Honoring Those Who Protect our Political Freedom – “The Sunday Political Brunch” July 3, 2022

Sunday, July 03, 2022

Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™

There are a lot of political developments from the past week, and we will get to. But, this Independence Day weekend I want to honor a member of our heroic, freedom-fighting military.

 

“With Thanks from a Grateful Nation” – Wednesday this nation lost one of its greatest heroes, and I lost a dear friend. Hershel “Woody” Williams, United State Marine Corps (Ret.), passed away quietly in Huntington, West Virginia at the age of 98. He died in the local VA Hospital which a few years ago was renamed in his honor. Woody was the last surviving U.S. Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Can you even fathom that? The last Medal of Honor recipient from the Greatest Generation is gone. There is a huge hole in my heart.

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“The Heroic Event” – Medal of Honor recipients were awarded for great bravery and valor, “above and beyond the call of duty.” On February 23, 1945, Marine Cpl. Williams was involved in one of the most storied military battles in U.S. history. It was the fight at Mount Suribachi, on the Japanese Island of Iwo Jima. While U.S. troops were under intense machine-gun fire, Williams stormed at least seven enemy pillboxes with an intense flamethrower, killing dozens of Japanese troops firing machine guns from inside. He was flanked by four U.S. riflemen, two of whom were killed. It was a seminal fight in the famed battle that was captured in the iconic U.S. flag being planted in victory! It may be the most famous image in U.S. military history.

 

“My Family Connection” – This story is very personal to me since I knew four people that fought in that historic battle and lived to tell about it. My mom’s older brother, Lt. Col. Maurice “Barney” Dougherty, United States Marine Corps, was there. Our neighbor, Dr. Tom Malloy, a Marquette University classmate of Uncle Barney’s was also there and corroborated his accounts for me. The other person I knew in that battle was legendary West Coast broadcaster Ray Jacobs, who worked at powerhouse San Francisco Bay Area TV station KTVU for many years, just as I did years later. All four of my late friends were there when the battle ended, and the U.S. flag was planted for victory in 1945 in that iconic Associated Press photo. It’s a small world, indeed!

 

“My ‘Favorite Woody’ Moment!’ – October 2018, it’s 4 am, and I’m at the Chuck Yeager Airport in Charleston, West Virginia. (Yeager was another West Virginia military legend). I’m flying to DC along with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R) West Virginia, for President Trump’s signing of the massive Anti-Opioid Bill at the White House. Senator Capito discreetly waved me to her seat and said, “Mark did you see Woody over there in full dress uniform? Do you know how he got here?” I was clueless, and Senator Capito said, “He drove himself here!” (From about 40 miles away). She added, “Do you know how he got up in time?” Another shrug, “No” from me, and the Senator said, “Mark, he programmed Siri to wake him up!” Woody was 94 at the time! Wow! He was physically, mentally, and technologically sharp as a tack to the very end!

 

“Woody in his Own Words” – Imagine running through a hail of machine-gun fire, while carrying a huge canister of gasoline on your back. At 8-pounds per liquid gallon, even a mere 10 gallons would add 80 pounds to Woody’s body weight, but it was likely more. Woody was only five-foot-six inches tall and was initially rejected by the Marines. Still, he ran like hell on fire. What was his motivation? Woody once said, "I walk in the footprints of somebody else. I was born free because somebody gave his life to make it possible for me to be born free." He knew his American birthright came with a debt, and he paid it forward. And he was humbled to receive the Medal of Honor saying, "I've been in the Medal of Honor Society since 1947, but most of them will say, 'It doesn't belong to me. I wear it in honor of those who never got to come home, who sacrificed their life.'"

 

“My Daughter” – I’ve written in this column often, that I am a stakeholder. My dad, Lt. JG. William Curtis, M.D, served as a medical officer in World War II and Korea. Today, my daughter Lt. Allie Curtis, United States Army, serves our nation. When my daughter enlisted six years ago, she worried we’d “try to talk her out of it” and she was likely right. Nervous about her journey, I sought counsel Woody. “She’ll be fine Mark,” Woody said, adding, “Just remember in the military we watch out for each other and take care of each other.” I will treasure those comforting words until my final days.

 

“His Parting Thoughts” – We last spoke with Woody Williams on Memorial Day in Huntington, West Virginia, on Memorial Day. He was concerned about the divisiveness in American democracy and political discourse. It may get lost in translation when you just read the words, so allow me to add caps to Woody’s concern. Woody said, "But somehow we must return to the country that we love, as a UNITED States of America. That's what they fought for. They fought for a UNITED States of America." For being a brave hero to our nation, and a friend to so many of us, may God rest your soul Hershel “Woody” Williams.

 

“Oh, By the Way!” – Yes, I am well aware there were eight more political primaries or runoffs this week. Among the highlights, Andrew Giuliani, son of Mayor Rudy, lost the Republican primary for Governor in New York. In Illinois, two GOP Congressmen were merged into one new district and the one endorsed by Donald Trump won. Being a 2020 election denier continues to be a failing strategy, as a Republican candidate for Secretary of State in Colorado, lost her primary. We should all remember that our military protects our rights to hold these free and fair elections.

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