“It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion.” —Abraham Lincoln
There are so many inspiring, beautiful stories about the great heroes of American history which are scarcely ever told. One happens on them accidentally—buried in a thick, out-of-print biography, in small print on a museum sign, casually and fleetingly mentioned in an obscure educational video. America cannot return to greatness in the future if we do not truly understand the greatness of our past. That is why I am writing an article series to tell a few of these little-known but moving or illustrative “untold stories” of American greatness. Previous articles in this series include star Bing Crosby’s letters to troops and their families; courageous recipients of the Purple Heart medal; the Indian Prophecy of George Washington’s future greatness; and the life of Tim McCoy, actor, army officer, cowboy, Indian expert, and war hero.
Abraham Lincoln spoke in his famed Gettysburg Address, at the dedication of a cemetery for the Union dead of the Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, of those who “gave the last full measure of devotion.” These are the fallen heroes whom we honor today, Memorial Day.
There are so many stories to tell. Two of my ancestors, Union soldiers James Lees and Timothy O’Brien, died in the Civil War. My great-uncle, Marine Capt. Bruce Webb, was blown up by a grenade almost as soon as he arrived in Vietnam and went into combat. Capt. Webb left behind a widow and three young sons, about six years and under. Today we honor and remember all of the husbands, fathers, brothers, sons, and daughters whose brave deaths left gaping holes in the hearts of their loved ones but whose blood went to water the tree of liberty. I have highlighted three soldiers’ stories in particular below, drawn from the ranks of Medal of Honor recipients.
Below is the story of Marine Corporal Charles Gene Abrell, who was a fire team leader in Company E, US Marine Corps, the Korean War (courtesy of Congressional Medal of Honor Society):
“[CMOHS] While advancing with his platoon in an attack against well-concealed and heavily fortified enemy hill positions, Cpl. Abrell voluntarily rushed forward through the assaulting squad which was pinned down by a hail of intense and accurate automatic-weapons fire from a hostile bunker situated on commanding ground. Although previously wounded by enemy hand-grenade fragments, he proceeded to carry out a bold, singlehanded attack against the bunker, exhorting his comrades to follow him. Sustaining two additional wounds as he stormed toward the emplacement, he resolutely pulled the pin from a grenade clutched in his hand and hurled himself bodily into the bunker with the live missile still in his grasp. Fatally wounded in the resulting explosion which killed the entire enemy gun crew within the stronghold, Cpl. Abrell, by his valiant spirit of self-sacrifice in the face of certain death, served to inspire all his comrades and contributed directly to the success of his platoon in attaining its objective.”
CMOHS praises Abrell’s “superb courage and heroic initiative” as he “gallantly gave his life for his country.”
Before Abrell’s heroics, during the Meuse-Argonne campaign of World War I, Army Sergeant Wilbur E. Colyer showed total fearlessness on the battlefield:
“[CMOHS] Volunteering with two other soldiers to locate machine-gun nests, Sgt. Colyer advanced on the hostile positions to a point where he was half surrounded by the nests, which were in ambush. He killed the gunner of one gun with a captured German grenade and then turned this gun on the other nests, silencing all of them before he returned to his platoon. He was later killed in action.”
Colyer was killed only the day after his impressive battlefield heroics. Like so many others, he paid the ultimate sacrifice during the “Great War.”
During World War II, in the hell of fighting the Japanese during the Iwo Jima invasion, Marine Sergeant Darrell Samuel Cole bravely gave his life:
“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as leader of a machine-gun section of Company B, 1st Battalion, 23d Marines, 4th Marine Division, in action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, 19 February 1945. Assailed by a tremendous volume of small-arms, mortar, and artillery fire as he advanced with one squad of his section in the initial assault wave, Sgt. Cole boldly led his men up the sloping beach toward Airfield No. 1 despite the blanketing curtain of flying shrapnel and, personally destroying with hand grenades two hostile emplacements which menaced the progress of his unit, continued to move forward until a merciless barrage of fire emanating from three Japanese pillboxes halted the advance.
Instantly placing his one remaining machine gun in action, he delivered a shattering fusillade and succeeded in silencing the nearest and most threatening emplacement before his weapon jammed and the enemy, reopening fire with knee mortars and grenades, pinned down his unit for a second time. Shrewdly gauging the tactical situation and evolving a daring plan of counterattack, Sgt. Cole, armed solely with a pistol and one grenade, coolly advanced alone to the hostile pillboxes. Hurling his one grenade at the enemy in sudden, swift attack, he quickly withdrew, returned to his own lines for additional grenades and again advanced, attacked, and withdrew. With enemy guns still active, he ran the gauntlet of slashing fire a third time to complete the total destruction of the Japanese strongpoint and the annihilation of the defending garrison in this final assault. Although instantly killed by an enemy grenade as he returned to his squad, Sgt. Cole had eliminated a formidable Japanese position, thereby enabling his company to storm the remaining fortifications, continue the advance, and seize the objective. By his dauntless initiative, unfaltering courage, and indomitable determination during a critical period of action, Sgt. Cole served as an inspiration to his comrades.”
This Memorial Day, be grateful for those who died that we might live in freedom.
