FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Carlos Lozada ~ 12 July 2021

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Carlos Lozada
All info and photos from this website.

           

Carlos James Lozada (September 6, 1946 - November 20, 1967), was a Private First Class in the United States Army and was killed in action in Vietnam. He was one of five Puerto Ricans who were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions.

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The United States at that time was involved in the Vietnam War and on June 11, 1967, Lozada was sent to Vietnam and assigned to Co. A, 2nd Battalion, 503 Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

On November 20, 1967, at Dak To in the Republic of Vietnam, PFC Lozada spotted a North Vietnamese Army company rapidly approaching his outpost. He alerted his comrades and opened fire with a machine gun, killing at least twenty of the enemy soldiers and disrupting their initial attack. He realized that if he abandoned his position there would be nothing to hold back the surging North Vietnamese soldiers and that his entire company withdrawal would be jeopardized - as a result he told his comrades to move to the back and that he would supply cover for them. He continued to deliver a heavy and accurate volume of suppressive fire against the enemy until he was mortally wounded and had to be carried out during the withdrawal.

PFC Lozada was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for distinguishing himself in the Battle of Dak To.

PFC Lozada was buried with full military honors in Long Island National Cemetery located in Farmingdale, New York. His name is located in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall Panel 30E-Row 045. His name is also inscribed in "El Monumento de la Recordacion" (Monument of Remembrance), dedicated to Puerto Rico's fallen soldiers and situated in front of the Capitol Building in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Bronx honored him by naming a playground in his honor located behind 175 Willis Ave. On November 11, 2008, the Government of Puerto Rico unveiled in the Capitol Rotunda the oil portrait of PFC Carlos James Lozada.

The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to:

LOZADA, CARLOS JAMES

Rank and organization:Private First Class,
U.S. Army, Company A, 2d Battalion, 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade.
Place and date: Dak To, Republic of Vietnam, November 20, 1967.
Entered service at: New York, N.Y.
Born: September 6, 1946, Caguas, puerto Rico. Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Lozada, U.S. Army, distinguished himself at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in the battle of Dak To. While serving as a machine gunner with 1st platoon, Company A, Pfc. Lozada was part of a 4-man early warning outpost, located 35 meters from his company's lines. At 1400 hours a North Vietnamese Army company rapidly approached the outpost along a well defined trail. Pfc. Lozada alerted his comrades and commenced firing at the enemy who were within 10 meters of the outpost. His heavy and accurate machinegun fire killed at least 20 North Vietnamese soldiers and completely disrupted their initial attack. Pfc. Lozada remained in an exposed position and continued to pour deadly fire upon the enemy despite the urgent pleas of his comrades to withdraw. The enemy continued their assault, attempting to envelop the outpost. At the same time enemy forces launched a heavy attack on the forward west flank of Company A with the intent to cut them off from their battalion. Company A was given the order to withdraw. Pfc. Lozada apparently realized that if he abandoned his position there would be nothing to hold back the surging North Vietnamese soldiers and that the entire company withdrawal would be jeopardized. He called for his comrades to move back and that he would stay and provide cover for them. He made this decision realizing that the enemy was converging on 3 sides of his position and only meters away, and a delay in withdrawal meant almost certain death. Pfc. Lozada continued to deliver a heavy, accurate volume of suppressive fire against the enemy until he was mortally wounded and had to be carried during the withdrawal. His heroic deed served as an example and an inspiration to his comrades throughout the ensuing 4-day battle. Pfc. Lozada's actions are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Please remember the Canteen is here to honor, support and entertain our troops and their families.  This is a politics-free zone!  Thanks for helping us in our mission! 

[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

Hope you’ve had a good weekend. And I hope your A/C has finally been fixed and you’re home now.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Glad you are getting a good steady rain.

Momma7 still has 7 and they are just about as big as her. Getting really hard to tell the difference. Momma5 only had 4 with her this morning. We will see...they are all big now.

But I sure wish it would rain.

[PROCON]

Hi radu!

Good weekend, A/C got fixed and I moved back in on Thursday. Still hot but typical summer heat now.

Howz things your way?

[cll]

Thank YOU for keeping the flame alive.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Happy 35th Anniversary, Mr & Mrs Mayor!!

Click

[luvie]

Carlos James Lozada
September 6, 1946 - November 20, 1967)
PFC United States Army
KIA in Vietnam. RIP
Medal of Honor Posthumously given for his bravery.
What a hero he was!

[radu]

We’re grateful for the rain we’ve gotten the past few days. June’s total was pretty good but it was primarily in the first two weeks. The rest of the month was dry and hot and plants were stressing. Now everything’s looking lush again after 2.5 inches this week. There’s a chance for more rain and storms tomorrow too.

Hmmmm, Momma5 needs to tighten up. That’s two she’s lost now. :-(
They were all pretty big the last time I saw a pic of them. Easy to believe it’s hard to tell babies from mommas by now.

[The Mayor]

Thank you! Is that Andy Williams?
Your very sweet Kathy

[radu]

WOOHOO! Back home again. You must be happy about that though the pups are probably feeling a little blue now. You aren’t there to show off to. LOL

Glad your heat isn’t as intense as it was. Typical summer heat can be bad enough.

Pretty soggy here the past several days, and steamy when it isn’t raining.

Had a good weekend at the museum with a steady flow of visitors. Several vets came through and they’re always fun. I learn a little something from each one as they spot something they drove, used, or worked on while they were in the service.

[radu]

Howdy, luvie.

Did you stop watching your shows in time to get to bed reasonably early last night? Or did you reeeeeeeeally hate your alarm clock this morning? :-)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Yes...Andy Williams.

Did you go out to a dress up fancy place or a nice relaxing place? Excellent company, and good food, of course.

[luvie]

Hey there, radu!

I got to bed semi-on time. LOL! But I didn’t sleep well and yes, I hated the alarm this morning. I did have a nice nap this afternoon, though.

Hope you had a nice quiet and coolish Sunday.

[radu]

I figured you stayed up a little later than intended. LOL Hard to go to sleep early when you’re used to staying up late.

It wasn’t too hot today because it was cloudy and we had some rain. The next couple of days will be the same, then we get the 90s back the rest of the week. Typical July.

[luvie]

You know how hard it is. LOL! The brain just won’t shut down like you want/need it to.

Bravo that you got some rain! Hope it was not humid along with it. I know you’ve had enough of the wet air that makes it hard to get motivated.

We had a sprinkle, but it didn’t amount to much. It was our only shot at it this week. And we failed. The good part is that it’s only 72 right now. I’m not complainin’.

[MoochPooch]

Evening, Kathy. Thanks for another bio.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mooch...you’re most welcome.

We must never forget them.

Stay cool!

[radu]

You hope it wasn’t humid along with the rain? Think back to when you lived in GA. :-)
It feels pleasant enough out there tonight. 71 and there’s a nice little breeze. It’s just a damp breeze.

Too bad you couldn’t get more than a sprinkle today. At least you’ve had some decent rainfall recently.

[luvie]

Yeah...I remember. it being hotter after a rain than before. And stickier. At least here when the temp drops, it actually feels cool. That’s the one advantage.

The rain we had has really made the yard look nicer and one of my roses that I thought was dead has come back from the roots! I was shocked. The other one...a newer, smaller one didn’t make it.

How are your flowers and trees doing? I know that the cotton is doing much better than you’d prefer. LOL!

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

[radu]

Neat that one of your roses sprang back to life. I recall you being disappointed a while back about losing two of them this year. Turned out to be only one.

Our trees are fine and the flowers are too. We haven’t been dry enough to hurt them but they were more than ready for some good rain. Daylilies are blooming all over the farm right now.
And, unfortunately, the cotton is very happy.