Posted on 09/13/2014 7:20:24 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Born at Winston-Salem, North Carolina, February 22, 1928, he earned the Medal of Honor in Vietnam while serving as a Medical Corpsman with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade on November 8, 1965. In spite of being wounded himself, he saved the lives of many members of his unit. He was presented the Medal of Honor by President Johnson on March 9, 1967 at the White House. He was the first living black American to have received the Medal of Honor since the Spanish-American War in 1898.
He died on February 4, 1984 and was buried in Section 46 of Arlington National Cemetery, adjacent to the Memorial Amphitheater.
(PHOTOS-AT-LINK)
JOEL, LAWRENCE Rank and organization: Specialist Sixth Class (then Sp5c), U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 8 November 1965, Entered service at: New York City, N.Y. G.O. No.: 15, 5 April 1967. Born: 22 February 1928, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp6c. Joel demonstrated indomitable courage, determination, and professional skill when a numerically superior and well-concealed Viet Cong element launched a vicious attack which wounded or killed nearly every man in the lead squad of the company. After treating the men wounded by the initial burst of gunfire, he bravely moved forward to assist others who were wounded while proceeding to their objective. While moving from man to man, he was struck in the right leg by machine gun fire. Although painfully wounded his desire to aid his fellow soldiers transcended all personal feeling. He bandaged his own wound and self-administered morphine to deaden the pain enabling him to continue his dangerous undertaking. Through this period of time, he constantly shouted words of encouragement to all around him. Then, completely ignoring the warnings of others, and his pain, he continued his search for wounded, exposing himself to hostile fire; and, as bullets dug up the dirt around him, he held plasma bottles high while kneeling completely engrossed in his life saving mission. Then, after being struck a second time and with a bullet lodged in his thigh, he dragged himself over the battlefield and succeeded in treating 13 more men before his medical supplies ran out. Displaying resourcefulness, he saved the life of one man by placing a plastic bag over a severe chest wound to congeal the blood. As 1 of the platoons pursued the Viet Cong, an insurgent force in concealed positions opened fire on the platoon and wounded many more soldiers. With a new stock of medical supplies, Sp6c. Joel again shouted words of encouragement as he crawled through an intense hail of gunfire to the wounded men. After the 24 hour battle subsided and the Viet Cong dead numbered 410, snipers continued to harass the company. Throughout the long battle, Sp6c. Joel never lost sight of his mission as a medical aidman and continued to comfort and treat the wounded until his own evacuation was ordered. His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all. Sp6c. Joel's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
I lived in W-S, NC, 1981-1996. The city built a new indoor arena in his honor during the late 1980s - Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Auditorim. Nice facility. Became the home for WFU basketball. At its dedication it was somewhat controversial because of the design of a memorial to veterans from W-S - a brickyard full of stone cenotaphs in honor of them. They were about 3 feet hight - just the right height to “rack” a guy upon leaving a ball game who had a little too much to imbibe.
The Specialist Grades did confuse many as to exactly what authority they had. What specific rank did it correspond with, etc.
The Marine Corps is much more of an elite, shock troop, assault force and is normally MUCH smaller than the Army. The Army can afford to have two enlisted tracks, as they have had since the War Between the States, off-and-on. I left as a Spec/6 and wasn’t great NCO material, but I wasn’t in the combat arms. Far from it.
I had an acting corporal try to tell me to do something one day. Hahahahaha!
Not to beat a dead horse, but I agree and think the Army did a great disservice to itself and to a lot of soldiers when they did away with the specialist career tracks for the reasons I mentioned previously and others...
I think as the military becomes increasingly reliant on technology and information systems an even stronger argument can be made. If you have a seriously competent Steve Jobs or Bill Gates type computer nerd who wants to serve and is very capable of making contributions in that area, give them the opportunity to do so. Knowing that the sons of America were about to storm a beach, I would want exactly such a person hacking and degrading an enemy's defensive systems. I would not want such a person leading them on the ground.
The Billy Gates analogy was great. Why would the Army drum someone like him out just because he can't call cadence for a platoon of basic trainees? Makes no sense...
> He was the first living black American to have received the Medal of Honor since the Spanish-American War in 1898.
He died in 1984?
Medal of Honor Press Conference: Army Command Sgt. Maj. Bennie G. Adkins
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4NHeJTaJOo&index=2&list=PLitjSv4Sbrky0sK2t-AEVvxemFh9BS1Sx
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