mms://a753.v5913f.c5913.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/753/5913/v0001/whitehouse.download.akamai.com/5913/2008/03/20080303-3.v.wmv
bush remarks
President Bush Attends Medal of Honor Ceremony for Woodrow Wilson Keeble - March 3, 2008
President Bush on Monday said, "The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor a President can bestow, and I'm honored recipients of the Medal of Honor have joined us. Thank you for coming. During my time in office, I've had the privilege of performing this duty on nine separate occasions. Every ceremony has been inspiring. Many have been joyful. Some have been poignant. But I'm not sure I can remember many ceremonies quite like this one."
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
Earley John J 11 April 1951
- Mario, I hope I'm not pushing my limits here, but I suspect you would be too bashful to post the decoration you received for saving John J. Earley. So as historian for the 24th ID Association, I'll provide it here: By direction of the President, Private First Class Mario Iezzoni (the Private), RA13353191, (then Private), Infantry, U.S. Army, a member of Company G, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, is awarded the BRONZE STAR MEDAL with V device for heroic achievement near Chipo-ri, Korea, on 11 April 1951. His company was attacked by numerically superior enemy hordes and was forced to withdraw. Private Iezzoni volunteered to remain behind with several others to help evacuate the wounded. The small group worked furiously, in the face of the rapidly advancing enemy mass, to assemble the wounded, place them on litters and carry them out under a murderous hail of enemy fire. Having gone only a short distance, Private Iezzoni discovered another wounded man. Although he knew he would have to carry him by himself and that he would be dangerously slowed down, he unhesitatingly picked up the soldier and proceeded to carry him down the hill. He was so delayed that the rest of the group was soon out of sight. Several times the enemy approached close enough to place him under heavy automatic weapons and sniper fire but, with complete disregard tor his personal safety, he relentlessly continued on. The task became so laborious that he was forced to rest frequently although the enemy was nearly upon him. For three hours, he plodded on with his human burden over extremely rough and treacherous terrain, always keeping just ahead of his pursuers. His strength nearly lost, only his determined will kept him going. He finally reached friendly lines and, turning over the wounded man to medical aidmen, collapsed from exhaustion. Private Iezzoni’s heroic action, selfless devotion to a wounded comrade and unswerving determination reflect the greatest credit on himself and the United States Infantry. Entered nilitary service from Langsford, Pennsylvania. (24th Div GO 707, 1 Nov 1951)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
G Company Going on the Attack
10 Apr 51 G Company went on the attack. We road marched, then went up a mountain and replaced the unit on the MLR(main line of resistance). Around 2030, we moved out of the foxholes and slowly went downhill along a ridge. Stopping in place about 0100. I dozed off for awhile. We were on the move again at 0300.
At 0630 we attacked the next hill, reaching our objective a few hours later. The rifle platoon located on the ridge line and the 4th Platoon 60mm mortar setup twenty yards below. I delivered my seven rounds of 60mm ammo and was told to take a guarding position near a big rock where I came under fire from somewhere above on a ridge to the right.
I quickly moved to a crevice in the rock but part of me was still visible. The sniper kept shooting at me and the bullets ‘zinged’ around me. With each ‘zing’ I shrank deeper into the crevice.
The gunner, Ellis Coleman, yelled to me, “He’s after you.”
I said, “Yeah, I know.”
I figure the sniper must have taken at least fifteen to twenty-five shots at me over an hour’s time. Thank God he missed but they were too close for my first attack.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The Name was not the same
Kelley, Kelly, Cully, Earley Hearley-(HURLEY)
Way back in 1951, when I was 17 years old, on my way to the Korean War, I became friends with three guys: an Irishman, John Kelly, born in Ireland but hailing from New York City; another Irishman, John J. Earley, born in the USA, Waterbury, CT; an Italian, William "Bill" Valletta, also born in Waterbury, CT.
I had a close relationship with Kelly, mostly because we were both foreign-born and our accent and pronunciation of certain words was discussed often. My inability to say "Earley," which I pronounced "Hearley," became a battle between Earley and me. He would correct me for not pronouncing his name, I thought, only to find out 58 years later that it was not "Hurley," but "Earley," where all the time I thought I was being correct on "Hearley". I finally came to terms by calling him "Kelly", the American/Irishman. This name stays in my memory for more than fifty years.
When he was wounded, I called him "Kelly" and, in the aid station, I asked if Kelly made it. All my life I thought that I carried Kelly to the aid station, where he died due to loss of blood, three hours later. During the fifty plus years, I often thought of contacting his family and telling them how he died.
All I knew of him was: He was not married, He was a good bit older, He was from Ohio( not true). His name was not spelled K-E-L-L-Y but could be K-E-L-L-E-Y or C-U-L-L-Y I searched on the internet for 'John Kelley/Kelly/Cully, state of Ohio'. In 2006, I started asking others over the internet and when I went to reunions, asking for someone with the last name of "Kelly" or some variation of that spelling.
I was trying to reach John Kelly from New York City. Only he would be able to tell me where the other Kelley originated.
Bits of information started arriving after everyone had given up on finding the man I knew as Kelley. In a dream, it came to me that the difference could be in their first name and not the last. Sure as hell, I checked the Korean War Casualty databases to see who died on April, 11, 1951 and found John J. Earley died of wounds that day. John Kelly, from NY City, was wounded in July and returned to the USA! In my Company G 19th, the roster listed a Robert Earley L, who was from Ohio. He was also wounded, but not until the 13th of April. The four G Co wounded the 11th April, were: Coleman, Ellis Pike, KY; McMinn, Clark, Hayes, NE; Brown, Roy M, Jr ??, Dubois, Alfred E; Franklin, MA. When the enemy appeared on the ridge shooting at us we placed our wounded on their poncho and ran down as fast as possible with them shooting till we were out of sight.
Robert Earley and I went on R&R to Japan, 10 Aug 51... was this the reason why my thinking that John J. Early (the other Irishman) was from Ohio?
When we all met at the grave site of John J Earley, in Waterbury, CT, New St. Joseph Cemetery, April, 11, 2010, a "HURLEY's" grave was also nearby, another reason why John J Earley was correcting my pronounceation of his last name. (Mission Accomplished: it took 58 Years to find the family of John J Earley!!!)
Way back in 1951, when I was 17 years old, on my way to the Korean War, I became friends with three guys: an Irishman, John Kelly, born in Ireland but hailing from New York City; another Irishman, John J. Earley, born in the USA, Waterbury, CT; an Italian, William "Bill" Valletta, also born in Waterbury, CT.
I had a close relationship with Kelly, mostly because we were both foreign-born and our accent and pronunciation of certain words was discussed often. My inability to say "Earley," which I pronounced "Hearley," became a battle between Earley and me. He would correct me for not pronouncing his name, I thought, only to find out 58 years later that it was not "Hurley," but "Earley," where all the time I thought I was being correct on "Hearley". I finally came to terms by calling him "Kelly", the American/Irishman. This name stays in my memory for more than fifty years.
When he was wounded, I called him "Kelly" and, in the aid station, I asked if Kelly made it. All my life I thought that I carried Kelly to the aid station, where he died due to loss of blood, three hours later. During the fifty plus years, I often thought of contacting his family and telling them how he died.
All I knew of him was: He was not married, He was a good bit older, He was from Ohio( not true). His name was not spelled K-E-L-L-Y but could be K-E-L-L-E-Y or C-U-L-L-Y I searched on the internet for 'John Kelley/Kelly/Cully, state of Ohio'. In 2006, I started asking others over the internet and when I went to reunions, asking for someone with the last name of "Kelly" or some variation of that spelling.
I was trying to reach John Kelly from New York City. Only he would be able to tell me where the other Kelley originated.
Bits of information started arriving after everyone had given up on finding the man I knew as Kelley. In a dream, it came to me that the difference could be in their first name and not the last. Sure as hell, I checked the Korean War Casualty databases to see who died on April, 11, 1951 and found John J. Earley died of wounds that day. John Kelly, from NY City, was wounded in July and returned to the USA! In my Company G 19th, the roster listed a Robert Earley L, who was from Ohio. He was also wounded, but not until the 13th of April. The four G Co wounded the 11th April, were: Coleman, Ellis Pike, KY; McMinn, Clark, Hayes, NE; Brown, Roy M, Jr ??, Dubois, Alfred E; Franklin, MA. When the enemy appeared on the ridge shooting at us we placed our wounded on their poncho and ran down as fast as possible with them shooting till we were out of sight.
Robert Earley and I went on R&R to Japan, 10 Aug 51... was this the reason why my thinking that John J. Early (the other Irishman) was from Ohio?
When we all met at the grave site of John J Earley, in Waterbury, CT, New St. Joseph Cemetery, April, 11, 2010, a "HURLEY's" grave was also nearby, another reason why John J Earley was correcting my pronounceation of his last name. (Mission Accomplished: it took 58 Years to find the family of John J Earley!!!)
Friday, November 18, 2011
Boot Story, Taro Leaf Magazine Issue 4 Volume 65 Fall 2011
This is my first blogpost recording my memories serving as a Pfc, Cpl 13 Nov 51 in the Korean War. This is my story as it appeared in Taro Leaf (Edited in names) issue. Comments are extremely welcome.Iezzoni Mario
mario8@ptd.net
25 Dec 1951, was my last day with G Co 19th RGT. It was the day before Christmas when I was called to the G CO CP and told to turn in my rifle and gear and move to the tent for ‘rotate-ees.’ There I met James L. Hill, George S. Maki; James C. Mastin; Daughlas Wold C; Blake Errald M (Kennebec ME); Canody Claude E (PA/OH); Emerson Robert; Hunter Eugene; Kilgore Kenneth G; Knapp Merrill D; The next day a truck took us to the 24th Division Rear at Ascom City for a ‘Peter Parade' our homebound processing.
The tent was large, platoon-size. It was mostly empty except for some stretchers to be used as litters. We took advantage of this opportunity and used the stretchers to sleep on. It was my first night in Korea that I did not have to sleep on the ground! Another first…I took my boots off to sleep. It was hard to believe…no rifle, no more foxholes to dig, no more mountains to climb, no more guns shooting at me. I’m whole, in one piece. I made it! So I thought…
At just past midnight we started receiving barrages of incoming mortar rounds. The first barrage went well over our tent but woke us up. The second barrage hit nearby and Blake Errald M; Canody Claude E; Emerson Robert; Hill James L; Hunter Eugene; Kilgore Kenneth G; Knapp Merrill D; Maki George S; Mastin James C ran out for cover. I sat on the side of the stretcher, vigorously putting on my boots; the right slid on easily but the left boot just would not go on. The mortar fire ended and I decided to give up on the boot, thinking it was over. Just then another barrage started, “C’mon, left boot.” I said to myself, “you’re going on.” KABOOM! A round hit a large, lone tree just outside the tent sending in shrapnel, just missing me. This time the boot was not a problem. I ran towards the mountain and found shelter in an old Chinese bunker.
When a round comes that close, your body goes into a kind of vibration that lasts a long time. You don’t know if you’re all there, even though you just ran 100+ yards. With time, your feelings start to returning. You touch your hands, your feet, your legs; you feel your torso—all seems to be there. Was there any ‘big blood’ or ‘little blood’? I didn’t see any. I wonder, “Am I all OK?” I know I’m alive and mostly safe here. A couple more barrages came while I was in the bunker. I decided to stay until daylight when I noticed the Chinese bunker garlic smell. It was so strong I knew I could not stay any longer.
My left foot was the only part of me that seemed not quite right. When I got back to our tent, all the others were already there. I sat on the side of the stretcher and took off my left boot. I felt my foot and didn’t see any blood, even when I took my sock off. I was perplexed.
“There’s no way I can put this boot on,” I said as I tried again to slip on the boot. I must have said it loud enough for others to hear. James Hill came over and asked if I had his boot because one of his was too large. I sure did. He had put on my boot, 9 ½ , and left his 6 ½ boot for me!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)