyone in this whole nation," said Alvarez, who represents south Pomona Xavier Alvarez. (Staff photo) on the Three Valleys Municipal Water District board. As part of Alvarez's terms of probation, the court recommended he perform...

The Stars and Stripes and the Boeing Corp have created a special section devoted to the following people's stories: Medal of Honor recipient Lt. Michael P. Murphy Medal of Honor recipient Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor Medal of Honor recipient Pfc. Ross McGinnis Master Sgt. Scott Innis Capt. Jared A. Laurin 1st Sgt. Paul Archie Staff Sgt. Murray Rice 1st Lt. Colin Cremin Capt. Seward Matwick Staff Sgt. Matthew Ritenour Sgt. Ken Thomas Sgt. 1st Class Jose Rodriguez Master Gunnery Sgt. Michael C. Sharp 2nd Lt. Brian M. Stann Chief Warrant Officer 3 Richard Chenault Staff Sgt. Jon Hilliard...

Early in the morning of June 6, 1944, Americans heard on their radios that thousands of American and British soldiers had landed on the beaches of northern France. They were fighting German soldiers. This day marked the beginning of the end of one of the bloodiest wars ever: World War II. The American and British invasion of France was a top-secret mission called "Operation Overlord." When they landed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, the goal of every soldier was to drive the German military back. Thousands of men died during that effort, either in the churning...

Jack Lucas, who at 14 lied his way into military service during World War II and became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, died Thursday in a Hattiesburg, Mississippi, hospital. He was 80. Jack Lucas, seen here being acknowleged by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in March, had been battling cancer. Lucas had been battling cancer. Ponda Lee at Moore Funeral Service said the funeral home was told he died before dawn. Jacklyn "Jack" Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation's highest military...

Jack Lucas, who at 14 lied his way into military service during World War II and became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, died Thursday in a Hattiesburg, Miss., hospital. He was 80. Lucas had been battling cancer. Ponda Lee at Moore Funeral Service said the funeral home was told he died before dawn. Jacklyn "Jack" Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation's highest military honor. He used his body to shield three fellow squad members from two grenades, and was nearly...

JACKSON, Miss. - Jack Lucas, who at 14 lied his way into military service during World War II and became the youngest Marine to receive the Medal of Honor, died Thursday in a Hattiesburg, Miss., hospital. He was 80. Lucas had been battling cancer. Ponda Lee at Moore Funeral Service said the funeral home was told he died before dawn. Jacklyln "Jack" Lucas was just six days past his 17th birthday in February 1945 when his heroism at Iwo Jima earned him the nation's highest military honor. He used his body to shield three fellow squad members from two grenades,...

JACKSON, Miss. - A World War II veteran who received the nation's highest military honor when he was only 17 is in the fight of his life, battling cancer, his biographer said. Eighty-year-old Jack Lucas, who lied his way into the Marines at age 14, was nearly killed when he used his body to shield his fellow Marines from grenades on Iwo Jima in February 1945. He was just a few days past his 17th birthday at the time. He received the Medal of Honor from President Truman later that year, becoming the youngest Marine to receive the award. D.K....

WASHINGTON, June 3, 2008 – Medal of Honor recipient Army Spc. Ross A. McGinnis joined a select group of military heroes during a Pentagon ceremony here today. Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England hosted the event that added McGinnis’ name to the roster of other Army Medal of Honor recipients. Army Secretary Pete Geren and Gen. Richard R. Cody, the Army’s vice chief of staff, also attended the event at the library and conference center. Medal of Honor recipients “are our nation’s most-revered heroes,” England said. “And every time a name is added, that individual’s story enriches the significance of...

JACKSON, Miss. - A World War II veteran who received the nation's highest military honor when he was only 17 is in the fight of his life, battling cancer, his biographer said. Eighty-year-old Jack Lucas, who lied his way into the Marines at age 14, was nearly killed when he used his body to shield his fellow Marines from grenades on Iwo Jima in February 1945. He was just a few days past his 17th birthday at the time. He received the Medal of Honor from President Truman later that year, becoming the youngest Marine to receive the award. D.K....

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday presented the nation’s highest military award to a young soldier killed in Iraq when he threw himself on a hand grenade tossed into a Humvee where four other soldiers sat. Ross McGinnis of Knox, Penn., was 19 years old when he gave his life to save the lives of his colleagues. “The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military distinction,” the president said. “It’s given for valor beyond anything that duty could require or a superior could command