Hero of the Week 19

Welcome back viewers!

This week we will honor two heroes who share a connection.

They are...

Sgt. John Kiggins and Lt. Michael Murphy!

 

These two men came from different times and different backgrounds. However they have some major things in common. They both served in the US military, and showed amazing courage in the face of battle. 

Part 1

John Kiggins was born on February 2, 1837 in Syracuse, New York. He enlisted in the Union Army in September of 1862 and was assigned to the 149th New York Infantry. Kiggins eventually rose to the rank of Sergeant. He saw combat at the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. His defining moment however, would come during the 149th regiment's assault on Lookout Mountain.

In November of 1863, the 149th New York was part of the Union Army of the Cumberland (the Union army on the western front). By then, the army had been besieged in the city of Chattanooga Tennessee by the opposing Confederate Army for over two months and was on the verge of collapse. Their supplies were running low, many soldiers were sick with disease, and morale among the rest of them had severely plummeted. If something was not done to lift the siege, the Federals would be forced to surrender the city to the Confederates. The Union commander (Ulysses S. Grant) decided to prepare the Army of the Cumberland to launch an attack on the Confederate siege lines that were positioned at Missionary Ridge. 

However, to get to the ridge, the Federals needed to seize a key position that blocked their advance: Lookout Mountain. Lookout Mountain was part of a mountain range that ran from Georgia to Tennessee. It's peak elevation was 2,389 ft above sea level. The mountain's height made it a very strategic position that needed to be taken if the Federals were going to break the siege. Therefore, General Grant gave the authorization to launch an assault on the mountain. The 149th New York Infantry (Sergeant Kiggins included) would take part. Early on a foggy morning on November 24, the Federals began their assault. Due to the thick fog and clouds that covered the slopes of the mountain, the battle would later be referred to as, "the Battle above the Clouds".

At first, progress was painfully slow. The attackers found themselves at a major disadvantage due to the Confederates holding the high ground and the thick fog which caused many of them to be subjected to friendly fire. The first regiments to assault the mountain were beaten back with heavy casualties. The 149th was one of the few to gain a foothold on the mountain. Just when it seemed that the regiment was about to reach the Confederate line they were hit from behind by their own artillery. The men of the 149th were now pinned down between the Confederate guns and the Union artillery. 

Sgt. Kiggins knew something needed to be done to stop the friendly fire and save his comrades. He knew that the only way to do was to get the artillery to see the regiment's flag. In an act of amazing courage, Sgt. John Kiggins grabbed the flag, ran to a nearby tree stump, stood on top of it, and frantically waved the flag to the artillery below him. This left Kiggins in a dangerously exposed position to the Confederate defenders who began to train their fire on him. He was shot numerous times and yet continued to wave the flag until he was noticed by the Federal artillery men who quickly ceased fire. After this, Sgt. Kiggins collapsed from his wounds (doctors would find a total of nine bullet holes in his clothing). 

Part II

Michael Patrick Murphy was born on May 7, 1976 in Smithtown, New York. Early in his life, he was known for defending those who were close to him. This is probably what led to his choice to become a Navy Seal. He enlisted in the Navy in 2000. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 only served to further inspire his determination. After years of rigorous training and preparing for the fiercest and most secretive combat, Murphy earned his Navy Seal trident in July of 2002. Following this, he was deployed to Afghanistan.

While he was serving in Afghanistan, Murphy was given a highly dangerous counter-insurgency mission in the Kunar Province. The mission was to locate a high ranking leader of the Taliban (Ahmed Shah) and assassinate him. The operation was codenamed: Red Wings. One June 27, 2005, Murphy along with three other Navy Seals (Matt Axelson, Danny Dietz, and Marcus Luttrell), were all inserted deep into enemy territory out to carry out the operation. For the next day and a half the four-man squad stealthily made their way to their target's alleged location. This was deep within the forested mountains and out of contact with the rest of the Coalition forces. 

As the team was nearing their target, the mission took a turn for the worse. They were discovered by three goat herders who happened upon them by chance. The four seals quickly detained the Afghans and pondered what to do with them. One of the seals (Matt Axelson) suggested executing the Afghans due to the risk of the latter alerting the Taliban to their presence. However, Murphy made the decision to allow the Afghans to go free. It was a decision that would have dire consequences.

Immediately after letting the goat herders go, Murphy and his team quickly abandoned their mission and began to vacate their position. Unfortunately, Murphy and his team were attacked by more than 100 Taliban fighters within an hour of releasing the goat herders (they likely ratted them out). Despite being severely outnumbered, the four seals managed to kill at least 35 of the Taliban attackers. However all four of them were shot numerous times and it became clear without help, they would all be killed. Their situation became even more dire when Danny Dietz (the radio man) was killed and his radio destroyed. Despite being shot numerous times Michael Murphy made a brave decision. He decided to climb up onto a large rock in order to get a cell phone signal. It was a near-suicide decision but hopefully he would be able get in contact with American forces. With some cover from Marcus Luttrell and Matt Axelson, Murphy ran into the open and climbed the large rock. Once he was there he finally got a signal on his cell phone and made contact. Murphy then collapsed from blood loss after being shot multiple times. 

Epilogue

As a direct result of John Kiggins' actions, the 149th New York was able to continue its attack until it pierced the Confederate line. Soon the whole line collapsed under the weight of the attacking Federals and the battle of Lookout Mountain ended in a victory for the Union. Despite suffering multiple wounds (luckily most of them were graze wounds) Kiggins survived. He continued to serve with the 149th New York until the regiment was mustered out on June 12, 1865 at the end of the Civil War. Nearly 30 years later, Sgt. John Kiggins received the congressional Medal of Honor for his amazing heroism at the battle of Lookout Mountain. He worked as a nightwatchman in Syracuse until his death on September 29, 1914. He was 77 years old.

Despite the heroism of Michael Murphy, Operation Red Wings ended in tragedy. His call for help did make it through to Navy Seal headquarters. As a result, a Chinook helicopter (carrying 8 Navy Seals, and 8 Army Night-Stalkers) came to aid of their trapped comrades. Sadly, the helicopter was shot down by a Taliban RPG. All 16 men on board were killed in the crash. All in all, Operation Red Wings had resulted in the worst loss of life for American Navy Special Warfare since World War II.  As for Murphy's two remaining comrades, Matt Axelson continued to fight back against the Taliban until he died of blood loss. His body was later found with many dead Taliban fighters lying near by. Marcus Luttrell was severely wounded but managed to evade the Taliban before he was found by local villagers who sheltered him and eventually transferred to American forces (he made a full recovery from his wounds). Lt. Michael Patrick Murphy died of his wounds just minutes after he made that phone call. He was only 29 years old. For his selfless and heroic sacrifice in making a desperate call for help he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. 

Despite the differences in time and conflict, both of these men displayed incredible valor and dedication to their comrades. Regardless of the end result of the battle or whether they lived to receive the praise they so rightfully deserved their acts were no less heroic. John Kiggins and Michael Murphy both put their lives on the line to save their brothers-in-arms. What this should show us is that for those who serve in our military, one thing has never changed. That is the dedication that they have to protecting each other and the country the love. That is something that will always remain in our nation's military. For me, there is no greater heroism.

Further Information:

https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=John+Kiggins

https://books.google.com/books?id=wk48AAAAMAAJ&q=%22John+Kiggins%22&dq=%22John+Kiggins%22&num=100&client=firefox-a&pgis=1#v=snippet&q=%22John%20Kiggins%22&f=false

https://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/149thInf/149thInfMain.htm

https://sofrep.com/84722/remembering-navy-seal-michael-p-murphy-medal-honor-6282005/

http://www.navy.mil/ah_online/moh/murphy.html

Luttrell, Marcus (2007). Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. Little, Brown and Company.

Hero of the Week 18

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Robert Smalls

"My race needs no special defense, for the past history of them in this country proves them to be the equal of any people anywhere. All they need is an equal chance in the battle of life"

Robert Smalls was a slave who was born on April 5, 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina. He grew up on a plantation that was owned by a man named John McKee. During his early life as a slave, Robert worked on Mckee's plantation and in the house with the rest of the slaves. However in 1851, Robert was taken to Charleston SC where the McKee family owned a second house. In Charleston, he worked as a lamplighter and sailmaker. He eventually became a sailor and an expert navigator on the coasts of South Carolina and Georgia. He got married to woman named, Hannah in 1856 and had two kids. 

Like most slaves, Robert yearned to live as a free human being. He was also constantly terrified of his family being sold to a different master in another part of the country. If that happened, Robert knew he would likely never see them again. Therefore, he was constantly watching and waiting for the right opportunity to escape from bondage. 

When the Civil War broke out, a large armada of Union ships set up a blockade around Confederate ports. The blockade was especially thick around Charleston Harbor. In the beginning of the war, Robert Smalls was one of many slaves who were forcefully conscripted to serve in the Confederate Navy under white commanders. He was stationed as a deckhand on an ammunition ship named, CSS Planter. The Planter was a former cotton steamer that was converted to supply Confederate soldiers in river operations along the Carolina coast. 

During his time on the Planter, Smalls secretly planned an escape from slavery. He eventually came up with a bold plan. Smalls planned to sneak his family and other slaves onto the Planter, commandeer the ship, and then sail it to the Union fleet that was blockading the harbor. It was a very risky plan. The blockade was ten miles away from the harbor. Smalls would have to pass at least five major Confederate outposts and fortifications in order to reach the fleet. The risk of being captured was very high. And Smalls knew that if he was caught, he and his fellow slaves would be severely punished by the Confederates. There was also the risk of being sunk by the blockading Union ships which had been instructed to sink or capture any ships that tried to leave the harbor (these ships were called, "blockade runners"). Despite these risks, Smalls was determined to be free and confident in his navigating abilities. If the escape failed, he resolved to blow up the ship instead of returning to slavery.

Smalls chance came on May 13, 1862. While the white officers and crew were sleeping in Charleston, Smalls and a handful of other slaves woke up early in the morning and snuck onto the Planter. At around 3 in the morning, they untied the ship and began to sail her out of the harbor. Before leaving the harbor they sailed to the pier to pick up the women and children (Small's family included). After this, the Planter began to steam out of Charleston. For the next two hours, they steamed passed the Confederate fortifications. During the voyage most of the escaped slaves hid in the cabin of the ship with Smalls and the other slave crew members mascarading as the crew. Thanks in part to a heavy fog, they passed by the fortifications without incident. By 4:15, the Planter had passed Fort Sumter which was the last of the Confederate fortifications between the slaves and the Union blockade. They were eventually sighted and approached by one of the Union ships (USS Onward). Smalls acted quickly: he ripped down the Confederate flag on the ship and raised a white sheet. After seeing this, the Onward pulled alongside the Planter and received the passengers. With that, Robert Smalls and his group of 16 slaves were finally free.

Robert Small's escape to freedom immediately captured the attention of the American public. He became a legend and was praised as a freedom fighter by President Lincoln. In addition to stealing a vessel from the Confederate Navy, Smalls had also brought all the ship's ammunition with him. He also provided valuable knowledge to Union intelligence about Confederate shipping and troop movements around Charleston. This knowledge later led to the capture of many blockade runners along the Carolina coast. 

For the rest of the war, Robert Smalls served as an advisor in the Union Navy while his family lived in Philadelphia. Although he still experienced racism, he never once regretted escaping from slavery. When the Civil War ended, Smalls played a prominent role in the Reconstruction era. He and his family eventually returned to their old home in Beaufort SC. In 1868, he was elected as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 1884, Smalls was elected to U.S. House of Representatives in South Carolina's 7th district (the first African-American to ever do so). For the rest of his life, Smalls fought against racism and for equality. He died on February 23, 1915 at the age of 75.

Robert Smalls was very brave and remarkable individual. He was a slave who never lost the desire to be a free man. He fought so that others continued to do so until his death. There is no doubt that Robert Smalls was one of the most inspirational figures in American history and should be revered by all who fight for freedom.

Further Information:

http://history.house.gov/People/Detail/21764

https://www.biography.com/people/robert-smalls-9486288

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/thrilling-tale-how-robert-smalls-heroically-sailed-stolen-confederate-ship-freedom-180963689/

Hero of the Week 17

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Margaret Utinsky

Margaret Utinsky was born on August 26, 1900. In the 1920s Margaret met and married an American soldier named, John "Jack" Utinsky while she was traveling in the Philippines in 1934. For a few years, the two lived peacefully in the nation's capital (Manila). That all changed when the Japanese military attacked Pearl Harbor and invaded the Philippines in December of 1941. By the beginning of January they had captured Manila. Although Margaret was ordered to return to the United States with many other American women, she refused and remained in the Philippines. Meanwhile, American and Filipino forces were defeated on the Bataan peninsula. The last American bastion was on the island of Corregidor. The garrison surrendered on May 6 after a two day battle. With that, the Japanese were in complete control of the Philippines.

During this time, Margaret was in hiding. She created a fake identity (Rena Utinsky from Lithuania) and joined the Filipino Red Cross. Eventually she decided to make her way to Bataan to look for her husband, Jack. When Margaret arrived in Bataan she was horrified by state of the American and Filipino POWs who were being treated with the utmost cruelty by their captors. Many of them had been killed on the infamous Bataan Death March and were suffering from starvation and abuse by the Japanese guards. Those that survived the march were either transported to Japan or held in prisoner of  war camps in the Philippines in deplorable conditions. Seeing this made Margaret resolve to help the prisoners in any way she could.

She began by organizing a small resistance network that smuggled food and medical supplies to POWs being held at the Camp O'Donnell and Cabanatuan prison camps. She eventually learned that her husband, Jack Utinsky had died in one of the camps of malnutrition. Although she was distraught at losing her husband Margaret resolved in further to help the POWs who were being held by the Japanese. She smuggled more food and medicine to the prisoners and even took letters from their families. She also smuggled supplies to the American and Filipino resistance and provided them with intelligence of Japanese movements. Her code name was, "Miss U".

Eventually the Japanese became suspicious of Margaret's activities and arrested her. They took her to the Fort Santiago prison and brutally interrogated her. She was beaten on daily basis and hung with her arms tied behind her back. She was also sexually assaulted and forced to watch other prisoners being tortured and executed. Despite all the punishment she endured, Margaret never revealed anything to her captors. After 32 days of captivity, Margaret was released after she agreed to not act against the Japanese government and sign a document that said she had been treated, "well" by her captors. During her captivity she had lost at least 45 pounds, gangrene had infected one of legs (luckily it was treated), and her hair had turned white.

After her release, Margaret went into hiding but continued to aid the resistance in any way she could. She did this until the American forces returned to the Philippines. Margaret then provided critical information about the whereabouts of POW camps and how many prisoners were being held there. Her information would play a critical role in the rescue of POWs from the Cabanatuan prison camp. After the end of World War II, Margaret Utinsky returned to the United States. In 1946, she received the Medal of Freedom for her heroism. She died on August 30, 1970 in Gardena, California. 

Margaret Utinsky was a brave and moral women who put her life on the line to save soldiers in need. She endured terrible treatment and never broke. I believe that she is definitely someone to held in high regard.

Further Information:

https://www.revolvy.com/main/index.php?s=Margaret%20Utinsky

http://philippine-defenders.lib.wv.us/html/utinsky_margaret_bio.html

http://www.survivalistboards.com/showthread.php?t=2633

Hero of the Week 16

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Gen. Anthony McAuliffe

Anthony Clement McAuliffe was born on July 2, 1898 in Washington D.C. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1919. During World War II, McAuliffe took part in the North Africa campaign and the Normandy invasion where he commanded the artillery of the 101st Airborne Division. His leadership and tactics played a major role in the capture of the city of Carentan during the Breakout from the Normandy landings and the liberation of France. McAuliffe also participated in Operation Market Garden. However, General McAuliffe is best known for his heroic stand at the town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

In December of 1944, the Western Allied forces (American, British, and Canadian) were positioned along the German border in the Ardennes Forest (101st Airborne Division included). Most of the soldiers took the time to have some R&R and believed that the Germans were doing the same. Unfortunately that was not the case. The German Army was ready to launch a massive offensive to drive a wedge between Allies in Belgium, capture the port city of Antwerp, and eventually push the Allies back into the sea.

The Germans launched their attack on December 16. The Americans were caught completely off guard and suffered terrible casualties. In just a few days, the Germans pushed nearly all of the Allied soldiers out of the Ardennes. However, their advance quickly stalled. This was due to the fact that they had advanced so far and so rapidly that they left isolated pockets of American soldiers who were still fighting. The most strategic of these was the small Belgian town of Bastogne. Bastogne was a road junction that connected all the way to the port city of Antwerp. Therefore it was a critical position for the Allies. On December 18, elements from the 101st Airborne, 10th Armored Division, 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion, the 333rd (an African-American unit) and 755th Field Artillery Battalions under the command of General McAuliffe fell back to the town and established a strong defensive perimeter. On December 20th, the German army completely surrounded the American defenders of Bastogne. Thus began one of the most famous sieges in World War II.

For the next two days Germans launched attack after attack on the defenders at Bastogne. The defenders were continuously bombed by the Luftwaffe and German artillery. They faced attacks by German tanks and infantry and both sides suffered severe casualties. Yet the Americans were determined to hold Bastogne and beat off everything the Germans threw at them. On December 22, General McAullife received news that the American 4th Armored Division (led by George S. Patton) was making a drive north to rescue the defenders of Bastogne. That same day, he received a demand from the German commander demanding he surrender Bastogne. General McAuliffe responded with a simple word in reply, "NUTZ". In other words, "You can go to Hell!" The general's act of defiance was heard by his soldiers who were further inspired to continue holding Bastogne. Through acts of stubbornness and bravery (and some help from the weather) the defenders of Bastogne continued to hold off the Germans for the next four days. The siege of Bastogne officially ended when Patton's 4th Division pushed into the Germans from the south and forced them to pull back. 

The Battle of the Bulge would continue on until January of 1945. Ultimately the German attempt to drive the Allies out and capture Antwerp failed. As a result the Allies emerged victorious. This was the last major offensive ever launched by the German military during World War II. 

The heroic stand at Bastogne resulted in many units (namely the 101st Airborne) to awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. General McAuliffe received the Distinguished Service Cross for his role in commanding the garrison. He continued to serve in the military until he retired in 1956 at the rank of a four star general. He resided in Chevy Chase, Maryland until his death on August 11, 1975 at the age of 77. He was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.

General Anthony McAuliffe was one of the best generals in American history. He used his tactics and leadership to inspire his soldiers to hold a key position against major odds. Like many before and after, they not only survived, they won. His leadership and courage truly is the stuff of legends. I believe that he was one of the biggest heroes of the last great war who should never be forgotten.

Further Information:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Anthony-C-McAuliffe

http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent/1,12044,ML_mcauliffe_bkp,00.html

https://ww2db.com/person_bio.php?person_id=79

http://biography.yourdictionary.com/anthony-mcauliffe