Captain Kangaroo and Lee Marvin

MarkD · April 8, 2003

Captain Kangaroo turned 75 last year, which is odd, because he's

never looked a day under 75 ( his birthday is 6/27/27).

Some people have been a bit offended that Lee Marvin is buried in a

grave alongside three and four star generals at Arlington National Cemetery.

His marker gives his name, rank (PVT) and service (USMC). Nothing else.

Here's a guy who was only a famous movie star who served his time. Why the heck does he rate burial with these guys? And what does that have to do with Captain Kangaroo?

Well, here is the amazing answer.

Most people don't know or don't remember the extent of his Corps

experience. In a time when many Hollywood stars served their country

in the armed forces, often in rear-echelon posts where they were carefully

protected, only to be trotted out to perform for the cameras in war bond

promotions, Lee Marvin was a genuine hero.

He won the Navy Cross at Iwo Jima. There is only one higher

Naval award ... the Congressional Medal of Honor.

If that is a surprising comment on the true character of the man, he

credits his sergeant with an even greater show of bravery. Here is an

excerpt of dialog from The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, when

his guest was Lee Marvin.

Johnny said, "Lee, I'll bet a lot of people are unaware that you were

a Marine in the initial landing at Iwo Jima . . . and that during the course of that action you earned the Navy Cross and were severely wounded."

Marvin replied, "Yeah, yeah . . . I got shot square in the ass and they gave me the Cross for securing a hot spot about halfway up Suribachi. Bad thing about getting shot up on a mountain is guys

getting shot hauling you down. But, Johnny, at Iwo 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. The dumb bastard actually

stood up on Red Beach and directed his troops to move forward

and get the #### off the beach. That sergeant and I have been lifelong

friends. When they brought me off Suribachi we passed the Sergeant

and he lit a smoke and passed it to me lying on my belly on the litter

and said, 'Where'd they get you Lee?' I said 'Well Bob . . . if you

make it home before me, tell Mom to sell the outhouse!' Johnny,

I'm not lying . . . Sergeant Keeshan was the bravest man I ever knew."

Sergeant Bob Keeshan . . . you and the world know him as "Captain Kangaroo."