This book tells two stories regarding how Tom Norris and Mike Thornton each earned the Medal of Honor. The narrator of the story is Dick Couch. He tells the story with large segments of the story told from the first person perspective of Norris and Thornton.
Norris and Thornton were both Navy Seals. In April 1972 Norris was selected to lead a team behind enemy lines to rescue 3 downed pilots. Operating at night Norris led his team to rescue the pilots. After the first rescue the forward operating base where the rescuers planned their activities came under mortar and shelling attacks.
As the dangers increased Norris planned to rescue the second pilot alone but a Vietnamese soldier would not allow it and accompanied him. Together they rescued the pilot. Unfortunately the third pilot was killed before a rescue attempt could be made. These two rescues earned Norris the Medal of Honor.
In October of 1972 Norris was selected to lead a mission behind enemy lines to gather intelligence. Three Vietnamese soldiers would accompany him along with another American soldier. He selected Mike Thornton.
The mission started off poorly. The Vietnamese Officer who was to be a part of the mission was injured just before they were to leave and had to be replaced. Then unknowingly they went ashore in the wrong position.
As they were trying to leave they were engaged in a battle with North Vietnamese soldiers. Norris and Thornton were fighting in different locations. The Vietnamese soldier who was with Norris made it to Thornton and reported that Norris was dead.
Thornton believed him but also knew that you never left anyone behind so he went back to get Norris and found out he was still alive. Thornton rescued Norris and earned the Medal of Honor.
The last portion of the book describes the lives of Thornton and Norris after they received the Medal of Honor.
Overall this is a good book that outlines two heroic actions. I rate it 4 out of 5 stars.
William Wilberforce has been called an agitator for his commitment to ending the slave trade. One of his well known speeches on the subject was given on May 12, 1789.
Cardinal Richelieu has been hailed as a great statesman and as a subversive authoritarian. Depending on who you talk to he was a man needed to strengthen the monarchy in France, or he was a tyrant seeking personal power. Next week I will have a book review that may shed more light on Cardinal Richelieu.
When Lenin was working on his major writing projects he would often pace across the room formulating the ideas that he would write down by saying them out loud. Once he had the idea for what he wanted to write he would often repeat the idea to Nadezhda Krupskaya, who would provide feedback. Once this process was complete he would then write the ideas down.
Here is an AI rendering of what that might have looked like when he was drafting What is to be Done.
This month this community will focus on political subversion. What is subversion? When is it justified? What is the interplay between subversion and agitation? These are some of the topics to be discussed this month.
“You get used to the despot’s shortcomings, when they are not great vices, and the change of an autocratic ruler leads to involuntary fear.”
Sergei Trubetskoi
