October 23, 2008
Posted by Mr_Hooah
Col.(ret) Robert B. Nett, 86, passes away
Sir, I salute you. You are missed.
FORT BENNING, Ga. (Army News Service, Oct. 21, 2008) — Retired Col. Robert B. Nett, 86, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient and honorary colonel of the Officer Candidate School battalion at Fort Benning, Ga., died on Oct. 19 at his home after a brief illness.
Nett’s funeral will be held at Fort Benning’s Follow Me Chapel on Ingersoll Street Oct. 23 at 10 a.m. A graveside service at the Fort Benning Cemetery will be conducted immediately after the funeral. A brief reception will follow at Nett Hall, which houses the Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame and is named for him.
I had the privilegeof meeting, talking with, and learning from Col. Nett while attending OCS (Officer Candidacy School) last year while at Fort Benning. He was indeed a great man. I also had the privilege to be involved in updating his funeral arrangements. It was one of the last tasks I under took while (unofficially) on staff. I wondered at that time if someone knew something I didn’t … after all … he looked to be in pretty darn good health for an 85 year old man. He was frail. He was tired. He was not going to miss a chance to educate every OCS class he could muster up the strength to address.
I remember the day my OCS classmates and I piled into “Nett Hall” to hear the great man. We were still in our first week of in-processing. I was the assigned platoon leader for my platoon. We were all tired from adjusting to the new training schedule. Many of us were still grumbling sergeants who thought we shouldn’t have to go through OCS anyway. It was blistering hot outside. It was stuffy and humid inside.
It was perfect for sleeping.
Thus our Cadre warned us to NOT disrespect this man by nodding off, not paying attention, or asking stupid questions.
Once Col. Nett began to speak … all the cadre warnings meant nothing. There was no way we were going to miss a single word this man said. We were enraptured. The only ones who needed the Cadre warning were the dirt bags who always screw up anyway. We covered for the dirt bags. No one wanted to be punished for their disrespect on this occasion.
I still have notes from Col. Nett’s lecture. I still remember twopoints of advice and one story without referring to any notes.
In his retelling of a battle from the beginning of his career he told how he spotted another company about to be engaged in close combat with the enemy to such a degree as to leave him, a young lieutenant, unable to distinguish friend from foe. He finally thought he saw a saber flash. That was, in his mind at least, a clue as to where to place fire. And place fire he must. Else the observed American company would be over run. With little more than a perceived saber flash to guide him … he aligned his company, checked his firing lane, and gave the order to commence fire. After a couple short bursts he ceased fire and then tried to asses damage. Just then he heard the radio crack from higher command, “Who just fired on my unit position!!?” Lt. Nett saw his career flash before his eyes. In his mind he had obviously killed the other American unit. He could, he thought, stay silent and let the confusion of battle pass this moment by hoping for the best but his thought moved slower than his mouth which said, “I did … ” yet before he could finish his transmission the Lt. over the unit that had been in danger of over run cut in, “Give that man a medal! He just saved us all!!”
Instead of ending his career … he began it. With integrity.
He didn’t talk about the Battle of Ormoc Bay so much. He certainly didn’t say anything about his hand to hand combat at the battle or much of anything about his wounds or even of walking to the rear on his own when he should have been carried. Like many of his generation, those things that appear on the official record as heroic acts didn’t actually impress him as anything special. He didn’t talk much about them. It was the other nonrecordable acts that he spoke most often of. The things that don’t earn medals. Make no mistake. He knew he was a great officer. He also knew it was not for the reasons that most the rest of the Army considers measureable. Or even great.
He was not fearless. He was not infallible. Nor was he a hercules. No. His courage and heroism came from the Aristotilian tradition of the man who sees the right thing to do and does it. Why? Because it is the right thing to do. No more. No less. Consequences be hanged.
And as the greatest to walk among us has said, “Go ye therefore and do likewise.”
Godspeed Col. Nett. May the angel of war conduct you safely to the land of peace.
Read his story here <LINK>.
Mr.Hooah!, out.
5 Comments
October 23, 2008
The Greatest Generation! Bulldog Out!!!
October 24, 2008
In years to come we will be reading more stories of courage, valor and honor as our soldiers today age and grow in their wisdom. When soldiers, gentlemen, and elders such as Col. Nett pass away, I feel sad for us. We are losing a great generation – May God bless our children to rise up and be known as the Greatest Generation Part II…
December 8, 2008
In 1980, it was a very cold winter morning, and standing in front of the Capital building awaiting the innauguration of President Reagan, I was an usher in the Medal of Honor winners section. I was approached by Colonel Nett, and after snapping to attention, he asked if it would be acceptable for his wife to take a picture of himself and I. I could not get the response yes out of my mouth quick enough.
Col. Nett then gave me his address down in Ft. Benning to forward the picture. I received in return his official DA photo. I immediately placed this upon my desk in a frame. I was a member of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, The Old Guard of the Army, Ft. Myer Virginia. At the time of meeting the Colonel, I was a E-3. When I received the photo, I had been promoted to Sgt E-5 and was stationed at Ft. Myer in HQ company as the Funeral NCOIC.
I read up on what this great man accomplished at such a young age, and still to this day feel that his greatest accomplishment, besides what he did in gaining the MOH and the other two wars he fought in(which would be enough for 100 men), was his time he spent at Ft. Benning, talking to and teaching the young men of today.
America has lost this great hero, and we will never forget the likes of Col. Robert Nett. My he rest in a well deserved peace.
December 9, 2008
Right on, John.
And thanks for stopping by. Take care.
March 22, 2009
Col. Robert B. Nett was a good man and his legened will live on. See i knew Col. Nett very well, even though i am only of high school age. I remember the first time i really got to know him was in my 7th grade year when i was oing a project on ernie pyle, and Col. Nett had met him ata USO show so i did a video interview with him. after completing the interview, his wife have mad e coffee and she had cookies that me, my fater, and the nett’s continously sipped on and munched on for at least another hour. during the whole time when i was talking to him, he seemed very humble about it and when i asked him how he won it, he repiled with a quote that i can never forget, “One does not win the medal of honor, rather we are recoginized for our actions and recieve it”. Not only did he serve 33 years in the army, but he then taught for 17 years in the Muscogee county school district, where he was a very well like and know teacher.
Another event which showed his level of dedication, me, my family to include my dads parents, and col. nertt and his wife were eating out, and while we were eating 3 soldiers, who i cannot remember if they were OCS or Rangers came up to him, and i noticed as they walked up, they all made sdure their shirts were ttucked in, they didnt slouch, and they approaced precausiously, and when he noticed them, the first thing out of the soldier in front was “i hope we are not disturbing your dinner”, and he repiled “not at all”.
after this the other 2 came up and they very respectfully shook his hand and introduced themselves and they said it was such an honor to shake his hand, and that they had recoginized him from one of his many speeches that he did regurally at Ft. Benning.
This shows how he has influenced a new generation of soldiers, and he also had motivated me in several ways. BEcause of him i joined JROTC and finilized my decision about going into the military. I visited him about 5 hours before his death because i had found out he became ver yill and had just got home from the emergency room and i was told by his doctor that he had insisted on going home and the first thing he said when he was brough across the threshold he said “im home”
now that he is gone, he still hasa legacy that lives on and inspires a new generation to live a life of honor. and so with this i say, thank you Col. Nett form making me better. your a good man and soldier and you will not be forgotten.
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