Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin presents the Medal of Honor flag to Army Maj. John Duffy, in a ceremony wherein Duffy and 5 different Medal of Honor recipients have been inducted into the Pentagon Corridor of Heroes, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Corridor, Va., July 6, 2022.
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WASHINGTON — Vietnam veterans carried a heavy burden following their service within the struggle, the Army’s high civilian chief stated.
The Protection Division and the Army lately honored 4 of these veterans — the latest Medal of Honor recipients — by inducting them into the Pentagon’s Corridor of Heroes throughout a ceremony Wednesday at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Corridor’s Conmy Corridor. Moreover, the DOD inducted two Army Rangers into the Corridor — an active-duty Iraq Battle veteran who served throughout Operation Inherent Resolve and a Ranger pioneer and teacher who fought throughout the Korean Battle.
The 4 Vietnam Battle veterans — Spc. 5 Dennis Fujii, the late Employees Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro, Spc. 5 Dwight Birdwell and Maj. John Duffy — obtained the nation’s highest army honor throughout a White Home ceremony Tuesday. The opposite two Troopers, Rangers Sgt. Maj. Thomas Patrick Payne and retired Col. Ralph Puckett, obtained Medals of Honor in September 2020 and Could 2021, respectively.
Throughout a interval of anti-war protests and civil unrest within the Nineteen Sixties and early Nineteen Seventies, the nation’s Vietnam Battle veterans weren’t all the time obtained effectively by the general public after they returned residence. Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth stated that veterans usually needed to pay the worth as they confronted detrimental public perceptions. Lastly, practically 50 years later, the Army and DOD fulfilled its pledge to grant full honors to those 4 heroes of that struggle.
“Our [Vietnam] veterans usually bore the brunt of that political and social unrest, a burden that was by no means actually theirs to bear,” Wormuth stated.
“These Troopers now have a commemorated place in American lore and eternally will symbolize the greatness of our nation and those that serve it,” stated the Army’s Vice Chief of Employees, Gen. Joseph M. Martin. “They may encourage generations of service members as they face their very own battles.”
BIRDWELL
Birdwell, a member of the Cherokee nation and the thirty third Native American to be awarded the Medal of Honor, had the braveness to face earlier than his school classmates when his professor requested who had served in Vietnam. Wormuth stated that he didn’t concern public scrutiny for his army service. Birdwell later went on to grow to be the chief justice of the Cherokee Nation and a lawyer in Oklahoma Metropolis.
On Jan. 31, 1968, Birdwell helped rescue Troopers at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, one thing for which he felt his unit had not obtained correct credit score. Birdwell assumed management of his car after enemy rounds rendered his tank commander incapacitated. He suppressed enemy hearth utilizing a machine gun and grenades, serving to to avoid wasting his convoy and ultimately Tan Son Nhut.
Secretary of the Army Christine E. Wormuth presents a photograph and quotation to Medal of Honor recipient former Army Spc. 5 Dwight Birdwell, in a ceremony wherein Birdwell and 5 others have been inducted into the Pentagon Corridor of Heroes, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Corridor, Va., July 6, 2022.
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Vietnam now makes use of the air base as its worldwide airport.
“By this award, the world will know now that we achieved one thing crucial: we saved Tan Son Nhut Air Base,” he stated.
FUJII
Fujii, a medical crew chief, confronted a harrowing 17-hour battle after his helicopter crash-landed throughout a rescue mission to retrieve wounded South Vietnamese troops on Feb. 18, 1971. When a rescue chopper returned to retrieve the crew, the enemy directed hearth at him, so he selected to strand himself on the bottom quite than additional danger the lives on the plane.
Fuji later declared the world too sizzling for rescue helicopters to retrieve him and selected to deal with the wounded allies, because the lone American, and fought off attacking adversaries earlier than ultimately being totally rescued two days later.
Fujii stood subsequent to Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Employees, Gen. Mark A. Milley, to obtain his honorary flag.
Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin presents the Medal of Honor flag to Medal of Honor recipient former Army Spc. 5 Dennis Fujii, in a ceremony wherein Fujii and 5 different Medal of Honor recipients have been inducted into the Pentagon Corridor of Heroes, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Corridor, Va., July 6, 2022. (DoD picture by Lisa Ferdinando)
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“Spc. Fujii stated he was pushed by a need to do his justifiable share,” Wormuth stated. “Whereas he was deployed, family and friends again residence requested him ‘what are you preventing for?’ Spc. Fujii advised them that he felt referred to as to … defend in opposition to communism and to protect a greater life for the individuals of Vietnam. Thanks, Mr. Fujii, for doing greater than your justifiable share.”
KANESHIRO
Employees Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro attacked a big contingent of North Vietnamese troops alone within the Kim Son Valley on Dec. 1, 1966. After the North Vietnamese attacked and trapped two squads of his unit, Kaneshiro despatched his personal squad to security and dispatched parts of the enemy pressure with six grenades and his M16 rifle.
Kaneshiro’s actions helped free the survivors of the North Vietnamese assault. Kaneshiro was killed in motion three months later, forsaking his 35-year-old spouse, Mitsuko. Mitsuko who handed away in April, raised the couple’s 5 youngsters alone.
Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin presents the Medal of Honor flag to Ashley Aczon-Skjelstad, the daughter of the late Medal of Honor recipient Army Employees Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro, in a ceremony the place Kaneshiro and 5 different Medal of Honor recipients have been inducted into the Pentagon Corridor of Heroes, at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Corridor, Va., July 6, 2022.
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Kaneshiro’s daughter, Naomi Viloria, shared the few reminiscences that they had of their late father from their childhood.
“Our mom by no means stated a phrase about our father or the struggle as a result of the grief was simply too profound,” she stated. “We have been all very younger when our father died. We [learned] our father was a proud Soldier who carried the traits of responsibility, honor and satisfaction into struggle.”
Kaneshiro’s youngest son, John, adopted his father’s footsteps and joined the Army, retiring as a grasp sergeant. He additionally accepted the Medal of Honor from President Biden on his father’s behalf.
DUFFY
As a senior advisor for the Republic of South Vietnam, Duffy bravely led the protection of Hearth Help Base Charlie on April 14-15, 1972. Regardless of struggling a number of accidents and the lack of his commander, Duffy directed gunfire to counter a vicious North Vietnamese assault whereas additionally treating the wounded on April 14.
By the morning of April 15, North Vietnamese forces launched one other assault, and he guided the evacuation of the survivors, refusing to be evacuated by a medevac helicopter till every of his fellow troops have been safely loaded onto the plane.
“Main Duffy wouldn’t go away till all his brothers in arms had been on board,” stated Secretary of Protection Lloyd J. Austin. “Main Duffy, thanks for all that you’ve completed on behalf of our nation.”
At 17 years previous, the New York Metropolis native initially enlisted within the Army to grow to be a paratrooper earlier than commissioning. On the time of his Vietnam deployment, Duffy served as an infantry officer.
Duffy later helped discovered the non-profit Particular Operations Affiliation, and Fort Benning inducted him into its Infantry Corridor of Fame.
Duffy went on to publish six books, and even earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination.
PAYNE
On Oct. 22, 2015, Payne, alongside together with his Special Forces teammates, rescued 75 hostages from an ISIS jail in what grew to become one of many largest rescue operations in U.S. army historical past.
Throughout the night time operation, Payne’s unit scaled a wall to enter the compound and broke into the primary constructing to free the primary 40 hostages. After answering a name for assist in the densely fortified second constructing, Payne uncovered himself to enemy hearth and suicide vest detonations as his unit engaged in an intense firefight.
Army Sgt. Maj. Thomas P. Payne, shares his commemorative plaque together with his spouse, Alison, as he’s inducted into the Pentagon Corridor of Heroes, in a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Corridor, Va., July 6, 2022.
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Flames erupted within the second constructing and, amid the smoke and flame, Payne efficiently penetrated the doorway. Payne, whereas uncovered to enemy hearth, entered the blaze many times till he freed each prisoner.
“These women and men and their households will always remember that daring rescue,” stated Austin. “And neither will we. I’m particularly grateful as a result of I’m the man that despatched you into that combat because the [U.S. Central Command] commander.”
Payne paid tribute to his fallen comrade, Grasp Sgt. Joshua Wheeler, who died after being struck by small-arms hearth throughout the Oct. 22 raid.
The South Carolina native nonetheless at the moment serves within the Army as a Special Forces teacher at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
PUCKETT
From Nov. 25-26, 1950, Puckett led 57 Rangers and Korean Troopers within the brave assault of Hill 205 close to Unsan, Korea. As a younger first lieutenant, Puckett served as firm commander for the Eighth Army Ranger Firm Process Pressure Dolvin.
Puckett repeatedly rallied his males together with his actions. First he raced throughout an open discipline 3 times to attract enemy rounds, permitting his males to find the supply of hostile hearth. Puckett then led his males who allotted mortar rounds to repel 5 waves of North Korean Troopers.
Puckett would endure a number of extra wounds however continued to persist by partaking an enemy sniper till his troops killed the shooter. He ordered his males to depart him on the battlefield. His teammates refused and Puckett proceeded to direct artillery hearth as soon as extra on the enemy.
“Towards all odds, his management and instance helped to avoid wasting his males,” Wormuth stated.
Puckett grew to become a pioneer for the fashionable Army Rangers when the West Level graduate re-created and commanded one of many first Ranger models following the disbanding of Ranger models following World Battle II.
Puckett additionally served as a Ranger teacher on the Army’s Ranger College at Fort Benning.
“He’s thought-about to be the architect of the fashionable day Ranger regiment,” Wormuth stated. “As a Ranger teacher … many Troopers at present nonetheless recall his encouraging presence with kindness.”
After the Korean Battle ended, Puckett selected to stay on energetic responsibility till 1971 and endured a protracted and tough restoration from his wounds. He earned a number of distinctions, together with induction into the U.S. Army Ranger Corridor of Fame and turning into the primary honorary colonel of the seventy fifth Ranger Regiment.
Associated hyperlinks:
Medal of Honor: Spc. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell
Medal of Honor: Maj. John J. Duffy
Medal of Honor: Spc. 5 Dennis M. Fujii
Medal of Honor: Employees Sgt. Edward N. Kaneshiro
