Around '66-'68, there was a US Army platoon(?) that ran into a large NVA force. They proceeded to running until they got to a hill they thought they could hold. They marked their position with smoke. Air support didn't seem able to stop the enemy, and they were getting overrun. The LT called for a strike on their own smoke marker. They were advised that all that was immediately available was napalm. "Drop it". A handful of those US soldiers survived. The LT got a Silver Star. Years later, I figured out that the reason he didn't get a higher award was he didn't accomplish his original mission, and lost most of his men in a defensive action. That he was instrumental in the destruction of so many of the enemy (IIRC, several hundred) didn't count. (He was originally put in for a MOH.)
He was a local boy, and they had him in for a show-n-tell in the high school auditorium. I think his story was also in Life Magazine. (cover story, maybe)
4 comments:
I think he chose the better option than what would have happened if he was captured.
One tough Son-of-a-bitch!
gfa
Probably clanks when he walks.....
Around '66-'68, there was a US Army platoon(?) that ran into a large NVA force. They proceeded to running until they got to a hill they thought they could hold. They marked their position with smoke. Air support didn't seem able to stop the enemy, and they were getting overrun. The LT called for a strike on their own smoke marker. They were advised that all that was immediately available was napalm. "Drop it". A handful of those US soldiers survived.
The LT got a Silver Star. Years later, I figured out that the reason he didn't get a higher award was he didn't accomplish his original mission, and lost most of his men in a defensive action. That he was instrumental in the destruction of so many of the enemy (IIRC, several hundred) didn't count. (He was originally put in for a MOH.)
He was a local boy, and they had him in for a show-n-tell in the high school auditorium. I think his story was also in Life Magazine. (cover story, maybe)
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