FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes; Maj George E Wahlen ~ 28 September 2020

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

MAJ George E. Wahlen
All info and photos from this website.

           

George E. Wahlen (August 8, 1924 - June 5, 2009) was a retired United States Army Major who previously served with the United States Navy and was awarded the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. In 2004, President George W. Bush signed legislation authorizing the naming of the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City. As federal buildings cannot bear the name of a living person, Congress approved special legislation allowing for an exemption in the case of Wahlen.

At age 17, Wahlen was trained as an aircraft mechanic, and he worked at Hill Field in Utah, leading five other mechanics as crew chief for the United States Army Air Corps. He volunteered for the draft, hoping to work on aircraft, but became a Navy Corpsman. He volunteered for combat duty with the United States Marine Corps, and was attached to Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, and participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima in February 1945. He was awarded the Medal Of Honor by President Harry S. Truman on October 5, 1945.

Wahlen spent nine months recovering from his wounds, before being discharged in December 1945. He later re-enlisted in the United States Army, where he served during the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired with the rank of Major after being awarded a Purple Heart and serving in all four branches of the United States Military. As a civilian he worked for over a decade with the Veteran's Administration, where he retired at the age of 59.

He is the subject of the book The Quiet Hero: The Untold Medal of Honor Story of George E. Wahlen at the Battle for Iwo Jima by Gary W. Toyn.

"If you were to ask my dad today, if he were here, he would say this is not about him. It's about the veterans who served everywhere, specifically those who did not return, that paid the ultimate sacrifice," said son Blake Wahlen.


He passed on at the age of 84.  His burial was 12 June 2009.   On 18 June 2009 there was a large memorial held and attended by veterans of all ages. The main entrance to the George E Wahlen Medical Center as of 22 June 2009 was still draped in black banners to show mourning for such a wonderful yet humble person.

Rank and organization: Pharmacist's Mate Second Class, U.S. Navy, serving with 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division.

Place and date: Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands group, March 3, 1945.

Entered service at: Utah. Born: August 8, 1924, Ogden, Utah.

Citation:

    For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima in the Volcano group on 3 March 1945. Painfully wounded in the bitter action on 26 February, Wahlen remained on the battlefield, advancing well forward of the frontlines to aid a wounded marine and carrying him back to safety despite a terrific concentration of fire. Tireless in his ministrations, he consistently disregarded all danger to attend his fighting comrades as they fell under the devastating rain of shrapnel and bullets, and rendered prompt assistance to various elements of his combat group as required. When an adjacent platoon suffered heavy casualties, he defied the continuous pounding of heavy mortars and deadly fire of enemy rifles to care for the wounded, working rapidly in an area swept by constant fire and treating 14 casualties before returning to his own platoon. Wounded again on 2 March, he gallantly refused evacuation, moving out with his company the following day in a furious assault across 600 yards of open terrain and repeatedly rendering medical aid while exposed to the blasting fury of powerful Japanese guns. Stouthearted and indomitable, he persevered in his determined efforts as his unit waged fierce battle and, unable to walk after sustaining a third agonizing wound, resolutely crawled 50 yards to administer first aid to still another fallen fighter. By his dauntless fortitude and valor, Wahlen served as a constant inspiration and contributed vitally to the high morale of his company during critical phases of this strategically important engagement. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of overwhelming enemy fire upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
 

Links of interest

Click here for a YouTube video of MAJ Wahlen talking about his experiences!

Obituary from the LA Times.





Thank you, sir, for your service and sacrifice for our country!

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!

 

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[SkyDancer]

~ Good Evening ~

~ HAWKS HAWKS HAWKS!!! Oh, and I'm Home For A While ~

~ Good Evening ~

~ Welcome To My World ~

I’m Down There Somewhere

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

September 28

Never Enough

Bible in a Year:

• Isaiah 5–6
• Ephesians 1

The eye never has enough of seeing.

Ecclesiastes 1:8

Frank Borman commanded the first space mission that circled the moon. He wasn’t impressed. The trip took two days both ways. Frank got motion sickness and threw up. He said being weightless was cool—for thirty seconds. Then he got used to it. Up close he found the moon drab and pockmarked with craters. His crew took pictures of the gray wasteland, then became bored.

Frank went where no one had gone before. It wasn’t enough. If he quickly tired of an experience that was out of this world, perhaps we should lower our expectations for what lies in this one. The teacher of Ecclesiastes observed that no earthly experience delivers ultimate joy. “The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing” (1:8). We may feel moments of ecstasy, but our elation soon wears off and we seek the next thrill.

Frank had one exhilarating moment, when he saw the earth rise from the darkness behind the moon. Like a blue and white swirled marble, our world sparkled in the sun’s light. Similarly, our truest joy comes from the Son shining on us. Jesus is our life, the only ultimate source of meaning, love, and beauty. Our deepest satisfaction comes from out of this world. Our problem? We can go all the way to the moon, yet still not go far enough. 

By:  Mike Wittmer Reflect & Pray

When have you felt the most joy? Why didn’t it last? What can you learn from its fleeting nature?

Jesus, shine the light of Your love on me.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ML...((HUGS))...hope you and blue got in a good stretching of legs...more back roads and lovely scenery??

Is Penny ready for her birthday? A party?

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Hall of Heroes: Maj George E Wahlen ~

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[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Janey...((HUGS))...home is a nice place to be. Have you still been flying, or still on furlough?

[left that other site]

I had to make a condolence call today, as I found out that Jim, my biker friend, whom I rode with, passed away. He was the contractor who built my mud room and roof.

I couldn’t get any info from anyone, so I drove to his house and spent some time with his wife, just letting her talk. I will do what I can to help her sell the motorcycle, since I had to do the same thing ten years ago. He did NOT die of COVID, for the record.

Meanwhile, I bought Penny a new bed for birthday. After she figured out it was for HER, she fell in love with it. It is the same kind of bed as “My Pillow” with the shredded memory foam.

If we do have a “party”, it will have to be humans only, as Penny doesn’t get along with other dogs.

I called my sister to tell her that my friend had died, and she told me that a friend of her son’s died the same day, hiking in NH. He slipped and fell down a waterfall.

It’s been a rough day all around.

[Cen-Tejas]

Thanks for posting this story about Major George Wahlen. I enjoyed it very much. What a man!

[SkyDancer]

Good Evening Kathy! (((HUGS))) Ya, still on furlough but I do go to Denver for recurrent training plus my firearms training in Dallas so I keep busy; then too, when the weather is good I do the jump plane.

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[Kathy in Alaska]

[Aggie65]

He earned his purple hears and not the same way as a former high government official (former Sec of State)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

Ready to take on the new week? Mixer about ready for a new master?

[mountainlion]

Here I set doin nuthin and don't plan to stop till I get er done.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers of peace for you and your friends. ((HUGS))

A rough day for sure. Good for you just going over and then just letting her talk. Had he been sick?

[luvie]

George E. Wahlen
August 8, 1924 - June 5, 2009
United States Army Major
Also served with the US Navy
Medal of Honor Recipient
For actions during Battle of Iwo Jima
In World War II
What a brave hero he was!

[PROCON]

Salute to Maj. Wahlen, well done, Sir!

Thanks Kathy!

[mylife]

Busy boy.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Cen-Tejas...glad you enjoyed reading about this real hero.