Someone You Should Know: Lance Corporal Christopher Adlesperger
Matt from Blackfive joined us as he does every week at 9pm EST for another edition of Someone You Should Know, our weekly collaboration to bring the untold, inspirational true stories of the men and women fighting for us around the world to the radio.
This week we heard the amazing story of Lance Corporal Christopher Adlesperger, a man who has been nominated for our highest honor, the Medal of Honor.
Unable to penetrate the building with his M-16, Lance Corporal Aldesperger shifted to the grenade launcher. Standing on the roof, he blew holes in the building and then rained down gunfire on the insurgents below. They returned fire and then fled.
Pfc. Aldesperger killed four insurgents who fled into the courtyard, each with a shot to the head. By Col. Malay’s estimate, Aldesperger killed a total of 11 insurgents. The actual number may be higher.
The building had been an insurgent command-and-control center. Failure to quickly subdue it, Col. Malay concluded, could have thrown off the timetable for the Fallujah assault, which depended on speed and keeping U.S. casualties to a minimum.
We also give thanks to the LA Times and reporter Tony Perry for being the exception to the rule, and telling this amazing story in a major American newspaper.
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November 7th, 2006 at 10:31 am
“Pfc. Aldesperger killed four insurgents who fled into the courtyard, each with a shot to the head. By Col. Malayâ??s estimate, Pfc. Aldesperger killed a total of 11 insurgents. The actual number may be higher.”
This is a sad glorification of war. There is nothing heroic about killing other human beings.
November 7th, 2006 at 11:21 am
John,
I’m sure he would have preferred a conflict resolution session with Oprah as a moderator, but he was being shot at. You should be grateful that we have men like him to prevent the terroists from killing morons like you.
nuttymonk
November 7th, 2006 at 11:57 am
I’d like to know just where you see this “sad glorification” in the three sentences you referenced. All I see is a factual account of what transpired. I’m afraid what you’re doing, sir, is what psychologists have termed “projection bias.” Don’t worry, though, help can be had. The sooner you come to grasp the fact that our soldiersâ?? motives are not as shallow as yours, the more grateful, if not humbler, you will become. Until then, John, youâ??ll continue to come across as a spoiled child.
November 7th, 2006 at 12:28 pm
Ward, I read the same factual account. I then read that this soldier was given the Pundit Review Medal of Honor - that was where I felt the “sad glorification” occurred.
I’m assuming that you are a psychologist since in my two sentence comment against glorifying violence you were able to ascertain that I was projecting bias, exposing my shallow motives and coming across as a spoiled child.
November 7th, 2006 at 12:44 pm
John,
Wrong again. The sad glorification comes from his being nominated for the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR, the highest award this country has to offer. Some people…..
Kevin
November 7th, 2006 at 12:52 pm
My fault. Sorry, Kevin. I misinterpreted what you wrote as a personal bestowing rather than the official bestowing of the Congressional Medal of Honor (as reported in the link that I obviously didn’t read carefully enough). Nonetheless, being honored for killing other people is a glorification of violence and war and should be stopped. America has a long history of glorifying war in order to influence public opinion in favor of it.
November 7th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Lance Corporal Chris Adlesperger - Someone You Should Know Radio…
I talked about Lance Corporal Chris Adlesperger on Pundit Review on Sunday night. Go here for the post and the podcast….
November 7th, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Seeing that your knee-jerk reaction was to assume (project bias) that Kevin was glorifying violence with an award, you might perhaps take what I wrote to heart, John. When we can’t see what’s right in front of our eyes (as you couldn’t, by your own admission), that’s when it’s time to be worried. My guess is that you immediately assumed the worst because it fit into your predetermined script, which, in turn, caused you to be careless (which, in turn, made you look foolish).
Compared to other countries, sir, America is very young. It canâ??t, by definition, have a long history. And if you in fact compared America to other countries, instead of some utopian ideal that doesnâ??t exist, you would never have written that our country glorifies war. Yet you seem bent on topping yourself.
November 7th, 2006 at 4:30 pm
There’s a phrase common to most contemorary Medal of Honor citations that read: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy…”
The award is presented for risking oneself in the face of extreme (lethal) conditions, in this case enemy fire, in order to complete whatever mission one was given.
More citations can be read here http://www.army.mil/cmh-pg/moh1.htm
Read them, “John”, and tell me how they glorify killing.
PFC Adelsperger is a better man than I, and it will be a travesty if he does not recieve this award.
November 7th, 2006 at 8:03 pm
There is a lot of things hugely heroic about serving one’s country and protecting one’s comrades. Sorry Ward, I am glad it was people like the Lance Corporal and my grandfather that fought WW2 and not people like you. A modern day Audie Murphy, Hoah!
November 8th, 2006 at 9:21 am
Dawnsblood, I hope that you were drunk when you wrote that. Or is it perhaps that you have tourette’s? If you simply find it difficult to follow the conversation, however, may I suggest that you not take part? That way you won’t look like a raging lunatic. Also, let me help you with your sentence construction: There “are” a lot of things (cut the â??hugelyâ?ť) heroic about serving one’s country….Remember, drink lots of water. Youâ??re probably dehydrated this morning.
November 8th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
Truly a great American hero. Being a journalist in the Marine Corps it’s nice to see the media actually write something that’s worth reading and pays respects to our service members. Shame on you John for trying to cast a bad light on the sacrifice LCpl. Aldesperger gave for his country’s freedom.
November 9th, 2006 at 1:54 pm
I was never intending to denigrate Mr. Aldesperger. Sadly, he was deceived into fighting this war for darker motives wholly unconnected to the given lie of “making this country safer”.
November 20th, 2006 at 12:06 am
LCPL ADLESPERGER IS A HEROIC YOUNG MAN. HE NEVER ONCE DOWNED THE WAR. HE WANTED TO DO THIS. WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABOUT WHAT HE THOUGHT ABOUT THE PROTESTERS HE SIMPLY SAID…’I AM FIGHTING THIS WAR SO THAT THOSE CAN PROTEST THIS WAR.” HE IS THE REASON SOME OF YOU ARE HERE BAD MOUTHING HIM AND THIS COUNTRIES LEADERS CHRIS WAS AND IS A TRUE AMERICAN HERO. TONY PERRY DID A GREAT JOB ON THIS STORY. I HEARD STORIES SECOND HAND FROM HIS MOTHER ( i am chris’ cousin).
AND UNTIL THIS WAR END I WILL SUPPORT THIS NATION AND PRESIDENT 100%
CHRIS, YOUR MY HERO AND I LOVE YOU
November 28th, 2006 at 7:23 pm
John, you not only are a ungreatful fool but you do not understand the reason Chris became a Marine. He wanted to be the best possible person and help his country. He believed that freedom was worth the risk to defend your right to say such stupid things while you sleep in a warm bed each night. I thank Chris for what he did for us and I am damn proud to say I am his uncle. Look in the mirror I hope you are proud to talk such trash about someone that gave his life for you. If Chris was still here he would still do it agin for you.
July 21st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
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