Thursday, July 15, 2010

Three American Heroes

Vernon Baker passed away at his home this past Tuesday in Idaho, at the age of 90. Lt. Baker received the Medal of Honor for actions against the Germans on an Italian hilltop on April 5, 1945. He was cited for wiping out four machine gun nests while leading his platoon through a maze of bunkers and gun emplacements. He was assigned to the 92nd Infantry Division.

Lt. Baker received his Medal of Honor on Jan. 13, 1997 from President Clinton at the White House, in a ceremony that honored 7 soldiers with the Medal of Honor long after their displays of heroism. All 7 were black. Lt. Baker was the only one who was still alive at the time of the ceemony.

Godspeed, Lt. Baker ....




Army Specialist Jerrod Osborne, a resident of Rockwall TX, was an Army medic serving in Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star for actions this past May for saving lives in the aftermath of a IED explosion. He was later awarded the Purple Heart. He served with the 82nd Airborne.

Jerrod Osborne, age 20, died in another IED explosion in Afghanistan on July 5.

Thank you, Spc. Osborne, for your service and sacrifice for our country ...




Staff Sergeant Zackary Filip, of Denton TX (the town where I grew up), has been named the Army Times' Soldier of the Year for 2010. The medic has served in Afghanistan. He was at the Ft. Hood Readiness Center this past November when an Islamic terrorist attacked. He is credited with saving the life of the civilian police officer who shot the terrorist, and for treating multiple other victims of the attack.

Thank you SSgt. Filip , for your service to our country...


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