Category: Real Soldiers

Tucson.com reports that local man, Frank Crary, will be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism in Vietnam while he served there with the 1st Cavalry Division in 1966;

Crary exposed himself to enemy fire by attacking a North Vietnamese machine gun that was among enemy positions that had pinned down his unit, an Army statement says.

Crary acted “with total disregard for his own personal safety” when he jumped up, ran toward the machine gun position, flanked it and killed the enemy, the statement says.

Thanks to AW1Ed for the tip.

One of our friends send us the sad news that Héctor E. Colón has passed;

Héctor graduated from Officer Candidate School, Ft. Benning, Georgia, and went on to proudly serve his country in Viet Nam. On January 5, 1968, his platoon of 32 men came under attack from 400 enemy fighters. Héctor led his brave men in battle in which seven of them were killed and many were wounded. For his bravery and dedication to duty, Héctor received the Distinguished Service Cross, the United States Army’s second highest award for valor. He was inducted into the Office Candidate School Hall of Fame on May 8, 2017.

The citation for his Distinguished Service Cross reads;

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Second Lieutenant (Infantry) Hector E. Colon (ASN: 0-5338231), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Second Lieutenant Colon distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 5 January 1968 as a platoon leader of an infantry company during a helicopter extraction operation in War Zone C. Lieutenant Colon’s platoon had just completed a reconnaissance-in-force mission and was awaiting extraction when it came under heavy rocket, mortar, automatic weapons and small arms fire from an estimated four hundred Viet Cong. He quickly positioned his men to repel the advancing enemy. His radio operator was wounded and the radio damaged. Lieutenant Colon secured another set and directed artillery fire and air strikes on the insurgents, sometimes to within five meters of the friendly positions. He personally killed five enemy soldiers who tried to overrun the platoon’s perimeter. As the firing subsided, he supervised the evacuation of the casualties, saw that the remainder of his men were extracted, and insured that all weapons and equipment were recovered. His exemplary leadership was directly responsible for routing the numerically superior and determined Viet Cong. Second Lieutenant Colon’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

Stars& Stripes reports that the staff of the UCLA ROTC detachment were all in a minivan when they witnessed and accident ahead. Maj. Tyrone Vargas, UCLA assistant adjunct professor, Lt. Col. Shannon Stambersky, UCLA professor of military science, Maj. Steve Kwon.Rear from left: Sgt. 1st Class Rhu Maggio, military instructor, Romeo Miguel, recruiting operations officer, Victoria Sanelli, manager of UCLA Army ROTC all leapt into action;

Maggio and Maj. Tyrone Vargas helped the driver from the burning rig before realizing that a crumpled Honda was pinned under the truck and rapidly becoming engulfed in flames.

“That’s when we all rushed to aid the trapped driver of the car,” said Maj. Steve Kwon, who was visiting UCLA from Fort Knox, Ky., according to a university news release. “The fire was already burning and was picking up flames.”

The man was on fire but rubble from the truck blocked his rescue;

Soon, someone arrived with a battery-powered saw. One of the soldiers cut through the obstacles another pulled the driver from the wreck.

“Within 30 seconds, the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames,” Kwon said.

The driver was transported to UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center with third-degree burns. The soldiers planned to walk across campus to visit and check in on his recovery, officials said.

“I truly believe they saved his life,” California Highway Patrol Sgt. Jose Ahumada told KTLA. “To them, we say thank you very much.”

The soldiers credit their success with their military training.

Vargas, a 22-year veteran, said he’s been drilling it into the cadets to make decisions and be leaders that others will follow. The day after the crash, he said, a cadet approached him after seeing video of the rescue.

“Good job,” the cadet said. “You walk the walk.”

Devtun sends us a link to Stars & Stripes which reports that Ranger Staff Sgt. Michael Young was awarded a Silver Star for his heroics performed on April 27, 2017 at Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province.

Throughout the fight, the noncommissioned officer displayed an “extraordinary ability to maintain composure in a terrifyingly chaotic situation,” his award citation reads.

Young, 28, was ultimately credited with saving the lives of 22 Rangers, according to the citation.

It’s an award that Young, a member of elite 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, never anticipated receiving, he told Stars and Stripes on Friday following the ceremony. But the honor served to validate the importance of that mission and the sacrifices made by Sgts. Joshua P. Rodgers and Cameron H. Thomas, who were killed during the operation.

Devtun sends us link to Stars & Stripes which reports that the widow of First Lieutenant Garlin Murl Conner will receive the Medal of Honor later this year for his actions on January 24, 1945 when he absconded from his hospital bed to return to his unit and maul the German Army. 1LT Connor was a member of Kilo Company, 7th Infantry Regiment (Cottonbalers) of the 3rd Infantry Division (Rock of the Marne), the same division where Audie Murphy earned his honors.

[Connor] single-handedly held off the advance of six German tanks and 600 German infantrymen. Unrolling a spool of wire so he could use a a field telephone, he directed artillery to fall onto his own position, killing 50 enemy soldiers and wounding another 100.

“He called for artillery fire upon himself, determined to destroy and smash the Germans even if it cost him his life,” wrote 1st Sgt. Harold J. Miller in an eyewitness statement.

The Medal of Honor will be an upgrade to his Distinguished Service Cross, the citation says;

First Lieutenant Conner ran 400 yards through the impact area of an intense concentration of enemy artillery fire to direct friendly artillery on a force of six Mark VI tanks and tank destroyers, followed by 600 fanatical German infantrymen, which was assaulting in full fury the spearhead position held by his battalion. Along the way, he unreeled a spool of telephone wire, disregarding shells which exploded 25 yards from him and set up an observation post which he manned for more than three hours during the intense fighting. He was individually credited with stopping more than 150 Germans, destroying all the tanks and completely disintegrating the powerful enemy assault force and preventing heavy loss of life in his own outfit.

Connor was no stranger to valor awards, says the Stars & Stripes;

Conner also earned four Silver Stars, four Bronze Stars, seven Purple Hearts and the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions during 28 straight months of combat during World War II.

Connor died at the age of 79 in 1998.

Devtun sends us a link to the story of Kentucky National Guard Specialists Casey Brandle and Justin Stinnett who, last month saved 87-year-old David Hamilton who had lost control of his car and plunged into raging waters alongside the road;

A Daviess County Sheriff Deputy reported that Hamilton lost control of his vehicle and plunged into the waters along a stretch of highway. The deputy witnessed Brandle and Stinnett “selflessly and without hesitation” jump into the water, swim to the vehicle and assist Hamilton out of the car and up the embankment where emergency personnel would arrive to care for him.

“We were on our way to the armory when we noticed the car drive off the road and into the flood water,” recalled Brandle. “We stopped to see if anyone needed assistance and we saw the car was sinking and someone on the inside trying to get out, so we jumped in to help.”

As the two Soldiers made it the vehicle, Stinnett applied his weight to the rear of the car to keep it from nose diving more into the water, while Brandle pulled Hamilton from the driver’s side window.

Brandle and Stinnett both remain humble for the ordeal and are thankful everyone is alive and well to commemorate the experience. Stinnett said he joined the Guard to gain a greater understanding of what he wanted out of a career as a machinist and welder. February 27 taught him a lot more.

“It’s an honor to me having our actions considered heroic,” Stinnett said. “But, it’s one of those things that to me I feel as if anyone with a good heart would do the same. And I like to believe everyone else would have done the same.”

KSL reports that nineteen special forces soldiers of the Utah National Guard received medals for valor for their actions in Afghanistan last year;

Four of the soldiers of the Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group received Silver Stars — the nation’s third highest award for valor in combat.

Three were awarded the Purple Heart, an award for those wounded or killed in action. Five received the Bronze Star with “V” device, and seven were awarded the Army Commendation Medal with “V” device, for other acts of heroism.

Several Utah soldiers from two teams deployed to Afghanistan last year returned home wounded, and one Utah Guard Green Beret, Staff Sgt. Aaron Butler — who had been posthumously recognized with a Purple Heart — died in combat.

It’s not often that I’ve seen a Major General hug it out with a sergeant first class like in the picture at the top of this post.

“It’s incredibly humbling,” said Staff Sgt. Walrath, one of the four recipients of the Silver Star, in an interview after the ceremony. The Guard would not release first names of those honored for security reasons. “I really didn’t do anything more than my job, and that’s not me being humble, that’s just the fact.”

[…]

Other Silver Star recipients included Staff Sgt. Caldwell — who was also awarded a Purple Heart — for reacting quickly amid the chaos and panic of the Aug. 16 explosion to help manage the wounded, and Sgt. 1st Class Madsen, who, despite his wounds, crawled into an armored vehicle to return fire.

Capt. Nelson was also awarded a Silver Star, for showing bravery in May, when his team was ambushed during a clearance operation of an enemy stronghold. When a teammate was shot in the head by a sniper, Nelson “displayed a disregard for his own safety as he immediately ran to the aid” of the wounded soldier, and later exposed himself to enemy fire to rally forces.

“His actions inspired many to fight back in the face of overwhelming and unrelenting enemy fire ensuring the safe evacuation of a critically wounded U.S. casualty,” Fairbourn said.

Other award recipients included:

Staff Sgt. Edwards, Bronze Star with “V” device

Staff Sgt. Kennington, Bronze Star with “V” device

Sgt. 1st Class Mellor, Bronze Star with “V” device

Master Sgt. Muramoto, Bronze Star with “V” device

Sgt. 1st Class Speck, Bronze Star with “V” device

Staff Sgt. Ashford, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Staff Sgt. Flores, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Sgt. Major Gifford, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Staff Sgt. Lake, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Sgt. Maj. Miller, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Staff Sgt. Murray, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Sgt. 1st Class Wilcox, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device

Staff Sgt. Ashford, Purple Heart

Staff Sgt. Caldwell, Purple Heart

Sgt. Maj. Gifford, Purple Heart

Chief Tango sends a link to the story of LTC Jean G. Larned. He was returning home from work at the Pentagon in December when he came across an automobile accident on a rural road in Fauquier County, Virginia.

When Larned pulled over, he found the driver to be unconscious. After calling emergency services, Larned spent the next 15 minutes holding the driver’s head to stabilize him. The man was transported by helicopter to a local hospital after emergency workers pulled him from the vehicle using the Jaws of Life. They credited Larned with saving the driver’s life by calling 911 and stabilizing the driver until they could arrive.

“LTC Larned is a real hero, who helped a total stranger in his time of need,” said Piggee, the deputy chief of staff for U.S. Army Logistics. “He was being nice to someone, and we can all learn from his act of kindness. He also selflessly put himself in danger, as a cloud of dust surrounded the truck and he could smell gasoline in the air.”

The driver he rescued is still recovering.