🚀 go-pugleaf

Picked up off the Galileo Sci-tech High School(San Francisco)
newsletter:

Some have been a bit offended that Lee Marvin is buried in a grove of
3 and 4 star generals at Arlington. His marker gives his name, rank
(PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else.  Here's a guy who was only a
famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate
burial with these guys?


Well, following is the amazing answer:                             

I always liked Lee Marvin, but did not know the extent of his Corps
experiences. In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country
in the

armed forces, often in rear-echelon posts where they were carefully
protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war
bond promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero.  He won the Navy Cross
at Iwo Jima. There is only one higher award...the Medal Of Honor.  If
that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he
credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.  Dialog
From The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson

...                

His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people
are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima
... and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy
Cross and were severely wounded."  And you know how Lee was ... "Yeah,
yeah ... I got shot square in the ass and they gave me the cross for
securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi ... bad thing about
getting shot up on a mountain is guys gettin' shot hauling you down.
But Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew ... We
both got the Cross the same day but what he did for his Cross made
mine look cheap in comparison. The dumb bastard actually stood up on
Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off
the beach. That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends.  "When they
brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and
passed it to me lying on my belly on the litter ...and asked 'Where'd
they get you Lee?'... 'Well Bob ... if you make it home before me,
tell Mom to sell the outhouse.'.....  Johnny, I'm not lying ...
Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew ... 

Bob Keeshan ... You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo.


 
Monte
"Today's public figures can no longer write their own speeches or books,
 and there is some evidence that they can't read them either." ---Gore Vidal