Delayed Award of the Medal of Honor

[Boudreaux Bob]

Next Week a Vietnam Era SF Trooper will be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the attack and loss of the SF Camp in the Ashau Valley.

During that Battle an Air Force A1-E landed under fire to rescue a wing man who had been shot down.

The story of the battle is one of the Legends of Vietnam.

Command Sergeant Major Bennie G. Adkins | Medal of Honor Nominee | The United States Army (http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/adkins/?from=hp_hottopic)

http://vnafmamn.com/rescue_at_ashau.html

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/shared/media/document/AFD-060629-001.pdf

[herkman]

Sorry to bring the bad news

Col Birnie Fisher as he is now passed away last week.

Its seems to be that the good ones are needed upstairs.

Thank you for your service Sir

Slow hand salute

Regards

Col

[Brian W May]

'Hero' is an over-used word in this day and age.

This guy was a hero in the accepted sense. Only glad his heroism was recognised appropriately.

RIP sir, it's nice that his family and friends had him with them for so many years, it could have been so different.

[goudie]

Phew! Held my breath reading those stories of sheer, unadulterated bravery.

Respect in bucket loads to those men.

RIP Col Birnie Fisher.

[Wrathmonk]

Boudreaux Bob

Unless I missed it on one of the links, how come the award for the SF trooper has been delayed so long? Can't believe his actions have only just come to light.

[The Helpful Stacker]

Hat doffed.

In an age where the term 'heroic' gets attached to the actions of millionaires kicking bits of leather around it is very welcome to read an account of true heroism.

[NutLoose]

Reading that citation he deserved a draw full of them.

[Boudreaux Bob]

Wrathmonk, I am not knowing of the reason for the delay.

A second Vietnam Infantry Soldier is also getting one for covering a hand grenade and thus saving his Squad Mates.

[jayteeto]

Sounds like the script from a Rambo film, only this was real. Respect.

[Tankertrashnav]

As one of PPRuNe's resident medal geeks I thought it might be of interest if I posted a few facts about the Medal of Honor with some comparisons with the Victoria Cross.

Both medals are rightly regarded as their country's highest awards for bravery, and both are restricted to military recipients.
The VC was instituted in 1854 during the Crimean War, the MOH a little later in 1861 during the Civil War.

Unlike many lesser awards, both the VC and the MOH are made of base metals, the VC famously being made by the London jewellers Hancocks using bronze from cannon captured from the Russians during the Crimean War.

There are three distinctive versions of the MOH, one each for the US Navy (including the Marine Corps), the US Army and, since 1956, the US Air Force, although all share the same ribbon. The VC has only one version which has remained unchanged since its inception, although naval recipients wore the medal with a blue ribbon up to 1918.

The VC has been awarded fewer than 1400 times, the MOH fewer than 3,500 times. Given the relative sizes of both countries' armed forces over the years this would seem to indicate that they are equally hard-won.

There have as yet been no female recipients of the VC, whilst one woman, an army surgeon, was awarded the MOH in 1865.

Interestingly a myth exists in both countries that recipients of the MOH and the VC are entitled to be saluted by their superiors. This is not the case, although it is common practice in both countries for the medal holders to be saluted as a mark of respect and courtesy.

The MOH is protected against any attempts to make reproductions, and there have been recent convictions for this offence. In addition passing oneself off as an MOH holder is a federal offence. There is no such law applicable to the Victoria Cross, and replicas are freely available at little cost. Many military museums in fact display replicas whilst keeping the originals in bank vaults.

I have often heard accounts of military actions, accompanied by remarks such as "he should have got the Victoria Cross/Medal of Honor". I think it right, however, that both of these awards should be given so sparingly, otherwise they would lose the cachet which both undoubtedly possess.

[Boudreaux Bob]

Bernard Fisher, Medal of Honor, Vietnam War - YouTube

[Tankertrashnav]

Thanks for posting that clip, B-B, Bernard Fisher typifies the quiet self effacing types who abound in the numbers of those who have received their country's highest award.

Although it is undeniable that when it comes down to it, the job of soldiers, sailors or airmen is to kill his country's enemies, it is nevertheless significant that so many Victoria Crosses and Medals of Honor have been awarded for saving lives in the heat of battle.

Outstanding!

[Boudreaux Bob]

Tanks,

Gary Wetzel was a Huey Door Gunner in a sister unit in my Battalion.

I feel very fortunate to have been allowed to serve alongside Soldiers like him.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2fyReohlKM

[ORAC]

Bernard Fisher typifies the quiet self effacing types who abound in the numbers of those who have received their country's highest award. As does Command Sergeant Major Adkins.....

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[NutLoose]

The Medal Of Honor winner that always impressed me was Mike Clausen, if you do not know his story read on...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29891-2004Jun9.html

Monument to Raymond "Mike" Claussen, Jr. unveiled (http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?40771-Monument-to-Raymond-quot-Mike-quot-Claussen-Jr-unveiled)


..

[Boudreaux Bob]

Raymond Clausen, Medal of Honor, Vietnam War - YouTube