Another American hero has made the passage.
General Alexander Meigs Haig Jr., who died yesterday at 85 devoted his life to the service of his country.
His military decorations, won in battle in Korea and Vietnam included two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star with Valor device, a DSC and Purple Heart among a slew of others. Haig participated in four Korean War campaigns, including the amazing Battle of Inchon, the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, and the evacuation of Hŭngnam.
Here's an excerpt from one of his citations, for his DSC:
When two of his companies were engaged by a large hostile force, Colonel Haig landed amid a hail of fire, personally took charge of the units, called for artillery and air fire support and succeeded in soundly defeating the insurgent force...the next day a barrage of 400 rounds was fired by the Viet Cong, but it was ineffective because of the warning and preparations by Colonel Haig. As the barrage subsided, a force three times larger than his began a series of human wave assaults on the camp. Heedless of the danger himself, Colonel Haig repeatedly braved intense hostile fire to survey the battlefield. His personal courage and determination, and his skillful employment of every defense and support tactic possible, inspired his men to fight with previously unimagined power. Although his force was outnumbered three to one, Colonel Haig succeeded in inflicting 592 casualties on the Viet Cong... (HQ US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2318 (May 22, 1967)
General Haig went to Washington where he served in the Nixon Administration on the NSC staff, eventually rising to become White house Chief of Staff where he helped guide the country through the Watergate crisis, keeping essential government functions running while President Nixon was preoccupied with the fallout from Watergate.
During the Carter years, Haig wisely got out of Washington and became C in C of NATO forces in Europe. After compiling a superb record there, he retired from the Army as a four-star general in 1979.
In 1981, General Haig once again returned to Washington as President Reagan's first Secretary of State, although he was later left to go into private industry. Among other things, he was a founding board member of AOL.
Moshe Arens in Ha'aretz, the ex-Israeli Ambassador to the US has his own post mortum on General Haig, who was a stauch friend of Israel. ( Hat tip, Joshau's Army member Zeb)
A heroic life, well lived.
At ease, Soldier..rest in peace.
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