Vietnam Medal of Honor Heroes - Expanded and Revised Edition

Zusatztext “Vivid and gut-wrenching . . . The reader cannot remain unmoved.” – Publishers Weekly Informationen zum Autor EDWARD F. MURPHY is a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He is the author of a three-volume series on Medal of Honor recipients, as well as two highly acclaimed Vietnam War histories. He lives in Mesa, Arizona. Klappentext More than 100 compelling, true stories of personal heroism and valor- in a special expanded edition honoring courage in the face of war Here are dramatic accounts of the fearless actions that earned American soldiers in Vietnam our highest military distinction-the Medal of Honor. Edward F. Murphy, head of the Medal of Honor Historical Society, re-creates the heroic acts of individual soldiers from official documents, Medal of Honor citations, contemporary accounts, and, where possible, interviews with survivors. Complete with a list of all Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients, this book offers a unique perspective on the war-from the early days of U.S. involvement through the return home of the last soldiers. It pays a fitting tribute to these patriotic, selfless souls.CHAPTER ONE A History of the Medal of Honor   When President Lyndon B. Johnson placed the blue ribbon of the Medal of Honor around Capt. Roger H. C. Donlon’s neck on December 5, 1964, the army Special Forces officer became the 3,154th person so honored and the first to earn the medal for service in the Vietnam War.   Since its birth during the Civil War, many men have coveted the medal; only a few have earned it. President Harry S. Truman enjoyed telling recipients, “I’d rather have this medal than be president.” Gen. George S. Patton once remarked, “I’d give my immortal soul for that medal.”   In all, 3,440 recipients have received 3,459 medals. Nineteen Americans have received the august decoration twice.   The Medal of Honor can be earned only by a member of the United States armed forces through a display of the most conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty—in the presence of an armed enemy. There must be a clear risk of life. It must be a deed that would not subject the candidate to criticism if it had not been performed. A minimum of two eyewitnesses must attest to the action. These strict guidelines reserve the Medal of Honor for the “bravest of the brave.”   But it was not always that way.   Civil War navy secretary Gideon Welles was looking for a way to motivate his more reluctant sailors when he hit upon the idea of an honor medal. By rewarding those who exhibited courage in front of the enemy, maybe he could inspire others to new heights of daring. At Welles’s urging, Iowa senator James W. Grimes proposed a congressional bill “to promote the efficiency of the navy.” One clause of the bill authorized the creation of a “medal of honor” for sailors and Marines who distinguished themselves through gallantry in action. The bill—and the Medal of Honor—was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on December 21, 1861.   Not to be outdone, the army convinced Massachusetts senator Henry Wilson to introduce a similar proposal in February 1862. That law was signed into effect on July 12, 1862.   Both medals were originally reserved for enlisted men and limited to the “present insurrection.” Additional legislation the following year extended the life of the medal beyond the Civil War. Also, army officers were made eligible; naval officers remained ineligible until 1915. The army limited its award to heroism in combat while the navy permitted theirs to be awarded for heroism in “the line of one’s profession.”   The original medal was designed by a Philadelphia silversmith firm, Wm. Wilson & Son. The piece was described as:   A five-pointed star, one point down. On the obverse the foul spirit of Secession and Rebellion is represented by a ...

Product details

• Authors: Edward F Murphy
• Publisher: Presidio Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback
• Released: 29.03.2005
• EAN: 9780345476180
• ISBN: 978-0-345-47618-0
• No. of pages: 352
• Dimensions: 107 mm x 175 mm x 20 mm