16 Comments
User's avatar
M. Thompson's avatar

If you read about his family, Commander Cushing’s brothers were all men of valor.

Sean P Walsh's avatar

Yes, his brother was killed at Gettysburg but was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Bill Befort's avatar

"Cushing ran down the last of his guns to the battle-line.

The rest had been smashed to scrap by Lee's artillery fire.

He held his guts in his hand as the charge came up to the wall,

And his gun spoke out for him once before he fell to the ground."

— Stephen V. Benét, John Brown's Body

Aviation Sceptic's avatar

Two bright young sparks who answered the call of their nation's need. Different nations (that later became one...again), but responding to a higher calling than themselves alone. If young men, and some young women can break out of the pit of despair / uselessness that current societal "norms" and social media have created, I think there's a very good chance a LOT of such folks exist. The right sort of environment has to be created in our military AND the industries that support the DoD to inspire and motivate them to get off the couch and participate. Frankly, it's now a national imperative for us to create that "right kind" of challenge.

Bear's avatar

It appears as though they made real men in those days.

Charles Wemyss, Jr.'s avatar

They are there. in all the branches, but our navy and Marine Corps have them in spades and we need to give them every tool in the box to grow and succeed and flourish. My first Infantry Company Commander upon checking into the company, assigned me to a rifle platoon.. His view was, "I am giving you enough rope to hang yourself early and often." Which he did, and which i did. We had a battalion commander who subscribed to the same theory! With a worn out copy of FMFM 6-5 and not many limits on what could be done, they encouraged the best out that young lieutenant. It can be done, let the young dogs of war loose, let them eat!

Steel City's avatar

The trifecta of shame (to navy leadership), Martha, Gifford, and Chavez...with an exclamation point on Murtha.

NEC338X's avatar

Navy leadership - sure they are complicit. However, Congress could fix this if they wanted to.

https://news.usni.org/2024/10/25/report-to-congress-on-u-s-navy-ship-names-24

"Names for Navy ships traditionally have been chosen and announced by the Secretary of the Navy, under the direction of the President and in accordance with rules prescribed by Congress."

I'm not interested in giving the Congress critters their pass. When we have run out of Medal of Honor awardees, historically notable battles, cities, territories, and states, THEN we can start pulling other names out of the Pez dispenser.

The Drill SGT's avatar

No Presidents, No SECNAVs, No Congresscritters, even when they are progressives. unless they have gotten the Navy Cross

Gordon Pasha's avatar

NOTHING should be named after anyone unless 50 years have passed or they have been awarded the MoH.

HMSLion's avatar

Don't get me started. I'm SICK of two-bit politicians using Navy ship names as political trinkets to be passed out among their supporters.

Dale Flowers's avatar

Can we squeeze USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) into that trifecta, Mister City? That ship would be my first one to rename. Though Milk appears to have been randomly murdered by a disaffected former bureaucrat, he was no hero. Far, far from it.

billrla's avatar

A torpedo on the end of spar, activated by pulling a length of rope. This sounds like an excellent fraternity prank.

The Drill SGT's avatar

sounds like a good way to eat some barrel staves

Dale Flowers's avatar

Likkered up freshman don't care about no barrel staves. ☺

Pete's avatar

I hope Trump restores all CSA names and monuments.