REMEMBERING THE FIRST OF VIETNAM WAR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS
Regardless of the controversies and debates surrounding the Vietnam War, the men and women who fought, bled, and died for international freedoms are heroes deserving of thanks. Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients highlight this fact and, in the face of a conflict some call unnecessary, always showed bravery and courage. Read next:The Battle of Ia Drang Set a Violent Stage for the Vietnam War
Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipients You Should Know
In U.S. history, there’s no shortage of Medal of Honor recipients. Vietnam conflicts saw more than 250 brave troops being awarded this most prestigious honor of the Armed Forces. It would be tough to talk about all of the Medal of Honor winners Vietnam created, but here are a few names that you should know.
1. Captain Roger Donlon
Hailing from Saugerties, New York, Captain Donlon was the very first member of the long list of Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients. So what did he do to earn the prestigious title of first Medal of Honor recipient for the Vietnam War? On July 6, 1964, his camp in North Vietnam was attacked by Viet Cong, and he was shot in the stomach. After stuffing a handkerchief in the wound and cinching his belt around it, he did what he was trained to do: keep fighting. He manned a mortar and threw grenades at the enemies, all while denying any medical attention, despite being wounded three more times during the fight. On December 5, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented him the first Vietnam Medal of Honor for “conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism and intrepidity at the risk of his own life above and beyond the call of duty.”
2. Private First Class James Anderson Jr.
Beside the words brave, courageous, and heroic in the dictionary is an image of this amazing man – one of comparably few Black Medal of Honor recipients in history. Anderson Jr. was a Marine who was part of Operation Prairie II. His platoon was ambushed near Cam Lo Combat Base on February 28, 1967. As grenades went flying, Anderson Jr. made the ultimate sacrifice that day to save the lives of his fellow Marines by jumping on an explosive and shielding the blast with his body. He was one of, sadly, many Medal of Honor Vietnam recipients to be awarded posthumously. With this sacrifice, he became the first African American Marine to receive the Medal of Honor.
3. Private First Class Daniel D. Bruce
Another posthumous recipient is the heroic Daniel D. Bruce. At only 18 years old, he embodied what many going in the military wish to, as he, like many others in this war, had the selflessness to make the ultimate sacrifice. He was on night watch at a firebase with three other Marines in Quang Ngai Province when an explosive charge was thrown toward his position. Bruce grabbed the charge, held it close to his body, and ran as quickly as he could away from the other Marines, saving their lives and dying in the process.
4. Major William E. Adams
William E. Adams, an Army major, was another of the Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients to receive the award posthumously. He joined the Army in 1962 and volunteered to fly a lightly armed helicopter in Vietnam in May 1971 to recover three dead U.S. advisors and rescue a wounded crew chief. Unfortunately, he faced heavy fire from enemy machine guns and rockets, and his helicopter exploded mid-air and crashed, but not before he crippled the opposing aircraft.
5. Private First Class Milton L. Olive III
Milton L. Olive was the first African American Medal of Honor Vietnam recipient. Unfortunately, his award, too, would be given posthumously. As is a sadly common occurrence throughout this war, he died at a very young age – 18 years old – by doing one of the most noble acts possible: protecting his team. As he and four fellow Soldiers were traveling in Phu Cuong, enemies attacked and threw a grenade at the group. Olive smothered the grenade with his own body, saving the lives of his four fellow Soldiers, two of which were in attendance during his posthumous Medal of Honor awarding ceremony.
The Unknown Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient
At the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was a man who served and died in the Vietnam War. Fortunately, his remains were identified and confirmed by DNA test in 1998. The Soldier was 1st Lieutenant Michael Blassie of the Air Force. Though his body was moved to be closer to his family, his Medal of Honor remains at his “Unknown” burial site in Arlington.
Valor, Selflessness, Sacrifice: These Are the Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipients
You can explore the full list of heroic recipients on Arlington National Cemetery’s website. With each name that passes, there are Vietnam Medal of Honor stories behind it that highlight the true strength and sacrifices of our service members. Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients deserve our undying gratitude and thanks for everything they went through – and sacrificed – for a free world. Read next:Heroic Black Medal of Honor Recipients Had To Fight for Recognition
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