Hero of the Week 39

Welcome back viewer!

This week's hero is...

Lori Piestewa

Lori Piestewa was born on December 14, 1979 in Tuba City, Arizona. She grew up on the Navajo Indian Reservation (she was of Hopi descent). Many in her family had served in the military (her father was a veteran of Vietnem). After 9/11, Lori decided to follow her family's legacy and enlisted in the US military. She was assigned to the 507th Army Maintenance Company as as a Private First Class and was deployed to Iraq in early 2003. 

On March 23, 2003, Lori and the 507th were part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their mission that day was to eliminate resistance in the city of Nasiriyah. The 507th, was one of the last companies of a long column of vehicles that was patrolling the city. Unfortunately, a small part of the convoy (the 507th included) took a wrong turn and became lost in Nasiriyah. While trying to get out the convoy drove directly into a deadly ambush. Lori (who was the driver of a vehicle) attempted to drive out of the ambush zone. However, an RPG struck the vehicle and caused it to crash, knocking Lori unconscious with severe wounds to her head. Her comrades in the vehicle attempted to continue fighting but were quickly surrounded and overwhelmed. Eleven American soldiers were killed in the ambush as Nasiriyah. Lori was taken prisoner along with six others (including her close friend, Jessica Lynch).

On April 13, 2003, Coalition forces located and rescued the POWs from the 507th Company. Sadly, Pfc. Lori Piestewa had died of her wounds not long after her capture. She was 23 years old. Lori was one of the first Americans to be killed in the Invasion of Iraq and the first woman of Native descent to be KIA. She was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Prisoner of War Medal. In the aftermath of the ambush at Nasiriyah, most of the news media was centered on Jessica Lynch and Shoshana Johnson (the first female African-American POW). However, very little attention was given to Lori Piestewa despite being credited as the real hero by Lynch. Even today, she has been largely forgotten by the American public. 

To me, Lori Piestewa represents most of the people who have served in our military. She was a brave and strong-willed woman gave her life for her country and received very little in return. Like many before her, she has passed into history without much recognition from those she died to protect. I hope that someday, she will get the major recognition that she very much deserves. 

http://www.oshadavidson.com/Piestewa.htm

https://www.army.mil/americanindians/piestewa.html

https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/news/remembering-lori-ann-piestewa-hopi-woman-warrior/

Hero of the Week 38

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Abbie Burgess

Abbie Burgess was born on August 1, 1939 in Rockwell, Maine. She grew up in Rockwell until she and her family moved to the Matinicus Rock lighthouse at Penobscot Bay after her father had found work as the keeper of the lighthouse there. Adjusting to life on Mantinicus Rock was far from easy for Abbie and her family. The work around the lighthouse was very tedious and the weather was usually very harsh. However, nothing could have prepared anyone for what would happen in January of 1856.

That month, Abbie's father (Samuel) left the lighthouse to retrieve supplies from Rockwell. Samuel left Abbie in charge of the lighthouse (as her mother was sick at the time). As the days past, a large storm approached the bay. For the next couple of days, the storm battered the lighthouse. Soon the waves began to break over and flood the island. In desperation to save her family, Abbie quickly got her mother and younger siblings out of their house and walk to the lighthouse. Once her family was inside, Abbie immediately went to the storehouse to get food and water (she also grabbed her pet chickens as well). After this she locked the door to the lighthouse. 

Despite his best efforts, Abbie's father could not return to Matanicus Rock as the violent storm made any landing impossible. By January 19, Matanicus Rock was almost completely underwater with only the lighthouse tower remaining above sea-level. For the next four weeks, Abbie Burgess and her family remained in the lighthouse waiting out the storm and the foul weather that followed.  During this time, Abbie cared for her family and kept the light in the tower burning. She described the experience many years later. 

"The new dwelling was flooded and the windows had to be secured to prevent the violence of the sray from breaking them in. As the tide came, the sea rose higher and higher, till the only endurable places were the light-towers. If they stood we were saved, otherwise our fate was only too certain. But for some reason, I know not why, I had no misgivings, and went on with my work as usual. For four weeks, owing to rough weather, no landing could be effected on the Rock. During this time we were without the assistance of any male member of our family. Though at times greatly exhausted with my labors, not once did the lights fail. Under God I was able to perform all my accustomed duties as well as my father's."

Abbie's father eventually returned with a rescue party to find his family alive and well. The family would continue to live at the lighthouse for another 5 years until Samuel Burgess lost his position due to political reasons. After that Abbie's family returned to Rockwell. However Abbie stayed behind at the lighthouse as an assistant the new keeper (a man named, John Grant) in operating the light. She eventually fell in love and married one of Grant's sons (Isaac Grant). Abbie and Isaac (who was also an assistant keeper) remained at Matanicus Rock until they were reassigned to the Whitehead Light in 1875. They worked there with their four sons for the next 15 years until they retired in 1890. Abbie Burgess died in Portland on June 6, 1892 at the age of 53.

Abbie Burgess is one of the most exemplary figures that I have ever read about. She was someone who dedicated her life to serving her fellow citizens and her duty. She had great responsibility placed on her at a very young age and still came through. I believe that she is one of the greatest heroes in American history!

http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/abbie-burgess-16-year-old-heroine-matinicus-rock-lighthouse/

http://maineanencyclopedia.com/grant-abbie-burgess/

http://www.newenglandlighthouses.net/matinicus-rock-light-history.html

Hero of the Week 37

Welcome back viewers!

This week's hero is...

Gertrude Ederle

Gertrude Ederle was born on October 23, 1905 in New York City. She became an avid swimmer very early in her life. When she was a teenager she left school and joined the Women's Swimming Association. In 1924, Ederle competed in the Summer Olympics in Paris. There she won one gold and two bronze medals. However, her biggest accomplishment would occur just about a year later. This would be when she took the challenge of trying to swim across the English Channel. 

In early August of 1925, Ederle began her swim. However, after she swam 23 miles for more than 8 hours, she suffered a case of bad luck. During the swim, Ederle paused while facedown in the water. Fearing she was drowning, her coach ordered another swimmer to retrieve Gertrude from the water. As a result, her first attempt to cross the channel ended in failure. Despite this setback, she was not deterred from another attempt to swim across the channel.

A little after 7 AM on August 6, 1925, Gertrude Ederle once again, waded into the channel and began her long swim across. Despite very choppy seas, Ederle continued to swim nonstop all the way across the channel. During her swim, she kept herself focused by swimming to a tune in her head (it was called "Let me call you Sweetheart") to the rhythm of her stroke. After swimming for more than 14 hours Gertrude Ederle finally made it ashore on the English coast. Although the English Channel is only about 21 miles long the rough seas caused her to swam an estimated 35 miles. Her time of 14 hours and 31 minutes was a world record that stood for the next 25 years. 

Upon her return to the United States, Gertrude Ederle received a hero's welcome. However, unknown to many Gertrude had been suffering from a major hearing problem since she was a child. Her time spent in the English Channel caused her hearing problem to get even worse. This caused to try and avoid the spotlight. In 1933, she suffered a bad fall that severely injured her back. As a direct result, here professional career as a competitive swimmer came to an end. To make matters worse, by now her hearing was almost gone.

Despite her competitive career being over, Gertrude Ederle eventually returned to the water. She got a job as a swim instructor at the Lexington School for the Deaf in New York. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1965. From that point on she lived a modest and quiet life until her death on November 30, 2003. She was 98 years old. Gertrude Ederle was a very remarkable woman. While growing up she made many accomplishments while secretly dealing with a number of challenges. I believe that she is definitely someone to be held in high regard.

https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/01/sports/gertrude-ederle-the-first-woman-to-swim-across-the-english-channel-dies-at-98.html

https://www.biography.com/people/gertrude-ederle-9284131

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gertrude-Ederle