Momentum for local Medal of Honor growing
|
| May 27, 2111 |
 |
|
Marine Lance
Corporal (Retired) Ricardo C. Binns |
Support for upgrading the Navy Cross Marine
Corps Lance Corporal Ricardo C. Binns, retired,
was awarded for heroism 44 years ago during the
Vietnam War is growing, with U.S. Senators James
Risch and Mike Crapo and Idaho Senator Shawn
Keough all agreeing to help.
The nomination, made by retired Marine Corps
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Adelhelm,
Jacksonville, Florida, was initially submitted
earlier this year with the recommendation of
U.S. Congressman Raul Labrador. The
recommendation is now with the U.S. Marine
Corps, with a decision expected sometime in
June.
The Navy Cross is the second highest award for
valor and bravery that can be awarded to a
Marine. On Monday, Binns will ride in the
Bonners Ferry Memorial Day parade.
You can read about the Bonners Ferry Marine's
heroism by
clicking here.
Adelhelm first heard about Binns' heroism while
studying at the Officer's Basic Course, where
part of the curriculum was the Battle of Hill
488. After his retirement, he happened to meet
and work with a man who'd been on the hill that
day, Charles Bosley, who told him more about the
events of that June, 1966, night. The more he
heard, the more Adelhelm became convinced that a
fellow Marine, deserving of the nation's highest
honor, had been denied.
Over a period of years, he gathered documenation
and statements from the survivors of the battle,
some of whom have since died.
"The events covered in LCol. Adelhelm's
exhaustive research are worthy of close scrunity
and in my view deserve a further review by the
highest authority," wrote retired Navy Rear
Admiral David Harlow. "The awarding of the Navy
Cross for valor, bravery, sacrifice and support
of fellow Marines in deadly combat was extremely
well deserved. This is a major award, but LCol.
Adelhelm's efforts raise the question that
possibly LCpl. Binns is deserving of the next
and highest of our country's awards, the
Congressional Medal of Honor."
Ray Hildreth, now living in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who
was on the hill that fateful night, wrote in
support of the upgrade, saying "Rick Binns was
wounded multiple times by gun fire and shrapnel
from grenades and refused morphine offered by
our Corpsman so that he could remain alert and
in the battle. The indomitable spirit that Rick
Binns displayed during the battle was an
inspiration to those of us that remained able to
fight."
"I was with LCpl Binns when we first saw and
engaged the enemy before he ordered us back to
anther defensive position," wrote former Marine
Tom Powell. "The enemy firing became intense
from hundreds of enemy tryinig to take our
position. While returning fire, I was shot and
would have been killed it it wasn't for LCpl
Binns pulling me to cover and treating my wound.
Although I was wounded, I saw all the actions
going on around me and I witnessed what LCpl
Binns did during the battle. He moved from
position to position through intense enemy fire
helping engage the enemy where needed and at
close range. He was loading magazines and
passing out ammo, helping treat others who were
wounded, he was firing and yelling at the enemy
and encouraging us to hold our positions. I can
still remember the way his eyes looked and how
he fought like hell ... I saw what he did. His
actions were heroic. It is still hard to believe
anyone could do what he did under those
conditions. He is a hero, and if it wasn't for
him, we would not have survived that battle."
"I was surprised that he was not considered,"
wrote Bosley in support of Adelhelm's upgrade
request. "I was surprised that he wasn't awarded
the MOH, but figured it was because of politics.
I was just a PFC (private first class) at the
time and did what I was told. I was just glad to
have survived that battle. I and the others
survived because of LCpl Binns, and for that I
am very grateful to him."
"Although many years have passed, the documented
facts gathered and provided by LCol Adelhelm in
support of making things right for a fellow and
most worthy Marine deserve the consideration of
further review," Harlow wrote.
To read more on Ricardo C. Binns and the quest
to have him recognized as a hero, visit
Adelhelm's website by
clicking here. |
|
Questions or comments?
Click here
to email!
|
|
|
