Marine Corps Moms: Thank You, Veterans

November 11, 2009

Thank You, Veterans

One of the highlights of a recent trip to Camp Pendleton was taking an afternoon to drive a few hours east to visit the oldest living Congressional Medal of Honor recipient. It was an impulse - Connie Riecke and I had flown down to help Andi and her team with this year's west coast SpouseBuzz - and we had a few hours to kill before her late afternoon flight home. The conversation started out, as so many of our conversations do with an hare-brained idea that didn't have a chance of being successful . . . and by putting two never-say-die minds together, we figured out a way to make it happen. She does that to me.

We gave him a call, he was delighted to have us visit and we spent a wonderful afternoon listening to his recollections of Pearl Harbor . . . but he was just as interested in hearing about my father's service as a Navy officer (they shared the same rank) and my son's deployments in Iraq with 1/7 Marines.

The official citation, read on board ship, nine months later, with his beloved wife Alice in attendance reads:

For extraordinary heroism distinguished service, and devotion above and beyond the call of duty. During the first attack by Japanese airplanes on the Naval Air Station, Kaneohe Bay, on December 7, 1941, Lt. Finn promptly secured and manned a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on an instruction stand in a completely exposed section of the parking ramp, which was under heavy enemy machine gun strafing fire. Although painfully wounded many times, he continued to man this gun and to return the enemy's fire vigorously and with telling effect throughout the enemy strafing and bombing attacks and with complete disregard for his own personal safety. It was only by specific orders that he was persuaded to leave his post to seek medical attention. Following first aid treatment, although obviously suffering much pain and moving with great difficulty, he returned to the squadron area and actively supervised the rearming of returning planes. His extraordinary heroism and conduct in this action were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

	His wife Alice on board the USS Enterprise during the Medal of Honor ceremony nine months after Pearl Harbor. He said he still doesn't know how they got her on board the ship
His favorite drink is a Sioux City Sarsaparilla and he's an accomplished story-teller. We listened to stories of his childhood and distinguished Naval career.
	He called this his "Alfred E Neumann" face.

He mentioned an upcoming trip to the city of Boston that he looked forward to - he doesn't do much traveling any more, aside from climbing the hill behind his home each morning. Here's an account of his visit:

A 100-year-old United States Navy veteran and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient was among the veterans who gathered at the State House this morning for a Veterans Day ceremony honoring those who served their country and the families of soldiers who never returned.
Retired Navy Lt. John Finn, of San Diego, Calif., stood from his wheelchair with the help of other veterans to salute the men and women honored at the annual ceremony in the Hall of Flags.

"It's indescribable," said Finn, who was greeted by Gov. Deval Patrick and other dignitaries after the service.

Finn and his fiance, Frances Carmichael, were invited to the ceremony by state Secretary of Veterans Services Thomas G. Kelley, who is his friend and fellow Congressional Medal of Honor recipient.

"He's from Pearl Harbor. I'm from Vietnam," said Kelley. "He really brought a lot of sparkle and dignity to the event."

Finn was awarded the Medal of Honor for his role in the Pearl Harbor attacks. According to his citation, Finn manned a .50 caliber machinegun on an exposed section of a parking ramp under heavy enemy machinegun fire.

Kelley said he was wounded repeatedly during the assault.

Today, Finn recalled when he joined the Navy his dream was to join the crew of the U.S.S. Constitution.

"When I was just a little curley-headed boy, I wanted to serve on the Constitution," said Finn, who visited the storied warship vessel in Charlestown several years ago.

"By then I was a retired Navy lieutenant. I didn't know one sail from another," he said.

Since my son enlisted in 2002, I"ve met hundreds, if not thousands, of veterans and currently serving troops. I will never forget the afternoon I shared a Sioux City Sarsaparilla with John Finn and listened to his stories of life before, during, and after WWII. This memory is a keeper.

Thanks to all Vets. Whether a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for not - they're all heroes in my eyes.

Posted by Deb at November 11, 2009 09:33 AM

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