Marion,
Pardon my French but Mr. Orlando is an *sshole. He is a sorry historian. He read's black and white but never looks at the grey in between. If what happened was told by historians alone we'd never have any idea what went on in the world. Please keep up your campaign. I'm on your side, as are many of these fine gentlemen.
Rocky, we've never spoke but I admire the hell out of you. You don't pull too many punches do you? 
My admiration to you and Marion sir...
-Robert
Marion,
Pardon my French but Mr. Orlando is an *sshole. He is a sorry historian. He read's black and white but never looks at the grey in between. If what happened was told by historians alone we'd never have any idea what went on in the world. Please keep up your campaign. I'm on your side, as are many of these fine gentlemen.
Rocky, we've never spoke but I admire the hell out of you. You don't pull too many punches do you?
My admiration to you and Marion sir...
-Robert
"Emerson_Bigguns"---Robert; Thanks for the kind words, BUT, I just say WHAT I SAW AND SAW WHAT THE COMBAT ENGINEERS DID, in No. Africa and Italy, If you have a map of Italy, just look at the Rapido, Arno, and Volturno rivers, let alone all the mine fields. They would clear a mine field and string a path so we would walk on it and we dare not cross over the ribbon they tied. Just felt I had to say this. AND MAYBE,JUST MAYBE,THIS IS THE REASON I CAN WRITE THIS TODAY. PLUS THE BIGGEST THING IS THAT GOD WAS WATCHING OVER ME. ROCKY of the 34th.
I received this letter today. I left off the name for privacy. If said individual would like to reply, he may. I am also posting my reply.
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Mam,
Engineers of any variety, unless they meet extra special conditions, are not authorized the CIB. I appreciate your efforts on behalf of engineers but as recipients of the CIB they do not qualify. Read the regulation too. I too actually know a few non-infantry branched soldiers who received the CIB, however they met the in command of an infantry unit for 30 day or the Special Forces criteria. Engineers, unless they met the required criteria, are, essentially wearing or claiming to have earned the CIB, when not authorized, previous mistakes included. There was a book called "Stolen Valor" on this.
Additionally, I know of several aviators, having been shot down, fought with infantry units until they were able to be moved. NO CIB for them. I believe that your assn could better use its energy and time in working with all veteran's organizations to ensure that all vets are taken care of from the medical and other support standpoints. Unfortunately, the generally exclusive attitudes of WWII vets (our war was a "real war")(VFW and such) to Vietnam Vets and those of the conflicts since then have been one of the primary reasons for the loss of membership in such organizations.
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Dear (I left this off):
Thank you for your opinion, but we have a much different outlook on the situation. No disrespect meant.
I (we) have read every single document numerous times, and in our mind it leaves no doubt to their interpretation.
As far as your comparison regarding the pilot, it really doesn't apply since he was not designated AS INFANTRY, unlike many of my engineers WHO WERE, as clearly stated in many of the NARA documents we have. Our engineers were actually ASSIGNED as infantry for days, weeks or months at a time.
Sincerely...
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His response to me this afternoon: 
No disrespect taken. Infantry is infantry and engineers are engineers. Combat vs. combat support.
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Guess some people don't get it. We aren't arguing about support troops sir. We are arguing with the ones WHO WERE INFANTRY. I won't say anything more because my next words are guaranteed to be NOT NICE! But as my dear friend friend who happens to be an infantry general, said last week, "Ignore them honey!"
Combat Engineers probably kept the war in Europe from dragging on for another 6 months when they denied those tanks a place to cross the river during the Bulge, just to mention one incident where they became Combat Infantry! PS- I always thought that all American ground forces were riflemen first and (whatever else) after that!
Jim
Combat Engineers probably kept the war in Europe from dragging on for another 6 months when they denied those tanks a place to cross the river during the Bulge, just to mention one incident where they became Combat Infantry!Jim
DOGDADDY; COMBAT ENGINEERS,ONE INCIDENT, BATTLEOF THEBULGE? HELL MAN, THAT WAS '45 WASN'T IT. HOW ABOUT GOING BACK TO NOV. '42 ALGIERS, NORTH AFRICA. INCIDENTS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION. GROUND FORCES TWO GROUPS. 1st. DIVN. HQ.,REGT. HQ. SUPPLY,MESS. 2nd. LINE COMPANIES, INCLUDING BN. HQ. CO.HQ. AGAIN I WUZ THERE. Rocky
I guess what infuriates me the most, is not that people disagree with what we are doing, but the fact that most of them are GUILTY of not reading every word of what we have been posting here for two years.
One man wrote that the CIB should not be distributed regimentally. What? Who ever said that was what our goal was. Once again this person DID NOT take the time to read our words. That is not our goal, never was our goal. So shame on you for not doing your homework.
There's a HUGE difference between trying to get a few CIB's for those WHO actually did earn them, and trying to get one for every combat engineer. I am getting sick and tired of trying to explain the difference to the ignorant.
And as far as advice that I should do something more worthwhile for ALL the vets... Well we each have our own causes that we fight for, and I don't go around telling you that you that your goals are a waste of time. To me it sounds as though a few out there are disgruntled and unhappy and maybe downright miserable. Also there is no need to insult my WWII vets. I'm sorry that you feel that way and I'm bored to death hearing the oh whoa is me crap, so get off your high horse, and adapt a more positive attitude, and watch your life turn around. There's a reason I don't surround myself with those who go through life with chips on their shoulders; they try and take the whole world down with them. Well take it somewhere else, because it's not welcome here.
Oh well, I have better things to worry about than getting a few emails from people like that. We are starting on our remodeling project today and MY GUYS will be here in a few minutes to start tearing out our bathroom. EGAD! Things will be a mess for a few months. Wish us luck. Big job ahead. 
