Basically, my great uncle just passed away this past week.
He was a vet of WWII, served in the Marine Corp and was the highest decorated person from my area (was literally the local war hero).
He saw some rough combat in the Pacific and got himself the Navy Cross (which is second only to the CMoH).
It came up at his service that the only thing that stopped him from getting the CMoH was that an officer was needed to make the recommendation and that after the action in question there were non in his unit alive still, hence awarding him with the Navy Cross.
I guess I have heard about investigations being reopened for individuals who may have deserved the CMoH but under circunstances weren't awarded it or put in for it.
I'm wanting to try and do my best to get the ball rolling and see if I can get him awarded an honor that those still alive that fought with him said he deserved.
Where should I start? How do I start?
Any direction is most welcome, kinda really feel this is up to me since I was told that he held me in high regards and still spoke of me often (I'm the only member of my family from my generation who served our country in service..even though I went Army heh). But yeah, I feel like I owe it to him to at least try.
Just found his citation online, thought would share it here....
http://www.legionofvalor.com/citation_parse.php?uid=1001361776PFC. George Oliver White, U.S.M.C.
Citation: Navy Cross
War: World War II
Private First Class GEORGE O. WHITE, United States Marine Corps Reserve, received the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism as a scout serving with the First Marine Division in action against enemy japanese forces at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, on January 14,1944. When his platoon was pinned down by a withering hail of relentless enemy fire after he had led them to the crest of a hill, Private First Class White unhesitatingly made his way forward through the continuning barrage of machine-gun fire, mortars and hand grenades, in order to locate hostile positions and, subsequently leading three extremely hazardous assaults on enemy machine-gun emplacements, directed his men valiantly and with aggessive determination until he was wounded during the third charge. Private First Class White's inspiring leadership and indomitable fighting spirit in the face of grave peril were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Mr. White resides in Georgia.
As you can see they mention how he directed his men, basically his unit had lost it's leadership and him a bunk private took control and lead these three charges to take this hill. A grenade took him down in the 3rd charge and his buddies were running over him thinking he was dead. A machine gunner (who spoke at his funeral) told that he ran up and was straddling my uncle when he realized he was still alive and called for a Corpsman. This Corpsman had to stuff gauze into a huge hole in my uncles back to stop the bleeding and amazingly enough he survived.
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