Keith Johnson

🇺🇸⭐️🇺🇸⭐️🇺🇸 Medal of Honor November, 1950. Korean War. The kind of cold that doesn't just chill you—it settles into your bones and stays there. I've read a lot about that time, but this one always lands a little different for me. Having a Marine Corps father... this kind of story hits home in a way that's hard to explain. Captain William Barber and his Marines were holding ground near the Chosin Reservoir when everything started closing in. Enemy forces pressing hard. Supplies slowing. Every hour turning into a test. Most would've thought about pulling back. Barber didn't. He was wounded during the fighting, but evacuation wasn't on his mind. He stayed right there-leading, steady, refusing to leave his Marines to face it alone. That's the part I can't shake. Because growing up around that Marine mindset, you understand-it's never just about the individual. It's about the man next to you. The conditions kept getting worse. Bitter cold. Exhaustion. Constant pressure. Still... they held. Barber knew what was really on the line. If his position gave way, the Marines behind him could lose their only way out. So it stopped being about survival. It became about time. Hold the line. Buy a little more time. Make sure someone else gets home. By the end of it, his unit had taken incredible punishment-but because they stood firm, others were able to withdraw. He was awarded the Medal of Honor. But honestly, I don't think that's the part that defines it. It's the fact that in that moment, there were no guarantees. No recognition waiting. Just a Marine doing what he knew had to be done... for the men depending on him. And if you grew up with a Marine Corps father, you understand-that kind of commitment isn't taught in words. It's lived. 🇺🇸⭐️🇺🇸⭐️🇺🇸 Photo courtesy of ocregister.com

The legendary story of Samuel Whittemore. In 1775, while working in his fields, Whittemore, a former officer from the French and Indian War, noticed a British relief force advancing to support retreating troops. He quickly loaded his musket and took cover behind a stone wall, where he ambushed a group of grenadiers from the 47th Regiment, killing one soldier. He then drew his dueling pistols, and fired twice more, killing a second grenadier and mortally wounding a third. As he fired his third shot, a British detachment closed in on his position. Whittemore drew his sword and charged them. He was shot in the face, bayoneted repeatedly, and left for dead in a pool of his own blood. Colonial forces later discovered him still trying to reload his musket to continue fighting. He was carried to Dr. Cotton Tufts in Medford, who believed his injuries were fatal. Against all odds, Whittemore survived and lived another 18 years, eventually passing away of natural causes at the age of 98.

My latest piece @RedSate. My Memorial Day tribute to my Dad. I’m honoring my father. Memorial Day: My Father redstate.com/buzzpatterson/… Memorial Day: My Father redstate.com/buzzpatterson/…

Virginia Sky Soldier 🦅 Richard Michael Donlan 🇺🇸 Remember Rich Today 🙏🏻 #MemorialDay2026

Left behind his wife and 6mo old daughter.

This Memorial Day, I want to honor CPL Benjamin Kopp of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Ben was the kind of young man America desperately needs more of. Courageous. Humble. Faithful. A warrior in every sense of the word. He was critically wounded fighting Taliban forces in Afghanistan in July 2009 during a brutal firefight deep inside enemy territory. Eight days later, he passed away from his wounds at Walter Reed. He was 21 years old. I’ll never forget hearing that Ben had accepted Christ during Ranger School after reading my book A More Elite Soldier. That was never about me. It was about a young Ranger searching for truth and finding it in Jesus Christ. Ben went on to serve honorably on multiple deployments in defense of this country and the men beside him. He lived with purpose and died with courage. Today, we remember a hero who gave everything for others. Please take a moment today to remember CPL Benjamin Kopp and all those who laid down their lives for our freedom. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

Hometown hero, Jason Workman, of Blanding, Utah. Killed August 6, 2011 in Afghanistan when an RPG took down the Chinook he was in. Seal Team 6. Guy was larger than life.

Remembering both of these guys today. Two best friends that did everything together. Both took their lives about a year apart from each other after coming back from deployment. Many of the wounds of war are unseen.

This Memorial Day I Remember Heroes like my classmate Tim Hankins. Tim did more tours than anyone should have. Why? Because he said his men needed him. Tim had multiple Purple Hearts and went back for more. Tim lost his battle to his demons. Love you brother! #Turn22To0

On this Memorial Day, I want to remember CW2 Jon Farmer. I met him in 2010 when were both in the same company. He was a fresh faced SSG and just out of the schoolhouse. A former college basketball player, he was such a big guy that the only place he fit in a Humvee was in the turret. I had the honor of mentoring him in some of the specialized work we do. When we went to Afghanistan in 2012, we switched jobs and I can say without reservation that he was one of the few guys I taught that was better at what we did than I was. After I left the Army, he went Warrant so he could get more time on a team and be a mentor to HIS guys. But things happen even to the best of us. He was on a mission in Basij, Syria in 2019 and somehow ISIS managed to get suicide bomber in a room with him and two other Americans. To my knowledge, he is the last Green Beret to officially fall in the Global War on Terror (correct me if I'm wrong). He leaves behind a beautiful wife, four amazing kids and a legacy most of us in 5th Group will never forget.

Sgt Donald R. Perkins Jr🎖️Vietnam Some gave all! RIP:1950-1970

My cousin, SFC Daniel Crabtree, 19th SFG He was killed on June 8th, 2006 in Al Kut, Iraq. He is keenly missed by the family. #MemorialDay2026 🇺🇸

My friend, Phil Johnson, was killed in Iraq in January 2004. I met Phil while stationed in Korea. While I knew him only a short time, the bond of brotherhood remains… ✝️🇺🇸💕

Remember: Sgt. Nicole Gee, USMC At just 23, this Roseville, CA Marine served on the Female Engagement Team in Kabul, helping evacuate Afghan women & children during the chaotic withdrawal. Days before her death, she cradled an infant and wrote: “I love my job.” On Aug 26, 2021, she gave her life at Abbey Gate in the ISIS-K bombing. Semper Fi, Sergeant. Your sacrifice secured freedom for thousands. 🇺🇸🪦

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mack Brown was killed in action on November 7, 1972 during a combat mission over Laos. Robert was a 39 year old pilot from Portsmouth, Virginia. 430th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Remember Robert today. He is an American Hero.🇺🇸

Remembering Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23. Omaha, Nebraska. USMC, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines. Daegan is remembered for his fun-loving spirit, tough outer shell, curious mindset, and giant heart, always being there for his friends and family in rough times. He was one of 13 American heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice at Abbey Gate, Kabul, August 26, 2021, while helping others in the chaos. His dedication and courage will never be forgotten. Semper Fi. 🇺🇸

Pascal Cleatus Poolaw Sr. (1922–1967) is widely recognized as the most highly decorated Native American (Kiowa) in U.S. military history. Wars Served In: World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War (one of the very few soldiers to see combat in all three) Total Awards: 42 medals, citations, badges, and campaign ribbons He was nominated for the Medal of Honor at least once but received the Distinguished Service Cross instead. Distinguished Service Cross (second-highest U.S. Army award for valor) Silver Star (4 awards) Bronze Star (5 awards) Purple Heart (3 awards — one for each war) Multiple Army Commendation Medals and other valor citations Poolaw enlisted in the Army in 1942 and served for over 20 years. He retired as a First Sergeant in 1962 but re-enlisted in 1967 at age 45 specifically so his son wouldn’t have to deploy to Vietnam. He was killed in action on November 7, 1967, near Loc Ninh, Vietnam, while leading his platoon.

My friend, Scott “Scottie” Rose was killed in Iraq in November 2003. Scottie’s first and only daughter was born while he was deployed. He never got to hold her. Miss you Scottie. ✝️🇺🇸💕

Please help me honor Chief Special Warfare Operator Adam Lee Brown, DEVGRU. Adam was a Hot Springs, Arkansas kid whose entire life was a story of getting back up, and continuing to fight. Adam was a daredevil who broke his own bones jumping off roofs and bridges. A football player and wrestler with an oversized heart and an undersized frame. A young man who later spiraled into addiction and ended up in jail before turning his life over to his faith and his future wife, Kelley. He enlisted in the Navy in 1998 with one goal: to become a Navy SEAL. He earned his Trident, served at SEAL Team Two from August 2002 to June 2006, and survived two events that would have ended almost any other operator’s career. He lost his right eye in a training accident, then taught himself to shoot left handed. Years later, in a freak convoy accident in Afghanistan, his dominant right hand was mangled and stripped of fingers. Instead of attending to his own injury, Adam tended to other casualties and stayed in the fight. He became the only SEAL of his year to attempt and pass sniper school with one eye, and he shot near perfect scores doing it. He was then selected for Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU/SEAL Team 6), the first man to ever earn his place inside that unit while operating with one functional eye. On March 17, 2010, while attached to an Omega Team conducting a raid on a Taliban commander in Komar Province, Afghanistan, Adam’s element came under heavy fire from a barricaded enemy position and surrounding high ground. Pinned down and watching his teammates take fire, Adam charged the enemy from a more advantageous position to draw the fire onto himself, allowing his team to maneuver and assault. He was mortally wounded but kept firing until he could no longer fight. He was 36 years old. He left behind his wife Kelley and two children. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with Valor, and the Purple Heart. His story is told in the New York Times bestseller “Fearless,” by Eric Blehm. In a letter Adam wrote to his children before that final mission, not meant to be read unless the worst happened, he said: “I’m not afraid of anything that might happen to me on this Earth, because I know no matter what, nothing can take my spirit from me.” Some warriors are remembered for what they overcame. Adam Brown is remembered for the fact that he never stopped overcoming.

Please help me honor Marine Sgt. David N. Wimberg, he died May 25, 2005 serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom of wounds sustained from enemy small-arms fire while conducting combat operations in Iraq. He and his fellow Marines were pinned down on a street after an enemy ambush, according to a citation signed by Navy Secretary Donald Winter. Wimberg left his covered position, “maneuvered through intense small-arms fire and scaled a wall” to reach the courtyard where the attackers were, according to the citation. “Although twice driven back by high volumes of enemy fire, on his third attempt, he opened the gate and allowed his squad to enter” the courtyard. After two failed attempts to breach the front door of the house where the gunmen had holed up, “Sgt. Wimberg kicked in the door.” Wimberg was then face-to-face with four armed insurgents, and he “engaged the enemy at close quarters, firing his M16A4 rifle until he was shot and fell to the ground unconscious,” His actions created the momentum needed to break the ambush. Many Marines’ lives were saved as a result of Sgt. Wimberg’s decisive and selfless actions.