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by Maj. W. Thomas Smith, Jr.
Dear reader,
I’m writing this in direct-address fashion because – as we near the 233rd birthday of our Marine Corps (born in a Philadelphia alehouse on Nov. 10, 1775) and Veterans Day (born of the armistice ending World War I, Nov. 11, 1918, exactly 90 years ago) – this is as much an appeal as it is an opinion piece.
I’m writing this in direct-address fashion because – as we near the 233rd birthday of our Marine Corps (born in a Philadelphia alehouse on Nov. 10, 1775) and Veterans Day (born of the armistice ending World War I, Nov. 11, 1918, exactly 90 years ago) – this is as much an appeal as it is an opinion piece.
I’ve often said, far too many Americans – through no fault of their own – take our military for granted.
Those who have never served in uniform – particularly those who have never slogged through the mud with a rifle nor known what it feels like to be awakened by ‘incoming’ – just sort of assume that America dominates all comers militarily because America has money (yeah, well, at least we used to) and superior technology. And we can be sure that money and technology do count in the successful prosecution of war.
Those who have never served in uniform – particularly those who have never slogged through the mud with a rifle nor known what it feels like to be awakened by ‘incoming’ – just sort of assume that America dominates all comers militarily because America has money (yeah, well, at least we used to) and superior technology. And we can be sure that money and technology do count in the successful prosecution of war.
But it’s much more.
America has been winning all of its wars since the colonial era, including Vietnam, which we clearly won militarily, but lost in Washington and on the broader homefront (we’ll save that for another discussion). But we have been winning – often against great odds – primarily for one reason: AMERICAN MILITARY TRADITION.
Unfortunately, too many of us take military tradition for granted because we incorrectly assume that tradition is “nice,” but largely insignificant.
I don’t condemn those who believe such. Most people simply have no frame of reference to appreciate just how amazingly efficient the American military is despite its being an arm of the far-too-often inefficient federal government.
But trust me, our military prowess – that prowess of the individual soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman who has never failed to keep the wolf away from the door — is a direct result of our military tradition.
U.S. Marines, for instance, crushed the insurgents during the bloody battle of Fallujah (Nov.–Dec. 2004) and they did so in close-quarters fighting — often tooth-to-eyeball — where much of our technological wizardry was unable to be fully brought to bear.
Those young men were able to win against the enemy because they were Marines. They knew they were holding an unmatched reputation in trust. They had to fight and fight well. After all, they were standing on the shoulders of those giants of men who had successfully battled the enemy in places with names like Hue City, Khe Sanh, Chosin, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Guadalcanal, Belleau Wood, Harper’s Ferry, Chapultepec (the halls of Montezuma), Quallah Batto, the stronghold and shores of Tripoli, and in nearly every other “clime and place” stretching back to the seaborne slugfests of Captain John Paul Jones’ leathernecks during the American Revolution.
So why all this talk of military tradition?
Because the greatest pillars of our military tradition are our Medal of Honor recipients – those combatants from all services who have received our nation’s highest award for bravery in action – and our greatest living pillars are our living recipients of that award. Their average age is now 75 years, and there are now less than 100 of them still with us. Most recipients are killed during the actions for which they receive the award. In fact, all who have received the award for actions since the end of the Vietnam War have died in those actions.
America has been winning all of its wars since the colonial era, including Vietnam, which we clearly won militarily, but lost in Washington and on the broader homefront (we’ll save that for another discussion). But we have been winning – often against great odds – primarily for one reason: AMERICAN MILITARY TRADITION.
Unfortunately, too many of us take military tradition for granted because we incorrectly assume that tradition is “nice,” but largely insignificant.
I don’t condemn those who believe such. Most people simply have no frame of reference to appreciate just how amazingly efficient the American military is despite its being an arm of the far-too-often inefficient federal government.
But trust me, our military prowess – that prowess of the individual soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, and Coast Guardsman who has never failed to keep the wolf away from the door — is a direct result of our military tradition.
U.S. Marines, for instance, crushed the insurgents during the bloody battle of Fallujah (Nov.–Dec. 2004) and they did so in close-quarters fighting — often tooth-to-eyeball — where much of our technological wizardry was unable to be fully brought to bear.
Those young men were able to win against the enemy because they were Marines. They knew they were holding an unmatched reputation in trust. They had to fight and fight well. After all, they were standing on the shoulders of those giants of men who had successfully battled the enemy in places with names like Hue City, Khe Sanh, Chosin, Iwo Jima, Tarawa, Guadalcanal, Belleau Wood, Harper’s Ferry, Chapultepec (the halls of Montezuma), Quallah Batto, the stronghold and shores of Tripoli, and in nearly every other “clime and place” stretching back to the seaborne slugfests of Captain John Paul Jones’ leathernecks during the American Revolution.
So why all this talk of military tradition?
Because the greatest pillars of our military tradition are our Medal of Honor recipients – those combatants from all services who have received our nation’s highest award for bravery in action – and our greatest living pillars are our living recipients of that award. Their average age is now 75 years, and there are now less than 100 of them still with us. Most recipients are killed during the actions for which they receive the award. In fact, all who have received the award for actions since the end of the Vietnam War have died in those actions.
Now to my personal appeal to you, the reader:
The Medal of Honor Society will hold its annual convention – hosted by the S.C. State Guard Foundation and the Citadel – in Charleston, S.C., Sept. 2010, and I urge your support of this convention now as it will serve to promote public awareness of the Medal of Honor, our living recipients, and at-the-same-time infuse our military tradition with the lifeblood so necessary to future battlefield success.
We Americans are the most generous people on earth. We’re also frugal and savvy: We expect a return on investment, which is one of the reasons I know many of you may not yet be sold on the idea of the value of investing in something like military tradition. But I can assure you – as one who has served his country in-and-out of uniform for years – America’s military tradition is not only a priceless commodity and one that appreciates in value; I am convinced it is critical to the continued security of this nation.
That’s why I’m asking you to support our military and our American military tradition through this noble endeavor. Please visit medalofhonorconvention.com for more information and sponsorship opportunities available. You are not only going to be supporting the very foundation of our military prowess, but you will be furthering an awareness of America’s greatest heroes in the purest sense of the word.
We Americans are the most generous people on earth. We’re also frugal and savvy: We expect a return on investment, which is one of the reasons I know many of you may not yet be sold on the idea of the value of investing in something like military tradition. But I can assure you – as one who has served his country in-and-out of uniform for years – America’s military tradition is not only a priceless commodity and one that appreciates in value; I am convinced it is critical to the continued security of this nation.
That’s why I’m asking you to support our military and our American military tradition through this noble endeavor. Please visit medalofhonorconvention.com for more information and sponsorship opportunities available. You are not only going to be supporting the very foundation of our military prowess, but you will be furthering an awareness of America’s greatest heroes in the purest sense of the word.
Semper Fidelis,
W. Thomas Smith Jr.
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