Happy Memorial Day.
Today we honor and remember military personnel who served their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. (Not to be confused with Veterans Day, which honors all soldiers who have served our country.)
Scroll down to read about five famous LGBT army veterans from decades past, and add more to the list in the comments section below…
Baron Frederick von Steuben
Though Prussian by birth, Frederick von Steuben trained George Washington’s Colonial Army and was invaluable in helping them defeat the better equipped and trained British troops. The Baron arrived in the Colonies in September 1777, with his young aide de camp, Louis de Pontière, and their prized Italian greyhound, Azor. Steuben developed a model company of 120 men, who in turn trained others. As part of his technique, the Baron would don full military dress and upbraid the troops in French and German. (He eventually recruited a captain to curse at them in English.) The Baron was often described as “eccentric”and “flamboyant,” which was essentialy Colonial-era lingo for “gay.” Despite this–or more likely, because of this–he still managed to become one of the great heroes of the Revolutionary War.
Thomas A. Dooley
While serving as a physician in the U.S. Navy in the 1950s, Dooley, a celebrated doctor and humanitarian, was investigated by the Navy and forced to resign his commission. Despite being fired, he remained in Southeast Asia, tending to the forgotten victims of war and building hospitals through the Medical International Cooperation Organization. After he died of cancer at just 34, Dooley’s legacy was later enshrined by President John F. Kennedy, who cited the doctor’s example when he launched the Peace Corps. Dooley was also posthumously awarded a Congressional Gold Medal.
(Female members of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, a.k.a WASPs)
Cpls Fannie Mae Clackum and Grace Garner
Though hardly the first people forced out of the military for being gay, Fannie Mae Clackum and Grace Garner, U.S. Air Force reservists in the late 1940s and early 1950s, were the first to successfully challenge their discharge. When the two women were suspected of being lesbians, the Office of Special Investigations essentially entrapped the pair, giving the Air Force cause to issue dishonorable discharges to both in 1952. But they refused to accept the discharges and demanded their case be brought to a courtmartial. Eight years later, the pair won their suit: the courts vacated the discharge and awarded them back pay.
Sgt. Leonard Matlovich
Vietnam vet Sgt. Leonard Matlovich was the first gay man to disclose his sexual orientation in the military while serving in the U.S. Air Force. His photograph, along with the headline “I Am a Homosexual,” appeared on the cover of the September 8, 1975 edition of Time. In addition to being one of the first openly gay American soldiers, Matlovich was also the first to appear on the cover of an American news magazine.
Caliban
Don’t forget Oliver Sipple, the gay veteran who helped save Gerald Ford’s life during an assassination attempt by Manson Family member Squeaky Fromme. Sipple grabbed Fromme’s arm right before she fired, ruining her shot. Sipple was outed by the press (Harvey Milk is said to have been behind the outing in order to gain positive publicity for gays) and a ceremony planned to honor his bravery was cancelled because Gerald Ford didn’t want to be associated with a homosexual. Sipple was rejected by his family after being outed and eventually killed himself.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/30/AR2006123000160.html
Caliban
That’s what I get for recounting the “facts” in the above post from memory, posting a link to the story, THEN actually reading the article. I got some things wrong.
Oliver Sipple foiled an assassination attempt by Sara Jane Moore, not Squeaky Fromme. Fromme tried to kill Ford on another occasion.
In a documentary or news account about these events I know they said Sipple killed himself but the article states he died of pneumonia after many years of heavy drinking, brought on by PTSD in the aftermath of being a Marine during the Vietnam War and perhaps the ridicule and shaming he received after being outed. The documentary claimed that a ceremony was planned to honor Sipple but it was cancelled when his sexuality was revealed: the linked article says nothing about that, so it may not be true. I don’t know for sure.
Oops.
CityBoy300
Joe Steffan also deserves hero status, for standing up to the US Naval Academy, which forced his resignation six weeks prior to graduation. He sued the US Navy, unsuccessfully, but helped truly advance the cause for inclusion of out gay service people. His book on his experience is entitled HONOR BOUND.
fagburn
Just to balance out your wargasm… Chelsea Manning.
Sisko24
Thank you for remembering Leonard Matlovich. His appearances on network TV were a culture shock moment for much of America who did not for one moment think military service and being gay could be compatible in any way. I remember seeing him marching in the New York City gay pride parade way back when. His courage and his willingness to be ‘out’ was a good harbinger of things to come.
mlbumiller
First Manning is a is a traitor and failed to is his oath, his orders, and procedures. got what h deserved. far as I am concerned, he should be shot in the head. I’ll see you d****** Memorial Day is for fallen military not pieces of s*** in prison
RM3 ALLEN SCHINDLER should be on this list. he may have not done great works but his brutal death by the hands of his shipmates in a bathroom in a foreign country, that helped light the fire that finally ended the discrimination of gays in the military five years ago
mujerado
@fagburn: Just to balance the reminders: Benedict Arnold.
Celtic
I had the great opportunity to know ‘Mat’. Sad that it took 40-odd years for the US Military to “get it”.
dm10003
Not all these veterans are deceased. Are confusing Veterans’ Day with Memorial Day?
Memorial Day is for all fallen heros.
Veterans’ Day is for all veterans living and dead.
Armed Services Day is for all curtrently serving as well as vets.
Celtic
Good points. Thank you. USAF VET, SSGT, ’62 – ’66
chuck
Leonard was a great guy. He opened a pizza parlor here in Guerneville CA. He is missed.
Celtic
I met Leonard during one of his early visits to DC. We corresponded a few times. He was genuine and grounded. I recall he was quite torn by the dichotomy between killing men and loving a man, which does seem conflicted when one considers how many greater warriors were homosexual and bisexual.
Clark35
There’s also Cliff Arnesen.
http://www.binetusa.org/Pages/FirstPerson/CliffArnesen_BiVet.html
mezzacanadese
Thank you for bringing to everyone’s attention the brave gay and lesbian people who served our country. It’s too bad that homophobic people won’t see this. They especially need to be aware. I have a friend who served in the army in World War II. He was closeted, and how he managed to get through it all, I will never know.
Maude
I’ve often wondered why straight and gay people are surprised to learn that there are many gay service men and women in all of our armed services.
As a Marine, (once a Marine, always a Marine)I can tell you, I went where I knew the men I wanted were. Why does that not make sense to everybody?!!
I joined the Corps when it was still against the law to be gay, or to engage in any sort of gay activity.I knew there would be men who felt as I did. You want a man, you go where the men are……and I had no trouble finding many partners in ‘crime’.
Celtic
Ah, you Devil Dawgs!! 🙂 I was USAF, but was not out at the time. In highly classified Intel, it was a good thing because queers were considered a huge security risk. (Absurd as it sounds, we were suspected of being too easy to blackmail!). The Marines celebrate the male body. That is very much a Warrior ethos. Remember the Spartans?
Maude
One hard and fast rule. Never, NEVER have sex on the base.
Resist the temptation, and arrange a ‘meet’ off base.
Wahya73
@mlbumiller: She exposed war crimes and she’s a hero for it, whether you like it or not. That you wish death on her, says a lot about your lack of mental stability, maybe you should check yourself into a mental ward.
Roger Hoffman
I was in the AF at the time and I remember the inpact it had on me and how I questioned myself and how afraid I was too. Afraid because of what the AF would do, because I was married and Catholic.
Michael E. Moriarty
Oh, yes. I remember that very well.
Tom Messineo
I remember this cover very well. I was a young teacher and I had Time magazines in my classroom. We have come a long was but there is still some rough road ahead.
Aaron Terry
Yes, and many were quick to associate all AF Active Duty like myself as being “Homosexual” back then or Gay. Now, we are standing on the shoulders of this brave pioneer.
Julie Sperber
“Helped change the world?” sorry to hear it! I’m astonished to hear that people of what ever sexual persuasion, feel so honored to be sucked into the killing machine that our nation has perpetuated for nothing other than financial gain. Too bad. We should all try to separate the trees from the wood and stock attacking other nations. Vast numbers of little children killed … Too awful.
Skdjam Man
I remember the cover and the bravery of Leonard in making a stand for his rights. “I was given a medal for killing 2 men and a discharge for loving one.”