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Items on this page were researched by Bill Sanders (aka LYAO Editor or "-LE")
Each item in question is in a white box and listed first, followed by it's status, links to my sources (where I determined the fact was right, wrong, etc.), and any comments I might have on the subject in a light yellow box. ;-)
Any short notes written by me on quoted material are in square brackets ("[" and "]"]
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Special Notes:
Because this email was an Urban Legend with numerous modifications, I have "broken it up" to help show how this type of email can change over time and circulation.
In this case, not only is the whole email followed by comments I have on the subject in a yellow box, but so are notes about the added parts.
While not everything said in the following email was wrong, it appears that MUCH of it is. See below. This came as a single email, so the status, sources and major comments are at the end. It appears that someone, somewhere, sometime has modified even the modifications to the original. -LE
Captain Kangaroo passed away on January 23, 2004 as age 76 , which is odd, because he always looked to be 76. (DOB: 6/27/27) His death reminded me of the following story.
Comment(s):
Prologue "tacked on" to the "Original Prologue" tacked on to the Original Urban Legend. (Get it?)
Some people have been a bit offended that the actor, Lee Marvin, is buried in a grave alongside 3 and 4 star generals at Arlington National Cemetery. His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else.
Here's a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time, why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? Well, following is the amazing answer:
I always liked Lee Marvin, but didn't know the extent of his Corps experiences.
In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country in the armed forces often in rear echelon posts where they were carefully protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond promotions,
Lee Marvin was a genuine hero. He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima. There is only one higher Naval award ... the Medal Of Honor.
If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery.
Comment(s):
Prologue "tacked on" after Original Urban Legend had been out for a while - edited somewhere down the road.
Dialog from "The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson": His guest was Lee Marvin. Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima ... and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."
"Yeah, yeah ... I got shot square in the bottom and they gave me the Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys getting' shot hauling you down. But,Johnny, at Iwo I served under the bravest man I ever knew ... We both got the cross the same day, but what he did for his Cross made mine look cheap in comparison. That dumb guy actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach. Bullets flying by, with mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gunfire so that he could get his men to safety. He did this on more than one occasion because his men's safety was more important than his own life. That Sergeant and I have been lifelong friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant and he lit a smoke and passed it to me, lying on my belly on the litter and said, where'd they get you Lee?' Well Bob if you make it home be fore me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!" Johnny, I'm not lying, Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew. The Sergeant's name is Bob Keeshan.
You and the world know him as Captain Kangaroo."
Comment(s):
Original Urban Legend
On another note, there was this wimpy little man (who just passed away) on PBS, gentle and quiet. Mr. Rogers is another of those you would least suspect of being anything but what he now portrays to our youth. But Mr. Rogers was a U.S. Navy Seal, combat-proven in Vietnam with over twenty-five confirmed kills to his name. He wore a long-sleeved sweater on TV, to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat. After the war Mr. Rogers became an ordained Presbyterian minister and therefore a pacifist. Vowing to never harm another human and also dedicating the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid away the tattoos and his past life and won our hearts with his quiet wit and charm.
America's real heroes don't flaunt what they did; they quietly go about their day-to-day lives, doing what they do best. They earned our respect and the freedoms that we all enjoy. Look around and see if you can find one of those heroes in your midst. Often, they are the ones you'd least suspect, but would most like to have on your side if anything ever happened. [See Editor's Commentary in the End Notes, below]
Comment(s):
Epilogue appended to "Original Urban Legend" sometime in 2003.
Take the time to thank anyone that has fought for our freedom. With encouragement they could be the next Captain Kangaroo or Mr. Rogers
Comment(s):
Apparently "tacked on" Epilogue after the prior Epilogue was tacked on.
Status: MOSTLY WRONG
Source(s):
End Notes
Please check out the Snopes articles for more about the Lee Marvin/Bob Keeshan/Fred Rogers debunking.
Quick Notes
(For those who will NOT read the Snopes Articles)
Lee Marvin
While he was on the Tonight Show several times, most of the "quoted story" is wrong. Yes, Marvin enlisted and was a PFC in the Marines in the Pacific, but was injured at "Saipan in June 1944, not the battle for Iwo Jima, which took place several months later in February 1945." He did get a Purple Heart, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery, but was not awarded a Naval Cross.
Bob Keeshan/Captain Kangaroo
The dates for Keeshan's birth and death in the prologue appear to be correct - see Internet Movie Database (IMDB) - Robert Keeshan.
Yes, he also enlisted in the Marines, but didn't see any action in WWII. He enlisted several months after Iwo Jima.
Mister Fred Rogers
He never served in the military. He went straight from high school to college, then to TV. The only break from TV was when he went to the seminary. (Yes… he was an ordained Presbyterian Minister) and to graduate school for Child Development. Besides, he was born in 1928, too late to have served in WWI, and he would have been too old to serve in Vietnam. (for more in Mr Rogers and some of the Urban Legends about him, see the second source link, above.)
Editor's Commentary
The majority of "America's real heroes" really don't flaunt their heroism. They quietly try to lead "normal" lives. They are humble about their activities in the war (any war - be it overseas or at home -- those heroes like policemen, firemen, doctors, nurses, etc.), and many are reticent to say anything about what they did or what happened to them, especially those in wars like WWII, Korea and Vietnam*. Many have horror stories, and their relating them to anyone causes them to relive the horror.
Some are heroes for fighting for America and Freedom, for us or others. Some are heroes because they save (and have saved) peoples' lives and property. Some are heroes, I believe, simply because they survived the horrors:
My ex-wife's late father (Harry G Feldkamp) was tail-gunner in a B-17 that ditched in the North Sea on one of his missions - to bomb Merseburg, Germany. (See the items at 100TH BOMB GROUP (HEAVY) - 2nd Lt. James D. Coccia and 100TH BOMB GROUP (HEAVY) - July 29, 1944: A Day to Remember for more.)
On the once or twice that he talked about it to me, he said that in exiting the plane, he had to crawl over the belly-gunner who was seriously injured -- almost cut in half by the flak that damaged the plane that caused it to ditch. While he was still alive, with his injuries, they couldn't get him out of the plane or into the raft. I recall him saying that as he jumped from the plane, Harry heard him cry out. They wanted to go back for him, but the plane went down in under a minute. The rest of the crew survived four days in the water on a raft, only to be taken prisoner by the Germans as soon as they landed on a beach.
They were taken to what was considered some of the "better" stalags (see Stalag Luft IV Ex-Prisoners of War, Stalag Luft VI, St. Wendel County, Germany Questionairre Answers (PDF), because they were airmen, but it was NOT "Hogan's Heroes". He also mentioned being on the forced "Death March" across Germany (from B24.net) (not the Bataan Death March that everyone knows about) -- over 100 miles marching, most in light clothes, in the worst winter weather; then being crammed into railroad cars, and taken to another camp, as the war was coming to a close.
I've since read (and believe I saw on the History Channel) that the Germans guarding the camp were ordered to kill all the prisoners as the Army got closer, but most ran, instead. The prisoners were liberated by General Patton's Third Army.
Harry very seldom spoke about it, unless we specifically asked, and even then, tended to answer questions, rather than volunteer information. I found some of the above information on the internet. Now I know why. It was only his second or third actual bombing run, and he may not have had the chance to save many people, but he survived.
I, personally, believe he and the rest of that plane's crew were heroes, too, as were all the others that survived WWII. --Bill Sanders
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