While facing insurmountable odds with their backs against a wall and their comrades' lives at stake; brave men and women, without hesitation, place the well-being of others before their own. On Sunday we remember these brave and courageous warriors.
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed a bill creating the Medal of Honor. The distinguished award was designed to recognize those whom displayed valorous actions while serving on the battlefield.
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, presents this unique award.
This Sunday, March 25th, marks the 149th anniversary of the first presentation of the medal in 1863. On that day, six soldiers were given the award for their bravery during the Great Locomotive Chase in 1862.
Since the medal's inception, there have been 3,458 recipients, 19 of whom were double awardees.
Some of the most recognizable and distinguished recipients include; President Theodore Roosevelt, for his actions during the Spanish-American War. Gen. Douglas MacArthur was recognized for his selfless service in the Philippines during World War II. Sgt. Audie Murphy, World War II's most decorated US soldier, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous gallantry. Most recently, Marine Sgt. Dakota Meyer was recognized for his heroism while serving in the mountains of Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Within the ranks of the valorous, the 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, is home to four individual awardees.
"I'm very proud to be a part of an organization with four incredible awardees," said Col. R.J. Lillibridge, Commander, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). He added, "the actions of these four men optimize the personal courage and duty expected of all Rakkasans."
Each awardees personal story and situation is unique and holds a level of personal courage rarely witnessed, Lillibridge expressed.
The awardees from the 3rd BCT have a unique story of courage and selfless service.
Pfc. Richard G. Wilson, Medical Company, 187th Airborne Infantry Regiment, during combat operations in the Korean War, distinguished himself for having courage to willingly self-sacrifice for the sake of others.
While accompanying a unit near Opari, Korea, Oct. 21, 1950, Medical Company was ambushed by a barrage of automatic weapons and mortar fire. He moved among the wounded and administered aid under hostile fire.
After the unit was ordered to pull back, Wilson noticed a wounded soldier was still moving. He ignored the pleas of his fellow soldiers and went back to the ambush site to find the wounded soldier. Two days later, a patrol found his body lying next to the wounded soldier. He had been shot several times in attempts to shield the body while administering first-aid.
Cpl. Rodolfo P. Hernandez, Company G, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, came under attack while serving on Hill 420 near Wontong-ni, Korea, May 31, 1951. The attack inflicted massive casualties onto his platoon.
Suffering a lack of ammunition, the platoon started to withdraw their positions.
Wounded by a grenade, Hernandez continued firing into the onrushing opposition until his rifle became inoperable. He then left his position, armed only with his rifle and a bayonet, ran fearlessly toward the enemy. While attacking, he killed six enemies before falling unconscious from grenade, bullet and bayonet wounds.
Because of his selfless service and heroics, Cpl. Hernandez gave his unit time to mount a counter attack and gain the ground they had lost during the assault.
Cpl. Lester Hammond, Jr., communication specialist, Company A, 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team, was conducting a reconnaissance patrol near Kumwha, Korea, Aug. 14, 1952. After his patrol had traveled over 3,500 yards into enemy-controlled territory, they were ambushed and partially surrounded by a large opposition force. After being wounded in the initial exchange of fire, Cpl. Hammond managed to withdraw up a ravine with his unit.
On the ravine he found a vantage point. Although his position was still vulnerable to enemy fire, Cpl. Hammond began to direct artillery fire that inflicted heavy casualties onto the Communist force. While coordinating fires, Hammond was wounded a second time. However, he refused to find safety in a different position and continued to direct fire onto the enemy until being mortally wounded.
Capt. Paul W. Bucha, Commander, Company D, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and his company air assaulted into Phuoc Vinh, Binh Duong Province, Republic of Vietnam, with orders to search and destroy a suspected enemy stronghold, Mar. 16, 1968. During the operation, Capt. Bucha's lead element became engaged by a battalion-sized force. With his soldiers pinned down from a concealed bunker, Capt. Bucha, under hostile fire, crawled to the bunker and single-handedly destroyed the bunker with grenades while receiving wounds from the shrapnel.
After he returned, he soon realized his unit couldn't repel the relentless enemy attack. He ordered the withdrawal of his unit and covered their movements to positions of a company perimeter. When one element was cut off by the advancing enemy, Capt. Bucha ordered his men to face death while he ordered dangerously close artillery fire around them.
In addition to that, while in direct view of enemy snipers, he coordinated three medical evacuations using flashlights to help get the seriously wounded out as well as resupply his unit. When the next day came, he led the rescue efforts to recover the dead and wounded soldiers of his unit.
These four soldiers exemplify the very structure the Army was built upon: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless-service, honor, integrity, and personal courage.
"If you ever have the honor to meet a Medal of Honor recipient, you will be astonished by the humility they posses in receiving the nation's highest military honor," Lillibridge said. He concluded, "they will all say they were just doing their duty."
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