24 servicemen finaly getting their due.

[just Warren]

The story says they may have been overlooked because of their race.

Only three are still alive to receive their medals.

It's too bad it falls to this president to do the awarding but it would be an injustice to make them wait even one day longer.

[vaskidmark]

I'm very conflicted.

Yes, there was prejudice that prevented many deserving appropriate levels of recognition from receiving it.  That should be fixed - as in eliminating the discrimination much in the way MLK Jr. hoped for.

It seems most of the impetus comes from victimology, as opposed to justice.  If justice was the issue, all awards should have been reviewed for appropriateness and some rescinded/downgraded as well as some upgraded.  As an example, there were six (6) Navy Commendation Medals awarded for "expeditious repair of typewriters" in one ceremony.  Ensuring that REMFs could continue banging out morning reports is admittedly important, but medal-worthy?  Conversely there are many Bronze Stars that were awarded only because the officer commanding could not be pushed beyond Silver Star and everybody knows that officers must get at least one level higher than the enlisted troops dontchaknow.

IMHO anybody who is bitter about not being awarded a certain level of recognition was just out for the medal in the first place, which IMHO should make them ineligible.  Or maybe it's just me because I truely believe that the demand for recognition of having done more than the minimum required has become overblown.

"Proving" that discrimination was what held them to lesser awards should be the impetus to eliminate that discrimination by bringing shame to those doing the discrimination.  As an example, the Tuskeegee Airmen did not end discrimination and segregation in the armed forces, but they put a tremendous dent in the prejudices that had been supporting discrimination and segregation.

A lot of the push for these upgrades seems to me to be the same as the demand for slave reparations.  I wish someone could convince me otherwise.

stay safe.

[Scout26]

Lyndon Johnson's Silver Start for example.

Yes, there was discrimination.  Yes, recommendations for awards at the time that were denied should be reviewed to see if discrimination was the reason, if so then the recommendations need to be examed again.  At face value.

Also awards that are egregious examples, the typewriter one and LBJ's among others need to be stricken. 

IIRC, there was a review of Medals of Honor issued and many that were issued early on (To a bunch of milita troops that re-enlisted and Lincoln's Funeral guards) that clearly failed to meet the criteria were rescinded.  Meanwhile, recommendations for those denied during the Bush Administration (5+ years of war and only 3 awarded, none living) didn't pass the smell test, nor the "average" number of awards in previous conflicts.

The whole if your an E-something to  E-otherthing then you can only get an X medal, but if you are above those pay grades then you get a Y medal with extra doodad, is utter crap.  You already get a campaign medal, getting a Bronze star for showing up, degrades those men that earned them by spilling blood (either their own or others) in prior confilcts.   Stop it.

[Chuck Dye]

I went to school with the son of Red Ramage, had the chance to ask the admiral about his medals.  He said it was mostly a matter of getting caught doing your job properly.  Getting caught by political types.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I went to school with the son of Red Ramage, had the chance to ask the admiral about his medals.  He said it was mostly a matter of getting caught doing your job properly.  Getting caught by political types.

this says a bit
Following the presentation, Commander Ramage created a certificate for each sailor in his command. The certificate read:

    The Captain wishes to emphasize the fact that the Medal of Honor was accepted from the President of the United States as the Nation's tribute to a fighting ship and her courageous crew. He feels that every officer and man whose loyal cooperation and able assistance contributed to the success of the "Parche" has an equal share in this award which he holds in trust for you. With great pride and respect. Sincerely, L. P. Ramage[13]

[BobR]

It's too bad it falls to this president to do the awarding but it would be an injustice to make them wait even one day longer.

It has been going on longer than that.

In 1997 there were several black WW2 veterans who were awarded the MOH by Bill Clinton. Much the same story, had they been white, would they have received it initially? The Army had started a review in 1993.

One was local to me, and used our VA, Vernon Baker. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit and chat with him a couple of times when he would come over from ID for his appointments. A very humble, quiet man who loved to talk about hunting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXVZmj0uK3M

http://www.badassoftheweek.com/vernonbaker.html

I have a very good book about him, that he wrote with a local newspaperman that is called "Lasting Valor". I would be glad to put it into APS circulation, read it and pass it on. If any one wants to start, PM your info and I will get it in the mail.

bob

[French G.]

The whole if your an E-something to  E-otherthing then you can only get an X medal, but if you are above those pay grades then you get a Y medal with extra doodad, is utter crap.  You already get a campaign medal, getting a Bronze star for showing up, degrades those men that earned them by spilling blood (either their own or others) in prior confilcts.   Stop it.

Yep, plenty of Navy E-8 to O-5 sporting bronze stars. Now, if I hear someone has a bronze star in the current conflicts I am unimpressed unless they are E-6 and below, from the USMC(which is tighter on criteria), or it has a V on it.

I saw one USN E-4 that had a Navy Com. Being that she was a corpsman I was impressed, you only get a com at that paygrade for saving someone.

[RoadKingLarry]

The typewriter repairmen might have been worthy of a Navy Achievment Medal but certainly not a NCM.
Some commands were just turds about giving any kind of award from Letter of commandation up.
I saw way too many instances of an award rec being submitted and it coming back with "resubmitt end of tour" thenthe award rec submitted at end of tour coming back "should have been submitted at the time of achievment"
Fast boats have (had?) the distinction of earning the Navy Expeditionary Medal for a very specific mission assignment in one of 3 places in the world. It doesn't matter if you went to place A 20 times only one award for location A. But if you later went to location B and or C you could get an additional award for those locations.
My last deployment was to location B. I had already been to location A and earned the NEM on that trip. At the time I would have been the only one in the cammand to have gotten the 2nd award. I was told I wasn't getting the 2nd award. It did appear on my DD214 though.

[Jamisjockey]

So I see the review was ordered in 2002 by congress.  Republican controlled at the time.  Those evil, racist republicans.