way to put a tear in my eye this early in the morning.

Thank you sir for your service. My family and I appreciate the sacrifices you made.

I found out yesterday that my grandfather, also a WWII vet, will probably not live through Christmas.

//Salutes

He was wounded 14 times in Vietnam and was awarded eight Purple Hearts.

...wow. Knowing what it's like to get shot then going back in again? That's ballsy. Doing it 13 more times is in a whole other class.

/goodnight, ballsy man.

Ain't found a way to kill me yet
Eyes burn with stinging sweat
Seems every path leads me to nowhere
Wife and kids household pet
Army green was no safe bet
The bullets scream to me from somewhere

Here they come to snuff the rooster, aww yeah, hey yeah
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no, ya know he ain't gonna die (x2)

Walkin' tall machine gun man
They spit on me in my home land
Gloria sent me pictures of my boy
Got my pills 'gainst mosquito death
My Buddy's breathin' his dyin' breath
Oh god please won't you help me make it through

Here they come to snuff the rooster, aww yeah
Yeah here come the rooster, yeah
You know he ain't gonna die
No, no, no ya know he ain't gonna die

/dont typically post lyrics

JaCiNto: I found out yesterday that my grandfather, also a WWII vet, will probably not live through Christmas.

//Salutes

He was born in 1939.

This is where I claim I got teary over this, right?

Rest easy, sir. We have the watch.

h time's a charm

"Unclear if he went peacefully or if Death will be walking with a limp for a while"

Now if only he could take on the anthropomorphization of hero worship.

Nice headline subby.

x2

/why do I hear Taps in my head...

FTFA: He was awarded it once, for his bravery in Vietnam during a mission to rescue a missing soldier in enemy territory.

so "missing in action" is a true story??? ;-)
/I suspect the Reaper took a few points of damage taking this guy out
//got something in my eye
///special saluting slashies!

Thank you, sir. Rest peacefully.

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
FIRST LIEUTENANT

ROBERT L. HOWARD
UNITED STATES ARMY

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Howard (then Sfc .), distinguished himself while serving as platoon sergeant of an American-Vietnamese platoon which was on a mission to rescue a missing American soldier in enemy controlled territory in the Republic of Vietnam. The platoon had left its helicopter landing zone and was moving out on its mission when it was attacked by an estimated 2-company force. During the initial engagement, 1st Lt. Howard was wounded and his weapon destroyed by a grenade explosion. 1st Lt. Howard saw his platoon leader had been wounded seriously and was exposed to fire. Although unable to walk, and weaponless, 1st Lt. Howard unhesitatingly crawled through a hail of fire to retrieve his wounded leader. As 1st Lt. Howard was administering first aid and removing the officer's equipment, an enemy bullet struck 1 of the ammunition pouches on the lieutenant's belt, detonating several magazines of ammunition. 1st Lt. Howard momentarily sought cover and then realizing that he must rejoin the platoon, which had been disorganized by the enemy attack, he again began dragging the seriously wounded officer toward the platoon area. Through his outstanding example of indomitable courage and bravery, 1st Lt. Howard was able to rally the platoon into an organized defense force. With complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Howard crawled from position to position, administering first aid to the wounded, giving encouragement to the defenders and directing their fire on the encircling enemy. For 3 1/2 hours 1st Lt. Howard's small force and supporting aircraft successfully repulsed enemy attacks and finally were in sufficient control to permit the landing of rescue helicopters. 1st Lt. Howard personally supervised the loading of his men and did not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all were aboard safely. 1st Lt. Howard's gallantry in action, his complete devotion to the welfare of his men at the risk of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Here's the citation for the MOH:

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 30 December 1968. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 11 July 1939, Opelika, Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Howard (then Sfc .), distinguished himself while serving as platoon sergeant of an American-Vietnamese platoon which was on a mission to rescue a missing American soldier in enemy controlled territory in the Republic of Vietnam. The platoon had left its helicopter landing zone and was moving out on its mission when it was attacked by an estimated 2-company force. During the initial engagement, 1st Lt. Howard was wounded and his weapon destroyed by a grenade explosion. 1st Lt. Howard saw his platoon leader had been wounded seriously and was exposed to fire. Although unable to walk, and weaponless, 1st Lt. Howard unhesitatingly crawled through a hail of fire to retrieve his wounded leader. As 1st Lt. Howard was administering first aid and removing the officer's equipment, an enemy bullet struck 1 of the ammunition pouches on the lieutenant's belt, detonating several magazines of ammunition. 1st Lt. Howard momentarily sought cover and then realizing that he must rejoin the platoon, which had been disorganized by the enemy attack, he again began dragging the seriously wounded officer toward the platoon area. Through his outstanding example of indomitable courage and bravery, 1st Lt. Howard was able to rally the platoon into an organized defense force. With complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Howard crawled from position to position, administering first aid to the wounded, giving encouragement to the defenders and directing their fire on the encircling enemy. For 3 1/2 hours 1st Lt. Howard's small force and supporting aircraft successfully repulsed enemy attacks and finally were in sufficient control to permit the landing of rescue helicopters. 1st Lt. Howard personally supervised the loading of his men and did not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all were aboard safely. 1st Lt. Howard's gallantry in action, his complete devotion to the welfare of his men at the risk of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

natgod: h time's a charm

ack....

..thirteenth time's a charm

14 purple hearts? shoulda learned to duck... i keed i keed... being nominated for a medal of honor once is pretty impressive.. 2 more nominations on top of that is unbelievable..

From a self-professed pacifist and die-hard leftist, I salute this hero most sincerely and whole-heartedly, sir. Your sacrifices made my choices possible. Let us never forget this fact. We may not agree with the politicians who sent you, and who send your modern brethren to war, but we must never forget that it is you who lay down your lives for ours.

natgod: natgod: h time's a charm

ack....

..thirteenth time's a charm

And the second apparently.

Thanks for his service to his country. I served, but not like he did. I just got the educational benefits, so I'm feeling a bit guilty.

Thanks also, to my FIL - 91 years old, WWII vet, fought at Sicily and Salerno, then at Leyte Gulf, Okinawa and Iwo Jima. That guy can probably still kick a few asses.

Jesus farking christ, now THAT is a hero.

Rest easy soldier.

I can only say thanks. Your valor is truly what makes American soldiers the worlds best.

/

I thiought I heard a loud clanking noise, must have been his steel balls slamming together.

/USAF vet, GSW to left leg.
//Once was enough.

(Ginormous brass testicles not shown)

Why do i picture St. Peter putting on a helmet and cup just in case?

He was really hoping to live and see the free health care get handed out to the farking deadbeats. What now? Do I owe you an LCD?

Death may be missing a nipple or two.

slapmastered: From a self-professed pacifist and die-hard leftist, I salute this hero most sincerely and whole-heartedly, sir. Your sacrifices made my choices possible. Let us never forget this fact. We may not agree with the politicians who sent you, and who send your modern brethren to war, but we must never forget that it is you who lay down your lives for ours.

THIS!

Rest in Peace, Soldier.
Thank you for serving.

Sir,

May you go on to your well deserved rest knowing that the sacrifice and leadership you showed inspired many a Soldier and Citizen. I am deeply gratefull that as a veteran you led the way and did not forget the meaning of Duty, Honor, Courage. I shall forever salute you and follow your example. As was said in an earlier post - Rest easy, We have the watch!

Sincerely,
Desert Storm Veteran

NYRBill: slapmastered: From a self-professed pacifist and die-hard leftist, I salute this hero most sincerely and whole-heartedly, sir. Your sacrifices made my choices possible. Let us never forget this fact. We may not agree with the politicians who sent you, and who send your modern brethren to war, but we must never forget that it is you who lay down your lives for ours.

THIS!

Not to make this man's accomplishments any less, (and yes, as a vet I said my own soldier's prayer for this man). Can anybody tell me, exactly, what american freedoms were protected in vietnam?

Reasons for war not withstanding, this is the kind of man god himself would meet at the pearly gates and offer a beer.

I love that headline. Farking love it...

Great headline.
Tough-honorable man.
Other words fail me.
And slapmaster well said!

His list of awards and decorations is farking unbelievable!

Link (new window)

Make sure to scroll down to "Badges and Qualifications"

He had a master's degree in badassery with a certificate in capping farkers. RIP.

Rreal: NYRBill: slapmastered: From a self-professed pacifist and die-hard leftist, I salute this hero most sincerely and whole-heartedly, sir. Your sacrifices made my choices possible. Let us never forget this fact. We may not agree with the politicians who sent you, and who send your modern brethren to war, but we must never forget that it is you who lay down your lives for ours.

THIS!

Not to make this man's accomplishments any less, (and yes, as a vet I said my own soldier's prayer for this man). Can anybody tell me, exactly, what american freedoms were protected in vietnam?

Reasons for war not withstanding, this is the kind of man god himself would meet at the pearly gates and offer a beer.

Hence my original statement that while we might not agree with the reasons that we were there in the first place, we should never lose sight of the fact that, right or wrong, these guys went over and bled and died in those rice paddies. Reason or no reason, these boys have bigger balls than I do. The best I can do is work for their safety (I'm in an engineering firm that has a DoD R&D contract to design safety systems to be integrated into the MRAP vehicles deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, to guard against spinal injuries caused by roadside IED's)

whammer: (Ginormous brass testicles not shown)

Is it just me or does this guy look like Gerald Ford?

*Hand Salute*

Rest in peace, Colonel; you will always be remembered as a true legend and a role model for future warriors.

See you on the final drop zone, sir...

damn son

While leading a covert SOG platoon-sized mission in southeastern Laos on November 16, 1967, Sergeant First Class Howard carried out actions that led to his being recommended for his nation's highest honor. While the main body destroyed an enemy cache, Howard's team came upon four North Vietnamese Army soldiers, whom he shot. The team was then pinned down by heavy machine gun fire. Howard first eliminated a sniper and then charged the machine gun position, killing its occupants. When a second machine gun opened up, he crawled forward to within point-blank range and threw a hand grenade, disabling that gun.

When more of the North Vietnamese took over the same gun, Howard stood in the open and fired a light anti-tank weapon, knocking it out once again. The team was then successfully extracted by helicopter. Although recommended for the Medal of Honor, Howard's award was downgraded to the Distinguished Service Cross. This would be the first of three recommendations within 13 months for the Medal of Honor for Robert Howard.

In mid-November Howard accompanied an FOB-2 Hatchet Platoon into Laos. After four days in the area, on November 19, 1968, the force was ambushed by Vietnamese troops, including a Soviet-built PT-76 tank. Braving intense fire, Howard crept forward and knocked out the PT-76 with an anti-tank rocket. After a medivac helicopter was shot down, Howard, already wounded, charged forward 300 yards through North Vietnamese fire to lead the two pilots and a wounded door gunner to safety. He was again wounded, this time by 14 pieces of shrapnel, but all that this seemed to do was aggravate him.

He charged the Vietnamese, killed two and dragged back a third as a prisoner. North Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire halted the extraction of the platoon until the following morning, when Howard, already perforated multiple times, moved forward and silenced a 37 mm anti-aircraft gun, allowing the extraction to be completed. For the second time, Howard was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but his award was again downgraded to a Distinguished Service Cross.

This series of events illustrates the difficulties faced when special operations personnel exhibited extraordinary bravery in denied areas. Recommendations for decorations always stipulated the location and circumstances of the action, and since the award of such a high decoration became public knowledge, the citation would have to be changed to place the action within territorial South Vietnam. The U.S. Congress and President were loath to create any sense of falsehood about the actions of the nation's most highly decorated military personnel, so, in many instances, awards were downgraded to keep the recipient out of the limelight.

On December 30, 1968 Howard was serving as a member of a 40-man Bright Light rescue mission into northeastern Cambodia. The unit was in search of MACSOG Private First Class Robert Scherdin, who had been separated from his recon team. Bypassing a North Vietnamese Army company, Howard was leading his men up a hill when he and Lieutenant Jim Jerson were wounded by a land mine. While administering first aid to Jerson, a bullet struck one of the wounded man's ammunition pouches, detonating several magazines. His fingers in shreds, Howard was dragging Jerson off the hill when he was shot in the foot.

The remaining 20 men were organized by Howard, who administered first aid, directed their fire, and encouraged them to resist. After three and one-half hours under attack, Howard prepared for a fight to the death. The team was saved from that fate, however, when an emergency night extraction took them off without any further casualties. As badly wounded as he was, Howard was the last man to board a helicopter. After his third recommendation in 13 months, Robert Howard was finally awarded a well-deserved Medal of Honor.

Via Wikipedia, describing what happened about six weeks *before* his Medal of Honor citation:
After four days in the area, on November 19, 1968, the force was ambushed by Vietnamese troops, including a Soviet-built PT-76 tank. Braving intense fire, Howard crept forward and knocked out the PT-76 with an anti-tank rocket. After a medivac helicopter was shot down, Howard, already wounded, charged forward 300 yards through North Vietnamese fire to lead the two pilots and a wounded door gunner to safety. He was again wounded, this time by 14 pieces of shrapnel, but all that this seemed to do was aggravate him.

If he recovered from all that in six weeks, I think he'll shock himself back to life in time for his funeral. What an amazing, great man.

RIP, sir, you deserve it.

dball2: He was really hoping to live and see the free health care get handed out to the farking deadbeats. What now? Do I owe you an LCD?
dude, you got acid?

SilentStrider: You are quite right. Semper Fi

a picture of what an injured death might look like. (very hot linked)