MOH Recipient Captain Louis Wardlaw Miles. 93 Years Ago. Tough Beyond Measure

[twyacht]

Caught this on another site, and am always inspired and blessed to read stories like this. Even after a crappy day, when I ache, and have my own pains, it's stories like this that just make me STFU, quit whining, and keep going.

IMHO, The definition of a bad ass American Soldier. Yes there are many that followed Capt. Miles. But Lest We Forget.

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=47309



He still looks bitter.

This man who eventually became the biographer of the 308th Infantry Regiment was in his own right a hero – but you couldn’t tell him that. Until his death he remained irritated that he had been carried off the field against his will. --Robert J. Laplander.

Rank and Organization: Captain, U.S. Army, 308th Infantry, 77th Division.
Place and Date of Action: Near Revillon, France, 14 September 1918.
Entered Service At: Princeton, N.J.
Birth Date and Place of Birth: 23 March 1873, Baltimore, Md.
G. O. No.: 44, W.D., 1919.

Citation:
Volunteered to lead his company in a hazardous attack on a commanding trench position near the Aisne Canal, which other troops had previously attempted to take without success. His company immediately met with intense machinegun fire, against which it had no artillery assistance, but Capt. Miles preceded the first wave and assisted in cutting a passage through the enemy's wire entanglements. In so doing he was wounded 5 times by machinegun bullets, both legs and 1 arm being fractured, whereupon he ordered himself placed on a stretcher and had himself carried forward to the enemy trench in order that he might encourage and direct his company, which by this time had suffered numerous casualties. Under the inspiration of this officer's indomitable spirit his men held the hostile position and consolidated the front line after an action lasting 2 hours, at the conclusion of which Capt. Miles was carried to the aid station against his will.

[dipisc]

 I have to tell you of    Leo  Kuras

Leo was the last man out of the Frosen Resivour in Korea during the "withdraw" of forces from that area. Leo had/got a jeep and picked up the left behind GI's and Marines that "were too far gone". He took them to safety to the American lines.

I was a young  PUNK  just out of the service when Leo  told me his story. I could not believe it that Marines would leave people behind. Talking to some of the Korean Vets - it was not their choice but to survive and not waste    warmth   on those who may not make it.

Leo      up to his death would share a his drink and his smoke with a Vet.

Leo was    ARMY   and as a PUNK, all of this shocked me.

We all have to learn sacrifice and duty in ways we never thought of. Sometimes it is long after we are out of uniform.

When  Leo died there was few that attended , because he wanted to be "shipped" home to his home town and "put under".

[tombogan03884]

I have to tell you of    Leo  Kuras

Leo was the last man out of the Frosen Resivour in Korea during the "withdraw" of forces from that area. Leo had/got a jeep and picked up the left behind GI's and Marines that "were too far gone". He took them to safety to the American lines.

I was a young  PUNK  just out of the service when Leo  told me his story. I could not believe it that Marines would leave people behind. Talking to some of the Korean Vets - it was not their choice but to survive and not waste    warmth   on those who may not make it.

Leo      up to his death would share a his drink and his smoke with a Vet.

Leo was    ARMY   and as a PUNK, all of this shocked me.

We all have to learn sacrifice and duty in ways we never thought of. Sometimes it is long after we are out of uniform.

When  Leo died there was few that attended , because he wanted to be "shipped" home to his home town and "put under".

I found this very hard to believe for many reasons, primarily because the last troops of the Marine retreat from Chosin were the Marine tankers forming the rear guard, there is also the small detail of the Marines bringing out Army casualties and equipment abandoned by the US Army .
A little checking found only one Kuras in Korea in that time frame, his name was Stanley, and he was captured by the Chinese.

http://www.2id.org/2-15fabn.htm

KURAS STANLEY T Rank=PFC Serial Number=RA16320697 Branch=Artillery
Military Occupation Specialty=00060 Year of Birth= Race=Caucasian
State of Residence=MI County of Residence=Alcona
Unit=15th FA Bn Division=2nd Inf Div Type of Unit=FA Bn 105MMH
Place of Casualty=South Korea Date of Casualty (yymmdd)=51 02 13
Type of Casualty=Returned to Military Control
Detail of Casualty=CAP/Captured
Group of Casualty=Captured, Returned to Military Control
Evacuation Disposition=

[dipisc]

Hi;

     Thanks for the info.  I do not doubt your research.  Perhaps I had been lied to all those years. It is a let down to read this because myself and a lot of others believed him for years.

     Thanks again.

[Solus]

Hi;

     Thanks for the info.  I do not doubt your research.  Perhaps I had been lied to all those years. It is a let down to read this because myself and a lot of others believed him for years.

     Thanks again.

dipisc,  do your research on Leo.   He may have been basically telling the truth, with only a bit of exaggeration.  

For instance...he may have been the last, or one of the last, to leave in the general pull out, with only the rear guard and the clean up detail after  him.  

He also may have been driving a jeep and did move some of those not able to be transported/evaced previously, with the last of them being  picked up by the Marine detail.

Not major lies...just a bit of emphasis on his role...and some omissions.

Check it out....be better to be sure of the story than think he was a total liar...and to know that too, if he was.

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