Thursday, February 02, 2006

Which way do you want to be facing?

This comment on this post really stuck out to me:
My Uncle for who I am named, Robert Francis Altavilla, 101st Airborne Cavalry 506 infantry Division C Company has remained on Pork Chop Hill, on the 38th parallel, in Korea to this very day; his remains were never found. But I'm certain he was facing north.
I bet there are millions of Koreans who are thankful for Mr. Altavilla and the other Americans, Koreans, British, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, French and all the other nationalities who gave them the opportunity of freedom they have today. I salute him and all the others who put their lives on the line in the Korean peninsula.

I can't help but feel the last sentence is a great metaphor. When engaged in a fight for freedom, I'd rather die facing north than south. There seem to be others who feel differently. Personally I don't really see the point in cowering in a hole and hoping the world is going to turn out OK.


Update:
A lull fell over the area while the Chinese 47th Army was resupplied for its next objective -- Pork Chop. Back in the United States, the press lambasted the 7th Division for the loss of Old Baldy and described the division as weary, slipshod and demoralized. Unwittingly, the American press supplied the Chinese with a propaganda tool -- during the April and July fighting, 7th Division troops would hear those same caustic criticisms loosed at them from Chinese loudspeakers.
American press supplying the enemy with propaganda - does that sound familiar? Have they no ability to consider the consequences of their actions? (from this interesting article about the battles for Pork Chop Hill).

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