Forgotten Heroism Remembered and Honored Today

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President Barack Obama, flanked by members of Troop A, First Squadron, 11th Armored Combat Regiment, speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009, during a ceremony honoring their service with the Presidential Unit Citation for their actions during the Vietnam War. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

From the NYTimes at the beginning of this month:

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — On the day Ray R. Moreno came home from Vietnam, the day antiwar protestors called him a baby killer, he decided to pack away his Army uniform for good. Memories and nightmares still intruded, but he rarely discussed them. Battle buddies were forgotten.

Until, that is, he started attending reunions of his troop a few years ago. Suddenly, a door reopened. “They were there; they understand,” Mr. Moreno, 58, said. “If we want to cry, we do. If we don’t, we don’t.”

For many members of his unit, Alpha Troop of the 11th Armored Cavalry, the annual reunions for veterans of Vietnam and Cambodia have become a form of therapy: a chance to reconnect, salve wounds and share bonds forged in an unpopular war.

But this year’s reunion was special for another reason.

At a hotel ballroom in September here, Alpha Troop unveiled a Presidential Unit Citation, the highest military honor for a unit, it received this year from the Army for “extraordinary heroism” in rescuing more than 70 soldiers from a larger North Vietnamese force on March 26, 1970. In the coming weeks, the veterans hope, President Obama himself will formally bestow the citation at a White House ceremony.

Today, President Obama honored the veterans of Troop A, 1st Squadron of the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment….

From the AP:

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has awarded an Army squadron the highest honor given to a military unit for the daring rescue of about 100 soldiers during the Vietnam War nearly 40 years ago.

Obama was joined at the White House by dozens of veterans of Troop A, 1st Squadron of the 11th Armored Combat Regiment. Also at the ceremony were some of the soldiers they saved in the jungles of Vietnam.

The Presidential Unit Citation is the highest unit award in the military and the equivalent of the Distinguished Service Cross for every man in the unit. On March 26, 1970, the unit rescued about 100 members of an American infantry company that had stumbled onto amassive underground enemy bunker of North Vietnamese forces.

“These soldiers define the meaning of bravery and heroism,” Obama said.

Though their battle may not have changed the course of the war, and may not have made the newspapers back home, Obama said the troop’s efforts are “a proud chapter in the story of the American soldier.”

The president credited the unit’s leader, Capt. John Poindexter, for his efforts to ensure that his soldiers were ultimately rewarded for their service.

Obama said the unit is a reminder of America’s obligation to honor its veterans and their families, and only send troops into harm’s way when it’s absolutely necessary.

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Still had to politicize it — A-hole

I have strong fondness for all military veterans, but I especially have a huge fondness and love for Vietnam veterans. Whenever I can, I thank them for their service to their country. I visited with a few of them when the Vietnam Memorial visited my area, (http://travelingwall.us/) and it was a very moving and special time for me. If I could give each and every one of those veterans a huge hug, I would. I’m glad to see Obama giving them recognition today. They definitely deserve it.

As a vietnam Vet, all I can say is, why isn’t he honoring those troops in Afghanistan by sending the needed troops? He claimed that was a just war but is working to surrender it with dignity. That’s what happened in Korea and Vietnam. Politicians will never learn that there is no honor in surrendering, only weakness. We have a honorable military, what we lack is a honorable government!

Its called a feint Savage, he wants you to look at what his left hand is doing while not noticing what his right hand is up to. lol

I completely agree with both savage and Aleric. And, savage24, thank you for your service very, very much. I question most of what this president’s motives are, and know that he doesn’t like the military, nor seems to want to help them succeed in their current situation in Afghanistan.

I look at the faces of these veterans, and I think at that moment they care more about being honored after all this time in spite of Obama’s views on the military and his ‘foreign policy’.
Later, they can and might say about him what they truly think about those things. 🙂

He may honor this troop today but tomorrow and more specifically on November 9, 2009, the 20th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the liberation of Eastern Europe Obama and his Administration will not be present at the huge celebrations planned in Berlin. I believe that is because to Obama and his WH employees November 9, 2009 is a nabka a catastrophe where the glorious Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact fell to the evil American Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H W Bush. Mr. Obama and his acolytes may have had tears in their eyes that day, but not out of happiness, but sadness of what might have been (but which still might be were Mr. Obama to get his way in the USA). So while this honor is due to that troop, the man presenting the honor is so undeserving that he is shamed by the heroism of those who are honored.

This is a day late and a dollar short. These guys and all the rest of the Viet Nam veterans, both living and dead, should have been honored at the time of their return to the US. But I am glad some of them are finally honored. This Ahole is a representative of the people who trashed these guys and threw offal at them and spit on them. Disgraceful. As an above poster said he is not honoring the present day troops by sending help instead of just letting them be killed needlessly. Also, his stupid PC war methods. This grifter knows nothing else but how to campaign and have photo ops celebrating his wonderfulness.

The Pretender in Chief surrounded by Men of better character than He will ever possess.
A cheap and tawdry Photo Op. Period. America elected a Media Whore, not a President.
If the Kenyan thinks that this takes the heat off his responsibility to reinforce the Troops
in AF/PAK , he is only fooling himself. We know better.

Honor given this late is like sending dead flowers.

I respectfully refuse to comment any further on this event.

Wordsmith, the 11th ACR is the 11th Armored Cav Regiment.

http://www.11thcavnam.com/

Respectfully submitted.

I’m very pleased these vets are finally getting this recognition, they earned that and more, it was a long time coming. They came home to derision from an angry bunch of deranged mobs, no parades or ceremonies. Let that never happen again.

My father passed away in 2000 and we later received a signed certificate from GWB honoring his service to the nation. Shortly after Obama’s election, we got another one exactly the same signed by BHO, are we going to get another one in 2012? the first one was just fine.

it bring to mind that song WHERE all the flowes gone? it was so popular then