Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington was a colorful man, a fighter, and a real (but flawed) hero. At a time when many Americans were ignoring or downplaying the threat of Fascism, he went to China as a volunteer pilot to fight Japanese militarism. After the United States joined the war, he flew as a Marine pilot, commanding the famous Black Sheep squadron and registering 22 official kills. He later wrote a book, Baa Baa Black Sheep, about his exploits, one that was honest about his own flaws, including his drinking. That book led to a television series in the seventies, staring Robert Conrad as Boyington.
You might believe that someone who did so much to see his country through a dark time in its history would deserve to be honored, especially by his alma mater, the University of Washington. But some in the UW student government believe otherwise: The Fight Over Pappy Boyington. A resolution to create a memorial for him was defeated by one vote in the ASUW.
There is hope, however, that Boyington will get a memorial of some sort. ASUW President Lee Dunbar has released a statement that reads, in part
I would also like to remind you that as ASUW President I cosponsored this bill to create a memorial, it failed by one vote, and a good majority of those who voted against it wanted more inclusion of other alumni who were combat veterans who earned the Medal of Honor. This week a new resolution to that effect is being drafted and introduced.Hopefully that resolution will pass, and Boyington and other Medal of Honor winners can be acknowledged by the university.
Anyone who would like to make a personal gesture of support can contribute to the Boyington Memorial Scholarship Fund to support the education of Marines and the children of Marines.
Posted by Andy MacDonald at February 21, 2006 05:39 PM | Email ThisWon't hold my breath, though...
Posted by: MES on February 21, 2006 05:59 PMThanks for posting on this issue. As you may know, it was a conservative campus senator (who's also an Air Force vet) that sponsored the resolution. He is also a member of the UW College Republicans, and they assisted him throughout this controversy, both in getting the word out about what was said, and in fashioning a reasonable solution.
Much has been made of the controversy, including a barage of media commentary, mostly criticizing the ASUW Senate for it's ignorance of American history.
Comments like "We don't need anymore monuments honoring rich white men" and "A Marine isn't the sort of person UW wants to produce" are despicable, and those responsible deserve the huge flow of negative sentiments they've thus far received.
For more on the controversy, including links to news articles and more background (WND, Neil Boortz, John Fund at WSJ, KOMO 4, Seattle PI, and NewsMax have all carried the story) go here.
Again, thanks for helping to keep this in the spotlight. Without the help from leading Seattle conservatives like yourself and Kirby Wilbur, this may have been effectively "swept under the rug" by the Leftist Moonbats at UW.
Posted by: Patrick E. Bell on February 21, 2006 06:13 PMHe has all the various resolutions and latest info.
http://andrews-dad.blogspot.com
Posted by: karl on February 21, 2006 06:36 PMWe all KNOW where Pappy and Chesty are... remember the last verse (to be sung at maximum volume):
"If the Army and the Navy
ever look on Heavens scenes;
They will find the streets are guarded by
The United States Marines."
SF, Mike
Posted by: Mike in Vancouver on February 21, 2006 06:58 PMI wonder what revisionist American history textbook they both have studied from, and which elitist profs contributed to their enlightened positions on this issue.
Posted by: Gary on February 21, 2006 07:35 PM***********
It's well known that college students today aren't as educated in our nation's history as they should be, but it's still hard to grasp the mind-bending political correctness just displayed by the University of Washington's student senate at its campus in Seattle.
The issue before the Senate this month was a proposed memorial to World War II combat pilot Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, a 1933 engineering graduate of the university, who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service commanding the famed "Black Sheep" squadron in the Pacific. The student senate rejected the memorial because "a Marine" is not "an example of the sort of person UW wants to produce."
Digging themselves in deeper, the student opponents of the memorial indicated: "We don't need to honor any more rich white males." Other opponents compared Boyington's actions during World War II with murder.
"I am absolutely bewildered that the Student Senate voted down the resolution," Brent Ludeman, the president of the UW College Republicans, told me. He noted that despite the deficiencies of the UW History Department, the complete ignorance of Boyington's history and reputation by the student body was hard to fathom. After all, "Black Sheep Squadron," a 1970s television show portraying Colonel Boyington's heroism as a pilot and Japanese prisoner of war, still airs frequently on the History Channel. Apparently, though, it's an unusual UW student who'd be willing to learn any U.S. history even if it's spoonfed to him by TV.
As for the sin of honoring a rich white male, Mr. Ludeman points out that Boyington (who died in 1988) was neither rich nor white. He happened to be a Sioux Indian, who wound up raising his three children as a single parent. "Colonel Boyington is luckily not around to see how ignorant students at his alma mater can be today," says Kirby Wilbur, a morning talk show host at Seattle's KVI Radio. Perhaps the trustees and alumni of the school will now help educate them.
-- John Fund
This may sound harsh, but I have no tolerance or respect for this level of disrespect for ANYONE who put their life on the line so we can live free.
Posted by: Andy on February 21, 2006 08:02 PMAshley Miller commented that many monuments at UW already commemorate rich white men.
http://senate.asuw.org/secretary/minutes/senate/12/02-07-2006.pdf
In today's P-I, Ashley Miller wrote a commentary on the cost of college, specifically student debt:
I will graduate in the spring with more than $15,000 in loan debt, an intimidating thought for a student with ambitions to have a career in social work... and...
Debt from student loans can take a lifetime to pay off and have major consequences. When I start paying more than $200 a month on my student loans, how will I save for retirement, buy a house, start a family or even afford to live as a graduate doing social work?
That's not even a car payment. I have a few alternatives:
1) Get a real job.
2) Had she joined the military (say, the Marines) she could go to college on the GI Bill and save $20,000 for college.
3) She could ask some rich, white guy for the money.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/260204_studentdebt21.html
Posted by: South County on February 21, 2006 08:03 PMDebt from student loans can take a lifetime to pay off and have major consequences. When I start paying more than $200 a month on my student loans, how will I save for retirement, buy a house, start a family or even afford to live as a graduate doing social work?"
Social work? Good god, what sort of loser crybabies are we turning out anymore when all they can aspire to is screwing people over, er, social work, that barely pays enough to able to pay off a piddly $15K over his LIFETIME? If you can't afford to maintain yourself, your degree is worthless (I know, saying that about social work is being repetitive) and you should give serious thought to doing something meaningful in life, such as managing a fast food restaurant - which pays considerably better.
HE'S A FARKING LOSER!!!! I HOPE HE GOES HOME AND EATS A BULLET FOR DINNER SO THE WORLD WON'T BE AFFLICTED WITH HIS PATHETIC WHININGS!!!
Posted by: H Moul on February 21, 2006 08:30 PMHer timing $ucks, methinks.
Posted by: South County on February 21, 2006 08:47 PM4) Sue the UW. She obviously got ripped off.
Posted by: South County on February 21, 2006 09:01 PMToday I heard from a good friend of mine that his son was nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions in Iraq. I've never met the young man, but I am so happy for him and his family. It's not the medal so much as the recognition by the military and our government that honors his actions. Fortunately for him and his family he is alive and well.
The fact that those spoiled brats at the UW hate the military, using all the priviliges and right the military has defended for them, speaks volumes about the left. The hate the military, they hate a free market economy, they hate our form of government, they hate our way of life, and they hate our country, America.
Hatred of America is the mantra of the left.
Posted by: Obi-Wan on February 21, 2006 09:35 PMIsn't the Congressional Medal of Honor the highest award that can be bestowed upon a member of the U.S. military? Why hasn't anyone asked the student senate the million dollar question:
How many other UW alumni were combat veterans who earned the Medal of Honor? Who are these 'other alumni'? And what are the odds that these people aren't also male and white?
It's quite disheartening to realize that brains aren't a prerequisite for UW. We can do better, right? ;)
Posted by: Larry on February 21, 2006 10:50 PMhttp://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/mohiia1.htm
"Citation: For extraordinary heroism and valiant devotion to duty as commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Central Solomons area from 12 September 1943 to 3 January 1944. Consistently outnumbered throughout successive hazardous flights over heavily defended hostile territory, Maj. Boyington struck at the enemy with daring and courageous persistence, leading his squadron into combat with devastating results to Japanese shipping, shore installations, and aerial forces. "
Correct me if I'm wrong - he shot down all those planes in just 114 days. The UW student senate has spent a longer time panty-waisting over this matter than it took Paddy to become more of a hero than they'll ever know.
Posted by: Larry on February 21, 2006 11:03 PMI would love to give the the following quiz to UW Seniors:
Describe the significance of the following:
Ticonderoga
Trenton
Lake Champlain
Tripoli
Sharpsburg
Manila Bay
San Jacinto
Monterey
Belleau Wood
Bastogne
Ap Bac
What was the contribution of the following men:
Francis Marion
Edward Preble
C.A. Lockwood
Robin Olds
I would contended that cursor American History Course would at least mention the places. Each of the men should at least have some name recognition after such a class.
Any bets on what the US Student Senators would score.
Posted by: JCM on February 22, 2006 07:30 AMAny bets on what the U
w Student Senators would score.
The students involved here are complete dolts when it comes to our hisroty (see JCM's post above). I am embarassesd that I pay taxes to support an institution like the University of Washington. The school is a mockery to education.
Posted by: Libertarian on February 22, 2006 08:58 AMAnd what everyone needs to remember is that the memorial to pappy was voted down because they wanted to honor ALL the MoH recipients...not because they didnt think they were deserving of recognition, the debate was over whether to honor just one by one or make a memorial to all of them.
Posted by: Hunter on February 22, 2006 10:30 AMSubsitute "rich, white male" for "poor, black."
Subsitute "Marine" for "Transexual."
See the problem now?
Posted by: JCM on February 22, 2006 11:20 AMI believe his total includes time with the A.V.G. in China, prior to Pearl Harbor. The citation for the MOH speaks for itself, and a true hero.
Posted by: FT on February 22, 2006 12:34 PMAmericans can name more "walk of fame" movie stars than famous (U.S.) astronauts, military heroes or U.S. inventors; we're losing "the right stuff"
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on February 22, 2006 11:32 PMThe sad fact of the matter is that the students and facility in general are still in their post adolescent idealistic stage, they cannot recognize or are willing to accept that the world has bad people whom are evil and not just misunderstood. These people need to be fought or they will attack (9/11/2001). We must honor those whom have served and are serving now. And by the way The United States and George Bush are not the cause of the problems, they are the solution.
Miss Edwards, I read of your 'student activity' regarding the proposed memorial to Col Greg Boyington, USMC and a Medal of Honor winner. I suspect you will receive a bellyful of angry e-mails from conservative folks like me. You may be too young to appreciate fully the sacrifices of generations of servicemen and servicewomen on whose shoulders you and your fellow students stand. I forgive you for the untutored ways of youth and your naiveté.
It may be that you are, simply, a sheep. There's no dishonor in being a sheep - - as long as you know and accept what you are. Please take a couple of minutes to read the following. And be grateful for the thousands - - millions - - of American sheepdogs who permit you the freedom to express even bad ideas.
Brett Dula
Sheepdog, retired
--------------------------------
To read the article "ON SHEEP, SHEEPDOGS, AND WOLVES" follow this link:
http://www.apfn.net/messageboard/08-19-04/discussion.cgi.29.html
Another good link for us Sheepdogs:
http://www.killology.com/index.htm
That is the democratic party.
Albert