[pct-l] Who Are Our Heros?

[msaenz at mve-architects.com (Mike Saenz)]

As of this moment, Ron Moak is my hero.
Ron, my Lunar came in and I'm contemplating calling in sick to work just
to get out and use it!

(I gotta order some stakes now...)


Michael Saenz ,  Associate Partner
McLarand    Vasquez    Emsiek   &   Partners,   Inc.
A r c h i t e c t u r e  |  P l a n n i n g  |  I n t e r i o r s
MVE          MVE    Institutional         MVE    S t u d i o
w  w  w   .   m  v  e   -   a  r  c  h  i  t  e  c  t  s   .   c  o m

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of
cmkudija@earthlink.net
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 1:16 PM
To: hiker97@aol.com; pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Cc: laura629@hotmail.com; carolbruno@cox.net; Rattlesnake5648@Yahoo.com
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Who Are Our Heros?

Switchback, Switchback, Switchback....sigh...hate to be a stickler for
authenticity, but as I believe you to be, check out what snopes.com has
to say about the story http://www.snopes.com/military/marvin.asp
....some of the story's true, but most of it is out of someone's
imagination.  Sigh.

Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija (camp stickler and obsessive-compulsive
fact-checker...)
PCT partially '94

www.pcta.org
Join Now!

Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached its top.
Then you will know how low it was.
                                                                     Dag
Hammarskjold

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of
hiker97@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, February 08, 2006 12:54 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Cc: laura629@hotmail.com; carolbruno@cox.net; Rattlesnake5648@Yahoo.com
Subject: [pct-l] Who Are Our Heros?

I might be off base here to post this on the PCT-L, but this story made
me think very strongly about the great hikers on the PCT.  The people I
look up to.  People like you, may be.  Sorry for the long post.  Anyway
here it is:
_______________________________________
"Some people have been a bit offended that the actor, Lee Marvin, is
buried in a grave alongside 3 and  4 star generals at Arlington National
Cemetery.  His marker gives his  name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC).
Nothing else. Here's  a guy who was only a famous movie star who served
his time, why the heck  does he rate burial with these guys?  Well,
following is the amazing answer.

I always liked Lee Marvin, but didn't know the extent of  his Corps
experiences.  In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country
in the armed forces often in rear-echelon posts where they were
carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras
in war bond promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero.  He won the Navy
Cross at Iwo Jima.  There is only one higher Naval award...the Medal Of
Honor.

If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he
credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.  Dialog from
"The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin.  Johnny
said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine
in the initial landing at Iwo  Jima...and that during the course of that
action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."

"Yeah, yeah... I got shot  square in the bottom and they gave me the
Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi.  Bad thing
about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting' shot hauling you
down.  But,Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew...
We both got  the cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made
mine look cheap in comparison.  That dumb guy actually stood up on Red
beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the
beach.  Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he
stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men
to safety.  He did this on more than one occasion because his men's
safety was more important than his own life.

That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends.  When they brought me
off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to
me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, where'd they get you Lee?'
Well Bob... if you make it  home be fore me, tell Mom to sell the
outhouse!"

"Johnny, I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever
knew.

The Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world knew him as
Captain Kangaroo."

On another  note, there was this wimpy little man (who has passed away
too) on PBS.  He was gentle and quiet.  Mr. Rogers is another of those
you would least suspect of being anything but what he portrayed to our
youth.  But Mr.
Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in Vietnam with over
twenty-five confirmed kills to his name.  He wore a long-sleeved sweater
on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps.  He was a
master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in
a heartbeat.

After the war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and
therefore a pacifist.  Vowing  to never harm another human and also
dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the
right path in life.  He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won
many hearts with his quiet wit and charm.

America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about
their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best.  They earned our
respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy.

Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst.
Often, they are the ones you'd  least suspect, but would most like to
have on your side if anything ever happened.
____________________________________________

Yes, the greater the hike, the more humble and unassuming the hiker.
Strange isn't it?  Mother Nature will make you humble if you have any
illusions of your greatness.  You don't conquer the trail.  You ask to
be part of it for a little while and if you are fortunate, your request
is granted.

My Bronze Star is small potatoes compared to so many others, just like
my hiking accomplishments or non-accomplishments  :-).  There are people
on
this list that are true role models and heroes.   Just my opinion.

Sorry again for the long post.

Your hiking buddy, Switchback
PCT Corridor Section Hiker

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