They had seen combat in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
But they had never seen anything like Philadelphia’s “Badlands.”
About 120 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients held their annual meeting in Philly in September 1995. There were many pleasant activities: banquets, Phillies games, visiting historic sites.
But because some were very involved in fighting the drug epidemic, an optional tour was offered of the drug-infested North Philly area known as “The Badlands.”
An Inquirer reporter went along. The headline on the story was: “Honor Heroes See a War Right Here”
Joe Jackson, who had risked his life in World War II, Korea and Vietnam, had visited drug areas elsewhere, said, “North Philly is the worst I’ve seen. I wouldn’t come up here by myself.”
“It looks like Vietnam after Tet,” said Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady.
Perhaps the best quote came from Col. Lloyd “Scooter” Burke, who single-handed had charged and destroyed three enemy bunkers in Korea and later served in Vietnam. When asked how he would compare Vietnam to the Badlands, Burke said. “Well, there are no trees here.”
The old war heroes all wore hardhats on the tour.
Walter Ehlers, a hero of D-Day and a man who single-handedly knocked out German machine gun nests said, “I’m ready to go back to the hotel and go to bed.”