How the USA Almost Went to War Over a Pig

This is Alida Beebe and this is our American stories we tell stories about everything you're on the show next story in a way about a song, but so much more you might know the song I drive your truck by the price but you know the story of the man who inspired the song's name was Jerrod Monty and he was a hero of the highest caliber you to tell Jerrod story is Paul Monty's father. I think his lot in life was to try to bring joy to anybody and everybody any other man but Jared was very adventurous. There was an x-ray to life and the client wasn't on body of water to wide to deep for him to cross there were certain characteristics and him that became apparent as he grew, we like to talk about his life in terms of three principles that he lived by the first of which was always try your hardest and this we noticed with him whether it was sports in school or anything else that he had to do is get that always gave hundred percent everything he did. The second principle was to never give up became awesome.

One of the stories I like to tell regarding that was is a really really good basketball player is pretty much the shot to skin this class, but he was a heck of a basketball player and when he went to middle school.

He tried out for the JV team and he was the last one cut from the team's fellow players said they were all gonna quit because Monty wasn't patented and Jared got them together and talk to them and said hey you don't quit. You guys keep going, don't worry about me. So that passed in the next year middle school.

He tried out for the team again and again. He was the last cut and then the third year he cried out again, this time to the varsity and the varsity coach came up and said Jared why don't you accept the position as team manager and you can warm up with the team before games that courts can't like and he accepted that after the second game coach found uniform for him because you know was kind of embarrassing. He was the only one street clothes woman and then after the third game. The coach started using him as you know mama player was the end of the game.

By the end of the season. He was outscoring some of the status on the team at his graduation from middle school when they were giving out the awards for the basketball team. The coach get up and read all the names and we get to the end. He said he said this last guide is the epitome of what an athlete should be and he's the biggest mistake that I haven't made in my 25 years of coaching basketball. What an honor to a young man. What courage it took for him to do that and to be that guy that never gave up. That kept on trying to character he must've had to do that kind of thing he always did the right thing no matter what it cost him personally doing the right thing was just out of him in a one day when I came home and looked in his room. His bed was missing and I called Jerrod that we should bed so well that one. I want my friends was kicked out of his house. He sleep in over someone else's house. They don't have a bed for me sleeping on the floor.

He can't sleep. I don't mind sleeping on the floor dad. So I gave my dad another incident he came to me one day to dad, would you mind if I cut down one of those spruce trees we have in the front of the house.

So what you want that for so well guys and I we want to have one have our own Christmas tree as well. Okay, go ahead and it was only after his death in one his friends came up to me and said Mr. Monty, remember that Christmas tree cut down. I said yeah. Well, he didn't really cut that down for us. He found a single mom in town that had three kids didn't have enough money to celebrate Christmas with the kids so we brought it to her house got lights for ornaments for our buck presents for all the kids and for the woman and then he stayed and made Christmas dinner for the mom never told a soul it's it's these kinds of things that he did it with great humility. I remember a day when he asked me to drive him to weightlifting competition again. I drove them there as it will when you want me to pick you up what he wanted community said no no no no no I get a ride home with somebody else. Now after his death. I went up to clean his Roman underneath his bed was a box full of trophies and soccer trophies and baseball trophies and basketball trophies.

But what stood out was his three-foot trophy that was under the bed of a weightlifter and I read the blinding and sedentary New England weightlifting championships first place under 17 division Jerrod Monty never told anybody it wasn't being done for personal gain.

It was just this is something I want to do for myself and that's what he did. It just carried on throughout his life and in the culmination of all of that was on that day that that he died and you're listening to Paul Monty tell the story of his phone son, my goodness.

If your son and your dad speak these words over you like this. You are one lucky man. If your data gets to speak these words about a son you're one lucky father. When we come back for this remarkable story this beautiful story. Father and son bond a fallen soldier story more of Paul Monty story and generates you on our American story view of the great American stories we tell him love America like we do for asking you to become a part of the American stories family.

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Please make a donation monthly get the $17.76 is fast becoming a favorite option for supporters to allow American stories.com now and go to the donate button and help us keep the great American stories coming out American stories.com and we returned to our American stories and the story of Sgt. first class Jerrod Monty we last left off Paul Monty Garrett's father telling us about the kind of person that his son was let's pick up when we last left off my was his junior year in high school he came home dad, can I talk to you sure said I want to join the Army. Dad and I said well will wait a minute, said you know your urine a student you gonna go to college.

Dad you can afford to send me to college and I said well you know Jared and I just get another job that you are already working two and three jobs. Let me do this when the Armenian bill pay for my college. What was I to say, being only 17 I had signed papers on I did very reluctantly.

Like I said before is very adventurous can this this really appealed to him. This idea the center of the military see in the world and he loved his country, so there it was. It was made.

He was a 13 F board observer.

What we used to call the suicide squad because they were always operating behind enemy lines that bothered me to I is that call that the suicide squad danger dangerous things never bothered him you love the roller coaster.

He loved ride a motorcycle.

The kind of thing didn't bother, and especially in the military where he knew what was to saving lives. That's that's what he loved. He number of times got himself into trouble in the military for that kind of thing being a little more adventurous than some officer wanted him to be. I remember an incident South Korea where he had to take his platoon out on basically wargames maneuver and they came to a stream which is flowing really quickly. They were supposed across the stream and when Javid saw the stream he he halted his guys and said that you know what that doesn't look safe at all, let me go out and check it and make sure it's safe for all of us being a sergeant at that time. Normally you would assign that to a private Jerrod always led from the front it was always my boys dad, my boys looked upon them as young people that we had to protect it was his job to make sure his guys were safe so he forded the stream but he ended up getting washed downstream. They all thought he was dead but luckily enough there was a floating branch in the water that he was able to cling to, until they found them to come out, but that's again.

It was always a matter of him taking the chances and not allowing his boys be in the line of danger that's that's just who he was just what he did and yeah twice deployed web loved the most dangerous area in all of Afghanistan was this area Kona Valley. This was the place where the Taliban and would come in from Pakistan.

This was the main route in the Army had decided that they were gonna put a kibosh and they had tried number of times and never successful, but they did put together this plan so Jared with his platoon and Chris Cunningham was another Sgt. He was a sniper and he had his snipers so there were 16 of them altogether.

Eight of them move forward observers, snipers, and they were tasked to climb this mountain mountain was 8500 feet. I to set up an observation post at the top of the mountain to view the crossing area down below in the Valley so that they could calling fire when the main force.

A day later come into the Valley so in 100° heat and all of these guys carrying packs of 70+ pounds climbing mostly at night they climbed Hill 2610.

It took them two days climb that now. As an aside, that the night before they left. Make this climb I got a call very early in the morning got me out of bed and I bet I answered the phone hello and I heard hi pop happy Father's Day and I was like shocked that he would call me to wish me a happy Father's Day and at the end of that conversation. He said dad I got a go will leaving on a mission and that's when they they left a climate that mountain. It was hot food. They were out of water and the Army had made provisions have an air drop for them at the same time they were going into the Valley so that the helicopter dropping their provisions wouldn't be noticed, however, because one helicopter was down needed repairs. The Army decided to postpone the attack into the Valley for two days, which left the guys at the top without food and water in the Army then decided to send in their supply helicopter anyway. Helicopter came in miss the drop point and drop the stuff away to near them mocking their position as the sun was setting on that day they heard noises in the woods that surrounded this plateau about half the size of a football field and at that point, all hell broke loose small arms fire.

Machine guns RPG's started raining and on position so badly that these guys could talk to head out one of them got rifle shot out of his hands. Another woman shot the resident in the back.

The trees surrounding the had no branches left, and private Bradberry and another soldier who had been kind of at the point they were in danger of being overrun. So they decided to run back to the opposite end where there was some rocks they could hide behind. One soldier made it. Bradberry was hit was down slightly in the middle of football field, baseball field, totally devoid of any cover whatsoever. Rocks and trees still fight Javid called in for artillery borders is support danger close which I think people understand that means the bombs are going to be dropping so close to you that if you're not down. Chances are you've got to be killed, as well as an after calling in the coordinates. That's when Javid handed off the radio to someone else. That's when he tightened his chin strap Chris Cunningham had said, I'm going out to get Bradberry Jarrett incident back and said no he's he's my boy.

When we come back more of the remarkable story of Jared implementing as told by the father got a phone son here in our American school and we returned to our American stories and the story of Sgt. first class Jared Monty.

When Wes left off Jared was surrounded by a group of 50 insurgents outmanned and outgunned into the situation. Fellow soldier Brian J. Bradberry was down and exposed to enemy fire. Jerrod decided he would expose himself to in order to save his private. Let's return to the story.

He ran out to get Bradberry and he was driven back by the heavy enemy fire. There were at least 50 Taliban & and that he tried a second time was driven back a second time and not being able to give up wanting to do the right thing.

I we went to third time.

That's when it was the RPG still and that's that's what led up to him receiving the medal of honor. I haven't gotten through next month will be 15 years still stuck knowing she did lose a child. It's not supposed to happen that way.

So parents go first and the children grieve for them. I'll never forget that night. 9:45 PM Sitton watching America's got talent in my doorbell rang and Dysart. Two men come around the side of the house uniform.

I knew immediately. You know you answer the door and get the government response need to inform you that your son was was killed in action, and from that moment on aegis you off somewhere. I remember sitting down with them. The dining room table and having a stack of papers shoved in front of me and asked to sign this sign.

This sign this just go through the motions you don't want to believe what they're saying think that someone made a mistake. I was so I was so messed up.

I mean his guys. They couldn't believe what happened. Monty was so revered them that nothing could ever happen to him. To this day they have the same feeling. They all don't think any of them, never gotten over what happened. He wasn't just you know there Sgt.

He was a friend unite, I'm your boss and I'm gonna guide you, but I'm going to be your friend back in the states. Every weekend he would either be going to someone's house to help them put in the floor or he was having a barbecue father or there was a celebration for one of their children.

He would be there. He took care of them as if they were in. Indeed, they were his brothers. That's where my pride comes in that he was such a good human being that I wonder if I'm even worthy called his father is really very very difficult to understand that a person like this is related to never mind being wasn't even expecting the truck they delivered all this stuff is the last thing that came off was his truck was while there was a empty bottle that wasn't quite empty on the floorboards.

He liked his job so we always had a bottle with spirit into that was that was in the toothpaste and Mary had mouthwash he had brought she had yeah I had a little container of coins. He had ordered just, you know what guys truck me is pretty much the same. Even now, 15 years later as it was left. I never vacuumed it sure needs it. I just don't want to remove his DNA that sucked up by a vacuum cleaner so that's a little messy it's it's him and he's with me when I drive it. I don't drive it as much as I used to.

What was my everyday vehicle for a while and then I realize that it had to be preserved so I got another vehicle but I still make sure I drive his truck whenever whenever I can. At least once a week to get it out running some people live said you know time heals all wounds. It doesn't. It absolutely doesn't come 15 years in it's almost like it happened yesterday. This is the way it is the way my life is now no visit door in front of me with my son's name on and I'm expecting to be able to open that door and go and visit him and go to sports games with him and go fishing with him just have him overly my house for a barbecue to hold his kids my grandkids on my lap that's what I expect when I open that door, but when I actually reach out and open that door is just totally dark inside. There will be no barbecues in the backyard. There will be no Red Sox games. There will be no fishing trips there will be no grandkids.

I know the Lord works in very mysterious ways, and I know that no matter who you are when a loved one dies, you always have that question why God that I was actually able to answer that question came about from my son's death. The fact that we now have a charity that places flags on every grave at the national Cemetery and born every Memorial day in every Veterans Day now placing 77,000 flags. The fact that we were able to give out $16,000 in scholarship money this year the effect that Jared's had on so many people, especially young people throughout the entire country.

Some cases, the world, it seems to me that God looked down and said no Jared you doing a fabulous job on that planet. But if you come up here with me. Be able to do even more. That's what he's been doing since he passed even more in a spectacular job I Monty is always in my goodness what a piece of storytelling from Paul Monty, I haven't gotten through. No one should lose a child, the parent goes first.

It wasn't just there Sgt. He said he was their friend. It was such a good human being. Sorry Jared Monty story of Paul month here on our American stories and we returned to our American stories and up next.

The story of a regular contributor and Claire about a fight over a pig that almost led to a war taken away his name. Lori didn't have much to deal with farm animals.

Rather, the unfortunate demise of the Peg who ventured into the wrong garden in 1859 almost led to an armed conflict. Another armed conflict between Britain and the United States in the early 1800s multiple countries had sent explorers to the Pacific Northwest coast of North America. These explorers laid claim to territory in the New World. However, there weren't markings on property lines Britain, Spain, Russia and the fledgling United with overlapping claims now by 1819 was out of the running for Pacific Northwest real estate thanks to the transcontinental Treaty Pres. James Monroe's 1823 speech outlining the Monroe doctrine warned Russian interest in North America would be tolerated.

Still left Britain and the United States having to work out the conflicting claims. Reasons why they felt the claim was more legitimate on the British side Capt. James cut conducted important explorations of the coastal areas of the territory. One of his crew members George Vancouver returned and became the first non-native to explore Puget Sound getting in its name in the process. The Hudson Bay Company activity area for years, establishing trade and putting down rats.

However, the Americans had the Lewis and Clark Corps of discovery! You and the subsequent setting up a trading post for Lewis and Clark reach the Thomas Gray sailing from Boston had explored and named the Columbia River. This whole idea also of manifest destiny that the United States not only would expand that was meant to expand the Pacific coast or the voices calling for the Oregon territory to become officially American territory. Britain and the United States had already agreed to set their borders from Minnesota to the Rocky Mountains along the 49th parallel line.

Moderate American voices asked agreed to just keep the same line all the way to the Pacific.

This would also conveniently give the United States. Puget Sound should be America's first good deepwater harbor on the Pacific. Now the Hudson Bay Company also recognize the value of Puget Sound. The 49th parallel with too far to the north for their plans.

However, by 1843. So many American families had moved west along the Oregon Trail began settling in the Oregon territory at the provisional government to keep the territory in order possessions.

9/10 of the lot right were on some American voices clambered to border on the 49th parallel wasn't not enough land anyway.

Pres. James Capel one 1845 election on the slogan 5440 or fight. In other words, he called for a border that went up to 54° 40 minutes which extend United States border all the way north to Alaska or thereabouts, or else.

However, once he was in office and by slim margin about Pres. Polk wasn't really feeling the fight part of his slogan anymore. So the conflict when it came with the dictates of Washington DC in 1846, Britain and the United States signed the Treaty of Oregon in London. This treaty finally positioned the border between the two nations on the 49 parallel from the Rocky Mountains last until it hit the water line would swing south through the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver Island.the problem solves this treaty did not specify which channel the border should pass through when it's 1 S. Harris St. near Vancouver Island bar Rosario straight near the mainland and the San Juan islands lay between those two straits. So naturally, both Britain and the United States claims down as the rightful property and began trying to establish their claims through action and a company at Fort Victoria, which is only 7 miles from San Juan Islands to set up Sam and curing stations on the islands when the United States claimed the islands, the HBC game and establish the Bellevue sheep farm as well. American settlers all 18 of them establish their own claims settling and in building homes right in the middle of the sheep grazing lands. The settlers were confident that the US government would recognize their claims.

While the British were equally sure that these two residents were just squatters. Finally, on June 15, 1859 team, an American resident of San Juan Islands, Lyman Cutler found a British company paid in his garden. He shot and killed at this didn't go over well. The British authorities threatened to evict all of the Americans from the islands except Cutler whom they wanted to arrest the Americans died in their heels and refused to move messages to the American authority in the territory. Brig. Gen. William S. Carney company 64 infantrymen under Capt. George would later be a well-known name in the American Civil War encounters man just north of the British sheep farm word if the situation reached Vancouver Island and the ears British governor James Douglas in response Douglas and Capt. Jeffrey Phipps horn 31.steam fracas HMS Tribune to San Juan Islands. They were ordered to get rid of ticket without bloodshed and possible maturity and was soon followed by the HMS satellite with her 21 guns pumper with her to 46 Royal Marines and 15 Royal engineers face with almost 1 ship done for each of his men still refused to withdraw. He did however request reinforcements in the meantime, the British did not take aggressive action leading to the commander of the British naval forces in the Pacific rear Adm. Arun Lambert beans to arrive. Now I know anything else about Adm. beans.

I think his reaction to the situation speaks well of him was appalled and advised Douglas that he would not involve two great nations in a war over a squabble about a pig now on the ticket received his reinforcements hundred and 71 men and replacement commander in the form of Lieut. Col. Silas Casey. Casey tried to parlay with pain after beans refused to leave his ship. Or maybe it was after seeing the 84 guns and beans chap Casey also sent word asking for more reinforcements.

So by the end of the month, 461 Americans were encamped in the woods just north of the sheep farm and there they waited and British also related drilling and firing their guns into the islands blocks. Now among all the absurdities of this situation. Officers on both sides attended church together on the satellite and socialized. Now, at last, the story of this conflict reached Washington DC and then Pres. James Buchanan. He hurriedly dispatched Gen. Winfield Scott, a veteran of the war of 1812 and also a veteran of calming down border disputes in the and both parties agreed to withdraw the reinforcements. Britain and the United States would share San Juan Island in a joint occupation until the matter was finally resolved. The Americans would leave one company of soldiers on the island and the British would keep one worship in Griffin Bay Prairie solution works with one thing and another, keeping the decision-makers occupied, including our Civil War. The temporary solution drag down for 12 years.

In 1871.

Britain and the United States agreed to let Kaiser Wilhelm the first of Germany arbitrate. He gave the project to a three-man commission who mats on the subject in Geneva for nearly a year they ruled in favor of United States. This set the final boundary between the US and British now Canadian territory and somehow more and a war in which the only casualty was in which diplomacy finally triumphed a terrific job on the production by Monty Montgomery and a special thanks to and clear were telling us what is a seemingly humorous but important point to make about border disputes and how they change and borders been battled over for centuries over big and small things even a pig. By the way, if you have stories, history stories, yourself, send them to our American stories.com so many of you actually closet historians or are actually strategic then them and send them to our American stories.com story. The battle over almost led to on how Americans