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SAS corporal to receive Victoria Cross for Afghanistan firefight (Australia)
The Australian ^ | January 20, 2011 | Ian McPhedran

Posted on 01/19/2011 5:13:07 PM PST by Dundee

THE second SAS soldier in two years will be awarded the nation's highest military honour, the Victoria Cross for Australia.

Governor-General Quentin Bryce and senior political leaders including Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Opposition Leader Tony Abbott will travel to Perth this Sunday for the investiture ceremony at Campbell Barracks...

Rumours have been circulating for some time that an un-named SAS corporal engaged in an intense battle in the Shah Wali Kot region of Northern Kandahar last October could be nominated. A special forces group came under withering fire and four Commandos were wounded, including one who was shot in the chest, during an operation to capture a Taliban commander.

(Excerpt) Read more at theaustralian.com.au ...


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: victoriacross
We probably won't find out the name of the Corporal until the weekend.

I'll post details of the action when they become public.

1 posted on 01/19/2011 5:13:10 PM PST by Dundee
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To: Dundee

Are your rules on the VC like ours for the MOH?

No matter what the rank of the serviceman with it he rates a salute from everyone else in the service be they Privates or Generals.


2 posted on 01/19/2011 5:18:20 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs said?)
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To: SandRat

I do not know if the British, or Australians, follow our custom of saluting receipients of the Victoria Cross. In the US military it is not “required” to salute a Medal of Honor winner, but I find it very hard to imagine any servicemember who would not render a salute.


3 posted on 01/19/2011 5:30:15 PM PST by ops33 (Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Retired))
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To: SandRat

Tradition holds that even the most senior officer will salute a Victoria Cross recipient as a mark of the utmost respect for their act of valour. Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (the Air Force 4 star who is Chief of the Defence Force) saluted Trooper Mark Donaldson (a Private in the SAS) after he received his VC in 2009.

The VC is basically the same as the MoH. Australian servicemen will also salute VC holders from other countries and will usually salute holders of the MoH (if they recognise it or are informed of that person being a holder of the MoH).


4 posted on 01/19/2011 6:04:03 PM PST by Dundee (They gave up all their tomorrows for our today's.)
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To: Dundee

As I would hope that ours would do the same for holders of the VC.


5 posted on 01/19/2011 6:37:19 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs said?)
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To: ops33

Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston AC AFC, Chief of the (Australian) Defence Force renders a salute to Trooper Mark Donaldson VC, after he has been awarded the Victoria Cross in January 2009.

Video at Youtube - a news story including parts of the ceremony, including the salute at the end after ACM Houston explains the tradition.

6 posted on 01/19/2011 6:54:13 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: SandRat

Pinging you to a photo and video I just posted.


7 posted on 01/19/2011 6:57:31 PM PST by naturalman1975 ("America was under attack. Australia was immediately there to help." - John Winston Howard)
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To: naturalman1975

And this Yank Retired Soldier salutes Trooper Donaldson, VC, as well.


8 posted on 01/19/2011 7:38:04 PM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs said?)
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To: naturalman1975

Thank you very much for the clarification. Personally, I feel that soldiers who earn this decoration deserve that level of respect. I have read that many Medal of Honor recipients are uncomfortable with the recognition but accept it not just for them but for their brothers who did not make it.


9 posted on 01/20/2011 6:21:48 AM PST by ops33 (Senior Master Sergeant, USAF (Retired))
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