Joe Miller's war lasted less than 100 hours. In Alaska, we've been told next to nothing of what he or those he commanded actually did in the war. His armored regiment has a facebook page. Miller has now (apparently, quite recently) posted his DD-214 at his campaign web site. On the surface, it appears more generic than I thought it would.
What his unit, the 34th Armored, provided was mobile heavy weapon support to the infantry regiments of the 1st Infantry Division as they moved NNE across the Saudi border into the center of Iraq's prepared defensive line. The line was called the "Breach Zone." With very few exceptions, the line, which had been pulverized for months, was rapidly breached. There is no information I can find of the 34th's role in the breach, but they must have been in the "breech," so to say, because they were the 1st Division's can opener.
After a few hours on the 24th of February 1991, breaking through the clutter on the Iraq-Saudi Arabia border, the 34th and the rest of the combined team of the 1st Infantry Division and some regiments of the 1st Cavalry Division slowly swung from a NNE direction, bearing more easterly, until they ended their campaign in the Safwan district of Kuwait, near the northern edge of the Kuwaiti oil fields, which had been set afire by the fleeing Iraqis. From all indications, most of the 34th were told it was over near the border town of Umm Qasr.From their jumpoff in Saudi Arabia to Umm Qasr, the 34th travelled about 135 miles. About 2/3 of a load of fuel. Not many of the tank routes were on pavement, but it was the perfect time of year for M1A1s to cross the unroaded terrain.
Soon afterward, the unit was moved out of the area.
That was Joe's war, from what I can figure out. For his unit it was a deployment that reduced non-combat casualties considerably, because allowed alcohol use was severely reduced for months, during the stay in Saudi Arabia.
I've just told you far more about Joe's war than has yet been told. Joe has told the Alaska press on this, "Don't ask, 'cause I won't tell."
Part of the reason I wrote this was because on Thursday Dan Fagan, on his KFQD-AM radio show, was waxing on Joe's courage, and that Joe went out on a mission from which many might not return.
Fagan's strong suit isn't history. Nor is the Miller campaign dealing well with history. After all, on Monday Miller told the Alaska press corpse that when it comes to his history they will have to listen to his version or fuck off.
8 comments:
Phil, I almost fell out of my chair! You've gone and done it (I think by accident), "Alaska press corpse". Could I buy a consonant and add an "s" to the end of that? How 'bout the National Press Corpses?
I will not dumb myself down with the Twit's name for the media, but I'll sure do it for you!
Strange that you should mention that alcohol was restricted, Phil. I spent Day One of operations drinking in a restaurant with my bosses trying to figure out a way to buy all those non-drinking Iraqi livers for transplant. Crass, eh? We were only joking, and we would never have made jokes had we known that Joe would subsequently become severely disabled by his exploits .... tell me again about his severe disability .... and especially how he got it - or is he such a trouper that he won't say?
I guess that you haven't figured out that his DD-214 has been posted on his website for quite some time now.
MUYS: You beat me to it! Almost spilled my breakfast tea laughing!
Mr. Munger, this was, if it was not intentional, a great Freudian slip! It is sad that, for the most part, we have the best press disembodied talking heads money can buy, and "roll over and play dead" seems to be achieved by their puppeteers' snap of the fingers. Keep calling them out!
fromthediagonal
Alaska Press Corpse was intentional. It isn't the first use of that term.
anon @ #2 - My good friend Dr. Steve Finn, has worked with many Gulf War Veterans who became disabled after their discharge, from one of the many problems known as The Gulf War Syndrome. The 34th went through some very toxic environments in its short, quick journey to the Ar Rawdatayn oil fields.
With all those glowing performance reviews, it is even more curious that Capt. Miller separated from the US Army after only 3 years of a 5 year obligation. I wonder what those "miscellaneous reasons" are...
How long did John Kerry's fight for our country last? Hours or years?
Yo! Swiftboaters! You out there?
Yo! Miller! Anything to add, war hero?
In Kodiak last night Joe said three men in his battalion died. I heard it on KMXT radio. I wonder if he is beginning to manage the damage regarding his service. Check out KMXT radio Oct. 21.
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