quote:

Originally posted by Perfect_Cheezit SOP is actually to just get out of the vehicle in that situation. I saw this on CNN the other day.

What if they had infantry support weapons aimed at the doors? The minute you step out your brown bread.

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quote:

Originally posted by Lumps I'm curious to how his parents feel about this. Very honorable though, I say. edit :: It's just too bad that it takes something like this to get that recognition. Although I disagree with the war, I do feel ALL soldiers should receive a medal of honor.

That would take away the prestige..

There was a Marine 1SG that should have got the MOH but was awarded the DSC instead. Perhaps its because he is still alive.. Sad is that most of the MOH awards are given posthumously.

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Back and to the left
Back and to the left

Such a shame, seems he was just a really nice lad. Alot of hopes and dreams.

Selfless doesn't even start to describe what he did. Don't want to cloud this with negativity but if people a few rungs up had the same courage and selflessness the world would be a far better place.

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If you can read this, I'm seriously fucking bored.

quote:

Originally posted by Perfect_Cheezit SOP is actually to just get out of the vehicle in that situation. I saw this on CNN the other day.

The truck commander, who was also McGinnis’ platoon sergeant, didn’t know that the grenade had gotten inside and shouted, “Where?” to McGinnis, who was posturing himself as if to jump out of the hatch.

After realizing that the four other soldiers inside were trapped, their Humvee doors combat-locked, he answered, “The grenade is in the truck,” and threw himself on it, trapping the deadly explosive between his back and the radio mount.

“He had time to jump out of the truck,” his platoon sergeant, Sgt. 1st Class Cedric Thomas, was quoted as saying in a military news release. “He chose not to.”

That is seriously brave.

EDIT: I mean just reacting is one thing, taking a conscious choice to do that..... is something else....

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If you can read this, I'm seriously fucking bored.

One of our guys in Iraq saved the lives of 2 or 3 of his comrades when they were being shot at. He would have been given the Victoria Cross (UKs highest medal) which is for exceptional bravery in the face of the enemy. Except it was the americans shooting him so he only got the George cross.

EDIT: Found Link:

quote:

A soldier awarded the George Cross for his bravery told an inquest yesterday of his attempt to rescue a fallen colleague as their tank convoy was repeatedly fired on by American warplanes in Iraq. L/Cpl Matty Hull L/Cpl Matty Hull died in March 2003 As the British soldiers dived for cover the US A-10 Thunderbolts turned to launch another bombardment on their blazing convoy. Despite sending up smoke to warn the American pilots they were firing on their own side and yelling “STOP STOP STOP” into their radios, they were bombed again. The inquest, at Oxford, heard that the pilots were “rogues”, meaning that they were not operating under direct radio contact. Lance Corporal Matty Hull, 25, serving with the Blues and Royals, the Household Cavalry Regiment, died trapped inside his burning tank, despite the efforts of L/Cpl Christopher Finney, who was then a trooper. Five of his colleagues were injured. They were travelling in Scimitar armoured vehicles near Basra in Southern Iraq during the war in March 2003 when their convoy came under “blue on blue” fire from the aircraft, known as Tankbusters. "There were explosions everywhere,” L/Cpl Finney said. He looked out of the driver’s hatch of his burning vehicle and saw three soldiers running away. After abandoning his vehicle he saw L/Cpl Alan Tudball trying to clamber out of a turret that was engulfed in flames. He went to his aid despite knowing that an A-10 was turning around to make a second pass. "It lined itself up to come straight down at the patrol and open fire,” he said. “When it actually started to fire it was only 50 to 100 feet high. Shots were fired in and around the vehicle.” ”I grabbed the gunner to move him away and I remember my arm shaking.” L/Cpl Finney had been shot in the arm but, after finding a safe place to leave L/Cpl Tudball, ran back towards the flaming convoy to try to pull L/Cpl Hull free, but was beaten back by fierce flames. L/Cpl Hull died from severe multiple injuries. L/Cpl Finney was later awarded the George Cross, the highest British honour for gallantry. L/Cpl Jonathan Woodgate, a Scimitar driver, told the inquest: “I remember seeing the ground erupt. “I saw the plane come around for a third time at the same height, but he didn’t fire this time.” Staff Corporal Ashley Bell said: “We started to realise it was friendly on friendly and I got on the radio and spoke to British forward air controllers (FAC) and American FACs,” he said. "I asked for a STOP, STOP, STOP.” But the A-10 came around for a second attack on the convoy of three Scimitars and two Spartan vehicles. "I screamed STOP, STOP, STOP. However, the British FAC said they were rogue pilots working on their own. They had flipped to their own radio frequencies so they couldn’t talk to them.” L/Cpl Christopher Boakes, a radio operator with the Royal Engineers, was travelling in a Spartan vehicle when the patrol came under attack. He said he had heard on the radio networks that the American A-10 pilots were searching for Iraqi artillery in the area. "They were looking for an anti-aircraft gun but they could not find it so they were given a free rein,” he said. “The free rein was to the west of us.” Andrew Walker, the Oxfordshire deputy assistant coroner, told L/Cpl Finney: “You are a brave man. You are to be commended for what you did.” The inquest into the death of L/Cpl Hull, from East Knoyle, Wilts, is expected to last for five days.

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Last edited by Jackson on May-14-2007 at 23:01

quote:

Originally posted by Dj O'Callaghan What if they had infantry support weapons aimed at the doors? The minute you step out your brown bread.

Yeah, but if you are wasting time trying to find the grenade, and you can't find it, you and everyone else in the vehicle is dead. So he sacrificed himself so as to minimize the blast, hence he is quite the hero in my eyes.

Edit - oh and goddamnit. I don't like the war as is, and it's excruciating to hear about friendly fire incidents.

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If you choose to pull the trigger - should your drama prove sincere - do it somewhere far away from here.

this guy

a) was insanely suicidal/valued more other lives than his own
b) had some of the biggest balls ever seen in the history of mankind

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sempre contra a corrente do jogo