By Katie Lange: Medal of Honor Monday: Air Force Capt. John S. Walmsley Jr.
John Springer Walmsley Jr. (7 January 1920 – 14 September 1951) was a bomber pilot in the United States Army Air Forces after World War II and the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Walmsley rose to the rank of captain and posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on 14 September 1951 above Yangdok, North Korea during a bombing mission.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Walmsley joined the Army Air Forces and spent the 1940s as an instructor pilot in the United States and Japan, but did not see combat. He was deployed with the 8th Bombardment Squadron to the Korean War, flying B-26 Invader aircraft. During this time, Walmsley volunteered for a risky bombing campaign, Operation Strangle.
During one of the bombing missions, Walmsley’s aircraft spotted a Chinese supply train moving by cover of darkness. He attacked it until he expended his ammunition and called for backup (note: the Wikipedia entry under “A-26 Invader” mentions he fired until his guns jammed). He then used a spotlight on his aircraft to illuminate the train for subsequent attacks, exposing himself and his crew to intense anti-aircraft fire, which he did not avoid. The mission resulted in the successful destruction of the train, and Walmsley was killed when his heavily damaged aircraft crashed.
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By Greg Norman: Quadruple Amputee Marine Opens Up About the Moment That Helped Him Overcome Depression
Peck, who has gone on to receive a rare double-arm transplant, is writing about his road to recovery in the soon-to-be-released book “Rebuilding Sergeant Peck: How I Put Body and Soul Back Together After Afghanistan.”
By James Barber: Ex-SEAL and Air Force Vet Face Off for ‘Smokey and the Bandit 2019’
Marcus Luttrell, the former SEAL whose book and real-life experiences inspired the movie “Lone Survivor,” and Jarred Taylor, the Air Force veteran who’s now at Black Rifle Coffee, will face off this week in the Tire Rack One Lap of America race. The race kicked off Saturday, May 4th, and runs through May 11.
Marcus and Jarred have worked together before as actors in the 2016 military zombie movie classic “Range 15” so this won’t be their first go-round in the public eye.
By Oriana Pawlyk: ‘America’s Tall Ship’ Makes First Visit to Norway Since 1963
By Michael Peck The National Interest: What it’s like being a Russian mercenary in Syria
By Matthew Gault: The Unbelievable Story Of A Texas Businessman Who Launched A Freelance Commando Raid in Iran
But fed by Hollywood, the myth persists. One hot summer day, during the tumult of revolution, a plucky Texas businessman with more money than sense launched a successful rescue mission in the Middle East, succeeding where so many American presidents have failed. He arrived with a clear mission, accomplished his goal, and left when it was over.
Video by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Marcus Stanley – Video: Service Through Music
