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FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of the Heroes: SGT Finnis D. McCleery ~ May 5, 2008
Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World
| StarCMC and Mumble
Posted on 05/04/2008 4:59:58 PM PDT by Kathy in Alaska
Our Troops Rock! Thank you for all you do! |
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For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces. |
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Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today! |
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~ Hall of Heroes ~ SGT Finnis D. McCleery Info from this website. |
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Finnis Dawson McCleery (December 25, 1927 July 11, 2002) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decorationthe Medal of Honorfor his actions in the Vietnam War. McCleery joined the Army from San Angelo, Texas, and by May 14, 1968 was serving as a platoon sergeant in Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment. During an assault on that day, in Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam, McCleery single-handedly attacked and destroyed several enemy bunkers despite being wounded twice. McCleery left the Army while still a platoon sergeant. He died at age 74 and was buried in Belvedere Memorial Cemetery, San Angelo, Texas. |
Platoon Sergeant McCleery's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
- For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. P/Sgt. McCleery, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving as platoon leader of the 1st platoon of Company A. A combined force was assigned the mission of assaulting a reinforced company of North Vietnamese Army regulars, well entrenched on Hill 352, 17 miles west of Tam Ky. As P/Sgt. McCleery led his men up the hill and across an open area to close with the enemy, his platoon and other friendly elements were pinned down by tremendously heavy fire coming from the fortified enemy positions. Realizing the severe damage that the enemy could inflict on the combined force in the event that their attack was completely halted, P/Sgt. McCleery rose from his sheltered position and began a 1-man assault on the bunker complex. With extraordinary courage, he moved across 60 meters of open ground as bullets struck all around him and rockets and grenades literally exploded at his feet. As he came within 30 meters of the key enemy bunker, P/Sgt. McCleery began firing furiously from the hip and throwing hand grenades. At this point in his assault, he was painfully wounded by shrapnel, but, with complete disregard for his wound, he continued his advance on the key bunker and killed all of its occupants. Having successfully and single-handedly breached the enemy perimeter, he climbed to the top of the bunker he had just captured and, in full view of the enemy, shouted encouragement to his men to follow his assault. As the friendly forces moved forward, P/Sgt. McCleery began a lateral assault on the enemy bunker line. He continued to expose himself to the intense enemy fire as he moved from bunker to bunker, destroying each in turn. He was wounded a second time by shrapnel as he destroyed and routed the enemy from the hill. P/Sgt. McCleery is personally credited with eliminating several key enemy positions and inspiring the assault that resulted in gaining control of Hill 352. His extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, was in keeping with the highest standards of the military service, and reflects great credit on him, the Americal Division, and the U.S. Army.
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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! |
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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Free Republic
KEYWORDS: freepercanteen; military; troopsupport
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To: Kathy in Alaska; laurenmarlowe; MEG33; Mrs.Nooseman; alfa6; SandRat; HopeandGlory; EsmeraldaA; ...
Greetings to all Canteen Denizens, Our Serving Military, Our Veterans, Their Families, FRiends and Our Allies!

Missing Man Setting
2
posted on
05/04/2008 5:04:23 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: StarCMC; txradioguy; Jet Jaguar; tongue-tied; laurenmarlowe; AZamericonnie; MS.BEHAVIN; fatima; ...
Please note: The author of the Hall of Heroes is StarCMC. Please thank her for todays thread.
Please join us and meet MOH Recipient
Platoon Sergeant Finnis D. McCleery.

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3
posted on
05/04/2008 5:07:16 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
(~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
To: Kathy in Alaska
4
posted on
05/04/2008 5:08:24 PM PDT
by
MS.BEHAVIN
(Women who behave rarely make history)
To: Kathy in Alaska
5
posted on
05/04/2008 5:08:31 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: Kathy in Alaska
6
posted on
05/04/2008 5:09:25 PM PDT
by
Radix
(Q. What do you call a row of rabbits walking backwards? A. A receding hare line.)
To: Kathy in Alaska
7
posted on
05/04/2008 5:10:26 PM PDT
by
MarineBrat
(My wife and I took an AIDS vaccination that the Church offers.)
To: StarCMC
Thanks, Mumble, for helping StarCMC with today's Hall of Heroes:
MOH recipient SGT Finnis D McCleery

8
posted on
05/04/2008 5:13:14 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
(~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
To: Kathy in Alaska; All
9
posted on
05/04/2008 5:19:10 PM PDT
by
Poetgal26
(God bless the US Military and our vets! (RIP Sgt Matthew Maupin))
To: Poetgal26
Good evening, Poetgal - how are you doing tonite?
10
posted on
05/04/2008 5:20:26 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: ConorMacNessa
am ok, just tired, might go to bed early tonight, its been a long day, ty and u
11
posted on
05/04/2008 5:21:22 PM PDT
by
Poetgal26
(God bless the US Military and our vets! (RIP Sgt Matthew Maupin))
To: Kathy in Alaska
12
posted on
05/04/2008 5:21:59 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs to said?)
To: Poetgal26
Doing great, thanks! I'm also looking for an early evening.
13
posted on
05/04/2008 5:22:48 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: ConorMacNessa
What ya do this weekend sir?
14
posted on
05/04/2008 5:23:38 PM PDT
by
Poetgal26
(God bless the US Military and our vets! (RIP Sgt Matthew Maupin))
To: StarCMC; Kathy in Alaska; Bethbg79; EsmeraldaA; MoJo2001; Brad's Gramma; laurenmarlowe; ...

Off to School
Iraqi girls head to there classroom unaware that Iraqi army soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 33rd Infantry, 14th Iraqi Army Division, deliver supplies to the Adafa Asharqiq School in the At Tannumah District of Basra, Iraq, on April 21, 2008. U.S. Army photo by Sgt Tim Ortez.
15
posted on
05/04/2008 5:26:14 PM PDT
by
SandRat
(Duty, Honor, Country! What else needs to said?)
To: sneakers; vigilante2; Jade Falcon; Laurita; txradioguy; tongue-tied; SoldierDad; KB4W; ...
Honoring Our Heroes AbnSarge USA Allegra 3 sons (armymarinemom and amdad) Brett USN (CindyDawg) Brother and Son-in-Law (kalee) Cannoneer No. 4 Capt Jason Clendenin (friend of Frou) Chris USA (amom) Clarinet_King USAF (NerdDad/CDBear) Col Mike (gpapa) CMS USA David USAF (LUV W) Defender2 Deven USA (Shimmer) Ethan USMC (georgiabelle) Ev USA (Mozie) Fred (DocRock) Future Snake Eater USA (RightOnline) GulfWar1Vet USA Jade Falcon USN JemiansTerror USA (Jemian) Jet Jaguar USAF Joel (NEMDF) Jonathan USMC (AZbushgal) Josh USN (doug from upland) Karen USA (fatima's granddaughter) KB4W USAF (arbee4bush) Kenneth (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim) Kevin USMC (skimask) Kevin and David USA (vigilante2) Laurita USA LCpl Carter USMC Lindsay (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim) Lt David (Coldwater Creek) M1911A1 USMC (M0sby) M1Tanker MEG33's Navy Grandson Mike1Sg USA (mystery-ak) Milo828 USA (mystery-ak) Nate USN (sneakers) Old Sarge USA OneLoyalAmerican USCG PFC Dan USA (son of swmobuffalo) Robert, Jeremy, Daynnis USA (SoldierDad) Sat-Com Chris USA (son of KC Burke) Sgt Dusty USA (MountainDad) Sgt Sean Reed (preed) Sgt Spencer USA (grame) Son USCG (GodBlessUSA) SPC Mike USA (AbnSarge) SSGT John Linde USA (JFoxbear) Terrence USN (Sweetbaby/LadyPilgrim) The Sailor tongue-tied USN/USA Tonkin USN/USCG txradioguy USA Valerie USAF (Shimmer) Victor and Tony D USMC (weldgophardline) William USA (jackv)
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16
posted on
05/04/2008 5:27:23 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
(~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
To: Poetgal26
Drove up to Philly to pick my daughter up from school yesterday - worked in the garden today.
17
posted on
05/04/2008 5:28:04 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: ConorMacNessa
Thanks, Mac, for the Missing Man Setting. We must never forget those that gave their all for us to be free and safe.
18
posted on
05/04/2008 5:28:34 PM PDT
by
Kathy in Alaska
(~ RIP Brian...heaven's gain...the Coast Guard lost a good one.~)
To: Kathy in Alaska
Good evening, Kathy - how are you doing tonite?
19
posted on
05/04/2008 5:30:26 PM PDT
by
ConorMacNessa
(HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Peregrine, patron saint of cancer patients, pray for us.)
To: Kathy in Alaska
Nice read. Those are movie script heroics. John Wayne or the like might have done this sort of thing in film. Sgt McCleery knew he was likely to be cut down any second but advanced to give his troops the best chance for survival and mission success. Thanks for posting it Kathy.
20
posted on
05/04/2008 5:31:02 PM PDT
by
jimfree
(Freep and Ye shall find.)
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