Rest in Peace, Sp6c. Joel. I’m honored to live in a nation that produces men like you.
Hand Salute!
(Though I hate the Army’s “Specialist” ranks.)
I arrived in Viet Nam on Nov 1, 1965. I was not an infantryman when I arrived but after this battle I was re-assiged from the 17th Cav to 1st 503rd and began my OTJ training as an infantryman.
I arrived in the company area shortly after the troops returned from this battle. When I asked what cot was to be mine I was told any without equipment was available since the original owners were not coming back. Over half the cots were available. At 18 this was my introduction to life in a Infantry company.
I met Joel a few years later at a 173rd reunion. Nice man.
The 8th of November
Thanks for the post.
But have to ask, why caused him to die so young?
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.
> 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