FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: COL Robert Nett ~ May 10, 2010

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

COL Robert Nett

Info from this website.

           

Robert B. Nett (born June 9, 1922 - October 19, 2008) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the campaign to recapture the Philippines in World War II.

A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Nett enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1940 at age seventeen. The minimum enlistment age was eighteen years, however Nett was able to join by creasing his birth certificate so that his year of birth was obscured. Two years later, he was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he graduated from Officer Candidate School. Nett was then sent to the Philippines, where he met his future wife, Frances, an Army nurse.

By December 14, 1944, Nett was a lieutenant in Company E of the 305th Infantry Regiment, 77th Infantry Division. On that day, near Cognon, Leyte, during the Battle of Ormoc Bay, Nett led his company on an assault against a heavily fortified Japanese position. Despite being seriously wounded twice in hand-to-hand fighting, he continued to lead his men until being wounded a third time. After making arrangements for the leadership of his company, he left the front lines to seek medical aid.  Nett survived his wounds and recovered enough to rejoin his unit for the Okinawa Campaign. His division was then sent to Cebu and began training for the planned invasion of Japan. The invasion was canceled after the surrender of Japan in August 1945, marking the end of the war.

On February 8, 1946, a year after the battle near Cognon, Nett was issued the Medal of Honor for his actions during that fight.  A ceremony was held in his hometown of New Haven, and President Harry S. Truman was to have presented him with the medal there, but had to cancel in order to attend to the formation of the United Nations.

Nett's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

He commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced enemy battalion which had held up the American advance for 2 days from its entrenched positions around a 3-story concrete building. With another infantry company and armored vehicles, Company E advanced against heavy machinegun and other automatic weapons fire with Lt. Nett spearheading the assault against the strongpoint. During the fierce hand-to-hand encounter which ensued, he killed 7 deeply entrenched Japanese with his rifle and bayonet and, although seriously wounded, gallantly continued to lead his men forward, refusing to relinquish his command. Again he was severely wounded, but, still unwilling to retire, pressed ahead with his troops to assure the capture of the objective. Wounded once more in the final assault, he calmly made all arrangements for the resumption of the advance, turned over his command to another officer, and then walked unaided to the rear for medical treatment. By his remarkable courage in continuing forward through sheer determination despite successive wounds, Lt. Nett provided an inspiring example for his men and was instrumental in the capture of a vital strongpoint.

Nett continued his service in the army after the war for 33 years, retiring with the rank of colonel. He was involved in Army affairs, giving frequent lectures on leadership and duty. He lectured every class of the Officer Candidate School (OCS), and was frequently invited to give talks to the Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning. He is considered the "Father of the Officer Candidate School".

He was inducted into the Army Ranger Hall of Fame and the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame, an honor reserved for those OCS graduates who were awarded the Medal of Honor or rose to the rank of Colonel. In addition, the classroom building in the OCS area at Ft. Benning is named for him, and the Leadership Hall for the Connecticut National Guard at Camp Rell in Niantic is also named in his honor. In January 2007 the United Service Organizations (USO) awarded him the Spirit of Hope Award.

Colonel Nett died on 19 October 2008. He is survived by his wife Frances , who lives in Columbus, Georgia. Their son, Robert Nett Jr., also served in the U.S. Army.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission!

[AZamericonnie]

Prayers for your saftey EGC & hope your MIL is out of harms way Luvie.

The touch down on I-40 & Choctaw road missed Goldstarbrother by just 1 mile.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Otter pups! Now in two varieties! We like ours dry and in a furry heap, like these quadruplets at Japan's Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium. Photo: Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP / Getty Images

[AZamericonnie]

A drive by hello backatcha Sarge!:)

How you had a good day! *hugs*

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh my gosh....we have a bunch of Oklahoma FRiends.....

Prayers that everyone is ok.

My goodness, Goldstarbrother.....a mile is much too close.

[AZamericonnie]

Looks like it’s heading up Acad’s way.

I didn’t realize trussell & EGPWS had moved there.

I’ll be so glad when it passes & everyone checks in.

[luvie]

Just talked to my DIL....they are fine. They had baseball-sized hail at the house, but their cars were in the garage, thank goodness. A neighbor had holes in the windshield of their car. Piper saw all the hail and got all dressed to go “play in the snow”. She talked to my MIL and everything’s ok there, too!

Prayers for all our Okie friends!

....and thanks for asking!

[Kathy in Alaska]

I hope they all check in.

Too close for GSB. Do you still have family there?

[SevenofNine]

Guys did you hear this?????

joebrooks Unconfirmed report says that Osama Bin Laden’s key ally Mullah Omar has been captured

[Kathy in Alaska]

Baby on board: But some prefer theirs extra-moist, like this one on Mom's belly near Moss Landing, Calif. Photo: Randy Wilder / Monterey Bay Aquarium

[luvie]

I hope that’s true...and that Obama...I mean Osama...has
been captured or killed right along with his buddy!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please, please, please let this be true. And let the Pakis or Afghans interogate him. We wouldn’t want a bloody lip.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Click the pic for ….

USCG Training Center, Cape May, New Jersey

NOTE: CANTEEN MUSIC
Posted daily and on the Music Thread
for the enjoyment of our troops and visitors.

[Kathy in Alaska]

The last news was talking about baseball-sized hail.....WOW!! Thankfully your DIL has a garage, and the cars were in it! Glad the MIL is ok too.

Hope Piper got to go out and get some hail....and have a ball melt in her hand.

[AZamericonnie]

Oh thank goodness they have checked in!

Piper saw all the hail and got all dressed to go “play in the snow”.

LOL.....that's cute!

[AZamericonnie]

No family left there just many close friends.

[luvie]

Well, I called them! They are SO independent....and it didn’t
seem such a big deal to her.

All Piper knows is that white stuff in the yard means snow.
I would have loved to see her getting all dressed in her
“gear”! LOL!

I don’t think she actually got to go out in it...but I didn’t
ask. Never thought to.

[SevenofNine]

I try find the story somewhere on FR somebody has article already

[AZamericonnie]

Well good for you! I would have called them as well! lol

I can just imagine Piper in her boots & winter coat excited about snow.

I remember many years ago we had a hail storm on Christmas eve & laughed about having a ‘white’ Christmas. :)

[luvie]

*smooch*

Finally caught up with your post....good to see you zipping by!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT