Rescind Medals of Honor from soldiers at Wounded Knee
Lawmakers seek to rescind Medals of Honor from soldiers at Wounded Knee massacre
Three House members are calling for Congress to posthumously rescind Medals of Honor awarded to 20 U.S. soldiers who participated in the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre, where an estimated 250 Native Americans -- mostly women and children -- were killed.
Rep. Paul Cook, R-Calif., and Democrats Denny Heck of Washington and Deb Haaland of New Mexico introduced the Remove the Stain bill Tuesday to strip the soldiers of America's highest military award.
?It bothers me as a professional military person and as a historian ? with not only the massacre and the slaughter and with everything that happened to a group of people, but basically to perpetuate a lie that is associated with the highest award we have for valor,? said Cook, a decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, according to the Washington Times.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lawmakers-seek-to-rescind-medals-of-honor-from-soldiers-at-wounded-knee-massacre
Three House members are calling for Congress to posthumously rescind Medals of Honor awarded to 20 U.S. soldiers who participated in the 1890 Wounded Knee massacre, where an estimated 250 Native Americans -- mostly women and children -- were killed.
Rep. Paul Cook, R-Calif., and Democrats Denny Heck of Washington and Deb Haaland of New Mexico introduced the Remove the Stain bill Tuesday to strip the soldiers of America's highest military award.
?It bothers me as a professional military person and as a historian ? with not only the massacre and the slaughter and with everything that happened to a group of people, but basically to perpetuate a lie that is associated with the highest award we have for valor,? said Cook, a decorated Marine veteran of the Vietnam War, according to the Washington Times.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lawmakers-seek-to-rescind-medals-of-honor-from-soldiers-at-wounded-knee-massacre
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+1,very enlightening discussion.Barzillia wrote:It probably matters now very little to those who were involved whether they received the MOH, or not.
But it has been enlightening discussion to watch.0 -
For you folks that want to right what you perceive as a wrong:
The Invasion of Grenada under President Reagan.
Less then 6000 troops on the ground.
18 US troops killed
< 100 US troops wounded
8,337 awards presented!
Many recepients spent the entire invasion in NC and Washington DC.
Apparently, flying a desk is a lot more dangerous than when I served. Something is very wrong here.
Most of these participants are still alive. Congress can call them in and question them.
275 - Valor/death,
4581 - Commendation,
2495 - Achievment,
681 - Bronze Stars,
+ other.
Apparently military medals have become participation awards of varying degrees....0 -
wpageabc wrote:A better way may be to honor the Native Americans in some way.
What was done at the time may have seemed correct with the views of the people.
That?s a good direction to take I think :idea:0 -
bustedknee wrote:For you folks that want to right what you perceive as a wrong:
The Invasion of Grenada under President Reagan.
Less then 6000 troops on the ground.
18 US troops killed
< 100 US troops wounded
8,337 awards presented!
Many recepients spent the entire invasion in NC and Washington DC.
Apparently, flying a desk is a lot more dangerous than when I served. Something is very wrong here.
Most of these participants are still alive. Congress can call them in and question them.
275 - Valor/death,
4581 - Commendation,
2495 - Achievment,
681 - Bronze Stars,
+ other.
Apparently military medals have become participation awards of varying degrees....
Well I was there and I got 5 awards:
CIB
Pres Unit citation(Awarded to the unit but I wore it my whole career because I was in the unit when it was earned)
Star on my Jump wings(Combat Jump Device I got another one for Panama)
Armed forces Evidentiary medal with arrow head(I have 4 of these)
Combat patch on my right shoulder
I know a few guys who got Bronze Stars and Doc Trujillo earned a Silver Star. They passed out ARCOMs with a V to several guys too.
Most of the people you are describing are Officers.0 -
Sam, my former bil was in Grenada also. It?s been awhile so I don?t recall his unit (possibly the 82nd?) or if he jumped in or not. Somehow I recall him going off a cliff and damn near dying. He was in a wheelchair from injuries received for many years. I recently saw a fb post where he?s standing/walking some now. Too many folks tend to minimize or simply forget that some serious business took place there. (I won?t post his name here but could send it privately.) He was always a really decent guy and hard as nails. 0 -
Chris a lot of guys got hurt there. I lost several buddys it was a fight but them main thing is it was a total goat rope. Too many moving pieces too many Chiefs not enough intel. We didn't even have maps. I was a M60 gunner and a newly minted Sp4 
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He never talked in much detail about the operation, even then I understood the reasons, but, as you have mentioned, he didn?t hold back on the mess that existed. 0 -
KenK/84Bravo wrote:shilowar wrote:This would set a dangerous precedent, I view it in the same terms as tearing down memorials of our Nations history.
Sorry Sir, I personally believe you are wrong/incorrect.
This never was a "Medal of Honor," worthy event. The fact there were 20, handed out, was ludicrous.
Save them for the Soldiers, who actually earned them.
(Again) My Personal Opinion.
It is short sighted IMO and not wise to swing open the door on reversing history. Put an asterisk next to them if one likes but rescinding medals is no different than tearing down memorials, or removing portraits of founding father's who were slave owners, or digging up soldiers remains from national cemeteries because someone deemed those not worthy hundreds of years later. I do not see where it accomplishes anything constructive other than making someone with an agenda feel good about themselves. History is written by the victors.0 -
bustedknee wrote:For you folks that want to right what you perceive as a wrong:
The Invasion of Grenada under President Reagan.
Less then 6000 troops on the ground.
18 US troops killed
< 100 US troops wounded
8,337 awards presented!
Many recepients spent the entire invasion in NC and Washington DC.
Apparently, flying a desk is a lot more dangerous than when I served. Something is very wrong here.
Most of these participants are still alive. Congress can call them in and question them.
275 - Valor/death,
4581 - Commendation,
2495 - Achievment,
681 - Bronze Stars,
+ other.
Apparently military medals have become participation awards of varying degrees....
They sent me an award 'cause I lived next door to a guy that served in Washington during the the invasion of Grenada.0 -
Although I do believe the whole ordeal was the tragedy that should not have happened.
I was not there to know what these 20 people did to earn the metal. Even though the battle was wrong, these men did what they were told to do. A soldier should not have a conscience, a soldier should do what his superiors tell him to do. To do anything less would be grounds for court-martial...
Before I would agree that these men should have their medals stripped from them, I would have to know what is each individual did to get it in the first place. and the awarding of it should be on their own merits of their actions in battle., not the merits of the decisions of their Commanders. Conversely, if they did not show Merit for receiving it by their actions in battle they should be stripped of it...
Just because the massacre shouldn't have took place, does not mean these men that received these metals did not show the bravery it takes in the battle to receive the metal. And if they demonstrated that bravery, they should not be stripped of their mouths just because of the decisions of their Commanders
I know others here will disagree with what I'm saying, but I'm not one to believe that somebody should be penalized for the decisions of others...
To strip these men of their metals just because the battle is deemed wrong today, will lay presidents for soldiers in the future to start disobeying orders given to them by their commanding officers just because they may think it's wrong.0 -
So we are literally arguing about something that, when it happened, was in accord with the then current requirements.JohnEReb wrote:The only criteria for awarding the MOH during the time of Wounded Knee was the same as it was for the approximate 30 years prior. The soldiers had to "distinguish themselves by their gallantry in action, and other soldier-like qualities." Pretty ambiguous.
These 20 MOH were awarded according to the criteria OF THE DAY. The criteria has since changed and these 20 would not have been awarded if TODAY?S criteria were in place.
So - regardless of all the hoopla in this thread, the awards were actually issued according to the criteria.0
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