User Panel
Posted: 9/4/2015 11:54:17 AM EDT
I called him Mac mainly because we both have a McX name. I've been called Mac by various people my entire life so I guess it was just natural. He was an old fellow that came in to our dealership to get his Astro van worked on. every once in awhile he'd buy something from us in Parts. The Service and Parts cashier window sat directly in front of my front parts counter. The whole department was pretty much open to that area anyway (poorly designed, no doubt), so all of my guy's goofy antics were on display for every Service department customer to see...lol. We didn't see him all the time, but he'd come through every few months or so and, at first, he was pretty straight faced and serious. It didn't take to long for one of my guys to loosen him up, though.
Ted was my front counter guy and an old ass retired Navy man. He served on carriers for a long time and ultimately ran the aircraft parts room on one. I don't remember the name of his boat but I do know he was stationed on it while it was over in Vietnam. He was fucking squared away and didn't suffer fools but Ted was a jokester of the highest order. Mac wore an Army hat into the store once and Ted ALWAYS wore his Navy hat. Ted poked at him and Mac poked back. Before too long they had us rolling. Every time Mac came in, we'd start BSing with him...usually starting with Ted saying something derogatory about the Army. Don't think this was unique to Mac, BTW. We had our fair share of people we enjoyed visiting with that came through there. Just about every one got a nickname and if they were ex-military non-Navy, Ted would talk shit about their branch. If they WERE Navy, he'd find a way to tell them that they had an easy assignment compared to him. It was always hilarious. After a few times in the place, Mac stayed a little longer at the counter and would shoot the shit for a little while before heading out. We never talked military stuff, other than him and Ted goofing on each other. He talked to Ted about his days working at the Port of Houston and sometimes he'd ask me about how my racing was going, etc. Stuff like that. I'd see Mac in town occasionally and we'd stop for a couple of minutes and say our hellos. We weren't friends by any means. Just friendly when we saw each other. One day he came by and wanted to get a part for his van. He and his wife were headed into Houston and stopped by on the way out to see if we had it in stock or had to order it. Ted was having a hard time figuring out what he needed, and I was headed outside anyway, so I said, "C'mon, Mac. I'll go out there with you and you can show me what we're looking for". I followed him out to the parking lot and as we're walking up to his Astro van I saw his license plate. Medal of Honor recipient. I was fucking stunned. Me - "Holy shit Mac...uh....Mr. McNer.....I mean sir. You won a CMH?" Mac - "Yeah, but don't start calling me sir." Me - "Well, OK, but damn. I mean I think there are more lottery winners that CMH holders....I had no idea..." Mac - "I know several men that should have one that don't..." I could never call him Mac after that. Just "sir" or "Mr. McNerney". He never paid a cent for anything after that, either. I never asked him for specifics of his service after seeing the plate, and he never offered. I figured I would just look it up instead of bothering him about it. I kind of got the impression that the license plate wasn't his idea and didn't want him to feel awkward answering a ton of questions he's probably had asked 100 times before. I got transferred to a bigger store in another city not too long after that but I saw him a few times in our town still. His wife had passed on the year I transferred. He followed her in 2010. One of the guys I used to work with called me up this morning. "Hey, did you know they made a documentary about Mac?" I had no idea. "Yeah, it was done in 2010, the year he passed. Called Honor in the Valley of Tears." I checked out the trailer for it on my iPotato and sure enough, there's Mac. I'm going to try to find the full vid later this evening. I felt like sharing this because I know there are several of you that would appreciate knowing about this man and his service. I hope y'all enjoy his Wiki page and the movie trailer and hopefully have a chance to watch the documentary. David H. McNerney - Wiki Page |
|
Very cool OP. Thank you for sharing. You got to meet and be friends with a true hero.
|
|
Wow, that trailer leaves you hanging and wanting more!
Thanks for posting and RIP First Sergeant. |
|
Wow. Hell of a dude from what I just read.
Not every day you get to meet a recipient of the MOH |
|
|
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades.
I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. |
|
|
Dusty, very very dusty. It's sad seeing these heroes leave us one by one. What a remarkable man.
|
|
Amazing how humble those recipients are!
Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
|
Quoted:
Dusty, very very dusty. It's sad seeing these heroes leave us one by one. What a remarkable man. View Quote Yes, I agree. On a related note, my Parts department secretary at the new store I was transferred to is a sweet ol' gal that started with the company in 1972. And yes, she's still with me. Her husband was a POW in Korea, part of the "Namwon Bunch". In addition to the PoW Medal noted in the link below, he was awarded the Bronze Star (with "V"). Joe passed on a few years ago. He was another really great guy that's gone now. Corporal Joe T. Barrington |
|
|
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. View Quote Not to hijack the thread, but myself and 2 of my guys did exactly that. Fotunately, it was some ammo guys attempt at a joke and the grenades were dummies, but we were in Qatar and it was 3 days after the fragging incident in Kuwait...but thats a story for another time. Just saying uncommon valor is more common than you think. |
|
Quoted:
Not to hijack the thread, but myself and 2 of my guys did exactly that. Fotunately, it was some ammo guys attempt at a joke and the grenades were dummies, but we were in Qatar and it was 3 days after the fragging incident in Kuwait...but thats a story for another time. Just saying uncommon valor is more common than you think. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. Not to hijack the thread, but myself and 2 of my guys did exactly that. Fotunately, it was some ammo guys attempt at a joke and the grenades were dummies, but we were in Qatar and it was 3 days after the fragging incident in Kuwait...but thats a story for another time. Just saying uncommon valor is more common than you think. A buddy of mine was in Iraq in '04. He told me a similar story, they got a new TL and decided to fuck with him. Had mad respect for him after he jumped on and laid on a grenade for an eternity, with no idea it was a dummy. |
|
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. View Quote It still happens, although sometimes the SECDEF is a dick and only awards a Navy Cross for it. |
|
Quoted:
A buddy of mine was in Iraq in '04. He told me a similar story, they got a new TL and decided to fuck with him. Had mad respect for him after he jumped on and laid on a grenade for an eternity, with no idea it was a dummy. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. Not to hijack the thread, but myself and 2 of my guys did exactly that. Fotunately, it was some ammo guys attempt at a joke and the grenades were dummies, but we were in Qatar and it was 3 days after the fragging incident in Kuwait...but thats a story for another time. Just saying uncommon valor is more common than you think. A buddy of mine was in Iraq in '04. He told me a similar story, they got a new TL and decided to fuck with him. Had mad respect for him after he jumped on and laid on a grenade for an eternity, with no idea it was a dummy. That shit's fucked up!!! WTF??? Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
|
View Quote I've spent many hours going through that channel. Great story, OP. Thank you for sharing. |
|
Quoted:
It still happens, although sometimes the SECDEF is a dick and only awards a Navy Cross for it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. It still happens, although sometimes the SECDEF is a dick and only awards a Navy Cross for it. Sergeant Rafael Peralta |
|
Nice.
The only MoHs I have met where all tombstones showing their resting places. |
|
I have long wanted to speak someone who received either the Medal of Honor, or Britain's Victoria Cross. But I would never be so presumptuous as to bother one of them by walking up and simply introducing myself.
|
|
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. It still happens, although sometimes the SECDEF is a dick and only awards a Navy Cross for it. Sergeant Rafael Peralta Wow that dude totally deserves the MoH. He died an American hero. From wikipedia: Peralta reportedly served the United States with enthusiasm and patriotism: "In his parents' home, on his bedroom walls hung only three items - a copy of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights and his boot camp graduation certificate. Before he set out for Fallujah he wrote to his 14-year-old brother, 'Be proud of me, bro ...and be proud of being an American.'"[5] edit- He was born in Mexico and earned his citizenship while serving in the Marines. |
|
Quoted: Nice. The only MoHs I have met where all tombstones showing their resting places. View Quote I met Colonel Robert Nett several times and shook his hand when I worked in the S3 shop in 3 BN-11 INF. Citation He commanded Company E in an attack against a reinforced enemy battalion which had held up the American advance for 2 days from its entrenched positions around a 3-story concrete building. With another infantry company and armored vehicles, Company E advanced against heavy machinegun and other automatic weapons fire with Lt. Nett spearheading the assault against the strongpoint. During the fierce hand-to-hand encounter which ensued, he killed 7 deeply entrenched Japanese with his rifle and bayonet and, although seriously wounded, gallantly continued to lead his men forward, refusing to relinquish his command. Again he was severely wounded, but, still unwilling to retire, pressed ahead with his troops to assure the capture of the objective. Wounded once more in the final assault, he calmly made all arrangements for the resumption of the advance, turned over his command to another officer, and then walked unaided to the rear for medical treatment. By his remarkable courage in continuing forward through sheer determination despite successive wounds, Lt. Nett provided an inspiring example for his men and was instrumental in the capture of a vital strongpoint. |
|
|
|
Quoted:
Pretty cool. I once went through a list of Medal of Honor recipients and was amazed at how many were awarded it for throwing themselves on a grenade or mine to save their comrades. I wonder today how many soldiers would do that, something done without thought, knowing fully it will result in your own death to save your crew. View Quote Several have. The American soldier of today can hold his head as high as any of his predecessors. |
|
Quoted:
Always like hearing these stories. Never a waste of time, unlike documentaries on politicians View Quote I'm glad y'all liked it. I enjoyed telling about Ted, as well. He was a salty old sumbitch a lot of the time when he wasn't fucking with people. A good example is the water cooler cups. We had one of those coolers with a spigot on the back counter that the techs used because we didn't have a water fountain. Ted kept up with the cups. He wouldn't just set out a stack....oh hell no. He had a list of the techs and would hand them out one cup each per day. Wrote their name on each one with a sharpie. If a tech came back in wanting a second cup he'd tell them to fuck off...lol. "You're costing the company money..", he'd growl. His paperwork was always right, his area always clean and he never failed to show up to work 5 minutes early. He was so proud of being in the Navy....all he talked about was how they did it in the Navy this way, they did it in the Navy that way. I will admit that I learned a hell of a lot from that ol' squid. He passed in '09. I miss him a lot. |
|
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.