Marine gets Bronze Star for Lynch rescue

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

http://newsobserver.com/nc24hour/ncnews/story/3100129p-2812067c.html

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. (AP) - A Marine captain who helped coordinate the rescue of Army Pfc. Jessica Lynch in Iraq has been awarded the Bronze Star medal for heroic action.

The medal was given to Capt. Thomas "Tad" A. Douglas, 27, on Tuesday while about 40 members of 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company watched at their Camp Lejeune training complex.

<snip>

The Marines in Douglas' platoon identified the hospital where Lynch was held and gathered information to assist the Special Forces raid. They also set up a landing zone for incoming helicopters and put snipers in place to protect the raid force.

"We stayed in place during the day because you had to worry about compromise and the unknown," Douglas said. "We went over all our immediate action drills, identified a rally point and how to extract, but the driving force was not letting my Marines down."

<snip>

????

[GreatCaesarsGhost]

1. what was so heroic?

maybe there were some used needles in the hospital.

[Qutzupalotl]

2. Will Douglas also get the Silver Bullet?

4 other Lynch rescuers have died in unrelated coincidences, iirc.

Just sayin'.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

3. Might as well give Bronze Stars to everyone that got within...

...500 miles of Iraq. It's not much better than a campaign ribbon at this point.

[mobuto]

5. Hasn't been for some time

bronze star seems pro forma. Sometimes that even extends higher. One remembers how LBJ won a silver star for sitting in the belly of a plane on a flight over New Guinea.

What I suppose is remarkable is that both Wes Clark and John Kerry actually earned theirs the hard way - and not politically.

[noonwitch]

4. Shouldn't all the marines in the unit get the award?

If the rescue was so heroic, shouldn't the guys who actually did it get the same recognition that the guy who planned it got?

[Zhade]

6. Wow, you can get a medal for storming a hospital with no enemy soldiers?

Shit, I can do that - Bronze Star, here I come! Now I'll get the respect of the ladies!

:eyes:

[snippy]

7. Was this for best actor or best director?

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. LOL. Thanks, I needed that. n/t

[Johnyawl]

9. The Bronze Star can be confusing

The Bronze Star Medal may be awarded to individuals who, while serving in any capacity with the Armed Forces of the United States in a combat theater, distinguish themselves by heroism, outstanding achievement, or by meritorious service not involving aerial flight.

If you get the Bronze Star for heroism in combat, you get it with a "V" designation.("V" for Valor) Any other reason, i.e., outstanding achievement, or meritorious service, you get it plain.

It would be interesting to see what this guy got it for, what the actual citation says.

You have to keep the differences in mind when reading stories about how everyone seems to be getting one. It's an all purpose decoration, that at times, and in some units, gets passed around like eagle scout badges.

[peacetalksforall]

10. I don't get it - this is an insult to all who came before this guy.

I'm sorry, this is really sad.

More of our soldiers killed in Iraq in NINE MONTHS then were killed in the first THREE YEARS in Vietnam - according to a post on DU yesterday.

It's time to remind you to tell your children/./././././.

Wellstone -
First vote in the Senate - against Iraq War 1.
Last vote in the Senate - against Iraq War 2.

RIH, Paul. Godd job.