Help Honor a Great American and one of the First Scout Snipers

[sirhrmechanic]

Ed Bearss, the Civil War historian is being considered for the Congressional Gold Medal for his service as an historian, interpreter, author and, I will add, one of the last surviving Marine Raiders and Scout Snipers of WW2. Ed was a member of the Raiders that landed on Pavuvu and was wounded, in action, at Cape Gloucester. He was one of the first 100 or so Marine Scout Snipers.

I've been to his house and visited with him. He is an amazing human being and his Civil War books are incredible. He helped me out tremendously with a research project. He is a gentleman and, literally, a scholar. Who still carries the scars of his wounds on Cape Gloucester.

Here is the link to sign the petition... and I would please ask that you e-mail your Congressman and Senator supporting his receiving the medal. At 94... it's overdue!

I will be posting this in some other threads with permission of the 'Mods. Hope we can get a few hundred folks involved!

Thanks and cheers,

Sirhr

 

[2ndamendfan]

done

 

[Tucker301]

Done and will share around.

 

[Redmanss]

He's about as OG and still kicking as it gets. I'll put the word out as well.

 

[MarinePMI]

Done!

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

You got it sir. Man Pavuvu was rough from what I read! For that matter every island that got hopped pretty much was a slugfest with crazy harsh heat.. Best wishes and regards to em.

Speaking of Pacific Theater [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i44.photobucket.com\/albums\/f28\/jarrode93\/20141127_152200_zps07037064.jpg"}[/IMG2]


My Great Uncle "Doc" Fuller.. man who I look up to more than anyone else, one a the most skilled outdoorsman Ive ever had the pleasure of hanging around with to boot! Fought in Phillipines, and for whatever reason, maybe my interest in the subject, Im the first person he ever talked to/told about the war... Obviously he wasnt no Marine Raider, not to mention Scout Sniper, but he put it all on the line regardless.

 

[1J04]

Copy that. I"m in.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

You got it sir. Man Pavuvu was rough from what I read! For that matter every island that got hopped pretty much was a slugfest with crazy harsh heat.. Best wishes and regards to em.

Speaking of Pacific Theater [IMG2=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","src":"http:\/\/i44.photobucket.com\/albums\/f28\/jarrode93\/20141127_152200_zps07037064.jpg"}[/IMG2]


My Great Uncle "Doc" Fuller.. man who I look up to more than anyone else, one a the most skilled outdoorsman Ive ever had the pleasure of hanging around with to boot! Fought in Phillipines, and for whatever reason, maybe my interest in the subject, Im the first person he ever talked to/told about the war... Obviously he wasnt no Marine Raider, not to mention Scout Sniper, but he put it all on the line regardless.

As an invasion, Pavuvu was nothing. There was noone there. But it sucked to live on... and that's where the 5th Marines were Billeted after Cape Gloucester and before Peleliu... which was probably the worst invasion of the war. There were no Japanese on Pavuvu. But lines of manicured coconut palms. When the top brass was looking for a place to rebuild the 5th Marines after Cape Gloucester, a brass-hat flew over the island and assumed it was beautiful and a tropical paradise. So the Marines were sent there. It was a sh** hole. No facilities, land crabs, falling coconuts, quicksand, no tents.... but the Marines who landed there in 1942... found nothing. But a sh**hole. Too bad the brass didn't listen.

From Pavuvu the Marines went to Peleliu. Which was hell on earth. But some thought that it was still better than Pavuvu.

Read Helmet for my Pillow. And With the Old Breed.

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

Guess I should've clarified thats what I was talking about regarding Pavuvu being rough, the conditions. Atleast according to Robert Leckie. We think we know heat and humidity down south here but I can't imagine living in conditions so rough it'll actually make you sick and what not. There's no feeling quite like high heat/humidity and dehydrating fast, I doubt there's a stronger instinct in humans than thirst. Ugh

 

[ArmyJerry]

sent, he is more deserving than 99.9% of the non deserving that get that medal,. wish there was something more honorable than that medal

 

[P-Squared]

Done. Never forget how we got here.

 

[MarinePMI]

Read Helmet for my Pillow. And With the Old Breed.

Cheers,

Sirhr

I'll second the recommendation of "With the Old Breed". Sledge did a great job describing the Pelilu campaign from a first person perspective.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

I'll second the recommendation of "With the Old Breed". Sledge did a great job describing the Pelilu campaign from a first person perspective.

Does "The Pacific" stay pretty close to the book?

Also, did Sledge actually have problems handling firearms/hunting after the war in real life?

ETA: Apparently he couldnt stand the possibility of wounding a critter..

 

[earthquake]

Done. Semper Fi

 

[sirhrmechanic]

The Pacific is an amalgam of several books. Helmet for my Pillow. With the Old Breed. Red Blood Black Sand (Which was based on an article written by a Marine who was with Basilone when he died and expanded into a larger book). Tragic Triumph (about Peleliu). And several others.

And, yes, Sledge had a lot of issues that would be, today, called PTSD. One of them was hunting. Read his book.... Far better than the movie.

All worth reading. When you going to get that history degree, Coyote. You ask the right questions. Now you need to learn how to answer them for yourself!

Cheers,

Sirhr

 

[missed]

tagged for later

 

[ZiaHunter]

"islands on the Damned" by VG Burgin is also a good read. He was Sledges Sergeant and mentioned numerous times in his book. Other good reads are the "Devils Anvil the Assault on Peleliu" and "Brotherhood of Heroes" by Bill Sloan who was also in the 1st Marine Division that assaulted Peleliu.

 

[WATERWALKER]

Sent. Also, a great collection of books mentioned above.