I really thought that this was a bit of history that would be neat to add to our collection of tidbits of information!!!
Amazing tid-bits about former Hollywood types. Could you imagine the current crop of Hollywood Whiners in this same circumstance? What a difference a generation makes.
Subject: FYI: Bob Keeshan "Captain Kangaroo." Some people are a bit offended that the actor Lee Marvin is buried in grave along side 3- and 4-star generals at Arlington National Cemetery. His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here is a guy who was a famous movie star who served his time. Why the heckdoes he rate burial with these guys? Well, the following is the amazinganswer: In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces (often as rear-echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions), Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima. There is one higher naval award - The Medal of Honor. If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery. Dialog from the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson: His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny said: "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima...and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded." "Yeah, yeah...I got shot square in the ass and they gave me the cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi...Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is the guys getting shot hauling you down. But Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew...We both got the Cross on the same day, but what he did for his Cross mad mine look cheap in comparison. The dumb fellow actually stood up on Red Beach and directed histroops to move forward and get the heck off the beach. Bullets flying by and mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's safety was more important than his own life. That sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi, we passed the sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, "Where'd they get you, Lee?" "Well Bob...if you make it home before me, tell mom to sell the outhouse!" Johnny, I'm not lying...Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew." That sergeant's name was Bob Keeshan...The world knew him as "Captain Kangaroo." On another note, there was this wimpy little man (who recently passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least expect of being anything but what he portrayed to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore long-sleeved sweaters on his show to cover the many tattoos on his forearms and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat. After the war, Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian Minister and a pacifist, vowing to never harm another human and dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid tattoos and his past life away and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm. America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives doing what they do best. They earned our respect and protected the freedoms that we all enjoy.
Posted by SS_CarGuy (Member # 2065) on :
Regardless, both Bob Keeshan and Fred Rogers contributed to our society on a very positive basis. In fact Fred Rogers was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bush http://www.medaloffreedom.com/FredRogers.htm
Both men contributed immensly to the betterment of our society.
[ 15. February 2004, 06:43 PM: Message edited by: SS_CarGuy ]
Posted by Z28-SORR (Member # 1565) on :
quote: Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal
I almost laughed out loud when I read this. Obviously who ever wrote it has never seen, much less met, a Navy Seal.
Posted by chrisL (Member # 97) on :
Bob, that was a great story!!! I had no idea Mr Rogers was a Navy Seal! I didn`t that about Lee Marvin and Captian Kangaroo either. From one Army vet to another. God Bless them all!!
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