J.David Galland 's "A Silver Star By The Original Rules" : Houston Indymedia

A Silver Star by the Original Rules

By J. David Galland

If you want to know why so many Army officials have ignored the facts in order to canonize Pfc. Jessica Lynch, consider the letter from one Tamas Judson that appeared in the June 2003, issue of Soldiers, one of the service’s official party-line magazines.

Headlined “A True Army of One,” the writer declared a full understanding “for sure what the new Army motto, ‘Army of One,’ is all about: Pfc. Jessica Lynch is an ‘Army of One,’ and women in the services are standing as tall as the Statue of Liberty.”

After reading that passage, I wondered to myself, “Where did I miss the boat? Why, as a soldier and a combat veteran, did I not feel the same as Judson after 30 years of Army service. Why didn’t it occur to me to write a similar letter touting Lynch’s exemplary leadership and professional competence?

The answer is simple. During the Iraqi ambush of the 507th Maintenance Co. at An Nasiriyah, Pfc. Lynch did nothing other than become seriously injured when the Humvee in which she was riding collided with another vehicle as they were attempting to flee the ambush. I know of no medal, decoration or award that the Army gives for continuing to survive – just survive – no matter how badly injured a soldier might be.

So why, in the name of every soldier who has ever performed above and beyond the call of duty in battle, was Pfc. Lynch even considered for the Silver Star, the third-highest award for valor in combat?

The answer is painfully clear: Political correctness and the unquenchable desire by many Army officials, in collusion with the news media, to collectively press the issue of female equality in the services, led officials to ignore the facts, create a false myth and seriously corrupt the awards process.

Even though the Army downgraded the original recommendation and awarded Lynch the Bronze Star Medal instead, the act remains disgusting and offensive not only to me, but to every other soldier who received awards for valor that they earned the hard way – in blood and fear on the battlefield.

Not only has the Army’s liberal awards and medal festooning giveaway program cheapened the credibility of awards for valor in combat, but I believe it was also intended to send a message to the old warhorses who still believe that combat is no place for a woman: “This is so important an issue for us we will stop at nothing to achieve it.”

In the view of many, in America’s female-hero seeking society, Pfc. Lynch was the perfect symbol at the right time. The Army jumped right into lockstep and served up this perky young lady from America’s rural countryside, by simply lowering the bar and changing the rules to fit the situation.

Don’t get me wrong: I am grateful that Lynch survived her grievous injuries and can pursue her civilian career (after a pending medical discharge) with all the perks that Americans have showered her with, including a new car and guaranteed college education. And in fairness to Lynch, she is as much a victim of the Army’s deification of her alleged heroic acts as anyone.

To see how far the Army has fallen, let me retell a factual account of a soldier’s battlefield conduct that justified the awarding of the Silver Star medal for gallantry. The incident occurred 59 years ago as the U.S. Army advanced up the Italian peninsula toward Monte Cassino, and the 24-year old private 1st class involved was a person known to me personally.

It was the night of May 11, 1944, and Pfc. Edward J. Gallant of Somerville, Mass., a former fishmonger, was wondering if he would ever see the sun come up again. At the time, it seemed damned unlikely, and his actions to come reflected his hopelessness. His unit, the 350th Infantry Regiment of the 88th Infantry Division (“Blue Devils”) was on the right flank of the division’s advance on Monte Cassino.

The exact location was just a few miles south of Hill 316, near the town of Ventosa. The 88th Infantry Division was about to launch a ground attack against the firmly entrenched German Waffen SS forces who still held the abbey on the hilltop at Monte Cassino, Italy. Pfc. Gallant was a Browning Automatic Rifleman in 1st Squad, 1st Platoon, Company E of the regiment’s 2nd Battalion.

As planned, the attack opened at 2300, and the battlefield erupted with everything each side had to throw at each other in a stage of exploding small-arms fire and artillery that spread unfathomable chaos and death on both sides. The battlefield was so fluid in the darkness that company and regimental battle boundaries could only be marked by tracers that invited murderous return fire. More than one round had Gallant’s name on it.

Here is what Gallant did that night, in the exact words of the Citation awarding him the Silver Star:

“For gallantry in action on 11 and 12 May 1944, on Hills Cianelli and 316, Italy.

“PFC Gallant placed himself voluntarily in advance of his company, disregarding the continuous and murderous enemy artillery, mortar and small arms fire. Although a mine exploding near him threw him to the rocky ground, stunning and bruising him, and enemy artillery shells were bursting around him, he voluntarily proceeded ahead of his platoon when they were pinned down by fire from four enemy machine guns less than one hundred yards away.

“He laid down fire from his Browning Automatic Rifle with deadly precision, which knocked out the enemy machine guns and allowed the platoon to press forward. PFC Gallant again voluntarily advanced ahead of his company during the daylight attack of the following morning and wiped out four more machine gun nests which were holding up the advance of the company. This action made it possible for the company to take its part of the battalion objective.

“He also accompanied a combat patrol later sent to wipe out enemy positions on the rear slope of Hill 316, giving the patrol accurate supporting rifle fire until he was gravely wounded. He accounted for eight dead, three wounded, and three captured.

“His courage and bravery, plus an unusual amount of initiative, served as an inspiration to his fellow soldiers and proved instrumental in the success of the day’s battle. His heroic deeds are a credit to the highest standards of the armed forces.

To that, I would add, Pfc. Gallant was wounded so severely that he was administered the last rites of the Catholic Church three times. He has never walked a straight line since 12 May 1944, and today is a 100-percent disabled veteran living in New England.

I submit that these are the type of actions that constitute and justify recognition for the Silver Star – then and now. Long before Pfc. Jessica Lynch became the pawn of feminists embedded in the Army bureaucracy, this young man – and countless thousands of other like him – did his duty, came home to resume his life as best he could, and faded into history – with his honor intact.

J. David Galland is Deputy Editor of DefenseWatch. He can be reached at defensewatch02@yahoo.com.