[bsliny]

Kangaroo passed away on January 23, 2004 as age 76 , which is odd,
because he always looked to be 76. (DOB: 6/27/27 ) His death reminded
me of the following story.

Some people have been a bit offended that
the actor, Lee Marvin, is buried in a grave alongside 3- and 4-star
generals at Arlington National Cemetery . His marker gives his name,
rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else. Here's a guy who was only
a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate
burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer:


I always liked Lee
Marvin, but didn't know the extent of his Corps
experiences.





In a time
when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces
often in rear echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only
to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions,
Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima ..
There is only one higher Naval award... the Medal Of
Honor!






If that is
a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his
sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.


Dialog from "The Tonight Show with Johnny
Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny
said,"Lee,
I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the
initial landing at Iwo Jima ...and that during the course of that
action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."






"Yeah,
yeah... I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Cross for
securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about
getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting' shot hauling you down.
But,Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew... We
both got the Cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made
mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red
beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the
beach. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he
stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men
to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's
safety was more important than his own life.




That
Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off
Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to
me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, "Where'd they get you
Lee?" "Well Bob... if you make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the
outhouse!"



Johnny,
I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew. The
Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan. You and the world know him as Captain
Kangaroo."







On another
note, there was this wimpy little man (who just passed away) on PBS,
gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers was another of those you would least
suspect of being anything but what he portrayed to our youth. But Mr.
Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal; combat-proven in Vietnam with over
twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved
sweater on TV to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He
was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or
kill in a heartbeat










After the
war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and a
pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the
rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in
life. He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts
with his quiet wit and charm.



America's
real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their
day-to-day lives, doing what they do best. They earned our respect and
the freedoms that we al l enjoy. Look around and see if you can find
one of those heroes in your midst. Often, they are the ones you'd
least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything
ever happened.



Take the
time to thank anyone that has fought for our
freedom.



With
encouragement, they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr.
Rogers











Send this on, will
you please? Nothing will happen to you if you don't, but if you do,
you will be telling others what a HERO is made
of.




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[jimt49]

Great stories about Lee Marvin and Bob Keeshan. True American heroes.
The story about Mr. Rogers however is an urban myth. He never served in the military.

JimT

[bsliny]

JIMT49 You Were Right about Mr. Rogers
What part of Brooklyn were you from and what part of suffolk
I lived in Grown Heights Flatbush and East New York
And am now living in TV and Bay Shore L.I. N.Y

[Muncle]

Originally Posted by jimt49

Great stories about Lee Marvin and Bob Keeshan. True American heroes.
The story about Mr. Rogers however is an urban myth. He never served in the military.

JimT

In 1945, as he completed high school, he enlisted in the Marines, but the war ended before he could be sent into combat. It was just as well. "I was the least aggressive Marine in the history of the Marine Corps," Mr. Keeshan later told Lawrence Laurent of The Washington Post.

[redwitch]

Unfortunately, the Lee Marvin story is also fiction with a touch of fact. He was shot in the rear but not on Iwo Jima. He did not receive the Naval Cross. He did receive the Purple Heart. Mr. Marvin did tell the story about Bob Keeshan on the Tonight show or anywhere so far as can be determined.

So, it boils down to Lee Marvin saw action in the Marines; Bob Keeshan (also known as Clarabelle the Clown on the Howdy Doody Show) was a reservist in the Marines, was called up at the end of WWII but never saw action; Mr. Rogers was never in the military and never saw action.

http://www.snopes.com/military/marvin.asp (among other sites)

[bsliny]

Thanks for the info Muncle and Redwitch

[jimt49]

Thanks Muncle and Red. The internet can be wonderful but dangerous.

BSLINY

Park Slope, not nearly as interesting as Crown Heights, Flatbush and East New York. Grew up in Bethpage and last 34 years in Northport.

Red I think Bob Keeshan was Captain Kangaroo.

[jimt49]

He was also the first Clarabell

[Sidney Lanier]

When any story sounds too fantastic or too unlikely to be true, always check it out on the Urban Legends site <www.snopes.com> and do a search for the story. The Internet is a powerful tool in many, many ways!

Sorry Jim I stand corrected. I did not know that. Sorry Red :redface:

[chuckinca]

DAMN - already sent the first post out to all my relatives to show them that just because a wear a Mr Rogers sweater all the time that it doesn't mean that I'm a wimp.

[redwitch]

NP Johnny. I HATED Capt. Kangaroo. My beloved Clarabelle was no more and had become this dork with big pockets. I still remember the last episode of Howdy Doody and Clarabelle working so hard and long to finally talk and saying "good-bye, kids." I must have sobbed for at least an hour. When my dear, beloved (said in total sarcasm in this instance) clued me in that CK was CB, I truly felt so betrayed. I didn't care about Cowboy Bob or Howdy Doody, I LOVED Clarabelle.

Now, my question is -- Is Lee Marvin really buried between two generals? I searched high and low and couldn't find an answer to this. So, your mission, should you choose to accept it, is ......

This post has now self-destructed.

[zcaveman]

Lee Marvin was interred next to that of Joe Louis in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

Several biographies of Lee Marvin mention this.

[jimt49]

It's ok Johnny

Just another piece of useless information tucked into this aging brain.

Red: Clarabell was ok, but Princess Summerspring Winterfall.. now she was something

JimT