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Medal of Honor, Vietnam War

2K views 20 replies 17 participants last post by  Caertaker 
#1 ·
Despite serious wounds, on December 28, 1968, Sergeant First Class Robert Howard directed his Special Forces troops against a superior enemy force in South Vietnam. Howard received the Medal of Honor from President Nixon on March 2, 1971.
 
#5 · (Edited)
During the time I was in the army, 1974-1981, I only had the opportunity to meet one MOH recipient. We talked for maybe ten minutes in an airport. I have been in the perceptible presence of awesome only a handful of times in my life. That was one of those times:
 
#12 ·
5th Special Forces MAC/SOG were the real deal. Howard should have received all three MOH's he was recommended for.
 
#13 · (Edited)
I got the pleasure of meeting MGEN(Ret) James Livingston when I was XO of USS TRUXTUN and he was part of the commissioning committee. Beyond the obvious of him being a MoH recipient, one of the things that stuck with me was how he interacted with the younger Sailors. He showed interest in their lives and jobs which impressed them because he was both a retired General and MoH recipient.

 
#16 ·
I just watched 2 or 3 videos of USCG men serving with and in support of the Brown Water Navy in Nam. I also watched as MSgt Benavidez gave his presentation. All my life as loud as I am most the time words fail me now.
 
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#21 ·
S/Sgt. Franklin D. Miller
Soldier

Miller's Medal of Honor citation reads:

Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces
Place and date: Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam
Entered service at: Albuguerque, New Mexico
Born: 27 January 1945
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Miller, 5th Special Forces Group, distinguished himself while serving as team leader of an American-Vietnamese long-range reconnaissance patrol operating deep within enemy controlled territory. Leaving the helicopter insertion point, the patrol moved forward on its mission. Suddenly, 1 of the team members tripped a hostile booby trap which wounded 4 soldiers. S/Sgt. Miller, knowing that the explosion would alert the enemy, quickly administered first aid to the wounded and directed the team into positions across a small stream bed at the base of a steep hill. Within a few minutes, S/Sgt. Miller saw the lead element of what he estimated to be a platoon-size enemy force moving toward his location. Concerned for the safety of his men, he directed the small team to move up the hill to a more secure position. He remained alone, separated from the patrol, to meet the attack. S/Sgt. Miller single-handedly repulsed 2 determined attacks by the numerically superior enemy force and caused them to withdraw in disorder. He rejoined his team, established contact with a forward air controller and arranged the evacuation of his patrol. However, the only suitable extraction location in the heavy jungle was a bomb crater some 150 meters from the team location. S/Sgt. Miller reconnoitered the route to the crater and led his men through the enemy controlled jungle to the extraction site. As the evacuation helicopter hovered over the crater to pick up the patrol, the enemy launched a savage automatic weapon and rocket-propelled grenade attack against the beleaguered team, driving off the rescue helicopter. S/Sgt. Miller led the team in a valiant defense which drove back the enemy in its attempt to overrun the small patrol. Although seriously wounded and with every man in his patrol a casualty, S/Sgt. Miller moved forward to again single-handedly meet the hostile attackers. From his forward exposed position, S/Sgt. Miller gallantly repelled 2 attacks by the enemy before a friendly relief force reached the patrol location. S/Sgt. Miller's gallantry, intrepidity in action, and selfless devotion to the welfare of his comrades are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army."[7]

Franklin D. Miller

I highly recommend reading his book which covers not only the incident above but his six years in Vietnam. Reflections of a Warrior: Franklin D. Miller, Elwood J. C. Kureth: 9780891413875: Amazon.com: Books
 
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