Ranger Graduates From Guatemala’s Kaibil School

@majrod @LauraKinCA @TKW406 He asked me offline but I thought I would ask someone much more knowledgeable about it than me. Thanks.

 @LauraKinCA  I didn't see where TKW was asking.

Badges and medals are technically in different categories.  I personally value my CIB the highest.  From the medals listed, the purple heart is the highest in precedence.

 @TKW406

 @TKW406 Thanks TKW - love this story and I'm so glad you found out.  More to share with your own kiddos.

 @SEAN SPOONTS  @LauraKinCA  @majrod  @TKW406 Awesome stories, Sean.  I could sit and listen to these all day.

 @majrod  @TKW406

 Major, TKW was asking me the significance of his Grandfather's awards (posted  above) and I told him that to a soldier I thought the CIB would have been the  most prized followed by the Purple Heart and the expert marksmanship. The others  appear to me to be the "I was there" theater awards. Do I have the right of it? 

 @SEAN SPOONTS  @LauraKinCA  @majrod  @TKW406

 That is a great story! Thanks for sharing it.

@LauraKinCA @majrod @TKW406 Short version is that he watched the battle on the Ridge from his ship over two days. His ship would unload at night and put out to sea during the day to avoid air attacks. Then they would return at dusk. He knew Bill was with the Raiders and after the battle got permission to go ashore to check on him and get word to his sister first on if Bill was O.K. So he finds Bill who is alive, peppered with fragments and cuts, his face and fatigues are burnt black(the grass on the ridge caught fire and burned) the Marines rubbed the ashes into their skin for concealment, but he's otherwise O.K. Gramps brings him back to the ship to clean him up and feed him. When he tries to clear him up the gangway in the dark the OOD tells him "Petty Officer King, you're not bringing that native aboard this ship!" Gramps replies; "It's O.K. he's my brother in law"(provoking WTF? look on the OOD's face) So he gets Bill aboard, gets him cleaned up, shaved, fed and sacked out Gramps rack. The ship sails out a few hours before dawn and returns at dusk. Now Bill has new fatigues and gear. When he goes back to the Raider Camp they arrest him thinking he's missed the fight and was AWOL. He had to find a couple of guys from his squad to vouch that he was up there on the ridge with them. Lol. I remember uncle Bill from my childhood. He was built like a bear but the nicest most gentle guy.

@TKW406 Yeah, he was. He was ashore on the guard detail that was bringing prisoners off Saipan, taking them off the hands of the Marines and loading them on his ship. As they marched by one must have lagged or broke stride and Gramps gave him a boondocker adjustment.

 @SEAN SPOONTS  @majrod  @TKW406

 Wow Sean. That would be a great story of them meeing on the 'Canal! Bloody Ridge was as the name says.

 @SEAN SPOONTS  "Nope, but I kicked one in the ass on Saipan."  

That's fucking hilarious Sean!  Sounds like another solid guy.

@majrod @TKW406 Gramps was a Radarman on an attack transports during WWII. Kinda disappointed about it as a little kid since I pictured him pulling pins on grenades with his teeth. Asked him if he ever killed a Jap. He replied; "Nope, but I kicked one in the ass on Saipan." Some years after he passed away I read his letters home. To my grandmother his writing was reassuring her that his ship was not in danger and that he was happy not to be on the cruisers or destroyers she was reading about getting sunk. To his brother in law who was a Lt. of Engineers in Europe his letters were about begging to get of that transport because they were the targets of the japanese air raids, that the cruisers and destroyers would up anchor and leave them.. He was at Guadalcanal, Saipan, Letye and Okinawa. His other brother in law was with Edson Raiders on Bloody Ridge. There is a great story about them meeting up on the 'Canal."

@JackMurphyRGR @majrod @Barnes Dropped 14 pounds in SERE myself and I was a lean 200. I put in for Xmas leave before I went to SERE(you're automatically grounded anyway for 2 weeks after the course and I didn't want to stand hanger security watches or crew a desk). I know I look like shit and I don't want my mother babying me so I ask my uncle who is a recently retired Marine Colonel and a fighter pilot if I can stay at his house over hollidays with his family.. He says yes and about 72 hours after SERE school I'm at his front door tired, starved, mildly frostbitten and all bruised up with a broken finger. My mother's at the door and bursts into tears when she sees me and wants to know what the hell the Navy is doing to me.....And we were under pain of death to even mention SERE school back then, so I can't say why I look like Bill the Cat. Lol. Telling her that I couldn't talk about it upset her even more. The uncle got her calmed down since he could guess where I had been. I slept alot and whenever I stirred someone was shoving a plate of food at me.

@Txazz @majrod     

The records said that my grandfather had received:

Combat Infantryman's Badge

Expert M-1 Rifle Carbine Bar

Asiatic Pacific Service Medal

Good Conduct Medal

Victory Medal

Purple Heart Medal

 @Txazz  He passed away several years ago.  My mom was helping my grandmother with trying to get something squared away regarding his benefits and they received his service history from Veteran's Services.  Before I was even born he had all his other medals stolen except for his Purple Heart.

 @TKW406  @majrod How did you find out about your grandfather?

 @TKW406  Always!

 @majrod   Thanks Maj.  I'll do some research regarding Col. Jacobs.  I'd better there's DEFINITELY a lesson there!  Correct?

 @TKW406  Cool!  My wife's grandfathers were both heroes in my book.  One was a tin can sailor who also served on the Indianapolis (not when it was sunk), the other a paratrooper with the 17th Airborne Div and was gravely wounded by mortars in the Ardennes.

As for hearing stories I'm a disciple of Col Jacobs...  

"All warriors are in awe of all other warriors, not of what they have done themselves." - COL Jack Jacobs

MOH Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Jacobs (then a lieutenant) distinguished himself on 9 March, 1968, while serving as Assistant Battalion Advisor, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam, during operations in Kien Phong Province. His unit came under heavy enemy attack. Jacobs called for and directed air attacks against the enemy. He was wounded by mortar fragments and he continued to direct the air fire while bleeding profusely from head wounds. He assumed complete control of the unit and he reorganized it for its defense and attack. He made numerous trips through the rice paddies evacuating the wounded. His gallant actions and extraordinary heroism saved the lives of one U.S. advisor and thirteen allied soldiers. Captain Jacobs by his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action in the highest traditions of the military service, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

 @TKW406  @majrod   TK, don't about the Major, but I think that's

hot shit on your Grandfather!!  Hope he passed some of that knowledge along

to you?  Those guys have the very Best stories...I have an Uncle that was on a

transport sunk by the Nazi subs, very few survived because the sharks came

and ate them!  Cool guy, Very humble....6

@majrod   Not that this is something you care about but your historical reference above reminded me.  My grandfather served in the army during WW2. My family has never known which company he served with as he refused to talk about the war.  Over the Christmas holiday we learned that he was with the 382nd Reg. 96th Div. Co (T).  I believe he was in the Ryukyu islands & Okinawa for most of the war during which time he was wounded and received the Purple Heart.  

I don't know why I'm telling you this but he was a real "No Bull Shit" kind of guy and I'm proud of his service to our country.  I think you would have liked him.

 @majrod  @Barnes Before I was in SUT I believe I was in PLDC/BNOC, no stress there.

 @majrod  @JackMurphyRGR  @Barnes Men were harder back in those days.

 @JackMurphyRGR  BTW Jack, a history note for the holiday week.

On 26 Dec 1776 after being badly defeated in NY a pitiful 2500 men (the remaining Continental Army) and on the verge of disintegration conducted a night river crossing and raid against 1400 crack Hessian troops.  About 100 of the enemy were killed or wounded and almost 900 captured.  2 Americans died from exposure during the nine mile road march to Trenton where many troops literally wore rags instead of boots.

 @Barnes

 @JackMurphyRGR  What were you before SUT?  How much did you drop in Ranger School?

I lost 14lbs the first two weeks of beast (of course not a comparison against Ranger School or Kaibil) and was due not the physical exertion as much as not being allowed to eat.  I had buddies who ate their tooth paste.  It was a different time.

 @Barnes