Home > Georgians@War > Archives > 2007 > March > 13 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USGumby goes to war
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Spartan warriors were strongly outnumbered when they faced a 10,000-strong Persian army in 480 BC. But the 300 Spartans refused to surrender. Their motto then was Molon Labe. In Greek, that roughly translates into “If you want them, you have to come get them.” The Spartans fought bravely for four days before all were killed on the battlefield.
|
| Louie Favorite/AJC |
|
Sgt. First Class Shane McCray (top) brought a Gumby to Iraq for luck. The figure was included in his platoon’s patch, as worn by Spc. Joshua Perryman of Lithonia. |
That warrior spirit lives in 2007 on the unofficial left arm patches worn by the soldiers of 3rd platoon, Company H, 121st Infantry (ABN)(LRS). Except the official mascot isn’t a Spartan fighter but Gumby (this is not a typo).
Here’s the scoop on Gumby.
Sgt. First Class Shane McCray, the platoon sergeant, bought a green rubber Gumby at a dollar store in Columbus just before he entered grueling Ranger school at Fort Benning in 1987. He bought it for good luck and has carried it with him since. Gumby now sits mounted on the barrel of his M-4 rifle.
So last summer at Fort Hood, when the platoon designed its own patch, Gumby made it as the official insignia.
U.S. soldiers are only allowed to wear officially sanctioned unit patches — Company H wears the wild boar insignia of the Georgia Army National Guard’s 78th Troop Command, under which they fall — so the Gumby patches are donned when 3rd platoon is out here along the Syrian border where no one is supposed to see them on their surveillance missions.
But the 36 soldiers in the platoon are proud of their special patch.
“There’s a history behind it,” says McCray. It’s quite a history, too. McCray’s Gumby is older than several of his soldiers.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By MrLiberty
March 13, 2007 1:09 PM | Link to this
What exactly is supposed to be the point of this insipid piece? The 300 Spartans were defending their home from a hostile invading army. Much as the Iraqis are now doing against the illegal and un-provoked invasion by the imperial army of the United States.
Are we supposed to take from this that this group of fighters is like Gumby? Just another piece of moldable clay with no independant thought. Or are we supposed to be impressed that this Gumby has survived along with its owner since before the first illegal war in the Gulf.
They say that 25% of Iraqi war veterans are coming back with mental problems - is that the Gumby you mean?
The 300 Spartans were heros. These men are just hired killers for the empire. If there was a universal symbol for war criminal, that would be a better addition to their patch. “I was just following orders” didn’t fly in ‘45 and it shouldn’t fly today. Warm fuzzy stories about soldiers don’t wash away the blood they are covered in, and they don’t bring back the lives of the tens of thousands of innocent Iraqis that have been murdered in this immoral war.
By jeff
March 13, 2007 1:49 PM | Link to this
MrLiberty is a moron.
By Brenda
March 13, 2007 2:31 PM | Link to this
MrLiberty go crawl back under your rock…nobody cares what you think!!!
By Tracey Howard
March 13, 2007 4:32 PM | Link to this
MrLiberty, the point of this story is to have something lighthearted for a change, and for those of us who have family in the 121st it good to hear something about them. Trust me when I say that none of them want to be there, as Im sure they would prefer to be home with their families. But there they are protecting our freedom so that you are allowed to write stupid things here. None of us want them there but the fact is they are and we will support them 100% and pray that they all return home. Most of the blood flowing there is from Iraqis killing Iraqis. More and more we understand why Sadaam ruled the way he did,it seems the only thing those people understand is violence. And tv doesnt show the good were doing, only the bad.Our soldiers arent just running around slaughtering people(if you want to see that watch the local news)as I said they are usually busy killing each other. The only ones we kill are the ones that deserve it and are tring to kill us first. Can you say insurgent? Oh, and about that blood they are covered in, well, we`ll wipe it off when they get home and give them a big kiss. Thank you 121st, WE LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tracey
By Donna deGroot
March 13, 2007 4:43 PM | Link to this
I live in Florida, but found your article on line. My nephew, Spc Anthony Orsi, is with you…drives the Humvee, I think. Anyway, I’m delighted to be able to read something about what he’s doing and where he is. We’re proud of the man he has become and are waiting anxiously for him to come home. If you see him, please tell him his Aunt Donna and Uncle John love him and will see him in August! thanks
By ByteMe
March 13, 2007 5:00 PM | Link to this
Mr. Liberty….the last time I went to the toilet I flushed “stuff” with more IQ than you. You don’t deserve the freedom these heroes defend for you daily nor the right to call yourself an American. Yes, an American that many of the savages you defend so righteously would just as soon kill as the soldiers you condemn merely for the fact that you were born here. Or in your case…slithered out from under a rock here. Here’s a fun idea, why don’t you go and personally tell one of the Rangers what you think of them? Now THAT would a sight to see….
By zombieboy
March 13, 2007 5:39 PM | Link to this
Mr. Liberty, what a misnomer your screen name is….
Why don’t you STFU and support these MEN that defend YOUR freedom?
By dougmo
March 13, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this
Mr Liberty, 100% of all war veteran are coming back to mental problems, such as you
By Mistee Lambert
March 13, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this
ByteMe, I so agree with you on this.I would love to see the time when that happens….,it would all be over,except for the cryin.
By Devin Shaner
March 14, 2007 8:32 PM | Link to this
Gumby is my hero. I was in 3rd PLT for 6 years. SFC McCray is one hell of a PSG. Trust me, the men of the 3RD HERD are in good hands with him ant the team leaders. GIVE EM HELL GUMBY. Be safe LRS.
By Priscilla
March 15, 2007 7:24 AM | Link to this
I feel unbelievably SICK!!! I hope to God (sorry, does the mention of God offend your liberal values?)that my husband does not die over there because it would be for fools like you! You don’t deserve the heroic sacrifices my husband is making. I find it funny that you sit in the comfort of your home feeling so justified to make our husband’s out to be such evil men while you are cowering in your cush home. I think people like you ought to leave this country and go live with these poor vicitimized insurgents since you are so obviously on their side. Go over there and hug them and tell them you just want to be friends. Or why don’t you go talk to the parents of the children who were mortared while waving to soldiers as captured in one of the articles on this website? I’m sure that they would tell you how horrible our men are living in tough conditions away from their own children in order to protect Iraqi families. Better yet, go tell a family who lost a loved one on 9/11 that terrorism won’t visit us here. Even an Iraqi official interviewed in another article said that Iraq would be a river of blood without the glue that is our soldiers. You don’t hear it because our husband’s don’t brag but they are risking their necks on a daily basis. So what if they choose to have a silly mascot to break the tension of what they have to do? For you and your freedoms? A little comfort from home seems well deserved. What would be sillier would be for you to attach a gumby to your pencil at work to break the tension of the day. Oh, wait, sorry, no one shoots at you while you are working. Why are you still here in America if you don’t care about our people and appreciate the freedoms that they are preserving for you? Just so you know, the next time you go to vote - I’ll be the one personally canceling your vote out. Idiot!!!
By Priscilla
March 15, 2007 9:20 AM | Link to this
It is very disrespectful and “Mr. Liberty” knows that the reading audience is mostly the friends and family of these soldiers. How passive aggressive and cowardly. He is not using his brain. Just watch the news - today they were talking about how they consider that Iraq is in the middle of a civil war. The fact that we are trying to protect them from each other is incredibly unselfish, I think. Really, our part for being over their is over, now we are being humanitarians in staying. Also, what is the message to the Iraqi citizens, who have been victims for so long, if we were to bomb their country, kill their leader, disband their mind-controled murderous army, but then leave them to clean up and not take part in that? To me, Iraq is now a country lost without their dictator because they don’t know what to do with freedom and chaos could insue with everyone struggeling for the opportunity of power. It is natural that things are violent. We are trying to prevent them from destroying each other and help them to form a healthy infrastructure. Believe me, I would rather have my husband home, but then we would be abandoning the vicitims and innocents of Iraq to be infiltrated by the terrorists of the world who are entering their country. Their country is absolutely surrounded by terroristic run countries - if you ask me they don’t have a chance of surviving. It’s only a matter of time before they are taken over by another evil murderous dictator. However, we are trying our best to prevent that from happening. Very nobel in my opinion. We’ve made our point to terrorists, attack our country and kill our men, women, and children and suffer the consequences. Don’t tell me that Iraq didn’t have Weapons of Mass Destruction - they were moved and hidden. Saddam, himself, admitted openly that he had them. How arrogant for any person, American or not, to assume that they have it all figured out and criticize the decisions our President has made. Hindesight is 20/20 and easy to critique. Also, don’t think that we, the public, know all the information that our President has as he makes his decisions. Who plays cards and shows their hand for all to see? I do not think that we will have our husbands back for long. After Iraq there is still Afgahnistan, Iran, N. Korea, and other crazies who we are always potential targets for. Our husbands will continue to try to squelch the actions of our enemies as liberal idiots like “Mr. Bleeding-heart-I-don’t-support-my-country-Liberty” sits at home and sees these conflicts as being worlds away from him. Well, it is a daily reality for me and more so for my husband. Be a man and join the army if you want to make a difference in this world. It may mean “murdering” murderers but you know what they say, “it’s up to God to decide what to do with these people, we just arrange the meeting”. Oh, and on that topic, killing the enemy is not so easy for our guys to do because of all the rules enforced on them. My husband and his men had a near miss on his first tour and couldn’t shoot the guy who obviously tried to kill him because his weapon was hidden by the time our guys had taken cover and figured out who shot at them. And he got to walk away. How infuriating! I wonder if we applied these rules here in the states what Mr. Liberty would do if someone shot at him and he was told he couldn’t defend. Self-defense shouldn’t be limited. For our husband’s, though, who shoot only when shot at, their ability to react is tied by bleeding hearts who are making the rules for engagement from the comforts of their couches. That is why, one day, terrorism will become more of a reality in our own country if our military is not allowed to prevent it at the source instead of waiting to fight it here. Boy, Mr. Liberty, I bet you would change your tune if they came here like they would like to. If you’re smart you would have no problem defending yourself then. Of course, you will probably never be faced with that decision because my husband is making sure that you remain safe and protected at home. I tell you what, you can thank my husband and his men.
By Mistee Lambert
March 15, 2007 9:40 AM | Link to this
Thank God that our men are “MEN” and not like Mr. Liberty.We would all be in a mess.
By Tracey
March 15, 2007 9:46 AM | Link to this
Way to go Priscilla. Nicely said!
By SGTAmerica
March 15, 2007 10:17 AM | Link to this
TO: MrLiberty FROM: SGTAmerica I went to church Wednesday night, and I decided to change my response to your ridicuous drivel. I was just about to send an equally venomous response to your misguided posting.
However, I have a better idea. I will educate you, instead. Ignorance is not a crime, and ignorance is what you have too much of.
Our soldiers in Company H are not war criminals or hired killers. They are discipled, skilled warriors who have Rules of Engagement that often put them in more danger. They are fathers and husbands who ache for their families. They are men with a crystal clear sense of right and wrong.
They are men of integrity whose character has compelled them to set aside personal careers and plans to serve a higher calling.
These are all traits that you would do well to emulate. Are they perfect? Nope, not even close. Are you? Nope. And from your posting, you have a long way to go.
MOLON LABE
By Vanessa
March 16, 2007 1:23 PM | Link to this
MrLiberty—If you don’t like the way the war is going, instead of addressing your mis-informed opinions to the families and friends who read these stories, why don’t you STFU, run for office, and change what you don’t like. Do you really think that causing families more stress and grief is the way to change things? When was the last time you went down to the VA and volunteered? Or went to the airport and helped out the USO? When was the last time you did anything to help anyone? I bet the answer is NEVER. I think it’s you who truly has mental problems.
Stay strong 3rd Platoon!! Molon Labe!
By Jennifer
March 17, 2007 12:30 AM | Link to this
Just when I had my blood pressure back under control and was about to respond to “Mr. Liberty” I read the posts that followed and felt much better. My husband was with the 221st during their first deployment and I love these LRS guys dearly! They are some of the finest soldiers my husband has served with and have my utmost respect. To have some brainless, spineless, uneducated moron direct such mindless drivel at them just makes my blood boil! He doesn’t even deserve a response. To the men of Co H, thanks for what you do. May God bless you and keep you safe.
By Janet Hardyst
March 17, 2007 11:14 PM | Link to this
My son is in Co H, 2nd platoon, and I am very proud of all the men in the 121st. They are not baby killers. A lot of these men were in the military before 9/11, and never dreamed they would be fighting this war. They are all soldiers who are following orders to be Iraq. I know if they had a choice they would rather be at home with their families. I am so glad that there are real men left in the USA who are willing to fight for this country. MrLiberty, you are an idiot that would never have the courage to spend 1 day there, much less 1 year. Cowards like you are the reason we have so many problems in this country, and if you don’t like the way things are here, leave. You sound like Ted Kennedy, or Cindy Sheehan. No one needs people like you here.
By kilted heathen
March 19, 2007 4:40 AM | Link to this
I’m in Co H…haven’t killed any babies all week…