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One of the heroes of my youth died recently and another passed a little while ago in Vermont. Captain Kangaroo-Bob Keeshan was 76 years old on June 27, 2003 and together with Mr. Greenjeans, Rocky and Bullwinkle and the others on the morning TV show, were my companions and role models while growing up.
The Canadian border area where I grew up was very economically depressed but heaven compared to the Ireland, with the poverty and persecutions there, that my folks left just a generation or so before.
My dad, granddads, uncles and the other adults in our family demonstrated the concepts of “self reliance and honor” to me everyday; The Captain reinforced these with stories and daily demonstrations that were part of his show.
He was genuinely good guy and a true role model.
What is not widely known is that he was a hero in World War II also. He received the Navy Cross for actions on Iwo Jima. In an appearance on the Johnny Carson Show, Lee Marvin, who also received the Navy Cross the same day, described Marine Sergeant Keeshan – “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…. he actually stood up on Red beach and directed his troops to move forward and get the hell off the beach. Bullets flying by and mortar rounds landing everywhere and he stood there as the main target of gun fire so he could get his men to safety.” He did that on more than one occasion because his men’s safety was more important than his own life! The Navy Cross is second only the Congressional Medal of Honor as an award for valor, for Marines and Sailors.
A worthy roll model for sure!
Another was Mr. Rogers, a gentle little man on PBS. Mr. Rogers was a US Navy Seal, combat proven in Vietnam with many violent and dangerous operations successfully completed, under his belt. He wore a long sleeve sweater on his show to cover the many tattoos on his forearm and biceps. He was a master in small arms and hand-to-hand combat, more than able to disarm or kill in a heartbeat.
After the war Mr. Rogers became a Presbyterian minister and pacifist. He wanted to never again harm another human and also dedicated the rest of his life to trying to help lead children on the right path in life. He hid the tattoos and his past life away and used his quiet wit and charm to show us a good path to follow.
Both of these fine men made wonderful roll models; and as another of my role models, Paul Harvey says “Now you know the rest of the story.”