a death that matters

[RACER X]

vs. all these celeb deaths.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/06/rob_finchthe_oregonian2002us_m.html

CLACKAMAS -- They came by ones and twos Friday, quietly slipping into the pews at New Hope Community Church. They smiled at the words honoring a man whose faith made him an inspiration and whose exploits in three wars made him a hero.

And when the last mournful drone of the bagpipes faded, they said goodbye to Col. Kenneth L. Reusser of Milwaukie, the most decorated U.S. Marine Corps aviator in history.

"He was the finest gentleman I've ever met," said Harley Wedel of Fairview, a fellow Korean War veteran. "I'm really going to miss him."

Reusser flew an amazing 253 combat missions in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He was shot down in all three wars -- five times in all. He earned two Navy Crosses, four Purple Hearts and two Legions of Merit among his 59 medals.

In 1945, while based in Okinawa, he stripped down his F4U-4 Corsair fighter and intercepted a Japanese observation plane at an altitude much higher than usual. When his guns froze, he flew his fighter into the observation plane, hacking off its tail with his propeller.

In 1950, while serving in the storied "Black Sheep Squadron," he led an attack on a North Korean tank-repair facility at Inchon, then destroyed an oil tanker -- almost blowing himself out of the sky in the process.

During the Vietnam War, Reusser flew helicopters. He was leading a Marine Air Group in a rescue mission, when his own "Huey" was shot down. He needed skin grafts over 35 percent of his badly burned body.

Reusser was born Jan. 27, 1920, the son of a Cloverdale minister. While still a teenager, he became a committed Christian, which remained a big part of his life.

Reusser lived a "Tom Sawyer-ish" existence, Wedel said, jumping off a barn roof to test a parachute, racing motorcycles to help pay for college and earning a pilot's license before WWII broke out.

After retiring from the Marine Corps, he worked for Lockheed Aircraft and the Piasecki Helicopter Corp.

In recent years, he remained active in veterans groups.

"He had a great sense of humor," said friend Jesse Lott of Milwaukie. "One time, when the great Gen. Chuck Yeager was visiting, we told him about Ken's war record. Yeager just sniffed that he never saw any Marines in Europe.

"Well, when Ken arrived, we told him what Yeager had said," Lott said. "So Ken said, 'Well, if we had been there, it wouldn't have taken you so long to win the war.' Even Yeager laughed."

Reusser, who died June 20 of natural causes at 89, is survived by his wife, Trudy; and sons, Richard C. and Kenneth L. Jr. Interment was in Willamette National Cemetery.

-- Rick Bella; rickbella@news.oregonian.com

:ty:

Godspeed Sir :pat:

[shmike]

What a badass!

It's a shame we don't have more hero worship for guys like that.

RIP, Colonel. :pat:

[z06boy]

What a badass!

It's a shame we don't have more hero worship for guys like that.

RIP, Colonel. :pat:

Agreed on all accounts.

[tommymac]

Agreed as well, need to hear more about guys like this so they get some recognition as opposed to people who can moonwalk or sell products on tv.

Tom

[neebelung]

What a badass!

It's a shame we don't have more hero worship for guys like that.

RIP, Colonel. :pat:

Seriously. Wow.

May he RIP.

[Particle Man]

wow - definitely rockets to the 'hero' list in my book.

Damn.

RIP

[Rider]

RIP sir. :pat:

[LeeNetworX]

What a badass!

It's a shame we don't have more hero worship for guys like that.

RIP, Colonel. :pat:

Absolutely. The media fucking sucks.

[EpyonXero]

Wow, that guy lived way longer than he should have. :lol:

[Apoc]

RIP. Hope he went peacefully.

[Adeptus_Minor]

Talk about a full life. :pat:

It's a shame that we have so few of the 'greatest generation' left among us, and more of a shame that so few seem to be learning the lessons that their lives should be teaching us.

[Amber Lamps]

Ha I wonder if this guy ever met my Dad? I doubt it but my Dad was a mechanic and then in charge of the motor pool. :lol: Definitely a REMF!!! He was also in the Pacific campaign in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. It would be weird if they did cross paths. Anyway, what a great man and what a full life! We should all aspire to having even 20% of his life experiences!:pat:

[marko138]

Wow. A true American hero. :pat:

[derf]

Yeh he's pretty bad ass. I heard about this in an email the other day. What the articles didnt say is that he was also nominated for the Medal of honor 2x in his career (although never awarded, but damn just being nominated 2x!!!). This guy did shit that normal humans are not capable of.

http://www.popasmoke.com/notam2/attachment.php?attachmentid=3307&stc=1&d=1246313497


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_NFtqCMIGTKU/SeoVFxyevrI/AAAAAAAACRA/zo6i2w5hPbI/s400/340077958_a40168422b.jpg.jpeg

http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/12/08/news/art1cx.jpg

[azoomm]

Wow.

RIP.

[Curb]

Semper Fi, Colonel!:pat:

[Riceaholic]

RIP Colonel

[ericr]

What's so sad is that ISN'T making the front page news every day for months like a sick child molester will. This country could learn more from one day of his life story than everything MJ did in his lifetime.

A true American Hero! Semper Fi :pat:

[derf]

For all we know, he was banging 13 year old Korean hookers 2 at a time

I totally agree that he did that shit, and the fact that he did it in 3 seperate wars and has been able to still walk around with his dick in 1 piece is awesome

[Amber Lamps]

I totally agree that he did that shit, and the fact that he did it in 3 seperate wars and has been able to still walk around with his dick in 1 piece is awesome

I know right?!?! Considering the stories my Dad and Uncles used to tell about WWII, Korea and Vietnam... well, it's a wonder I was born or any of my cousins!!! Not to mention what was said at the VFW hall after a few drinks...WOW! I'm honestly not trying to demean this guy but none of these guys were angels by any means! Most of them were some hard fighting, hard fucking, heavy drinking sons of bitches! :pat::rockwoot:

[tommymac]

I know right?!?! Considering the stories my Dad and Uncles used to tell about WWII, Korea and Vietnam... well, it's a wonder I was born or any of my cousins!!! Not to mention what was said at the VFW hall after a few drinks...WOW! I'm honestly not trying to demean this guy but none of these guys were angels by any means! Most of them were some hard fighting, hard fucking, heavy drinking sons of bitches! :pat::rockwoot:

Before i got into PA school I volunteered at the VA hospital, a lot of the WW II vets were there for various stuff, these guys had some crazy stories but several were dirty old men, so I assume they were young horndogs too :lol:

tom

[the chi]

No one's saying the dude was a saint, but there's no question that his acts for his country qualify him as a hero (I still keep hearing the GI Joe theme in my head).

MJ may have done some good things with his celebrity, but he was no kind of hero by any stretch of the imagination. He was an entertainer who did some good deeds.

I wouldnt line up to talk to MJ, but Id have loved to have talked to this guy, think of the stories he could share.

[shmike]

No one's saying the dude was a saint, but there's no question that his acts for his country qualify him as a hero (I still keep hearing the GI Joe theme in my head).

MJ may have done some good things with his celebrity, but he was no kind of hero by any stretch of the imagination. He was an entertainer who did some good deeds.

I wouldnt line up to talk to MJ, but Id have loved to have talked to this guy, think of the stories he could share.

Well said. :pat:

[fasternyou929]

What a badass!

It's a shame we don't have more hero worship for guys like that.

RIP, Colonel. :pat:

I read this when you e-mailed me the article and wondered how long it would be before this showed up here. Glad to see it did!

[JK]

fortitude. Thats what this guy can teach us. Thats what kids these days need to witness.

[nhgunnut]

I will skip the MJ discussion . I think we do need to to hold in reverence those who chose to serve our country, and especially those who choose to serve in time of war.
Thank you Colonel.

[Rider]

Cleaned up the bullshit. Show respect you assholes and take your differences elsewhere.

[z06boy]

Cleaned up the bullshit. Show respect you assholes and take your differences elsewhere.

:cheers:

RIP Colonal

[Kaneman]

The extreme celebrity worship and that which takes place in the mainstream media is just another sign of the continual dumbing down of society. From my POV its the same basic societal mentality that brought us such things as frivilous lawsuits, lack of personal responsibility, commonplace obesisty, political correctness, Perez and Paris Hilton, reality television, overabundant adult tattling, catholics *zing!*, and so on and so forth. Also refered to as "Sheeple," "The pussification of America," and "oh my fucking God what the fucking fuck happened to this country."

It seems unlikely that the trance we find oursevles deeper and deeper in is going to lift on its own or that things will get any better. Lower IQs, unprecidented ignorance and flabby bellies will become more and more the norm as the years pass.

The Today show ran a huge special on Neverland Ranch this morning. They interviewed Jermaine, they toured the house, they brought on experts with blonde hair and big tits they went on and on and on and on and on. I too would've much rather seen some coverage of Col. Kenneth L. Reusser's life instead of this mindless dribble but the fact is that the majority of people in this country don't give a flying fuck about some old wrinkled war hero. People no longer have the stomach to fully encompass what it takes to be a man of that magnitude. Its probably more unreal to them than any fairy tale, there is no association and they are simply not interested.

Now, Michael Jackson....THERE'S something people can relate to. Don't you assholes know he made Thriller?
________
LIFESTYLE VAPORIZER HEATER COVER (http://vaporizers.net)

[Amber Lamps]

Made ya look!:lol:

[z06boy]

The extreme celebrity worship and that which takes place in the mainstream media is just another sign of the continual dumbing down of society. From my POV its the same basic societal mentality that brought us such things as frivilous lawsuits, lack of personal responsibility, commonplace obesisty, political correctness, Perez and Paris Hilton, reality television, overabundant adult tattling, catholics *zing!*, and so on and so forth. Also refered to as "Sheeple," "The pussification of America," and "oh my fucking God what the fucking fuck happened to this country."

It seems unlikely that the trance we find oursevles deeper and deeper in is going to lift on its own or that things will get any better. Lower IQs, unprecidented ignorance and flabby bellies will become more and more the norm as the years pass.

The Today show ran a huge special on Neverland Ranch this morning. They interviewed Jermaine, they toured the house, they brought on experts with blonde hair and big tits they went on and on and on and on and on. I too would've much rather seen some coverage of Col. Kenneth L. Reusser's life instead of this mindless dribble but the fact is that the majority of people in this country don't give a flying fuck about some old wrinkled war hero. People no longer have the stomach to fully encompass what it takes to be a man of that magnitude. Its probably more unreal to them than any fairy tale, there is no association and they are simply not interested.

Now, Michael Jackson....THERE'S something people can relate to. Don't you assholes know he made Thriller?


Good post. :yes:

Funny and sad all in one.

MJ was a very talanted entertainer...no doubt.