MOH soldier of the month

[fl57caveman]

Mary E. Walker’s Story: ​

Mary E. Walker was born in 1832 on a working farm in upstate New York. Her father was a self-taught country doctor, and Mary was fascinated by his career. She decided that she wanted to study medicine, and in 1855, she graduated with honors from Syracuse College, obtaining her degree from one of the only universities that would accept female students at the time. She began her private practice as a physician, but many refused to receive medical treatment from a female doctor.

In an effort to find a stable career path, Dr. Walker attempted to enlist in the US Army as a surgeon in 1861. Ultimately, she was denied the position due to her gender. However, Dr. Walker didn’t give up on her efforts. She decided to volunteer in make-shift hospitals where she treated wounded soldiers.

Earning the Medal: ​

During her time volunteering, Dr. Walker risked her life multiple times on battlefields to aid wounded soldiers. In addition, she campaigned and advocated for the treatment of limbs rather than automatic amputation, demonstrating the care she had for her patients. Finally, in 1864, she was commissioned as a surgeon and compensated for her work.

Dr. Walker continued to cross over enemy lines to treat soldiers and civilians. Eventually, she was captured by Confederate soldiers and imprisoned for months. She was released as part of a prisoner exchange and went on to have correspondence with President Abraham Lincoln regarding her imprisonment and service. In 1865, she received the Medal of Honor for her heroism during the war, becoming the first woman to receive this honor.

Unfortunately, Dr. Mary E. Walker’s Medal of Honor was revoked following the 1916-1917 review, as she was considered a citizen at the time of her valor. However, she was restored the Medal posthumously in 1977.

Mary’s original Medal, which she proudly wore until she died in 1919, is displayed at the Richardson-Bates House Museum in Oswego, New York, while her restored Medal is displayed at the Pentagon Women’s Corridor in Arlington, Virginia.

Thank you to all the women who have gone beyond the call of duty in their service to our country. We honor your sacrifice and commitment to creating a better world for generations to come.

 

[fl57caveman]

CITATION
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 February 1945. While creeping through a treacherous, twisting ravine which ran in close proximity to a fluid and uncertain front line on D-day plus one, Pfc. Lucas and three other men were suddenly ambushed by a hostile patrol which savagely attacked with rifle fire and grenades. Quick to act when the lives of the small group were endangered by two grenades which landed directly in front of them, Pfc. Lucas unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon one grenade and pulled the other under him, absorbing the whole blasting forces of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from the concussion and murderous flying fragments. By his inspiring action and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, he not only protected his comrades from certain injury or possible death but also enabled them to rout the Japanese patrol and continue the advance. His exceptionally courageous initiative and loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Lucas and the U.S. Naval Service.

over 250 grenade fragments stayed inside this soldier until his passing.

 

[Raven]

CITATION
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division, during action against enemy Japanese forces on Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, 20 February 1945. While creeping through a treacherous, twisting ravine which ran in close proximity to a fluid and uncertain front line on D-day plus one, Pfc. Lucas and three other men were suddenly ambushed by a hostile patrol which savagely attacked with rifle fire and grenades. Quick to act when the lives of the small group were endangered by two grenades which landed directly in front of them, Pfc. Lucas unhesitatingly hurled himself over his comrades upon one grenade and pulled the other under him, absorbing the whole blasting forces of the explosions in his own body in order to shield his companions from the concussion and murderous flying fragments. By his inspiring action and valiant spirit of self-sacrifice, he not only protected his comrades from certain injury or possible death but also enabled them to rout the Japanese patrol and continue the advance. His exceptionally courageous initiative and loyalty reflect the highest credit upon Pfc. Lucas and the U.S. Naval Service.

over 250 grenade fragments stayed inside this soldier until his passing.

Oh wow he survived jumping on TWO grenades. It's not like he was wearing plate armor, either. I hope his corpsman got a medal, too!

 

[Duckyou]

National Medal of Honor Heritage Center | Chattanooga, TN

Experience the powerful stories of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things at the birthplace of the Medal of Honor. Get your tickets today!

www.mohhc.org

 

[fl57caveman]

Military Hall of Honor | Your online source to identify and honor every man and woman, dead or alive, that has honorably served, or is serving, in the US Armed Forces from 1775 to present. | MilitaryHallofHonor.com

Military Hall of Honor, a virtual Military Hall of Honor. Remembrances and tributes to all those who have honorably served in the US Armed Forces.

militaryhallofhonor.com

 

[fl57caveman]

DETAILS

• RANK: SERGEANT FIRST CLASS (HIGHEST RANK: COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR)
• CONFLICT/ERA: VIETNAM WAR
• UNIT/COMMAND:
  DETACHMENT A-102, 5TH SPECIAL FORCES GROUP,
  1ST SPECIAL FORCES
• MILITARY SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. ARMY
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION DATE: MARCH 9 - 12, 1966
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION PLACE: CAMP A SHAU, VIETNAM

CITATION
Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Camp A Shau, Republic of Vietnam, from March 9 to 12, 1966. When the camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite incurring wounds as the mortar pit received several direct hits from enemy mortars.
Upon learning that several soldiers were wounded near the center of camp, he temporarily turned the mortar over to another soldier, ran through exploding mortar rounds, and dragged several comrades to safety. As the hostile fire subsided, Sergeant First Class Adkins exposed himself to sporadic sniper fire while carrying his wounded comrades to the camp dispensary.

When Sergeant First Class Adkins and his group of defenders came under heavy small arms fire from members of the Civilian Irregular Defense Group that had defected to fight with the North Vietnamese, he maneuvered outside the camp to evacuate a seriously wounded American and draw fire, all the while successfully covering the rescue. When a resupply air drop landed outside of the camp perimeter, Sergeant First Class Adkins, again, moved outside of the camp walls to retrieve the much-needed supplies. During the early morning hours of March 10, 1966, enemy forces launched their main attack and within two hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins was the only man firing a mortar weapon. When all mortar rounds were expended, Sergeant First Class Adkins began placing effective recoilless rifle fire upon enemy positions.

Despite receiving additional wounds from enemy rounds exploding on his position, Sergeant First Class Adkins fought off intense waves of attacking Viet Cong. Sergeant First Class Adkins eliminated numerous insurgents with small arms fire after withdrawing to a communications bunker with several soldiers. Running extremely low on ammunition, he returned to the mortar pit, gathered vital ammunition and ran through intense fire back to the bunker. After being ordered to evacuate the camp, Sergeant First Class Adkins and a small group of soldiers destroyed all signal equipment and classified documents, dug their way out of the rear of the bunker and fought their way out of the camp. While carrying a wounded soldier to the extraction point he learned that the last helicopter had already departed. Sergeant First Class Adkins led the group while evading the enemy until they were rescued by helicopter on March 12, 1966.

During the 38-hour battle and 48 hours of escape and evasion, fighting with mortars, machine guns, recoilless rifles, small arms, and hand grenades, it was estimated that Sergeant First Class Adkins had killed between 135 and 175 of the enemy while sustaining 18 different wounds to his body. Sergeant First Class Adkins’ extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces and the United States Army.

 

[SAWMAN]

Look into this mans face closely.
What do you see ?? --- SAWMAN

 

[fl57caveman]

Look into this mans face closely.
What do you see ?? --- SAWMAN

resolve, hardness

 

[fl57caveman]

JOE MADISON JACKSON​

DETAILS

• RANK: LIEUTENANT COLONEL (HIGHEST RANK: COLONEL)
• CONFLICT/ERA: VIETNAM WAR
• UNIT/COMMAND:
  311TH AIR COMMANDO SQUADRON, DA NANG,
  834TH AIR DIVISION
• MILITARY SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. AIR FORCE
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION DATE: MAY 12, 1968
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION PLACE: KHAM DUC, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

the full story;

Joe Madison Jackson | Vietnam War | U.S. Air Force | Medal of Honor Recipient

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Joe Madison Jackson was presented the Medal of Honor for military valor during the Vietnam War.

www.cmohs.org

 

[Snake-Eyes]

JOE MADISON JACKSON​

DETAILS

• RANK: LIEUTENANT COLONEL (HIGHEST RANK: COLONEL)
• CONFLICT/ERA: VIETNAM WAR
• UNIT/COMMAND:
  311TH AIR COMMANDO SQUADRON, DA NANG,
  834TH AIR DIVISION
• MILITARY SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. AIR FORCE
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION DATE: MAY 12, 1968
• MEDAL OF HONOR ACTION PLACE: KHAM DUC, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

the full story;

Joe Madison Jackson | Vietnam War | U.S. Air Force | Medal of Honor Recipient

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Joe Madison Jackson was presented the Medal of Honor for military valor during the Vietnam War.

www.cmohs.org

I was lucky enough to hear him tell his story at an Airlifter's Convention when I was on active-duty. He was a humble man with a great sense of humor. An inspiring example of what a selfless professional is capable of.
Heaven got an awesome pilot a couple years ago when he moved on in early 2019.

 

[fl57caveman]

Staff Sergeant David Bellavia | Medal of Honor Recipient | U.S. Army

The official U.S. Army website for Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic acts during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

www.army.mil

 

[fl57caveman]

A Salute to Paul Wiedorfer. Hero of the Battle of the Bulge
On Christmas Day 1944, Private Paul J. Wiedorfer, Company G, 318th Infantry Regiment, 80th Infantry Division, showed great valor when he single-handedly eliminated two German machine guns which pinned down his company near Chaumont, Belgium. Paul received the Medal of Honor for his actions that Christmas Day. He was subsequently promoted to Staff Sergeant then Master Sergeant.

Paul Wiedorfer's Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows:
He alone made it possible for his company to advance until its objective was seized. Company G had cleared a wooded area of snipers, and one platoon was advancing across an open clearing toward another wood when it was met by heavy machine-gun fire from two German positions dug in at the edge of the second wood. These positions were flanked by enemy riflemen. The platoon took cover behind a small ridge approximately 40 yards from the enemy position. There was no other available protection and the entire platoon was pinned down by the German fire. It was about noon and the day was clear, but the terrain extremely difficult due to a three-inch snowfall the night before over ice-covered ground. Pvt. Wiedorfer, realizing that the platoon advance could not continue until the two enemy machine-gun nests were destroyed, voluntarily charged alone across the slippery open ground with no protecting cover of any kind. Running in a crouched position, under a hail of enemy fire, he slipped and fell in the snow, but quickly rose and continued forward with the enemy concentrating automatic and small-arms fire on him as he advanced. Miraculously escaping injury, Pvt. Wiedorfer reached a point some 10 yards from the first machine-gun emplacement and hurled a hand grenade into it. With his rifle he stopped the remaining Germans, and, without hesitation, wheeled to the right and attacked the second emplacement. One of the enemy was wounded by his fire and the other six immediately surrendered. This heroic action by one man enabled the platoon to advance from behind its protecting ridge and continue successfully to reach its objective. A few minutes later, when both the platoon leader and the platoon sergeant were wounded, Pvt. Wiedorfer assumed command of the platoon, leading it forward with inspired energy until the mission was accomplished.
On February 10, 1945, while crossing the Saar River, he was severely wounded by a mortar shell that blew up near him. Paul was evacuated to the 137th United States Army General Hospital in England where he was presented with his Medal of Honor while still in the hospital.
During his service Paul was also honored with the Bronze Star and two Purple Heart acknowledgments. A native of Baltimore Maryland, he returned to his home after the war to a ticker tape parade with General George C. Marshall and Maryland governor Herbert O'Conor in attendance. After leaving the Army, he worked for Baltimore Gas and Electric and retired from there in 1981. Master Sergeant Paul Wiedorfer passed away on May 25, 2011 at the age of 90. Lest We Forget.

 

[fl57caveman]

yes, it is long..

yes, it is worth it.

read it.

- Enemies become friends, Charlie Brown & Franz Stigler -
The 21-year old American B-17 pilot glanced outside his cockpit and froze. He blinked hard and looked again, hoping it was just a mirage. But his co-pilot stared at the same horrible vision. "My God, this is a nightmare," the co-pilot said. "He's going to destroy us," the pilot
agreed.
The men were looking at a gray German Messerschmitt fighter hovering just three feet off their wingtip. It was five days before Christmas 1943, and the fighter had closed in on their crippled American B-17 bomber for the kill.
The B-17 pilot, Charles Brown, was a 21-year-old West Virginia farm boy on his first combat mission. His bomber had been shot to pieces by swarming fighters, and his plane was alone, struggling to stay in the skies above Germany . Half his crew was wounded, and the tail gunner was dead, his blood frozen in icicles over the machine guns.
But when Brown and his co-pilot, Spencer "Pinky" Luke, looked at the fighter pilot again, something odd happened. The German didn't pull the trigger. He stared back at the bomber in amazement and respect. Instead of pressing the attack, he nodded at Brown and saluted. What happened next was one of the most remarkable acts of chivalry recorded during World War II.
Charles Brown was on his first combat mission during World War II when he met an enemy unlike any other.
Revenge, not honor, is what drove 2nd Lt. Franz Stigler to jump into his fighter that chilly December day in 1943. Stigler wasn't just any fighter pilot. He was an ace. One more kill and he would win The Knight's Cross, German's highest award for valor.
Yet Stigler was driven by something deeper than glory. His older brother, August, was a fellow Luftwaffe pilot who had been killed earlier in the war. American pilots had killed Stigler's comrades and were bombing his country's cities. Stigler was standing near his fighter on a German airbase when he heard a bomber's engine. Looking up, he saw a B-17 flying so low it looked like it was going to land. As the bomber disappeared behind some trees, Stigler tossed his cigarette aside, saluted a ground crewman and took off in pursuit.
As Stigler's fighter rose to meet the bomber, he decided to attack it from behind. He climbed behind the sputtering bomber, squinted into his gun sight and placed his hand on the trigger. He was about to fire when he hesitated. Stigler was baffled. No one in the bomber fired at
him.
He looked closer at the tail gunner. He was still, his white fleece collar soaked with blood. Stigler craned his neck to examine the rest of the bomber. Its skin had been peeled away by shells, its guns knocked out. One propeller wasn't turning. Smoke trailed from another engine. He could see men huddled inside the shattered plane tending the wounds of other crewmen.
Then he nudged his plane alongside the bomber's wings and locked eyes with the pilot whose eyes were wide with shock and horror.
Stigler pressed his hand over the rosary he kept in his flight jacket. He eased his index finger off the trigger. He couldn't shoot. It would be murder.
Stigler wasn't just motivated by vengeance that day. He also lived by a code. He could trace his family's ancestry to knights in 16th century Europe . He had once studied to be a priest. A German pilot who spared the enemy, though, risked death in Nazi Germany. If someone reported him, he would be executed.
Yet Stigler could also hear the voice of his commanding officer, who once told him: "You follow the rules of war for you -- not your enemy. You fight by rules to keep your humanity."
Alone with the crippled bomber, Stigler changed his mission. He nodded at the American pilot and began flying in formation so German anti-aircraft gunners on the ground wouldn't shoot down the slow-moving bomber. (The Luftwaffe had B-17s of its own, shot down and rebuilt for secret missions and training.) Stigler escorted the bomber over the North Sea and took one last look at the American pilot. Then he saluted him, peeled his fighter away and returned to Germany.
"Good luck," Stigler said to himself. "You're in God's hands now..." Franz Stigler didn't think the big B-17 could make it back to England and wondered for years what happened to the American pilot and crew he encountered in combat.
As he watched the German fighter peel away that December day, 2nd Lt. Charles Brown wasn't thinking of the philosophical
connection between enemies. He was thinking of survival. He flew his crippled plane, filled with wounded, back to his base in England and landed with one of four engines knocked out, one
failing and barely any fuel left. After his bomber came to a stop, he
leaned back in his chair and put a hand over a pocket
Bible he kept in his flight jacket. Then he sat in silence.
Brown flew more missions before the war ended. Life moved on. He got married, had two daughters, supervised foreign aid for the U.S. State Department during the Vietnam War and eventually retired to Florida
Late in life, though, the encounter with the German pilot began to gnaw at him. He started having nightmares, but in his dream there would be no act of mercy. He would awaken just before his bomber crashed.
Brown took on a new mission. He had to find that German pilot. Who was he? Why did he save my life? He scoured military archives in the U.S. and England . He attended a pilots' reunion and shared his story. He finally placed an ad in a German newsletter for former Luftwaffe pilots, retelling the story and asking if anyone knew the pilot.
On January 18, 1990, Brown received a letter. He opened it and read: "Dear Charles, All these years I wondered what happened to that B-17, did she make it home? Did her crew survive their wounds? To hear of your survival has filled me with indescribable joy..."
It was Stigler.
He had left Germany after the war and moved to Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1953. He became a prosperous businessman. Now
retired, Stigler told Brown that he would be in Florida come summer and "it sure would be nice to talk about our encounter." Brown was so excited, though, that he couldn't wait to see Stigler. He called directory assistance for Vancouver and asked whether there was a
number for a Franz Stigler. He dialed the number, and Stigler picked up.
"My God, it's you!" Brown shouted as tears ran down his cheeks. Brown had to do more. He wrote a letter to Stigler
in which he said: "To say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU on behalf of my surviving crewmembers and their families appears totally inadequate."
One of Brown's friends was there to record the summer reunion. Both men looked like retired businessmen: they were plump,
sporting neat ties and formal shirts. They fell into each other' arms and wept and laughed. They talked about their encounter in a light, jovial tone.
The mood then changed. Someone asked Stigler what he thought about Brown. Stigler sighed and his square jaw tightened. He began
to fight back tears before he said in heavily accented English: "I love you, Charlie."
Stigler had lost his brother, his friends and his country. He was virtually exiled by his countrymen after the war. There were 28,000 pilots who fought for the German air force. Only 1,200 survived.
The war cost him everything. Charlie Brown was the only good thing that came out of World War II for Franz. It was the one thing he
could be proud of. The meeting helped Brown as well, says his oldest daughter, Dawn Warner.
Brown and Stigler became pals. They would take fishing trips together. They would fly cross-country to each other homes and take road trips together to share their story at schools and veterans' reunions. Their wives, Jackie Brown and Hiya Stigler, became friends.
Brown's daughter says her father would worry about Stigler's health and constantly check in on him.
"It wasn't just for show," she says. "They really did feel for each other. They
talked about once a week." As his friendship with Stigler deepened, something else happened to her father, Warner says "The nightmares went away."
Brown had written a letter of thanks to Stigler, but one day, he showed the extent of his gratitude. He organized a reunion of his surviving crew members, along with their extended families. He invited Stigler as a guest of honor.
During the reunion, a video was played showing all the faces of the people that now lived -- children, grandchildren, relatives -- because of Stigler's act of chivalry. Stigler watched the film from his seat of honor.
"Everybody was crying, not just him," Warner says.
Stigler and Brown died within months of each other in 2008. Stigler was 92, and Brown was 87. They had started off as enemies, became friends, and then something more.
After he died, Warner was searching through Brown's library when she came across a book on German fighter jets. Stigler had given
the book to Brown. Both were country boys who loved to read about planes.
Warner opened the book and saw an inscription Stigler had written to Brown:
In 1940, I lost my only brother as a night fighter. On the 20th of December, 4 days before Christmas, I had the chance to save a B-17 from her destruction, a plane so badly damaged it was a wonder that she was still flying. The pilot, Charlie Brown, is for me as
precious as my brother was.
Thanks Charlie.
Your Brother,
Franz...

 

[fl57caveman]

i have posted his story, but his own words are more powerful.

 

[fl57caveman]

The Giant Killer​

3d ·
At 5' 2" 105 lbs, Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. John F. Baker Jr. certainly qualifies as a Giant Killer. He was also the recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart.
Sgt. Baker made up for his diminutive stature by building up his physique. Inspired by his father’s work as a circus trapeze artist, he joined a gymnastics squad in high school and trained on the rings, learning to execute a perfect iron cross.
Accepted by the Army during the Vietnam War — the Marine Corps said he was an inch too short — Sgt. Baker’s impressive strength helped him save the lives of his fellow soldiers.
On Nov. 5, 1966, Sgt. Baker’s unit was tasked with reinforcing a group of American soldiers pinned down near Dau Tieng, close to the Cambodian border. About 3,000 Vietnamese had taken positions in the surrounding jungle, hiding in underground bunkers and roping themselves to tree branches.
As the U.S. soldiers advanced, the lead scout was shot in the face.
The jungle erupted in enemy fire. Camouflaged machine gun positions spit bullets that whizzed by Sgt. Baker’s head. Mortar rounds thumped the ground. Snipers in the trees picked off Americans hiding on the ground.
Sgt. Baker ran toward the front with another soldier and helped destroy two enemy bunkers. During the attack, the other soldier was mortally wounded. Sgt. Baker killed four enemy snipers before carrying his comrade away from the ambush.
Returning to the battle, Sgt. Baker was blown off his feet by an enemy grenade but recovered to make repeated trips through withering fire to evacuate wounded American soldiers much larger than himself. By the end of the two-hour conflict, Sgt. Baker’s uniform was soaked in the blood of his comrades.
In all, Sgt. Baker was credited with recovering eight fallen U.S. soldiers, destroying six bunkers and killing at least 10 enemies.
As his Medal of Honor nomination was considered, Sgt. Baker spent the rest of his tour as a “tunnel rat.” Armed with a flashlight and pistol, he explored the spider- and scorpion-infested subterranean network used by Viet Cong guerillas. During one mission, he discovered a full-scale hospital complete with surgical suites buried three stories below ground.
Returning home in August 1967, Sgt. Baker served as a drill instructor. One day, he was told he had an urgent phone call. It was President Lyndon B. Johnson on the line, inviting him to the White House to be awarded the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest decoration for valor.
According to his citation, “Sgt. Baker’s selfless heroism, indomitable fighting spirit, and extraordinary gallantry were directly responsible for saving the lives of several of his comrades, and inflicting serious damage on the enemy.”
Joining Sgt. Baker at the ceremony in the East Room was his company commander, then-Capt. Robert F. Foley, who also was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the same battle that November day in 1966.
Foley, who retired from the Army as a lieutenant general in 2000, stood 6-foot-7 and played basketball at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Noticing the soldiers’ disparate heights, Johnson told Sgt. Baker and Foley that they reminded him of the cartoon characters Mutt and Jeff.
John Franklin Baker Jr. was born Oct. 30, 1945, in Davenport, Iowa, and was raised in Moline, Ill.
After being awarded the Medal of Honor, Sgt. Baker traveled the country as a recruiter. His repeated requests to be sent back to Vietnam for combat duty were denied. He retired from the military in 1989 and later worked at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Columbia, S.C.
The Giant Killer book & page honors these incredible war heroes making sure their stories of valor and sacrifice are never forgotten. The Giant Killer book is available now on Amazon & Walmart websites. God Bless our Vets!

 

[Raven]

The Giant Killer​

3d ·
At 5' 2" 105 lbs, Medal of Honor recipient, Sgt. John F. Baker Jr. certainly qualifies as a Giant Killer. He was also the recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart.
Sgt. Baker made up for his diminutive stature by building up his physique. Inspired by his father’s work as a circus trapeze artist, he joined a gymnastics squad in high school and trained on the rings, learning to execute a perfect iron cross.
Accepted by the Army during the Vietnam War — the Marine Corps said he was an inch too short — Sgt. Baker’s impressive strength helped him save the lives of his fellow soldiers.
On Nov. 5, 1966, Sgt. Baker’s unit was tasked with reinforcing a group of American soldiers pinned down near Dau Tieng, close to the Cambodian border. About 3,000 Vietnamese had taken positions in the surrounding jungle, hiding in underground bunkers and roping themselves to tree branches.
As the U.S. soldiers advanced, the lead scout was shot in the face.
The jungle erupted in enemy fire. Camouflaged machine gun positions spit bullets that whizzed by Sgt. Baker’s head. Mortar rounds thumped the ground. Snipers in the trees picked off Americans hiding on the ground.
Sgt. Baker ran toward the front with another soldier and helped destroy two enemy bunkers. During the attack, the other soldier was mortally wounded. Sgt. Baker killed four enemy snipers before carrying his comrade away from the ambush.
Returning to the battle, Sgt. Baker was blown off his feet by an enemy grenade but recovered to make repeated trips through withering fire to evacuate wounded American soldiers much larger than himself. By the end of the two-hour conflict, Sgt. Baker’s uniform was soaked in the blood of his comrades.
In all, Sgt. Baker was credited with recovering eight fallen U.S. soldiers, destroying six bunkers and killing at least 10 enemies.
As his Medal of Honor nomination was considered, Sgt. Baker spent the rest of his tour as a “tunnel rat.” Armed with a flashlight and pistol, he explored the spider- and scorpion-infested subterranean network used by Viet Cong guerillas. During one mission, he discovered a full-scale hospital complete with surgical suites buried three stories below ground.
Returning home in August 1967, Sgt. Baker served as a drill instructor. One day, he was told he had an urgent phone call. It was President Lyndon B. Johnson on the line, inviting him to the White House to be awarded the Medal of Honor, the military’s highest decoration for valor.
According to his citation, “Sgt. Baker’s selfless heroism, indomitable fighting spirit, and extraordinary gallantry were directly responsible for saving the lives of several of his comrades, and inflicting serious damage on the enemy.”
Joining Sgt. Baker at the ceremony in the East Room was his company commander, then-Capt. Robert F. Foley, who also was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery during the same battle that November day in 1966.
Foley, who retired from the Army as a lieutenant general in 2000, stood 6-foot-7 and played basketball at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Noticing the soldiers’ disparate heights, Johnson told Sgt. Baker and Foley that they reminded him of the cartoon characters Mutt and Jeff.
John Franklin Baker Jr. was born Oct. 30, 1945, in Davenport, Iowa, and was raised in Moline, Ill.
After being awarded the Medal of Honor, Sgt. Baker traveled the country as a recruiter. His repeated requests to be sent back to Vietnam for combat duty were denied. He retired from the military in 1989 and later worked at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Columbia, S.C.
The Giant Killer book & page honors these incredible war heroes making sure their stories of valor and sacrifice are never forgotten. The Giant Killer book is available now on Amazon & Walmart websites. God Bless our Vets!

We had a real short 30 something year old in my basic platoon. He had to get an age waiver. That guy was running an 18 minute 3 mile. Never underestimate a short man

 

[fl57caveman]

The other night I wrote for you; for us.
For the ones who know already.
We know that within the boots..is one.
Within the uniform..is one.
Beyond the total number of troops..is one.
The one who belongs to a nervous Mama.
The one who belongs to a proud Papa.
The one who is a big brother, a nephew, a sister, an aunt, a son or a daughter.
The one who is a husband.
The one who is a wife.
The one they call Mama.
The one they call Daddy.
This is for everyone else.
I share this again as a reminder. A plea.
An exhortation to be mindful.
The news you read is half the story.
The headlines? Only part of the picture.
When you write and speak of "boots on the ground" you only understand in part.
Your military isn't asking for anything; I am asking.
In case you are tempted to ask, "they knew what they signed up for though, right?" I can assure you that, yes, they did. That thought should not cause you to scoff and feel less -- it should fill you with amazement, cause your throat to constrict, and your eyes to well up.
They did know what they signed up for.
They signed on the line anyway.
Please remember there is sacrifice in times like this.
And when you watch the news..
And when you read the headlines..
Please, please pray.
May God draw near to our troops, may He go before them and be their protector as they walk the path ahead.
Today and always, please join me in covering our military in prayer

 

[fl57caveman]

examples of other countries soldier's feats:

A British Army Officer, Hill commanded the 1st Parachute Brigade, deployed in North Africa. While his brigade was attempting to take Gue Hill from the Italians, he pulled off a feat of insanity on November 22, 1942. You may have been led to believe that anyone fighting the less-than-successful Italians had an easy time, but taking on three Italian tanks by yourself wasn’t exactly a walk in the park. His battalion came up against a fortified Italian and German position, including 300 Italian soldiers and three light tanks.

Hill had planned to force the enemy to retreat into a field of mines behind them which a group of Royal Engineers were to set up, but a faulty grenade in their stores led to an explosion and the death of 25 of the 27 engineers, before they could set up the minefield. Now under fire from fortified positions, and with the Italian tanks unchallenged, Hill had to think fast or risk his men being decimated. Armed only with a revolver, Hill charged the three tanks. Managing to dodge fire, James was able to subdue the crews of two of the tanks by poking his revolver in the observation hole. While moving onto the third, he was hit three times—which he survived, somehow. After giving his men a fighting chance by drawing out the crew of the third tank, they were victorious and rushed Hill to hospital where he recovered.

Havildar Lachhiman Gurung, born in Nepal on December 30, 1917, served as a rifleman in the 8th Gurkha Rifles as part of the Indian Army during World War II. Serving in Burma, this 150-centimeter (4’11”) tall man was up against the ferocity of the Japanese Empire. On the May 12 and 13, 1945, Gurung was positioned in the most forward post of his platoon at Taungdaw. While on his own, the Japanese attacked in force, with at least 200 soldiers assaulting his position. Hurling back two grenades that landed near him, he attempted to throw back a third, but it detonated and blew off his right hand. For the next four hours, Havildar repeatedly reloaded his rifle with one arm, fighting off the enemy until reinforcements arrived. In all, 31 dead Japanese soldiers were found around his position. He had killed every one of them, with one arm.

 

[Raven]

For the next four hours, Havildar repeatedly reloaded his rifle with one arm, fighting off the enemy unt

What kind of rifle?

 

[fl57caveman]

What kind of rifle?

i do not know.. could be a garand, or 8mm, those were used in that area.