War hero Col. Bud Day dies

Started by quiller, July 28, 2013, 07:38:35 PM

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quiller

Col. Bud Day, one of the most-decorated POWs in the Vietnam war and former cellmate of John McCain, has died at age 88.

QuoteDay, one of the nation's most highly decorated servicemen since Gen. Douglas MacArthur and later a tireless advocate for veterans' rights, died Saturday surrounded by family at his home in Shalimar, after a long illness, Doris Day said.

"He would have died in my arms if I could have picked him up," she said.

Day received the Medal of Honor for escaping his captors for 10 days after the aircraft he was piloting was shot down over North Vietnam. In all, he earned more than 70 medals during service in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

He was an enlisted Marine serving in the Pacific during World War II and an Air Force pilot in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

In Vietnam, he was McCain's cellmate at one camp known as the Plantation and later in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, where he was often the highest-ranking captive. During his imprisonment, the once-muscular, 5-foot-9 Day was hung by his arms for days, tearing them from their sockets. He was freed in 1973 - a skeletal figure of the once dashing fighter pilot. His hands and arms never functioned properly again.

"As awful as it sounds, no one could say we did not do well. (Being a POW) was a major issue in my life and one that I am extremely proud of. I was just living day to day," he said in a 2008 interview with The Associated Press. "One really bad cold and I would have been dead."

http://www.stripes.com/news/us/col-bud-day-medal-of-honor-recipient-dies-at-88-1.232672


daidalos

Now there is a real American hero.

While Kerry was busy denigrating our soldiers and throwing someone else's medals over the fence of the Whitehouse this man was hanging by his arms in a POW camp.

Thanks for your service to our nation Col. Day, may God comfort and support your family as they, I am sure mourn your passing.

And may he raise up more men like you, to lead our nation back to a Constitutional government.
One of every five Americans you meet has a mental illness of some sort. Many, many, of our veteran's suffer from mental illness like PTSD now also. Help if ya can. :) http://www.projectsemicolon.org/share-your-story.html
And no you won't find my "story" there. They don't allow science fiction. :)

AndyJackson

To mangle a Sam Elliott quote from "We Were Soldiers....." -

"Custer was a pussy.....you ain't"'.

They don't make men like Col Day, or Col Robbie Roberston, or Robin Olds, or David Hackworth....any more.  Especially in today's Obama-stained military.

walkstall

Quote from: AndyJackson on July 30, 2013, 03:24:16 PM
To mangle a Sam Elliott quote from "We Were Soldiers....." -

"Custer was a pussy.....you ain't"'.

They don't make men like Col Day, or Col Robbie Roberston, or Robin Olds, or David Hackworth....any more.  Especially in today's Obama-stained military.

b o, keeps firing the military general.   :popcorn:
A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman, of the next generation.- James Freeman Clarke

Always remember "Feelings Aren't Facts."