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FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Nathan G Gordon ~ 12 April 2021
Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

Posted on 04/11/2021 5:02:26 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska


Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!
 
For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.
 
Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!
 
 
~ Hall of Heroes ~

Nathan G. Gordon

Info from this website.

ArmyPatch small   NavySeal small   Air Force Seal   Marines Seal small   Coast Guard Seal small (better)
Nathan Green Gordon (September 4, 1916 – September 8, 2008) was an American lawyer, politician, and decorated naval aviator. A Democrat, he served as the Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas for ten terms, from 1947 to 1967. As a United States Navy officer in World War II, he received the U.S. military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for rescuing the crews of several downed airplanes.



Biography

Gordon was born in Morrilton, the seat of Conway County in central Arkansas, to Edward Gordon and the former Ada Ruth Bearden. After graduation from Morrilton public schools, he graduated Columbia Military Academy, Columbia, Tennessee, in 1933 followed by Arkansas Polytechnic College in Russellville.  He then attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree in 1939.

Gordon practiced law in his hometown of Morrilton before joining the Navy in May 1941. After qualifying as a naval aviator, he was sent to the southwest Pacific Ocean, where he would serve more than two years.  By February 15, 1944, he was a lieutenant, junior grade, in command of a PBY Catalina flying boat named the "Arkansas Traveler", part of Patrol Squadron 34 (the Black Cat Squadron).  On that day, in the Bismarck Sea off the island of New Ireland, Gordon piloted his aircraft through heavy Japanese fire to rescue the survivors of several downed United States Army planes. He was subsequently promoted to lieutenant and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.  He served in the Navy until 1945, when he was released to inactive duty.

After the war, Gordon formed a business partnership with his brother, Edward Gordon, Jr., and returned to the practice of law in Morrilton.  His political career began in 1946, when he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas under Governors Benjamin Travis Laney. He took office in January 1947 and was re-elected to nine more two-year terms, finally leaving office in January 1967. During his tenure he served under four different Governors: Laney (1945-1949), Sid McMath (1949-1953), Francis Cherry (1953-1955), and Orval Faubus (1955-1967).

Lieutenant Gordon's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

    For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands, Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lieutenant Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese.

Gordon did not seek reelection in 1966, when the Democratic nominee, James Pilkinton of Hope, narrowly lost the general election to Maurice L. Britt, the first Republican to hold the state's second highest office since Reconstruction. Like Gordon, Britt was also a military hero.

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!


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: canteen; heroes; military; troopsupport
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To: luvie

Howdy, luvie.

I hope your day was a good one and not too awfully hot.


21 posted on 04/11/2021 8:23:50 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: luvie
Good evening, Luvie...he sure knew how to fly that plane!


22 posted on 04/11/2021 8:26:26 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: PROCON

Well, good! Glad y’all got a chance to hang together.

Things are good here. Spring has finally sprung and it seems like almost overnight everything is green ..... including our cars. LOL They’re covered with pollen.


23 posted on 04/11/2021 8:28:55 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: radu

Hey there, radu!

It WAS dreadfully hot, but not quite as hot as promised. 89 instead of 91. LOL! Tomorrow and the rest of the week[after tomorrow’s 81] are “supposed” to be in the 60s and 70s. We’ll see. It’s still 73 now...at 10:30.

How were things in your corner of the world?


24 posted on 04/11/2021 8:29:06 PM PDT by luvie (The bravery and dedication of our troops in keeping us safe & free make me proud to be an American)
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To: radu

Hurrah!! Keep that hole open.

I have had enough snow. At least I am in til Thursday.


25 posted on 04/11/2021 8:33:22 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska

He did it ALL right! And lived to tell the tale! :)


26 posted on 04/11/2021 8:34:29 PM PDT by luvie (The bravery and dedication of our troops in keeping us safe & free make me proud to be an American)
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To: All

27 posted on 04/11/2021 8:40:43 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Captain Peter Blood

Good evening, Captain...sounds like a really nice “meeting”. Thanks for sharing your experience.


28 posted on 04/11/2021 8:43:57 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: luvie

That’s pretty toasty but it could have been worse. At least you get a cool-down this week.
Our temps are going to be the same as yours this week.

We had low 70s today with a nice, stiff breeze.


29 posted on 04/11/2021 8:52:04 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

That hole’s been there since I was able to get on the computer this afternoon. Had to wait a while because Comcast was out when I woke up. The repair guys were working at one of the poles when Hubby went to get gas for the mower.

I hope those 40 degree temps move in soon. Did you manage to finish up the project at the office today?


30 posted on 04/11/2021 9:00:32 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Thank you as always Kathy for all you do here everyday!

Restful weekend and ready to start a new day and week


31 posted on 04/11/2021 9:13:53 PM PDT by The Mayor (I am outraged at your outrage toward the outrage!)
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To: radu; spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

I am sooo ready for them! Even the kitties will be happier, I’m sure.

As will spel. LOL! {right?}


32 posted on 04/11/2021 9:17:48 PM PDT by luvie (The bravery and dedication of our troops in keeping us safe & free make me proud to be an American)
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To: luvie; spel_grammer_an_punct_polise

Your kitties will be VERY happy with the break. Poor babies really haven’t had much time to acclimate to the heat.

Y’all better take advantage and get outside to enjoy the fresh air while you can!


33 posted on 04/11/2021 9:33:48 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: radu

Glad Comcast got things fixed fairly quickly.

I think I will be finished after I put my scanning “away” in the online drawer for such things. There is supposed to be a hard copy and a saved online copy. I found a couple already put away that had pages 1, 3, 5, 7, 9...some 2 sided pages didn’t get scanned, so I had to copy 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 etc. And a couple with one or the other, but not both.

So I scanned them all to my work email and will open and put them away tonight.

When I walked out of the mall, when our offices are, I darn near got blown away!! Man, was it COLD!! The flag on my car was flying straight out.

AND...it’s official...the company is giving up at least half of its lease of the whole 4th floor. HURRAH!! Working from home permanently is an option for most.


34 posted on 04/11/2021 9:33:58 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska ((~RIP Brian...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~))
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To: Kathy in Alaska

Glad you’re almost done with it. It sounds like someone wasn’t paying attention when they scanned and didn’t realize there were some two-sided pages.

Y’all have had some nasty wind up there the past few days. I can’t have the volume up on the speakers when I have the cam up because it’s so noisy.
It blew the snow around on the lake and it’s lumpy as heck now. Watching the ski planes land makes my back ache. LOL A VERY bumpy ride for those pilots.

That kind of wind when it’s cod will take your breath away. Nice that you don’t have to go out any more for a few days.

So the company’s really doing it, huh? And you’re one of those who has the option to work from home permanently. :-)


35 posted on 04/11/2021 10:26:49 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: radu

I probably will try to enjoy it, but not tonight. LOL! Maybe tomorrow. We MIGHT have rain Tues., Wed, and/or Thur. Got my fingers crossed. Our yard still looks like a haystack.


36 posted on 04/11/2021 10:37:47 PM PDT by luvie (The bravery and dedication of our troops in keeping us safe & free make me proud to be an American)
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To: Kathy in Alaska; luvie; radu; beachn4fun; MoJo2001; All
A very pleasant good Monday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

37 posted on 04/11/2021 11:04:34 PM PDT by E.G.C.
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To: luvie

Well I didn’t mean tonight. LOL
But you won’t have many comfy days to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and should take advantage of the nice temps while you can.

I hope you do get some rain this week!
We should stay dry though there might be a little rain north of us. We need to stay dry so plowing can begin. It’s that time of year.


38 posted on 04/11/2021 11:19:06 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: E.G.C.

Howdy, E.G.C. ((HUGZ))

I hope your outing at Comanche Lake yesterday was a little better than Sat. No dogs to get Gizmo wound up.


39 posted on 04/11/2021 11:21:16 PM PDT by radu (God bless our military men and women, past and present)
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To: radu

Wow! It is that time of the year, huh. Have you any idea what he’s decided to grow this year. I sure hope it’s not cotton. LOL!

I think I’m going to head for the pillows. I am so tired from getting up BEFORE the alarm went off. My eyelids are drooping. See ya tomorrow night!


40 posted on 04/11/2021 11:32:23 PM PDT by luvie (The bravery and dedication of our troops in keeping us safe & free make me proud to be an American)
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