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What is the longest war in which the U.S. has participated actively in combat? My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | ||
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| One of Us |
Does no one know, or does no one care? It was a real serious bit of combat too. In the first 18 months, 9 soldiers of just one U.S. Army Division won the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the same 18 months 606 members of that lone Division were awarded this nation's second highest military award for valor, the Silver Star. If that sounds like almost everyone got a medal, far from it. Casualties were so high the whole division had been replaced a couple or three times...a few men at a time. One regiment of that Division alone had 4 Medal of Honor winners and over 250 troopers awarded the Silver Star during that year and a half. A Battalion of Turkish Troops fighting on our side saw the U.S. Silver Star awarded by the U.S. Congress to 37 of their members. Those medals were almost all won by troops fighting almost suicidal defensive fire-fights while in delaying actions in a series of very bloody retreats while being shelled and shot at by heavy artillery, large mortars, and MANY machine guns with vast supplies of ammunition, OR when our troops were jumping on grenades to save each other, being shot up to 5 times in offensive bayonet charges against machine guns and point blank fire from75mm field artillery pieces. So does that tell you which war our longest is? | |||
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A good friend of mine, now gone, was a trooper in Korea and a top sarg in VN where he served 3 tours. He told me many times about how the Turks loved to run out of ammo so they could kill the Chinese with their knives. The bravest troops he ever saw in his opinion. I recommended this in the books forum, but "The Last Stand of Fox Company", is a helluva fine read about combat in Korea. xxxxxxxxxx When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere. NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR. I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process. | |||
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One of Us |
Well lets see by process of elimination.(maybe).Our revolutionary war was approx. 6 years.1847 Mexican war lasted only months, Civil war was just shy of 4 years,Spanish American war as well only lasted a few months as did the "banana republic wars";WWI took shy of 2 years,WW2 right at 4 years,Korea right about 18 months, V.N. a long drawn out affair that even now I can't tell you how long it took. 1964-1973 (approx.)But then I suppose this one does'nt apply as it was never ratified by congress as war. Funny,when you are getting your ass shot at it sure feels like war,but I am trying to adhere to your original question. I must confess that as you have given so many clues that I am ashamed for drawing a blank.I need to sleep on this one (no sleep,probably keep me up all night). BTW Gato,I bought a copy of Fox Company on your recommendation. Great reading. Never mistake motion for action. | |||
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| One of Us |
And it IS the Korean war, which has not yet ended. There has never been any kind of peace accord or treaty signed ending that war, only a truce declared...which is why we are still in South Korea supporting the ROK troops today. That's 62 years there where if you wander anywhere near the DMZ even today you are likely to get shot at by an enemy patrol... The Division cited, BTW is the 25h Infantry (Tropic Lightning) Division, in which I had the honor of serving for slightly over 2 years until I was air-evac'd home and medically discharged.. The 27th Infantry Regiment (Wolfhounds) was the cited 25th Division regiment with so many valor awards. It was not where I was assigned, which was the Division Hqs. Company, but almost all my friends were in the Wolfhounds as I hung with them like stink on poop. Truly a vicious war which no one seems to remember any more...I think mainly because they don't want to. It was the first war after WWII which we did NOT win...yet. It was the precursor to Viet Nam in many ways...There was one Wolfhound who lost several limbs IIRC after he jumped on an incoming grenade to save his buddies...and when he was carried off the plane in San Francisco on a litter for more care at the Letterman Army Hospital there, the wonderfulCA peaceniks spat on him as he was lbeing carried through them in the litter. He wasn't too upset though. Having fought to (successfully) retake the "Iron Triangle" on three occasions in less than a year, being spit on was no big deal. Just a bunch of assholes we all felt should also have been sent to Korea to learn a little about "realpolitik". It was a little bit of a trick question in a way, though. I did not ask about a war declared and ratified by Congress. It was a major war, none-the-less. We have never declared a formal, congressionally ratified, war on either Iraq or Afghanistan either, but they sure as hell are also real wars (though not against militarily equal opponents like we were In Korea). And at the rate we are going, we may be there for 62 years also. Anyway, if you want another really good read about Korea, then get a copy of "Battleground Korea". It was edited and published by Stars & Stripes, the official US military news service, and is the detailed history of the 25th Division's first 18 months in Korea, and includes he name, rank, and unit of every Medal of honor or Silver Star recipient, as well as a complete list of every Division member killed there during that year & 1/2. | |||
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| One of Us |
My country gal's just a moonshiner's daughter, but I love her still. | |||
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| One of Us |
AC, I somehow knew you had a trick waiting for us. Interesting. Never knew that. | |||
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| One of Us |
Not to be too technical here, but US involvement in Korea was not a "War". Congress never declared war on North Korea, they only approved committing US troops on behalf of the UN. Thus they used the term Police Action or Conflict. It's not a "War" until Congress says so.  ___________________ Just Remember, We ALL Told You So. | |||
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 The U.N. and congress can call it what they want. It was still a war. Not to long ago there was a little thing called Operation Paul Bunyan, nearly started the 'conflict' back up again. "though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression." ---Thomas Jefferson | |||
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