Medal of Honor Announced: Vietnam Veteran

That's crazy. What a brave and selfless thing to do. Now why does it take so long for these to be awarded?
 
Heatherg21 said:
That's crazy. What a brave and selfless thing to do. Now why does it take so long for these to be awarded?
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It takes other people to notice, care and go through the steps to submit additional documentation and eyewitness accounts, whether for an upgrade of existing medal or new recognition. It goes through a meticulous review at service Secretary and DoD levels to ensure accuracy and consistency with MOH standards, policy and precedent.

Guaranteed it is never the awardee who is advocating for it - these MOH folks always seem to be the humblest person in the room. “I was just doing my duty.” “I just did what anyone else would have done.”
 
He's got 43 Air medals, what could he possibly want with a MoH?
/s

Mind boggles. Wow. It's said that they don't make 'em like this anymore, but I hope they make a couple some day. Amazing.
 
Heatherg21 said:
That's crazy. What a brave and selfless thing to do. Now why does it take so long for these to be awarded?
Click to expand...
If every chopper pilot or crew in VN was awarded a MoH for doing same or similar they would have to order a whole lot more Awards to give out.

What did the members of that recon team get as far as awards—-very likely none. :)

This is the nature of MOHs many many are earned very few are actually awarded. And some are awarded late because of those who push for the awards to be made.

At a reunion one of our team leaders talked about running from the enemy and then having to stop and make a stand—-they could not run and carry their wounded.

A chopper came on station and would not leave them. Stayed right over them as they took was people described as over 200 rounds that hit the chopper. That pilot got them all out. They used a ladder. And he got a rousing standing ovation from all the reconners at that reunion.

From the US govt he got a silver star

So happy they got this one right. He will no doubt wear his award in honor of those who should have gotten one but never did.

Chopper crews the bravest people you ever want to see.
 
Wow..simply wow...
Not that they had much choice, but the LRRP team had big brass ones as well...sitting on the Skids while extracting on the skids and gun pods--that would be a helluva "E-ticket" ride.

STB is right--the Vietnam chopper crews had to be some of the bravest and/or craziest guys out there. There is no place to get cover or hide when you are low and slow and every weapon is pointed your way.
 
I wasn't old enough to serve in Vietnam...my dad was a surgeon there. He always spoke highly of the "dust off" crews.

My MOAA chapter has a MOH recipient (helo pilot) in it: Major Fred Ferguson. Fred is...a cantankerous old codger, with a wicked sense of humor, and a humility that is SO common among the MOH recipients I've met. He's really fun to talk to. HE sings the praises of the ground soldier and the combat medic...not himself.

Reading about Capt Taylor's actions...I'm just continually amazed.
 
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