Capt Bailey:
It may be said that a nation’s greatness may be measured by those it commemorates. America has honored those who, by consensus, are national heroes. A traditional way to recognize those heroes has been to name US Navy ships in their honor, viz., the USS Ronald Reagan, the USS George Washington, and the USS Richard E. Byrd. Scores more are named after Medal of Honor recipients, military leaders, and distinguished Americans from various walks of life.
That tradition has recently been trashed by the decision of Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to christen a new APD (Transport Dock Ship) the USS John P. Murtha.
There could be no greater insult to the US military than to name a fighting vessel after one of the most corrupt, venal, and self-serving individuals ever to sit in the US Congress. Even the left-wing Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) identified Murtha, a disciple of Nancy Pelosi, as one of the five most corrupt members of Congress.
Murtha, who missed going to jail by the skin of his teeth in the Abscam scandal of 1980, is despised by the military community for, among other things, accusing US Marines involved in an incident in Iraq of “…[killing] innocent civilians in cold blood…in fashion reminiscent of Genghis Khan.”
Ironically, Murtha was a Reserve Colonel in the Corps, and even in that role he exhibited the self-serving attitude that characterized him in Congress. According to several Marines who served with him in Viet Nam, his Purple Hearts and his Bronze Star were highly questionable.
Naming a ship after the corrupt John Murtha is a slap in the those Navymen who will be assigned to the USS John P. Murtha. Recently, a retired US Navy captain of my acquaintance stated unequivocally that he would refuse command of any ship so named. It is unconscionable to put our sailors on a ship so desecrated.
Please pray for Sgt Wuterich and his family. Thank You
Beverly Perlson
The Band of Mothers
www.thebandofmothers.com
www.defendmichael.com
The problem is that Navy SEAL Captain Bailey is appealing to SecNav Ray Mabus, who himself is a corrupt sleazebag.
Pray for America.
And the list of Murtha’s terrible actions goes on and on.