Veterans

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts) Mon Jan 23, 2017, 10:54 PM Jan 2017

Charlie Liteky, ex-chaplain who gave back his Medal of Honor at the Wall, dies

Vietnam veteran Charles Liteky, who became a peace activist and famously gave up his Medal of Honor to protest US foreign policy in Central America, dies at age 85

By Associated Press and Jessica Chia For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:41 EST, 21 January 2017 | Updated: 03:31 EST, 22 January 2017

Charlie Liteky, a Vietnam veteran who courageously rescued more than 20 wounded men only to give up his Medal of Honor in protest after he became a peace activist, has died at the age of 85.

...

Liteky was a quarterback in high school who became a Roman Catholic priest before two tours in Vietnam eventually led him to renounce his religion and protest for peace in places like El Salvador and Iraq.

Reflecting on his life in 2009, he told the Florida Times Union: 'I have tried to live life to the truth as I see it at the time. That's a very costly thing. I've lost a lot. I'm an ex-lot of things. But what have you got? Your integrity.'

...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4143992/Charlie-Liteky-gave-Medal-Honor-dies.html

R.I.P., Charlie

4 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Charlie Liteky, ex-chaplain who gave back his Medal of Honor at the Wall, dies (Original Post) pinboy3niner Jan 2017 OP

requiescat in pace, brave soul. niyad Jan 2017 #1

Rest In Peace DashOneBravo Feb 2017 #2

I met Charlie in '86, around the time he left his Medal at the Wall pinboy3niner Feb 2017 #3

I remember seeing them at Benning DashOneBravo Feb 2017 #4

niyad

(120,665 posts)

1. requiescat in pace, brave soul.

Reply to pinboy3niner (Original post)

Tue Jan 24, 2017, 12:36 PM

Jan 2017

DashOneBravo

(2,679 posts)

2. Rest In Peace

Reply to pinboy3niner (Original post)

Fri Feb 3, 2017, 09:55 AM

Feb 2017

pinboy3niner

(53,339 posts)

3. I met Charlie in '86, around the time he left his Medal at the Wall

Reply to DashOneBravo (Reply #2)

Fri Feb 3, 2017, 05:31 PM

Feb 2017

It was at a D.C.-area Veterans for Peace meeting around a picnic table in somebody's backyard. We had some conversations in the following weeks and Charlie blew me away, he was so impressive. I wish I'd known him longer.

At that time he was deeply involved in peace actions focused on Central America--Nicaragua and El Salvador. I started a new job at that time and also started a tutoring program, through my VVA chapter, for child refugees from the wars in Nicaragua and El Salvador. Just a bunch of crusty VN vets tutoring failing students. But our tutorees ended up on their schools' Honor Rolls overnight and later went on to become doctors and lawyers and social workers. I credit Charlie's inspiration for that.

DashOneBravo

(2,679 posts)

4. I remember seeing them at Benning

Reply to pinboy3niner (Reply #3)

Wed Feb 8, 2017, 02:48 PM

Feb 2017

Protesting at the main gate. He sounds like someone I would have like to met.

I'm glad you got to work with kids. I imagine that kind of thing is good for the soul.

Reply to this discussion