About Us
Mission Statement
Rules of Conduct
 
Name:
Pswd:
Remember Me
Register
 

Ask a Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 03/23/2021 11:37:23

Good Morning.

Military veterans and Women's History month will intersect here this morning.


Aboard the oldest commissioned warship in the world, the US Navy has honoured their first female Chief Petty Officer by naming one of the historic (replica) cannons on-board after her.


BOSTON — The USS Constitution named one of its cannons in honor of the first woman to serve as a chief petty officer in the Navy.

The 24-pound long gun was named Perfectus after Loretta Perfectus Walsh during a ceremony in Boston on Sunday marking Women’s History Month, the Navy said in a statement.

Walsh was sworn in as the Navy’s first chief petty officer on March 21, 1917.

“Loretta Perfectus Walsh has made it possible for all women to serve in the military,” Command Senior Chief Angela Collins said. “I get to be here because of the women who have gone before me, and I get the honor to serve with amazing women every single day.”

Four of the warship’s female crew members gave a presentation on the significance of Walsh’s service.

“To talk about Loretta Perfectus Walsh’s life holds great meaning for me and everyone around us,” Seaman Katrina Mastrolia said. “It gives me hope and determination to face the boundaries that I have in my life today.”

The USS Constitution, also known as Old Ironsides, is the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat, and played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812, actively defending sea lanes from 1797 until 1855. The ship was undefeated in battle and destroyed or captured 33 enemy vessels.

It earned its nickname during the War of 1812 when British cannonballs were seen bouncing off its wooden hull.

Early sailors frequently named the guns on their ships.

And although there are no records for the original names of the USS Constitution’s guns, some have been given names based on records from her sister ships. These include Brother Jonathan, True Blue, Yankee Protection, Putnam, Raging Eagle, Viper, General Warren, Mad Anthony, America, Washington, Liberty for Ever, Defiance, and Liberty or Death.

The USS Constitution’s modern cannons are replicas dating to 1920.


https://usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil/files/2021/03/4198826.jpg


Moving on, we'll stay with personnel today. I'm sure sainthood is not something you associate with men and women who wage war. But nevertheless - a Roman Catholic chaplain of the Korean era is slowly but surely moving down that path.


At the end of a small cemetery on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross, the Jesuit college where I teach, is the grave of Joseph O'Callahan, former professor of mathematics.

O'Callahan is one of the few Catholic military chaplains to have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during World War II.

Only five Catholic priests have received this highest American military honor. Two of them are in the process of being considered for the highest honor recognized in Catholicism: becoming a canonized saint. They are Vincent Capodanno, a Navy chaplain killed in Vietnam while assigned to a Marine unit in 1967, and Emil Kapaun, an Army chaplain who died in a prison camp during the Korean War in 1951 -- and whose remains were recently identified by the Pentagon.

Kapaun was captured while ministering, unarmed, to wounded and dying soldiers in active battle. His fellow soldiers lauded the way in which he continued to assist other prisoners before dying of pneumonia in the prison. He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013.

Kapaun's spiritual heroism was also noted by those he served. A preliminary evaluation of his sanctity, or "cause" for canonization, was accepted by Pope John Paul II in 1993, and he was proclaimed "Servant of God." It is not unusual for decades to pass before this approval; in fact, a mandatory five-year waiting period has become a first step in the formal process of becoming a saint.

After this, officials in the Diocese of Wichita, Kansas, Kapaun's home, spent several years conducting a thorough investigation into his life and ministry. A final report, called a "positio," was accepted and approved by Vatican officials in 2016. Now, the pope must decide on declaring Kapaun "Venerable," the third step toward canonization.


These things may seem un-reconcilable, as the author himself goes on to note.


It might seem unusual to associate priestly ministry with the violence of war. In the early first century, Jesus himself preached peace and nonviolence, instead of retaliation.

In some early Christian communities during the second and third centuries, soldiers could be accepted as candidates for baptism, the ritual immersion in water necessary for becoming a member of the church, only if they refused to kill other human beings.


Most of us are familiar with the story of Desmond Doss - a conscientious objector that nevertheless served as a medic in WWII. He saved no less than 75 men in combat on Okinawa, and was also awarded the Medal of Honor. Returning to Chaplain Kapaun, let us see if his MOH Citation sheds any further light on his potential sainthood.


For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division during combat operations against an armed enemy at Unsan, Korea, from November 1-2, 1950. On November 1, as Chinese Communist Forces viciously attacked friendly elements, Chaplain Kapaun calmly walked through withering enemy fire in order to provide comfort and medical aid to his comrades and rescue friendly wounded from no-man's land. Though the Americans successfully repelled the assault, they found themselves surrounded by the enemy. Facing annihilation, the able-bodied men were ordered to evacuate. However, Chaplain Kapaun, fully aware of his certain capture, elected to stay behind with the wounded. After the enemy succeeded in breaking through the defense in the early morning hours of November 2, Chaplain Kapaun continually made rounds, as hand-to-hand combat ensued. As Chinese Communist Forces approached the American position, Chaplain Kapaun noticed an injured Chinese officer amongst the wounded and convinced him to negotiate the safe surrender of the American Forces. Shortly after his capture, Chaplain Kapaun, with complete disregard for his personal safety and unwavering resolve, bravely pushed aside an enemy soldier preparing to execute Sergeant First Class Herbert A. Miller. Not only did Chaplain Kapaun's gallantry save the life of Sergeant Miller, but also his unparalleled courage and leadership inspired all those present, including those who might have otherwise fled in panic, to remain and fight the enemy until captured. Chaplain Kapaun's extraordinary heroism and selflessness, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, the 1st Cavalry Division, and the United States Army.


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Emil_Kapaun.jpg


Finally today, we'll return to the modern era and our daily troubles. The Washington, DC branch of the blog may have been alarmed yesterday to hear about a potential "USS Cole" style attack against Fort McNair on the shores of the Potomac by Iran. How they intended to infiltrate the nation's Capitol some 60 miles from the ocean, and past the main East Coast naval base at Newport News (VA) remains unclear.


Iran has made threats against Fort McNair, an Army base in the nation's capital, and against the Army’s vice chief of staff, two senior U.S. intelligence officials said.

They said communications intercepted by the National Security Agency in January showed that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard discussed mounting “USS Cole-style attacks” against the base, referring to the October 2000 suicide attack in which a small boat pulled up alongside the Navy destroyer in the Yemeni port of Aden and exploded, killing 17 sailors.

The intelligence also revealed threats to kill Gen. Joseph M. Martin and plans to infiltrate and surveil the base, according to the officials, who were not authorized to publicly discuss national security matters and spoke on condition of anonymity. The base, one of the oldest in the country, is Martin's official residence.

The threats are one reason the Army has been pushing for more security around Fort McNair, which sits alongside Washington's bustling newly developed Waterfront District.

City leaders have been fighting the Army’s plan to add a buffer zone of about 250 feet to 500 feet from the shore of the Washington Channel, which would limit access to as much as half the width of the busy waterway running parallel to the Potomac River.

The Pentagon, National Security Council and NSA either did not reply or declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.


Given that the DC neighborhood involved is reluctant to restrict access to the river, but the military needs to have a vast "security zone" around their base - this story has an air of Post 9-11 "security theater" about it, doesn't it?

 
 

3 comments (Latest Comment: 03/23/2021 14:04:53 by livingonli)
   Perma Link

Share This!

Furl it!
Spurl
NewsVine
Reddit
Technorati

Add a Comment

Please login to add a comment...


Comments:

Order comments Newest to Oldest  Refresh Comments

Comment by Raine on 03/23/2021 13:02:24
Good morning.

Regarding that last story--- it was first reported during the former guys time there, months ago, at least locally. It's near the Warf in DC. Take a look ,[38.84613498161798,-77.04683297618294],null,[38.87136554540895,-77.01138490184212],14]"]at the google map for some orientation.

Look how close it is to National airport. Keep in mind the actual SW Waterfront front was (and is) a HUGErevitalization project for the city od DC. I can't image security logistics weren't taken into account in a the previous 2 decades of planning. I don't really doubt the intelligence, but this looks more like a watergrab by the military to me. Delegate Holmes has been people have given security briefing on this and remains opposed to the request.

This new information, the 'cole style attack' seems strange to me. I have never seen ANY big military boats there. I don't think the channel is deep enough. The Anacostia side of Buzzards point might be a different story.

seems to me, that there could (and probably is) intel about possible attacks, but that seriously wouldn't be anything new for DC and the region around it. Something is off about this story. Maybe the Vice President of the Army, who lives there. might have something to do with it.

Comment by wickedpam on 03/23/2021 13:20:47
Morning

Comment by livingonli on 03/23/2021 14:04:53
Good morning.