The American Spectator

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(Page 6 of 20)

Sergeant Smith's leadership saved the men in the courtyard, and he prevented an enemy attack on the aid station just up the road. Sergeant Smith continued to fire and took a -- until he took a fatal round to the head. His actions in that courtyard saved the lives of more than 100 American soldiers.

Scripture tells us, as the General said, that a man has no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. And that is exactly the responsibility Paul Smith believed the Sergeant stripes on his sleeve had given him. In a letter he wrote to his parents but never mailed, he said that he was prepared to "give all that I am to ensure that all my boys make it home."

On this day two years ago, Sergeant Smith gave his all for his men. Five days later, Baghdad fell, and the Iraqi people were liberated. And today, we bestow upon Sergeant Smith the first Medal of Honor in the war on terror. He's also the first to be awarded this new Medal of Honor flag, authorized by the United States Congress. We count ourselves blessed to have soldiers like Sergeant Smith, who put their lives on the line to advance the cause of freedom and protect the American people.

p>Like every one of the men and women in uniform who have served in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sergeant Paul Smith was a volunteer. We thank his family for the father, husband and son and brother who can never be replaced. We recall with appreciation the fellow soldiers whose lives he saved, and the many more he inspired. And we express our gratitude for a new generation of Americans, every bit as selfless and dedicated to liberty as any that has gone on before -- a dedication exemplified by the sacrifice and valor of Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith. br> -- From President Bush's Presentation of the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Smith's wife and children. /p> /blockquote> br> There are hundreds, thousands of heroes. Some live to tell the tale themselves, for too many, it is left to those that survived battle to bear the scars and the burden of telling. It took years for the full telling of the incidents in Somalia to be told. To remember the heroes and the fallen. p>LET NOT THIS DAY PASS THAT WE FORGET THESE NEW HEROES. br> -- Sandra Dent /p>

Jeff Emanuel's column about the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for their comrades was moving. My heart goes out to the loved ones they left behind, and I note here my honor and respect for the heroes.

I found it interesting that none of the men cited by Mr. Emanuel was honored for valor in attacking and subduing an enemy force They gave their all in defense of their fellows, which, of course, is no less heroic than charging an enemy position and destroying it. However, I have to wonder at how Mr. Emanuel's examples collectively seem to reflect the ethos of limited engagements and minimal infliction of casualties and damage upon our enemies, which seem to be the guiding lights of our military in the modern age.

Did Mr. Emanuel choose these particular men because there were available no examples of offensive heroism to be culled from the actions in Iraq? Was he motivated by some pacifistic sort of notion that the greatest good is to be found among those who save lives without taking them? He doesn't say, and I can only guess. Even the valor cited in Mogadishu was played out in an effort to rescue an undermanned, out-gunned, politically correct military operation. Is the sole measure of valor now a reflection of our leaders' willingness to let our military be used as punching bags?

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