Posted on 11/15/2018 12:59:47 PM PST by fugazi
1942: Off Guadalcanal, the U.S. and Japanese fleets engage in one of only two battleship-on-battleship engagements of the Pacific War. While Kirishima hammers USS South Dakota (BB-57) in the early morning hours, USS Washington (BB-56) slips away undetected and maneuvers to near point-blank range, raking the Japanese battleship with devastating salvos. Japanese naval guns and torpedoes send three U.S. destroyers (Walke, Preston, and Benham) to the bottom of Ironbottom Sound, while U.S. warplanes destroy four troop transport ships carrying soldiers and badly needed supplies. The Allies have inflicted such heavy losses on the Japanese that they abandon the mission to retake Guadalcanal.
USS South Dakota in 1943
Injured in the attack on South Dakota is 12-year-old Seaman 1st Class Calvin L. Graham, who lied about his age that summer to join the Navy. Graham earns the Bronze Star with Combat "V" and the Purple Heart during the battle. Shockingly, Graham is thrown in the brig for three months, dishonorably discharged, and has his medals stripped when the government learns his actual age. He enlists in the Marine Corps when he turns 17.
1950: "As a squad leader of the 3d Platoon [U.S. Army Pfc. Mack A. Jordan] was participating in a night attack on key terrain against a fanatical hostile force when the advance was halted by intense small-arms and automatic-weapons fire and a vicious barrage of handgrenades. Upon orders for the platoon to withdraw and reorganize, Pfc. Jordan voluntarily remained behind to provide covering fire. Crawling toward an enemy machine gun emplacement, he threw 3 grenades and neutralized the gun. He then rushed the position delivering a devastating hail of fire, killing several of the enemy and forcing the remainder to fall back to new positions. He courageously attempted to move
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Ping list
Were they EVER reinstated? IF not, This must be rectified....................
A nation of tough young men back then...
“Calvin L. Graham, who lied about his age that summer to join the Navy. Graham earns the Bronze Star with Combat “V” and the Purple Heart during the battle. Shockingly, Graham is thrown in the brig for three months, dishonorably discharged, and has his medals stripped when the government learns his actual age. He enlists in the Marine Corps when he turns 17.”
Ping!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Graham
The South Dakota’s gunnery officer, who was involved in handling his case, was Sargent Shriver.
Post military service
In 1978, he was finally given an honorable discharge for his service in the navy, and after writing to Congress and with the approval of President Jimmy Carter, all medals except his Purple Heart were reinstated. His story came to public attention in 1988, when his story was told in the TV movie, Too Young the Hero. He was played by Rick Schroder.[11]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Graham
In 1988, he received disability benefits and back pay for his service in the navy after President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that granted Graham full disability benefits, increased his back pay to $4917 and allowed him $18,000 for past medical bills, contingent on receipts for the medical services.[11][12] By this time, some of the doctors who treated him had died and many medical bills were lost. He received only $2,100 of the possible $18,000. While the money for the rights to his story for the movie, Too Young The Hero amounted to $50,000, 50% went to two agents and 20% went to a writer of an unpublished book about Graham. He and his wife received just $15,000 before taxes.[13]
Death
Graham’s Purple Heart was finally reinstated, and presented to his widow, Mary, on June 21, 1994, by Secretary of the Navy John Dalton in Arlington, Texas, nearly two years after his death from heart failure.[10][14] He was buried at Laurel Land Memorial Park in Fort Worth, Texas
Except the Purple Heart? You can’t be wounded if you’re under 18?
It was reinstated by Reagan...............
Wiki also says he was thrown in the brig for going AWOL to attend his grandmother’s funeral.
According to Wikipedia he got stuff reinstated, including pension and medical benefits, in dribs and drabs over the decades. The purple heart was reinstated two years after his death.
Typical government bureaucrat foot dragging..........
Lots of kids today would lie about their age..............to keep from going to fight.
Back around 1971 or 72 My brother joined the Navy when he was 15. He was very tall for his age.
He served a year or so until he got into trouble for something , I don’t know what, so he told the commanding officer he was only 16.
He was discharged before the day was done...................
My wife’s Grandfather was a Chief Boatswains Mate on the Walke and died in this battle.
Per Wikipedia...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Graham
In 1978, he was finally given an honorable discharge for his service in the navy, and after writing to Congress and with the approval of President Jimmy Carter, all medals except his Purple Heart were reinstated. His story came to public attention in 1988, when his story was told in the TV movie, Too Young the Hero. He was played by Rick Schroder.[11]
In 1988, he received disability benefits and back pay for his service in the navy after President Ronald Reagan signed legislation that granted Graham full disability benefits, increased his back pay to $4917 and allowed him $18,000 for past medical bills, contingent on receipts for the medical services.[11][12] By this time, some of the doctors who treated him had died and many medical bills were lost. He received only $2,100 of the possible $18,000. While the money for the rights to his story for the movie, Too Young The Hero amounted to $50,000, 50% went to two agents and 20% went to a writer of an unpublished book about Graham. He and his wife received just $15,000 before taxes.[13]
Death
Graham’s Purple Heart was finally reinstated, and presented to his widow, Mary, on June 21, 1994, by Secretary of the Navy John Dalton in Arlington, Texas, nearly two years after his death from heart failure.[10][14] He was buried at Laurel Land Memorial Park in Fort Worth, Texas.[15]
Hand Salute, Seaman 1st Class Calvin L. Graham
I want you on my side. You are one Badass!
My Uncle joined the Marines in 1932 when he was 16. I suppose he lied about his age but don’t know the minimum age back then.
p
Sounds like the kid had enough guts for three people.
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