Trump Trashes the Medal of Honor, Saying Presidential Medal of Freedom Is Better

Given his lifelong disrespect of military service, draft dodger in Chief Cadet Bone Spurs (aka Donald Trump) trashing the Medal of Honor by saying the Presidential Medal of Freedom is “better” shouldn’t come as a surprise. Nor should his VP pick J.D. Vance trying to rationalize what Trump said.  I could write reams about Trump’s disrespect of military service, veterans in general and ESPECIALLY those who were wounded, sometimes partially crippled, lost limbs or even died in the service of our country. However, Trump is butt-hurt he never qualified for our nation’s HIGHEST honor. Because he’s a f**king draft dodger who never served a single day. Nor has any member of his family going back all the way to his ancestor who dodged the draft back in the “old country” and fled here. When he tried to go back home the King kicked him back out again. The U.S. should never have let him back in.

In any case, what Trump DOES value is people who help him get elected. People like the notorious Sheriff Joe Arpaio who’s influence in Arizona helped Trump carry the state in 2016. Arpaio was criminally convicted so Trump pardoned him. And gave him a Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in the process devaluing the award for all those before him (and since) who actually deserved it. Or how about another draft dodge, the notorious draft dodger Rush Limbaugh who got a medical deferment for anal cysts!  Without Limbaugh’s right wing radio influence MAGA would never have become what it became. He too got a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump.

The we have Trump talking about a more recent person Trump gave the award to, as described in this article by Raw Story. For those who’ve forgotten when he farted and sharted his way down his fake gold escalator Trump said he couldn’t be bought because he was so rich he’d self-fund his campaign.  That of course was pure, unadulterated bullshit. It takes a LOT of money to mount a Presidential campaign and Trump wasn’t about to spend any of his own. Unfortunately lots of rich people who knew how transactional Trump was were willing to hand over vast sums.  The now decease multi billionaire and mega donor Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam were HUGE donors. Guess who got a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump?

Recently it was reported Trump met with the country’s top oil executives and told them for a billion dollars for his campaign they could write their own ticket. It’s easy enough to imagine him in a room full of GOP mega donors and imitate Oprah: ‘YOU get a Presidential Medal of Freedom.” Then pointing to one or two others saying ‘YOU get a Presidential Medal of Freedom.’ ‘EVERYONE gets a Presidential Medal of Freedom!’ (adding the obscene amount of money they’ll have to give him of course)

What prompted this discussion is Trump just talked about giving Miriam Adelson her medal.  Boy did he step in it. Trump didn’t just equate the Medal of Honor and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. As I’ve already written he said the latter was actually better:

“That’s the highest award you can get as a civilian. It’s the equivalent of the Congressional Medal of Honor, but civilian version,” Trump said. “It’s actually much better because everyone [who] gets the Congressional Medal of Honor, they’re soldiers. They’re either in very bad shape because they’ve been hit so many times by bullets, or they’re dead,” Trump said. “She gets it, and she’s a healthy, beautiful woman. And they’re rated equal, but she got the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and she got it for — and that’s through committees and everything else.”

Reaction was swift. I had a text from Vote Vets soon after those remarks came out, and plenty of other veterans and veteran’s groups have been harsh in their comments about Trump. I’ll try to put it politely and say to sum it all up the general consensus is that Trump has dishonored those recognized for extraordinary service above and beyond the call of duty to earn our nation’s most revered award. My own cussing would take up a page and that of others would take up all night.

Unsurprisingly elected Republicans haven’t exactly rushed en mass to denounce Trump’s comments. And his new pet J.D. Vance, Mr. ‘Hey – I was a MARINE and served in Iraq (not that he volunteered for a combat M.O.S. when he enlisted) is trying to cover for Trump. He’s trotting out nonsense about “context” and the old dodge about not having seen a full readout of what Trump said. Had a reporter called it up on their phone to show it to him he’d have run from it like a vampire running from the sunrise!  However, he’s got to more or less come out with full backing of his new master and at least claim the two awards are of equal stature. As far as I’m concerned the fact Vance hasn’t denounced Trump and withdrawn from the ticket means the Commandant of my Marine Corps should convene a panel to review Vance – and recommend his discharge be changed from Honorable to DIS-honorable.

It’s too bad Daniel Inouye passed away. SENATOR Inouye was an American citizen of Japanese heritage. When the Pearl Harbor attack happened he rushed out and braved strafing to help wounded sailors. Like others he wanted to fight for his country but was initially refused. Eventually policy changed and guys like him were allowed to enlist, but only go to war in the European theater. Inouye served with distinction even before the battle which cost him his arm and his dream of being a surgeon. It took too long, but a special commission looked at WWII and Japanese Americans awarded the Distinguished Service Cross to see if their actions merited the higher honor and that they’d been discriminated against. Sure enough it led to his actions during that battle resulted in Senator Inouye being awarded the Medal of Honor. Here’s a copy of the citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism in action on 21 April 1945, in the vicinity of San Terenzo, Italy. While attacking a defended ridge guarding an important road junction, Second Lieutenant Inouye skillfully directed his platoon through a hail of automatic weapon and small arms fire, in a swift enveloping movement that resulted in the capture of an artillery and mortar post and brought his men to within 40 yards of the hostile force. Emplaced in bunkers and rock formations, the enemy halted the advance with crossfire from three machine guns. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Second Lieutenant Inouye crawled up the treacherous slope to within five yards of the nearest machine gun and hurled two grenades, destroying the emplacement. Before the enemy could retaliate, he stood up and neutralized a second machine gun nest. Although wounded by a sniper’s bullet, he continued to engage other hostile positions at close range until an exploding grenade shattered his right arm. Despite the intense pain, he refused evacuation and continued to direct his platoon until enemy resistance was broken and his men were again deployed in defensive positions. In the attack, 25 enemy soldiers were killed and eight others captured. By his gallant, aggressive tactics and by his indomitable leadership, Second Lieutenant Inouye enabled his platoon to advance through formidable resistance, and was instrumental in the capture of the ridge. Second Lieutenant Inouye’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the United States Army.

As is always the case there’s more than what’s included in the official citation. You can read additional details here. I should also note Inouye was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I’m not sure but he might be the only person that’s true of.  It’s too bad Senator Inouye isn’t still alive and walking around the Senate chamber. I’d love to see him wilt in the face of a real hero.  And try to justify his ass kissing of Trump on this issue.  Of course, Inouye was in the Army so Vance might try to play his Marine card. If I’m wrong and there’s an afterlife Vance should be shaking in his boots if he actually believes the religious crap he spouts. There are some Marines long dead who will want to have a “word” with him, by which I mean the equivalent of the Platoon Sgt. hauling his ass out behind the barracks for a good old-fashioned ass kicking.  Followed by a couple months of mess duty (trust me – it sucks big time) after getting out of sick bay.

I’m talking guys like two time Medal of Honor recipient Smedley Butler, an icon in the Corps. Or another icon, Sgt. Dan Daly (one of those who fought at Belleau Wood that his boss couldn’t be bothered to honor because he was afraid his hair would friz in the light rain/drizzle) who would have and should have been awarded a third one. The only reason Daly was denied was that the Army didn’t want some Marine to do what no solider had ever done and Pershing went along with that sentiment. No matter. There are others that if there’s a Marine division/air wing in the great beyond who will smack Vance (and Trump) in the forehead with their own Medals of Honor hard enough to leave an imprint that will never go away.

Including a Marine who served in Iraq not exactly while Vance was sitting in his office at the air base but close enough. A young Lance Corporal (E-3) named Jason Dunham who didn’t hesitate to give up his own life to save fellow Marines. Here’s his citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Rifle Squad Leader, 4th Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, First Marine Division (Reinforced), on 14 April 2004, Corporal Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq, when they heard rocket-propelled grenade and small arms fire erupt approximately two kilometers to the west. Corporal Dunham led his Combined Anti-Armor Team towards the engagement to provide fire support to their Battalion Commander’s convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. As Corporal Dunham and his Marines advanced, they quickly began to receive enemy fire. Corporal Dunham ordered his squad to dismount their vehicles and led one of his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed convoy. Discovering seven Iraqi vehicles in a column attempting to depart, Corporal Dunham and his team stopped the vehicles to search them for weapons. As they approached the vehicles, an insurgent leaped out and attacked Corporal Dunham. Corporal Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and in the ensuing struggle saw the insurgent release a grenade. Corporal Dunham immediately alerted his fellow Marines to the threat. Aware of the imminent danger and without hesitation, Corporal Dunham covered the grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In an ultimate and selfless act of bravery in which he was mortally wounded, he saved the lives of at least two fellow Marines. By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty, Corporal Dunham gallantly gave his life for his country, thereby reflecting great credit upon himself and upholding the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Dunham gave his life on April 14, 2004 to save fellow Marines. Was Vance such a Marine? We’ll never know because he didn’t elect to serve in combat arms. The title of his M.O.S. notwithstanding he chose an office job. He put in his four years and appears to have performed his duties well. My point is his story, the choice he made about how HE would serve and Dunham’s who served at the same time were very different. I rather think Dunham would have a thing or two to “say” to Vance if there’s an afterlife!

But Trump can’t stand the idea of their being a revered award he can’t get because you have to be in the military to qualify for consideration. THEN you have to willingly take extraordinary, above and beyond the call of duty risks to even get considered. Trump simply doesn’t have that kind of courage. He hates himself for being the f**king coward he is so he plays Chickenhawk, like so many others.

Now however he’s hit on a new gambit. Start gaslighting to convince everyone the Presidential Medal of Freedom isn’t merely ‘just as good’ as the Medal of Honor, but BETTER. Why? Because he assumes one day it will be awarded to HIM!  Hell, being Trump he might just go ahead and award it to himself. He’s already laid the groundwork by claiming he ‘took a bullet for Democracy’ so his MAGAs would already heartily approve.

And Vance?  He’ll just smile and say Trump deserves even more. That a special award ONLY for Trump designating Trump him as the person who has done more than anyone else in our history for our country.

I’m ready to puke now so I’ll shut up.

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