The leader you've been conspicuously missing?

[Penta]

It looks as if you've found your man. Better late than never I suppose.


Lt. Gen. Honore a 'John Wayne dude'
Commander of relief effort in New Orleans takes charge

(CNN) -- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin calls Lt. Gen. Russel Honore a "John Wayne dude" who can "get some stuff done."

"He came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving," Nagin said in an interview Thursday night with a local radio station. (See the Nagin video where he demands feds 'get off their asses' -- 12:09 )

The three-star general directed the deployment of an estimated 1,000 National Guard troops from a New Orleans street corner Friday, making it clear that it was a humanitarian relief operation. (Watch the convoy slog through floodwaters -- 3:33)

Getting food and water to the people at the city's convention center was a difficult process, Honore said.

"If you ever have 20,000 people come to supper, you know what I'm talking about. If it's easy, it would have been done already."

Honore recognizes that storm victims have waited days for relief, and his troops are trying to get them out of the city and into a more comfortable environment.

"Our number one task is to deal with the concentration of people in New Orleans, as well as those that are isolated. And we're going to get after it," he said. (Watch the exclusive video report of the general sent to the rescue -- 10:02)

The general acknowledged that frustration, and in some cases lawlessness, is building.

"By-and-large, these are families that are just waiting to get out of here. They are frustrated; I would be, too. I get frustrated at the cash register counter when the paper runs out."

Hundreds of National Guard and active duty troops are carrying weapons in the city. But the way they carried those guns was a concern to the general.

He ordered all he encountered to point their weapons down, said CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr, who was with the general. Honore repeatedly went up to military vehicles, National Guardsmen standing sentry and even to New Orleans police officers, telling them to please point their weapons down and reminding them that they were not in Iraq.

Honore commands the 1st Army, based at Fort Gillem in Forest Park, Georgia, outside Atlanta.

The general is a native of Lakeland, Louisiana, which is northwest of Baton Rouge. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in vocational agriculture from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge in 1971. Honore was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the infantry upon graduation. He also has a master's degree in human resources from Troy State University.

He has served in a number of infantry command positions and at the Pentagon. Before taking command of the 1st Army, Honore commanded the Standing Joint Force Headquarters-Homeland Security, U.S. Northern Command.

Honore's daughter and other relatives live in New Orleans, but he has not seen them since he arrived in town.

"The priority is on this mission, getting these people out of here," he said.

The general came to rescue of one young mother trying to carry her twin babies down the street in the terrible heat and humidity of New Orleans, Starr reported. The mother was so exhausted the children were almost falling out of her arms.

The general went up to the woman and took both of her babies, handing them off to soldiers to carry, as he promised the mother that they were going to get her some help. The troops helped the three hurricane victims to a Coast Guard ship, where they were treated for exhaustion and dehydration.

Honore said he wants his troops' profile in New Orleans to be that of humanitarian relief operations, leaving the law enforcement role to the local police.




Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/US/09/02/honore.profile

[Big Duke 6]

Sounds like an old school military man - suprised he made Lt. Gen - usually 80% politican by that point. Most good officers cut from the "old cloth" usually get fed up or have their careers ruined for em by LTC. Suprised he hasn't been reprimanded for his public use of obscenities.

[RYP]

John Wayne was an actor named Marion.

[Pam]

It's about time. That is great news.

Thanks Penta.

[redfax]

John Wayne was an actor named Marion.

Wayne once told a fellow actor that "he walked like a woman." the actor's reply:

"What was that, Marion?"

[Prodigal Son]

John Wayne was an ACTOR who made movies ABOUT brave people -- he didn't actually do anything brave.

[Penta]

The JW tag is an irrelevance.
I posted the article because of his reported behaviour, namely stressing this was a relief operation, not a war, pointing out that people were bound to get frustrated in those appalling circumstances and the delay in sending assistance, telling the police and national guard to stop pointing their guns at the people they were there to help, and giving immediate and practical help to someone in desperate need -- all designed to defuse the situation, to show the survivors that help is at last on its way, and to remind the forces of the priorities.

I was not so pleased that the very next piece I read was CNN's version of the one posted by fish-e in the 'Army calls out "insurgents" in NO' thread, with the same outrageous quote about Somalia. Not a helpful analogy, I thought, for anyone concerned, and decided against posting it.

[nowonmai]

Hey whats with badmouthing Duke? Anyone who only needed one match a day to light his first cigarette can't be bad. I googled the piece below because I remember hearing rumours that he'd got some politically incorrect trigger time in Vietnam with the Montagnards and SF types. Could just be a PR mans blurb but it always struck me as reasonably plausible, wasn't like there was a shortage of targets up in them thar hills. Perhaps some of our older readers could shed some light on it. Either way John Wayne was a good man but is a good target for pretentious postmodern panty wearers to knock I'll grant you.


http://www.jwplace.com/bracelet.html
John Wayne had 2 significant bracelets, both of which came out of the war in Vietnam. They were symbols of remembrance, loyalty and patriotism. This is the story of Duke's bracelets.

We first learned of Capt. Stephen P Hanson while watching a TV special on John Wayne. The story was a very moving one-about a young soldier in the Vietnam war who sent his wife and young son a picture of himself with the caption "Me as John Wayne." That man along with others in his crew would never return home.

John Wayne wore Capt. Hanson's POW/MIA bracelet. John Wayne kept in touch through out his life with Capt.Hanson's wife and son. One letter Duke wrote to Hanson's boy when he was older said, "I wish you wonderful life. Just don't expect too much out of it and you'll have some wonderful years. That's my sermon from the mount this year, Todd. Give 'em hell."

***

John Wayne always supported the men in uniform. Due to a football injury he was never able to serve in the military, even though he made a special tip to Washington to ask to be able to serve. When they declined, John Wayne turned his energies to ways in which he could help. He made films for the War dept. during WW2. The Duke was very active with the USO visiting the troops from WW2 to Vietnam. His film, "The Green Berets" was Duke's tribute to those who served. He once told his wife, "Honey, someone has to stand up for those guys."

John Wayne went on several moral boosting tours to Vietnam. He never shied away from "hot zones" and instead of having separate quarters, he ate and stayed with the troops. During one trip Duke spent 6 weeks in Vietnam visiting the troops, encouraging the soldiers and signing helmets. During this visit he was given a "Yard" bracelet by the Montagnard People of Vietnam. The silver bracelet was presented to him by a Montagnard Strike Force led by a U.S. Special Forces A-Team. The Montagnard bracelet is a symbol of friendship and respect.

If you are interested in learning more about the Montagnard People who presented John Wayne with his "Yard" bracelet please click on the banner below. A letter from Duke regarding the bracelet is posted on their website, on the Bracelet page. Funds from the sales of these silver bracelets go to help save these hill tribes, who were our allies in Vietnam. "Save The Montagnard People" was founded in 1986 by U.S. Special Forces veterans of the Vietnam War.