Medal of Honor Podcast

PO2 Owen Francis Patrick Hammerberg served in the Navy as a diver near the end of World War II. When two of his fellow divers were trapped underwater as they tried to clear up a shipwreck, Hammersberg volunteered to rescue them. Despite the possibility of cave-ins, debris that could rip open a diver's air supply, and zero visibility, he successfully found and rescued the first diver, George Fuller. When he finally found the other diver, Earl Brown, the wreckage caved in. A heavy piece of steel fell, causing Hammerberg to be pinned down on top of Brown and crushed to death. Since Hammerberg softened the impact of the debris, Brown survived. On February 16th, 1946, Boatswain's Mate Second Class Owen F.P. Hammerberg was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Thanks to his courage, both George Fuller and Earl Brown lived to see another day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his second tour in Vietnam, Major General Patrick Henry Bradyserved as a helicopter pilot in the 57th Medical Detachment, tasked with evacuating wounded no matter what the conditions. The 57th's call sign, “Dustoff” became one of the most famous call signs in the war.   On January 6th, 1968, Brady was awakened to rescue two wounded Vietnamese soldiers stranded in the densely fogged mountains. This cloud cover was a double edged sword, providing cover from enemy fire, but making it almost impossible for pilots to navigate. At this time, Brady was the only Huey pilot who could fly in it. By turning his aircraft sideways and hovering slowly along the valley trail, he blew away the fog with the backwash of his rotor blades. This cleared a path, and allowed Brady  to reach the stranded men. Brady then received word that 70 wounded Americans were in need of rescue nearby. Continuing to navigate the fog using his unique technique, Brady reached their position and made a total of four trips back and forth to the hospital.  Brady was supposed to be joined by other pilots, but he was the only one who could penetrate the fog, so he had to do it all on his own.  During his third trip, Brady's Huey was hit by enemy fire. The controls took serious damage, and he later found out they were hanging on by a thread. After this damage assessment, Brady and his crew hopped in a replacement aircraft and continued on with the mission.  Brady later received word of an American platoon stranded in a minefield. Another Huey had already attempted to pull them out, but it set off a mine after touching down, forcing it to retreat. With incredible precision, Brady touched down right where the previous aircraft did in order to avoid any mines. His crew then navigated the minefield, dragging the wounded back to the aircraft one by one. On one of their trips they hit an explosive, injuring two crew members and sending shrapnel into the aircraft. Despite their injuries the crew was able to load the rest of the wounded. Brady flew the damaged ship back to the hospital, and swapped into another Huey. On October 9th, 1969, Major General Patrick Henry Brady was awarded the Medal of Honor. Major Brady evacuated a total of 51 seriously wounded men that day, and without his quick response & skillful navigation, many of them wouldn't have made it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April of 1972, Lieutenant Thomas Norris was tasked to lead a mission in Vietnam to rescue Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Gene Hambleton. Hambleton had been shot down in enemy territory, and was surrounded by 30,000 enemy NVA soldiers. Rescuing Hambleton was a top priority for the U.S.. As the navigator of a light bomber (with the call sign Bat 21 Bravo), he was an expert in surface-to-air missile countermeasures and was privy to top secret strategic air command operations, so if he was captured and turned over to the Russians, it could result in “irreparable damage to American National Defense”. Norris' team was also tasked with rescuing 1st Lieutenant Mark Clark, an aviator who had been shot down while trying to rescue Hambleton. On the night of April 10th, 1972, Norris' team successfully evaded multiple patrols, located Clark, and brought him to safety. After two more days of unsuccessful attempts to find Hambleton, many were ready to give up the search. Norris and a South Vietnamese soldier named Petty Officer Nyguen Van Kiet decided to give it one more shot.  Again they successfully maneuvered around multiple enemy patrols, and located Hambleton, who was suffering from hunger and exhaustion. On their way back, they encountered two enemy positions, and came under machine gun fire once. Both times they radioed for assistance, and allied airstrikes took out the danger. All three made it back alive. On March 6th, 1976, Lieutenant Thomas Norris was awarded the Medal of Honor for his part in the rescue. Even after many had tried and failed, Norris showed selfless dedication in the face of extreme danger, resulting in the safe return of 1st Lieutenant Mark Clark and Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Gene Hambleton. If you'd like to hear Lieutenant Hambleton tell the story from his perspective, listen to his interview on Warriors In Their Own Words.  If you'd like to hear about how Norris was almost killed in a patrol that earned his teammate the Medal of Honor, listen to our episode about Lieutenant Michael Thornton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lieutenant Michael Thornton served in Vietnam as a Navy SEAL. On October 31st, 1972, then Petty Officer Thornton was assigned to a night-time SEAL patrol. Thornton and three South Vietnamese SEALs were led by Lieutenant Tom Norris, and tasked with gathering intel on North Vietnam's southern advance. After taking down two enemies, Thornton was spotted, and 50 NVA soldiers began chasing  him. In a five-hour firefight, Thornton retreated back to the shore while fending off the enemy. After learning that his leader, Lieutenant Norris, was presumed dead, Thornton ran 500 yards in the direction of the enemy in order to reach Norris' last known position. There he fought off five enemies and found Norris with serious injuries to his head. Thornton put his wounded ally on his shoulders and began to head back to shore, but a friendly artillery round sent them both 20 feet into the air. After hitting the ground, Thorton put Norris back on his soldiers and realized that he was still alive. Thorton carried him 400 yards back to the beach, inflated his life jacket, and began towing him into the sea. When one of the South Vietnamese SEALs was shot in the water, Thornton towed him along as well. He swam for two hours before they were picked up by a friendly ship. On October 15th, 1972, Lieutenant Michael E. Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on the Halloween of 1973. Lieutenant Norris had been told by his doctors that he couldn't leave the hospital to attend the ceremony, but Thornton had other plans. On the day of the ceremony, Thornton snuck Norris out the back door of the hospital and brought him to the White House so he could attend it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lieutenant Junior Grade Albert Leroy David served in World War II as an assistant engineering and electrical officer on the USS Pillsbury. On June 4th, 1944, the Pillsbury's hunter-killer group located a German U-boat 150 miles off the coast of West Africa. They attacked the submarine with depth charges, seriously damaging the ship and forcing the enemy to surface. As they abandoned ship, the German crew rigged demolition charges and cut holes in the hull, hoping to sink the U-boat to prevent their enemies from recovering any sensitive information. Facing enemy fire, an erratically moving vessel, and the possibility of explosion at any minute, LTJG David led a group of nine men onto the enemy U-boat. They quickly disarmed all the explosives and stopped the ship's flooding, allowing it to be recovered and hauled to the U.S..   On board, they recovered classified materials, charts, codebooks and enigma decoding machines. This became crucial information to the U.S., allowing allies to break German map code to locate U-boats, as well as decode German submarine radio messages in real time. The technology and advanced systems recovered on the ship also provided valuable information to the U.S. As a result of this success David was promoted to Lieutenant and recommended for the Medal of Honor. Unfortunately, he passed away before he could receive it. On September 17th, 1945, just two months before the ceremony, he died of a heart attack. On November 9th, 1945 Lieutenant Albert Leroy David was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The Medal was presented to his wife, and it now sits on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, along with U-505. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SSG Ronald J. Shurer served in the U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Berets) as a Medical Sergeant. On April 6th, 2008, his unit embarked on Operation Commando Wrath, a mission to capture or kill high-value targets in Shok Valley. The operation would later be named The Battle of Shok Valley. For six hours, Shurer and his unit came under RPG, machine gun, sniper, and small arms fire on the mountain. During that time, Shurer put himself in harm's way numerous times to provide aid to his wounded comrades. On October 1st, 2018, Ronald J. Shurer II was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Shok Valley. Thanks to Shurer's incredible bravery, not a single American died in the battle.

On June 3rd, 1944, Private Herbert Christian and Private Elden Johnson were on a patrol looking for enemy Germans. At 1am, they were ambushed, and came under suffocating fire from nearly all sides. Seeing no other options, Christian and Johnson stood up amidst the fire and advanced, drawing the enemy's attention away from their allies and towards themselves. Despite the odds, and Christian even having his leg shot off, they were both able to travel 20 yards and kill multiple enemies before finally being gunned down. In the end, their diversion worked, and 12 of their allies were able to escape to safety. Both Private Herbert Christian and Private Elden Johnson were later awarded the Medal of Honor for the courageous sacrifice.

Sergeant Darrell S. Cole initially served during World War II as a bugler. He didn't like the job, and wanted to serve with his unit so badly that he twice took it upon himself to mount unmanned machine guns and join the battle. For this he became known as “The Fighting Field Music”.  Due to his accomplishments and persistence, he was eventually assigned to a machine gun and became squad leader. During the Battle of Iwo Jima, Sgt. Cole lead his section onto the shore and up the beach through heavy fire. As they advanced, they were pinned down twice by a total of 5 protectedJapanese machine guns. Under intense fire,Cole destroyed all five on his own with a machine gun, grenades, and his pistol. After destroying the fifth, he was killed by an enemy grenade.  On April 17th, 1947, Darrell S. Cole was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage, determination, and sacrifice during the Battle of Iwo Jima. Thanks to Cole, his unit was able to storm the remaining fortifications and seize their objective during a critical period of the battle.

The Battle of A Shau was a brutal battle that took place in the northern part of South Vietnam. More aptly described as a multi-day defense, less than 450 soldiers faced an onslaught of 2,000 NVA attackers. In this two-part episode, we tell the full story of the battle, and reveal why two of the camp's defenders, Col. Bernard Francis Fisher and CSM Bennie G. Adkins, were both awarded the Medal of Honor

The Battle of A Shau was a brutal battle that took place in the northern part of South Vietnam. More aptly described as a multi-day defense, less than 450 soldiers faced an onslaught of 2,000 NVA attackers. In this two-part episode, we tell the full story of the battle, and reveal why two of the camp's defenders, Col. Bernard Francis Fisher and CSM Bennie G. Adkins, were both awarded the Medal of Honor.

This week we wanted to share an episode of another podcast we're excited about; History Daily from Noiser and Airship. Today we're listening to their episode covering the story of 2d Lt and former Olympian Louis Zamperini, who became a POW after his bomber crashed at sea in WWII. Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

Lieutenant Ronald E. Ray was deployed as a platoon leader in the Ia Drang Valley, right on the Cambodian border. After one of his patrols was surrounded by the enemy, Ray took nearly all of his men to rescue them. They successfully broke through enemy lines to reach their allies, where they took fire from all sides. Ray directed their defense while single handedly taking out multiple enemies and machine gun nests, in addition to using his body to protect two of his allies from a grenade explosion. Ray and his team weathered the storm, and Ray only agreed to be evac'ed after all of his men had reached safety.

Staff Sergeant Salvatore Agustine Giunta deployed to Afghanistan twice, first in 2005 and again in 2007. On the night of October 25th, 2007, then Specialist Giunta and his team were conducting a patrol in the Korengal Valley where they were stationed. After they left their elevated position and began falling back, they were ambushed by 10-15 enemy personnel. Thanks to Giunta's bravery and leadership, his platoon was able to defeat the enemy and rescue a captured ally.

To celebrate 100 episodes of the Medal of Honor podcast we are revisiting one of our favorite episodes featuring Daniel Inouye. The only US Senator so far to receive both the Medal of Honor and the President Medal of Freedom, Senator Daniel Inouye lost his right arm fighting in World War II. He went on to serve nine terms in the Senate and was the highest-ranking Senator at the time of his death in 2012. Read the AUSA's graphic novel about Sen. Inouye for a gripping retelling and illustration of his story.

Second Lieutenant Robert Edward Femoyer served in World War II as a navigator on a B-17 bomber. On November 2nd, 1944, Femoyer embarked on only his fifth mission in Europe. He and hundreds of other B-17s were tasked with attacking an extremely well-defended oil refinery in Germany. As they approached the target, their aircraft was hit with three anti-aircraft shells. The impact sent shrapnel into Femoyer's side and back, knocking him to the ground and severely wounding him. He was offered painkillers, but he refused, knowing that it would hamper his ability to navigate the aircraft. In order to ensure the safety of his crew, he suffered through 2.5 of serious pain in order to traverse the aircraft through flak and guide it back to base. Only upon touching down did he accept the injection of a sedative, but by then it was too late. Femoyer succumbed to his wounds as he was being moved off the plane.  On May 9th, 1945, Femoyer was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Thanks to his self-sacrifice, the rest of the 10 man crew returned to their base in England safely.

Sgt York was awarded the Medal of Honor for single handedly killing two dozen enemies and capturing over 130 during World War I, but is that what really happened?  In this episode we talk about what really happened that day in France, and how decades of lies and cover-ups supported a false narrative about York and his actions that day.

To celebrate 100 episodes of the Medal of Honor podcast we are revisiting the story of the first recipient, Jacob Parrott. Jacob Parrott received the first Medal of Honor ever awarded for his participation in the Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War.

Staff Sergeant Edward N. Kaneshiro served in the Army in Vietnam. On December 1st, 1966, two American squads were ambushed by an overwhelming North Vietnamese force. Rushing to their aid, Kaneshiro ordered his men to take cover while he crawled up to a fortified enemy trench. While laying on his stomach, he threw a grenade into the trench, killing the enemy soldier manning a machine gun. Kaneshiro jumped into the trench and proceeded to kill two groups of enemies with grenades, and one group with his M-16 rifle. He single handedly cleared a 135 foot portion of the enemy trench, stopping the fire that suppressed his allies. Kaneshiro was originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, but a few years ago, his file was revisited. The US military has been reviewing past service member awards, particularly those of racial minorities, to see if they were overlooked for higher awards as a result of bias or bigotry. On July 5th, 2022, Staff Sergeant Edward N. Kaneshiro was awarded the Medal of Honor for single handedly averting disaster for his whole platoon.

Emil J. Kapaun served as a military Chaplain in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War. As a Chaplain, it was his job to move from unit to unit, leading prayer and passing words of encouragement. During battle, Chaplains provided emergency care to the wounded, and gave last rites to dying soldiers. Since they aren't issued as weapons and aren't allowed to engage in combat, being a Chaplain was quite a dangerous job. On November 1st, 1950, Chaplain Kapaun and his unit were attacked by Chinese forces in what would later be called the Battle of Unsan. During the battle, Father Kapaun provided reassurance to his allies, administered aid, and helped pull 30 injured men out of no man's land. When he was given the opportunity to retreat with his unit, he declined. Instead he opted to stay and try to rescue more men, despite the risk of death or capture. Eventually he noticed an injured Chinese officer among the American wounded, and convinced him to negotiate the American's safe surrender. As a result, most of the men were spared from being killed in action, or executed. Later on, he saved another wounded American from execution by pushing away an enemy soldier and carrying his comrade away, leaving the enemy too stunned to act. On their ‘Death March' to a prison camp, Chaplain Kapaun's words of motivation helped save the lives of several men. He encouraged healthy prisoners to help carry those who were wounded, ill or freezing, and could no longer walk by themselves. One prisoner said “I don't know the name of that valley, but we called it the Kapaun Valley because that is where Father Kapaun instilled in us a will to live.” At the prison camp, Father Kapaun continued to be a beacon of light. He stole food, led prayers, fashioned tools, made fires, and aided the sick. He was so influential that the guards wanted to kill him, but they feared that doing so would start a rebellion. After about seven months in the prison camp, Chaplain Kapaun's health deteriorated due to injury, sickness, and malnourishment. He was on track to recover, but the Chinese guards took him away from American doctors and threw him in their “hospital”, where he didn't receive food or medical care. He died on May 23rd, 1950. Chaplain Kapaun originally was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his for his courage at the battle of Unsan, and for saving a fellow American from execution. Over 60 years later, on April 11th, 2013, that award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

Today we are sharing an interview from our other show, Warriors In Their Own Words, which features Medal of Honor Recipient Earl Plumlee. Plumlee's story is almost unbelievable, and it's even more incredible hearing him tell it. We'll be back with another new episode of the Medal of Honor Podcast next week, but in the meantime, enjoy.

Next week we'll be sharing an interview with MOH recipient Earl Plumlee, which was recorded for our other show, Warriors In Their Own Words. In preparation, today we're re-airing our Medal of Honor episode about Plumlee. His story is one of the most incredible we've heard, so it's really worth taking a listen. MSG Plumlee's Medal of Honor story is straight out of a movie. When enemies with suicide vests attacked his base in Afghanistan, Plumlee was out gunned and outmanned. He fought multiple insurgents with little ammo, and miraculously emerged from the fight with relatively minor injuries despite being under heavy fire.

Private Dale Merlin Hansen served in the Marine Corps during World War II. On May 7th, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, Hansen took matters into his own hands and crawled into an exposed, advanced position. He fired his rocket launcher, destroying an important Japanese pillbox before his weapon was broken by enemy fire. Finding a nearby rifle, he continued his advance, killing four enemies before it jammed. He then fought two more off with the butt of his weapon and took cover. From there, he was able to arm himself with several grenades and a new weapon. He advanced again, killing eight enemies and destroying a strong enemy mortar position all on his own. Sadly, three days later, Hansen was mortally wounded by a sniper round while fighting at Dakeshi Ridge. On May 30th, 1946, Private Dale Merline Hansen was posthumously awarded for his bravery and indomitable determination during the Battle of Okinawa.

Today we want to introduce you to a new podcast from Evergreen Podcasts called History Shorts. Award-winning historian, author, and history professor Peter Zablocki shares his research into the little-known and hidden-in-plain-sight historical curiosities you probably never heard of. All in the little time you probably do not have. Our guest today is Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Jack H. Jacobs. His selfless acts under fire in Vietnam saved the lives of fellow soldiers and earned him the nation's highest military honors. The story of Mr. Jacobs' life before and after the defining event is one of resilience, leadership, and unwavering principles.

On January 31st, 1968, Specialist 5 Dwight W. Birdwell and his troop were ordered to respond to an NVA attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base. When the arrived on scene, they were ambushed by over 1,000 soldiers from either side of the road. Birdwell's troop immediately took heavy casualties, including Birdwell's tank commander. Under heavy fire, Birdwell got him out of the tank, onto the ground, and to a safe position before commandeering the tank. Standing in the hatch half exposed, Birdwell used the tank, a .50 caliber machine gun, a m60 machine gun, and his m16 rifle to fend off the attackers. Eventually something exploded in front of him, destroying his machine gun and sending shrapnel into his face, chest, arms, and hands. He then gathered a few other soldiers and took cover in the ditch beside the road. He was ordered to evacuate via a helicopter due to his wounds, but he snuck off the other side of the aircraft in order to stay and keep fighting. He then helped treat other wounded soldiers and continued engaging the enemy until reinforcements arrived. Only then did he finally agree to be evac'ed. Birdwell's bravery and leadership was crucial to the defense of Tan Son Nhut, and directly led to an American victory. This NVA attack was one of several that marked the beginning of the Tet Offensive, which became one of the bloodiest periods in the Vietnam War.  Birwell's commanding officer originally recommended him for the Medal of Honor, but that recommendation was sabotaged. In an act of racism, the events of January 31st were intentionally recorded incorrectly in order to prevent Birdwell from receiving the medal. Major chunks of Birdwell's heroism were missing, and as a result, it was not originally upgraded. Finally on July 5th, 2022, Dwight Birdwell was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership and tenacity under fire over 50 years prior. His other awards include two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and two Silver Stars. You can read Birdwell's Medal of Honor Citation on the National Medal of Honor Museum website.

Airman First Class Jone Lee Levitow served in Vietnam as a loadmaster. On February 24th, 1969, Levitow's AC-47, a fixed wing gunship, was hit by an enemy mortar round. The explosion tore a hole in the plane, slashed the fuselage, temporarily blinded the pilots, and threw everyone in the cargo hold to the ground, causing numerous injuries. It also knocked a 3 foot long, 27 pound explosive metal flare out of a crew member's hands, with the safety pin still around his finger. Armed and ready to explode, the smoking canister threatened to ignite all 19,000 pounds of ammunition in their aircraft. Despite being weak from the loss of blood, his right leg being partially numb, and the aircraft shaking in a 30 degree tilt,  Levitow attempted to grab the flare as it rolled around the floor. Eventually he threw his body on it, and managed to toss it out of the aircraft right before it ignited. The pilots of the AC-47 were able to get the aircraft under control, and were met with an ambulance when they arrived back at base. All eight crew members survived. On May 14th, 1970, Airman First Class John Lee Levitow was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible feat under dire circumstances. His heroism is probably best summarized by Major Ken Carpenter, who flew the AC-47 that day: “In my experience, I have never seen such a courageous act performed under such adverse circumstances. The entire eight-man crew owes their lives to John, and his quick reactions surely saved the aircraft. It was not possible to bail out as we had two seriously injured men aboard, one of them John Levitow. How the plane ever flew back to the base, I'll never know. How a plane with over 3,500 holes in the wings and fuselage stayed airborne defies description.”

Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne served in Iraq as an Army Ranger. On October 22nd, 2015, Payne's special operations unit was paired with Kurdish allies in order to complete a hostage rescue mission from an ISIS compound. Payne continuously wethered enemy fire, brownout conditions, and smoke from a burning building on the brink of collapse in order to help rescue 75 Iraqi hostages.  Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and selfless service on that day.

Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith was among the first group of Americans to invade Iraq in 2003, serving as a combat engineer.  On April 4th, 2003, American forces were attempting to seize Saddam Hussein International Airport. SFC Smith was leading two platoons of about three dozen men with the goal of setting up a holding area for prisoners of war, but they were attacked by over 100 members of the Iraqi Republican Guard. Smith quickly organized their defense, but the overwhelming enemy force began to swarm the area. Then, an RPG explosion sent shrapnel into three of Smith's men. Smith organized their evac, but they were still vulnerable during their retreat. Seeing that a nearby carrier was unmanned, Smith exposed himself to enemy fire in order to man the .50 caliber machine gun on top of the vehicle. He engaged, covering his allies and killing as many as 50 enemies before being hit in the head by an enemy round. He was pulled to safety, but died a few minutes later in a hospital.  Smith's leadership and quick thinking saved the lives of over 100 allied soldiers who were in vulnerable positions just a few hundred meters back. Thanks in part to Smith's heroism, American forces eventually repelled the Iraqi attack and were able to successfully take control of the airport.  On April 4th, 2005, Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his role in protecting his men and fending off the Iraqi attack.

Staff Sergeant Herbert H. Burr served in World War II as a tank gunner. His tank was approaching a town in Germany when they were hit by a bazooka, killing two crewmembers and seriously injuring the platoon sergeant. The surviving crew was forced to evacuate the vehicle, but Burr, delayed by his exit hatch that couldn't open, feared being targeted upon leaving the vehicle. So, without any other crew, he commandeered the tank and drove it deeper into the town. He made a left turn where he was faced with an anti-tank gun that should have killed him, but Burr did something that was completely unexpected: he advanced. The enemy was thrown off by this decision, giving Burr just enough time to run over the gun with his tank, forcing the enemy to flee. Burr continued on, side swiping a German truck and knocking it over before heading back to his company. Upon his return, he exited the tank and braved sniper fire to reach medics and direct them towards his injured comrades.

Captain Steven Logan Bennett was flying an OV-10 Bronco near Quang Tri, Vietnam in 1972 when he received an urgent call for help. A friendly South Vietnamese ground unit had overextended, and were about to be engaged by nearly 300 enemies. Bennett called for air support, but none was available. He then called for artillery, but it turned out that it would risk hitting enemy troops. Seeing no other way to help, Bennett engaged the ground forces himself, disregarding the fact that his OV-10 was particularly susceptible to surface to air missiles. He strafed four times and avoided at least two missiles before one finally hit, destroying his left engine. He was kept airborne by his right engine, but a fire on his wing threatened to ignite the fuel storage, so he needed to act fast. His backseater couldn't eject because his parachute had been destroyed by the missile, so the only option was to attempt a water landing. He knew that the OV-10 was not suited for this, and in fact no pilot had ever survived an OV-10 ditching, but he ignored the risks. His aircraft hit the water and was flung into a wing-over-wing tumble before settling nose first underwater. Bennett did not survive the crash, but his backseater did. On August 8th, 1974, Captain Steven Logan Bennett was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism and unparalleled concern for his companion. He's credited with saving the lives of many South Vietnamese ground soldiers and his backseater.

Today, in honor of Vietnam War Veteran's Day, we are re-airing our episode featuring SFC Webster Anderson. Sergeant First Class Webster Anderson served in the Army in Vietnam. He lost two legs and an arm defending his position near Tam Ky, but his resilience and bravery encouraged his men, led to victory, and earned him the Medal of Honor.

Dr. Mary E. Walker spent her whole life defying gender roles. She saved up money to go to college to become a Doctor, refused to wear women's clothing her whole life, and served as an “Assistant Surgeon” (but still technically a civilian) during the war. She was captured and held as a prisoner of war for four months, and at the end of the war, she was awarded the Medal of Honor for her devotion to the detriment of her own health. Her medal was later rescinded in 1917, along with 911 other recipients, after the military decided to create eligibility requirements for the Medal of Honor. 50 years later, thanks to the help of her descendants, Dr. Walker's Medal of Honor was posthumously restored by President Carter.  Dr. Walker was a vocal supporter of women's suffrage, equal pay, and healthcare, and testified to Congress in support of women's suffrage in 1912 and 1914. She received harassment her whole life for how she dressed, and in her later years, she opened her home to others who were ostracized by society.

Staff Sergeant Robert J. Miller served in Afghanistan as a Weapons Sergeant. In January of 2008, Miller was part of a Special Forces combat reconnaissance unit tasked with confirming enemy activity in the Gowardesh Valley. The unit had a successful initial engagement, in which Miller relayed information that became crucial to a lethal allied air strike. Afterwards, Miller was ordered to be the point man for a patrol tasked with doing a post battle assessment. The patrol separated from the unit, traveling to the opposite side of the valley and into a natural checkpoint as they navigated up a steep hill. There they were ambushed by 140 enemies. Holding elevated fighting positions on three sides of the patrol, the insurgents fired from less than 25 meters away. The patrol immediately retreated, but Miller charged forward, engaging the enemy and drawing a majority of the fire away from his vulnerable allies. He did this for over 25 minutes, killing 16 enemies and wounding 30, before succumbing to two gunshot wounds. He's credited with saving the lives of 23 allies. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and sacrifice that day.

Anthony T. Kaho'ohanohano was a native Hawaiian who served in the Army in the Korean War before Hawaii was even a state. When an overwhelming enemy force attacked their defensive position, Kaho'ohanohano ordered his men to fall back, but he stayed behind. Kaho'ohanohano laid down deadly coverfire to protect his men as they retreated, firing a machine gun and throwing grenades. He was hit in the shoulder, but held his position until he had completely exhausted all of his ammo and grenades. Armed only with a shovel, Kaho'ohanohano was overwhelmed by enemy forces, but killed two in hand-to-hand combat. Seeing Kaho'ohanohano's fierce dedication and bravery, his squad was inspired. They rallied and launched a successful counter attack, pushing out the enemy. When the dust cleared, they found that Kaho'ohanohano's machine gun had bent because it had fired so many bullets. Kaho'ohanohano was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his sacrifice, but decades later, it was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. On May 2nd, 2011, Anthony T. Kaho'ohanohano was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, and it was received by his nephew. He's buried at the Maui Veterans cemetery in Maui, and a National Guard Armory in Maui was named after him.

Sergeant John Phillip Baca served in the Army in a recoilless rifle team. His company was near Quan Loi, Vietnam and settled in for the night when an explosion went off in the distance. They recognized it as one of the tripwires they had set to alert them of enemies in their position. Baca and his platoon responded to the disturbance, and quickly came under heavy fire. Baca was preparing to fire when a friendly wounded soldier ran past, bumping Baca's weapon off his shoulder. This caused Baca to see a grenade near his best friend and fellow soldier, Art. Baca shouted, alerting his platoon of the danger, and instinctively pushed Art out of the way. He then placed the top of his steel helmet on his stomach and jumped on the grenade. Baca and his helmet absorbed almost all of the concussion and shrapnel, and he lived to make a full recovery.

Colonel Walter Joseph Marm Jr. served in the Army during Vietnam. On the 14th of November, 1965, Marm and his company were tasked with rescuing a platoon that had been surrounded by the NVA. After their first push was unsuccessful, Marm led his platoon through heavy machine gun and light arms fire. Marm killed four enemies that approached their position before exposing himself to enemy fire in order to locate their hidden machine gun. He then charged the machine gun bunker alone, running through 30 yards of open terrain, again exposed to enemy fire. He then tossed a grenade into the bunker, killing several of the 8 enemies that manned it, and killed the rest with his rifle. As he motioned for his men to join up with him, he was shot. The bullet entered his left jaw and exited through his right cheek. Despite the wound, Marm walked back to his company by himself, where he was evac'd to a hospital.

1st Lieutenant Frank Luke Jr. served in the Army in World War I as a pilot. He quickly gained a reputation as being arrogant and overconfident, but he had the skills to back it up. He scored 18 aerial victories in under three weeks, mostly on unsanctioned missions. His friendship to his group commander allowed him to fly as he pleased, consequence free.  On September 29th, 1918, after almost being grounded by his squad commander, Luke left on another solo flight, destroying three German observation balloons. What happened after became subject exaggeration and speculation for decades to come. Originally, it was thought that Luke fought 10 German planes, destroying two of them before being shot down himself, and then died in a gunfight on the ground with German soldiers. For this he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Decades later in 2008, thanks to archeological digs, interviews with descendants of witnesses, reviewing unpublished material, and analyzing evidence, the truth was finally revealed. After destroying three German observation balloons, Luke had circled back to head home, but was down by a German machine gun. He crash landed and attempted to escape on foot, but succumbed to his injuries.  Luke was reburied at the Meuse-Argonne Cemetery. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Italian War Cross, in addition to being the first airman ever awarded the Medal of Honor. He's been commemorated with a statue that stands at the Arizona State Capitol, and by Luke Air Force Base, which was named after him. To this day, Luke's Medal of Honor citation has never been updated to reflect the full picture.

After an enemy Japanese plane crashed into the water besides the USS William D. Porter, it exploded causing the destroyer to partially leave the water and crash down again. Thanks to Lieutenant Richard Miles McCool Jr., the commander of a smaller Landing Craft Support ship (LCS-122), all 300 crew members were evacuated to safety. The next day, on June 11th, 1945, the LCS-122 was subject to its own Kamikaze attack that made a direct hit to its bow. The impact caused an explosion and a serious fire that threatened to ignite the ship's ammunition cache, igniting 120 rockets all at once. Despite his right side being covered in burns and shrapnel, Lt. McCool helped two wounded sailors escape the flaming deckhouse, and directed his crew in order to keep the fire from spreading. His lung then collapsed, but he was able to receive aid and be evacuated to another LCS. Lt. McCool was awarded the Medal of Honor role in saving both the crew of the USS William D. Porter on June 10th, and his own crew on June 11th, 1945.

Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers served in the Army during World War II. He was a member of the 761st tank battalion, a primarily all black battalion nicknamed the Black Panthers. The panthers were considered an experiment by the U.S. military. At the time, the military was segregated, and they didn't think black soldiers had the intellect or ability to operate tanks. The 761st had to train for two years before being deployed, as opposed to the usual few months.  Rivers and the rest of the Black Panthers arrived in Normandy in 1944. During 183 days of continuous combat, the Panthers traveled through six countries and liberated 30 towns on their march to Germany, becoming the first african american tank battalion to see combat.  One day near Geubling, France, River's tank hit a mine, causing shrapnel to shred Rivers' leg to the bone. He repeatedly refused morphine and evacuation, not wanting to leave his battalion. A few days later, the panthers encountered a German anti-tank unit, and their commanding officer ordered a retreat. Seeing the location of the enemy, Rivers radioed and said “I see ‘em, We'll fight ‘em!”. He and another tank engaged the enemy, providing cover fire for the rest of the panthers as they withdrew. Suddenly River's tank was hit by two high powered artillery shells, killing him and wounding the rest of the crew.  Rivers' Medal of Honor recommendation was initially denied, but it was a long shot considering that at that point, no African American had received the award for their actions in either of the world wars.  Over 50 years later, Staff Sergeant Ruben Rivers was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his fighting spirit and daring leadership.

The Lost Battalion was the name given to 554 American soldiers who were encircled by German forces during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I. These men defended their vulnerable position for nine days with very little food, water and supplies. This episode tells the story of four soldiers who were awarded the Medal of Honor during those nine days: Major Charles Whittlesey, Captain George McMurtry, 1st Lieutenant Harold Goettler, and 2nd Lieutenant Erwin Bleckley.

The Lost Battalion was the name given to 554 American soldiers who were encircled by German forces during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive of World War I. These men defended their vulnerable position for nine days with very little food, water and supplies. This episode tells the story of four soldiers who were awarded the Medal of Honor during those nine days: Major Charles Whittlesey, Captain George McMurtry, 1st Lieutenant Harold Goettler, and 2nd Lieutenant Erwin Bleckley.

Colonel William A. Shomo served as a pilot in the pacific theater during World War II. While on a reconnaissance mission, Shomo and his wingman encountered a Japanese bomber convoy and attacked despite being outnumbered 13 to 2. Together they destroyed 10 enemy aircraft, and the remaining three were forced to flee. Shomo earned the Medal of Honor for destroying 7 of those enemies.

On a raid in a Taliban compound, Master Sergeant Petry was wounded in both legs when an enemy grenade landed by his wounded comrade. Without thinking twice, Petry saved his friend by throwing the grenade back and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his self-sacrifice.  You can read Petry's Medal of Honor Citation on the National Medal of Honor Museum website.