2018 Invictus Games - Hero's, Mateship, Integrity & Honour

23rd October, 2018

Whilst an immense honour and privilege to be invited to attend the 2018 Invictus Games in Sydney, Philip would personally like to thank all the athletes, organisers, military and volunteers for making him feel welcome during the games.

With a history of helping our veterans and their families (including those sick or wounded) in times of need, Philip is passionate about our military and promoting the welfare of not only those who are currently serving, or who have served our country, but also the families and loved ones that support our veterans to enable them to serve.

Philip is very proud of all the athletes who competed. Not only was it truly inspirational, but to see our veterans overcome their own adversity is something Philip will never forget as it underpins our shared values of Hero's, Mateship, Integrity, Honour and Respect, all attributes of our great ANZAC history.

Philip is proud of all associated with these games, and notably also thanks HRH The Duke of Sussex Prince Harry for having the vision, motivation and determination to make the games a reality. Founded in 2014, the games gives sick and injured military personnel and veterans the opportunity to compete in sport.

This year, on the 11 November 2018 it's Remembrance Day which has a very special significance as it also marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, which ended the First World War (1914-18).

Whilst Philip will personally remember and honour his late Grandfather and veterans throughout the world, in Australia and within his own Lions Club of Whitford, Philip would also like to honour two very remarkable and inspiring veterans that he met whilst attending the games.

Firstly, Philip met 100-year-old Master Sergeant Steve Melnikoff of the US Army, who was a veteran of the D-Day landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy France on the 6 June 1944. Omaha was the most heavily defended beach and Steve advised that he lost 40 percent of his men even before reaching the shore, and the losses of life was significant. After France, Steve's unit then pushed on to Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Czechoslovakia.

On the 17 June 1944, Steve was shot in the neck. Not wanting to let his mates down, Steve advised of his struggle to overcome his injuries and how he fought to be able to get back into the fight and support his mates. Steve was unfortunately shot again, this time to his shoulder on the 14 September 1944 whilst also suffering shrapnel injuries from an explosion. Some of the shrapnel is still inside Steve's body as it was deemed too dangerous to remove it.

Steve is highly decorated and has been awarded 2 Purple Hearts, 3 Bronze Stars, the French Medal of Honor amongst other commendations. To hear a firsthand account of the events that occurred on D-Day, considering we were advised there were only twelve (12) D-Day veterans remaining was both a privilege and an honour.

Secondly it was also Philip's privilege to meet 100-year-old Mickey Ganitch, who was the Quartermaster on the USS Pennsylvania (BB-38). Mickey was on duty on the 7 December 1941, which was the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

The USS Pennsylvania was in drydock at the time of the attack and was one of the first ships in the harbor to open fire as the Japanese dive and torpedo bombers attacked. Mickey advised that General Quarters was called as the first Japanese air attack occurred at approximately 7.55am. Mickey's battle station was in the crow's nest of the main mast and he said that a 500-lb bomb hit their ship during the second air attack.

Following the attack, the USS Pennsylvania sailed for San Francisco and arrived on the 29 December 1941. Undergoing repairs until the 30 March 1942, Mickey recalled the sadness of the Japanese attack, the loss of life, ships and the USS Arizona which sank 14 minutes after the attack started and entombed most of its sailors.

On the 6 and 9 August 1945, the USA dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Mickey said following this, on the 12 August 1945 the USS Pennsylvania was attacked at Okinawa by what the military thought was a friendly plane, but later turned out to be a Japanese torpedo plane. A torpedo hit the rear of the ship by the propellers, which was the living compartment of the quartermasters.

Mickey sadly recalled how he lost 20 of his 26 quartermasters that day and that the Japanese sought peace the following day. He recalled the loss of life that didn't need to occur, many of which were his closet friends and mates.

Following the attack, Mickey advised the crew struggled to keep the USS Pennsylvania afloat and recover the victims. On the 18 August 1945 the Pennsylvania, under tow by two salvage tugs departed Buckner Bay Okinawa for Apra Harbor in Guam and entered dry dock on the 6 September 1945 to effect repairs. A large patch was welded over the torpedo hole (approx. 10m in width) which enabled the Pennsylvania to return to the United States under her own power to be fully repaired.

The surrender was signed on the 2 September 1945 on the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

What Philip witnessed not only in these two remarkable veterans, but by all service personnel from Australia and globally at the games was humility, and even disagreement when thought of as hero's. Steve and Mickey described it best when they said their military service was a privilege more than a duty. "I'm no hero" they both told Philip, especially when we lost so many mates.

The Invictus Games is truly inspirational, as is Steve, Mickey and all service personnel and Veterans from Australia and the world. We owe all a tremendous debt of gratitude and the humility demonstrated underpins the ideals of mateship, and the importance that this coming Remembrance Day, our country has a lot to be thankful for, and equally a lot to remember with the 100th anniversary of the Armistice, the end of the First World War and the sacrifices of our ANZAC's.

Philip Couper