Hate to say but I have been sorely remiss as of late in
marking the passing of American heroes, and since the maximum effective range
of an excuse is zero feet, I best get to it.
On November 8th, we lost retired Lieutenant Colonel
Herbert E. Carter, one of the original pilots among the Tuskegee Airmen. The
last surviving Tuskegee Airman from the state of Mississippi and one of only
four surviving pilots of the original group of 33 trainees at Tuskegee, LTC Carter passed away at
the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika at the age of 95.
Herbert Carter, holding a picture of his wife Mildred |
His
accomplishments during service included 77 combat sorties with the 12th
Tactical Air Force against German and Italian forces in North Africa, Sicily
and Italy.
Carter retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and was a well decorated pilot.
He was honored in 2006 with France’s highest honor, “Chevalier of the Legion of
Honor,” by French President Jacques Chirac and in 2007, was awarded the
Congressional Gold Medal with other Tuskegee Airmen by President George W.
Bush. After the war, Carter went on to become the Associate Dean for Student Services at Tuskegee University. He was
preceded in death by his wife, Mildred L. Hemmonds-Carter, who passed away last
year. A fellow aviator, she was the first female to receive a pilots license in
Alabama. They had been married an astonishing 70 years.
Also
passing this past week was retired Colonel James Lamar Stone, aged 89, in
Arlington, Texas.
A
native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Stone studied chemistry and zoology at
the University of Arkansas, where he was in the Reserve Officers Training
Corps. He worked for General Electric before being called to active duty in
1948 and entered the Army at
Houston, Texas .In 1951 he was a First Lieutenant in in the 8th
Cavalry Regiment, part of the First Cavalry Division in Korea when his platoon
came under intense attack by Chinese troops.
Stone’s 48-man platoon fought
against a force of 800 enemy soldiers, and in the ensuing combat, sometimes
hand-to-hand, he was wounded 3 times. Realizing
the defense was hopeless, Stone ordered those men who could still walk to leave
and rejoin the rest of their company, while he stayed behind with the badly
wounded to cover their retreat. Stone eventually lost consciousness and, just
before dawn on November 22, he and the six remaining men of his platoon were
captured by Chinese forces. The next day, advancing American troops found 545
enemy soldiers dead.
After regaining consciousness, Stone was interrogated by the
Chinese before being sent to a prison camp on the Yalu River. After 22 months of
captivity, he was released in a prisoner exchange on September 3, 1953. Upon
his liberation, Stone learned that he was to receive the Medal of Honor for his
actions during the battle.
1LT Stone embraces his mother after being repatriated |
A month later, on October 27, 1953, he was at the White
House. President Dwight Eisenhower presented the medal to Stone and to six
others. Then, looking around at the servicemen whose extraordinary exploits he
had just discussed, Ike quipped to the audience, "I feel perfectly safe up
here."
1st Lt. Stone distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and indomitable courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. When his platoon, holding a vital outpost position, was attacked by overwhelming Chinese forces, 1st Lt. Stone stood erect and exposed to the terrific enemy fire calmly directed his men in the defense. A defensive flame-thrower failing to function, he personally moved to its location, further exposing himself, and personally repaired the weapon. Throughout a second attack, 1st Lt. Stone; though painfully wounded, personally carried the only remaining light machine gun from place to place in the position in order to bring fire upon the Chinese advancing from 2 directions. Throughout he continued to encourage and direct his depleted platoon in its hopeless defense. Although again wounded, he continued the fight with his carbine, still exposing himself as an example to his men. When this final overwhelming assault swept over the platoon's position his voice could still be heard faintly urging his men to carry on, until he lost consciousness. Only because of this officer's driving spirit and heroic action was the platoon emboldened to make its brave but hopeless last ditch stand.
Godspeed, gentlemen. Rest in peace with the thanks of a grateful
nation. The world is an emptier place without you.
3 comments:
BZ, Gentlemen. Well Done!
stone epitomized the infantry motto...FOLLOW ME !!
God rest them both!
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