Site search
sponsored by
News
The world has many 24-hour heroes — men and women who respond in a heroic way to a moment of peril, and then are as quickly forgotten. From athletics to Hollywood have come many celebrities who are sometimes mistaken for heroes.
Maj. Gen. Marion Carl was not that kind of hero. Carl's heroism in the face of deadly danger was repeatedly evident over a long career. More than a decade after his death in Glide, Carl was recently again recognized by the naming of the airfield at Marine Corps Air Station Kanoehe Bay, Hawaii in his honor.
Carl's name is prominent at many Marine Corps and military aviation bases around the country. The honor at K-Bay, where he once served, is another in a long list of ways that his name has been memorialized.
It is the shorthand of military life to recite the honors that were accorded him: Navy Cross (awarded twice), Legion of Merit with valor device, Distinguished Flying Cross with four award stars, Air Medal with 13 award stars, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal with three service stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal with one service star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Whether it is our servicemen returning from Iraq, or a highly decorated major general, we sometimes too quickly look at the mementos of achievement without recognizing the danger, the sacrifice, the sleepless nights they represent.
It is similarly convenient to abbreviate Carl's achievements as being the first ace to down 10 enemy aircraft during the battle for Guadalcanal, a man who set world speed and altitude records, a pioneering jet pilot and a helicopter pilot. He was a man who nearly died more than once and whose skills as a pilot saved him more than once.
For those who did not know the man, his book, “Pushing The Envelope, The Career of Fighter Ace and Test Pilot Marion Carl,” reminds us of the man behind the accomplishments.
Even in a jaded age, medals and decorations for achievement garner attention. It is also the story, however, of a kid from Hubbard, Ore., who attended Oregon State University, joined the military, climbed into an airplane and regularly and willingly faced and overcame danger. And that is truly inspiring.
The real value in recognizing Carl's heroic feats, as with all true heroes, resides in developing those same virtues and values, especially in our children. The Maj. Gen. Marion Carl Foundation, established by his friends and based here in Roseburg, aspires to do just that.
Maj. Gen. Marion Carl was not that kind of hero. Carl's heroism in the face of deadly danger was repeatedly evident over a long career. More than a decade after his death in Glide, Carl was recently again recognized by the naming of the airfield at Marine Corps Air Station Kanoehe Bay, Hawaii in his honor.
Carl's name is prominent at many Marine Corps and military aviation bases around the country. The honor at K-Bay, where he once served, is another in a long list of ways that his name has been memorialized.
It is the shorthand of military life to recite the honors that were accorded him: Navy Cross (awarded twice), Legion of Merit with valor device, Distinguished Flying Cross with four award stars, Air Medal with 13 award stars, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal with three service stars, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal with one service star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Whether it is our servicemen returning from Iraq, or a highly decorated major general, we sometimes too quickly look at the mementos of achievement without recognizing the danger, the sacrifice, the sleepless nights they represent.
It is similarly convenient to abbreviate Carl's achievements as being the first ace to down 10 enemy aircraft during the battle for Guadalcanal, a man who set world speed and altitude records, a pioneering jet pilot and a helicopter pilot. He was a man who nearly died more than once and whose skills as a pilot saved him more than once.
For those who did not know the man, his book, “Pushing The Envelope, The Career of Fighter Ace and Test Pilot Marion Carl,” reminds us of the man behind the accomplishments.
Even in a jaded age, medals and decorations for achievement garner attention. It is also the story, however, of a kid from Hubbard, Ore., who attended Oregon State University, joined the military, climbed into an airplane and regularly and willingly faced and overcame danger. And that is truly inspiring.
The real value in recognizing Carl's heroic feats, as with all true heroes, resides in developing those same virtues and values, especially in our children. The Maj. Gen. Marion Carl Foundation, established by his friends and based here in Roseburg, aspires to do just that.
