long tan day

[digrar]

Lyndon B. Johnson

 

[pardus]

Lyndon B. Johnson

Sounds like a legit award to me... :uhh:

 

[AWP]

Who?

Lyndon Johnson. He was an observer on a B-26 sent to bomb a target in New Guinea. His a/c developed generator trouble and turned back without seeing combat. The a/c he was originally supposed to be on was shot down with no survivors. Johnson saw no combat on his one mission and has his SS awarded a mere 9 days after the mission.

http://www.b-26marauderarchive.org/ms/MS1709/MS1709.htm

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq60-7.htm

"For gallantry in action in the vicinity of Port Moresby and Salamaua, New Guinea on June 9, 1942. While on a mission of obtaining information in the Southwest Pacific area, Lieutenant Commander Johnson, in order to obtain personal knowledge of combat conditions, volunteered as an observer on a hazardous aerial combat mission over hostile positions in New Guinea. As our planes neared the target area they were intercepted by eight hostile fighters. When, at this time, the plane in which Lieutenant Commander Johnson was an observer, developed mechanical trouble and was forced to turn back alone, presenting a favorable target to the enemy fighters, he evidenced marked coolness in spite of the hazards involved. His gallant action enabled him to obtain and return with valuable information."

It should also be noted that he was a representative from TX who sat on the Naval Affairs Committee. After Dec. 7, Johnson was made a LCDR (O-4) in the Navy Reserves, despite zero military experience. LBJ was juiced in politically from the start.

The first link above is pretty damning. It's also not the first time Martin Caidin (who helped perpetuate the LBJ myth) fabricated details to craft a story.

 

[CBTech]

I don't know if it is in any of the links before but I remembered reading this once so I went and looked it up:

Johnson's own biographer said this,
"The most you can say about Lyndon Johnson and his Silver Star is that it is surely one of the most undeserved Silver Stars in history, because if you accept everything that he said, he was still in action for no more than 13 minutes and only as an observer. Men who flew many missions, brave men, never got a Silver Star."

 

[Mac_NZ]

I worked a wee bit with 5/7 in Robo Bks and was over there for the anniversary of Log Tan a few years back, had a few beverages and talked to an old bloke that had something to do with it at the RSL later. Hell of a scrap.

 

[digrar]

It's a reasonable day everywhere because it is also Viet Nam Veterans day. But at 6RAR it's something special. The Battalion still gets a fair few of the boys attending and the boozer is always an interesting place after the church service or parade.