I'm working on a portrait of a Marine I served with during Operation Steel Curtain in Old Ubaydi, Iraq. His name is Lance Corporal Joshua R. Mooi and he's been nominated for a Navy Cross as a result of his heroism on November 16, 2005. The Navy Cross is second only to the Congressional Medal of Honor. Mooi, a native of Bolingbrook, Illinois, is as quiet and unassuming a young man as you'd ever hope to meet. On this fateful day he personally pulled most of the members of his squad, and his platoon commander out of an enemy infested death house in Old Ubaydi. Virtually all of them, save Mooi, were wounded and dying. His rifle took three hits from AK-47 rounds as he repeatedly went back into this hornets nest of mujh, bent over and dragged his buddies out. Survivors testified that Mooi, besides latching onto buddies, shot into and threw enemy hand grenades back into spider holes.
It is honor to have met and spent time with him. It was like rubbing elbows with Sergeant Alvin York. Get some Mooi!
4 comments:
Michael,
Thanks for the e-mail concerning my referring to your and Kris's work. When I visited Kris's blog, I found that we had a common bond in that we lived and worked in Haiti for a while.
I came upon your blog about a year ago, and while I frequently visited, did not ever leave a comment. Thanks again for how you have represented our country.
This portrait communicates so much, including a look in his eyes. We may never know him, except through your eyes--and what we see there is truly inspiring.
Great art and an inspiring story. Thanks!
It's difficult to read what he did. It's so overwhelming. I feel so humbled by him. Mooi is bigger than life.
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