Posted on 09/15/2014 4:55:44 PM PDT by mandaladon
(CNN) -- As many as 175 enemy troops killed, 18 wounds from enemy fire, 38 hours of battle, 48 hours evading the North Vietnamese troops in the bush -- and one tiger. Those are the numbers behind Sgt. Maj. Bennie Adkins' Medal of Honor, an award he received from President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony Monday.
Adkins of Opelika, Alabama, was honored for his actions in Vietnam's A Shau Valley more than 48 years ago. Then a 32-year-old sergeant first class, Adkins was among a handful of Americans working with troops of the South Vietnamese Civilian Irregular Defense Group at Camp A Shau when the camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force on March 9, 1966, according to an Army report.
"Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position defending the camp," the Army report says. "He continued to mount a defense even while incurring wounds from several direct hits from enemy mortars. Upon learning that several soldiers were wounded near the center of camp, he temporarily turned the mortar over to another soldier, ran through exploding mortar rounds and dragged several comrades to safety. As the hostile fire subsided, Adkins exposed himself to sporadic sniper fire and carried his wounded comrades to a more secure position."
Later, under enemy fire, some of it coming from South Vietnamese allies who had defected to the North during the battle, Adkins took wounded troops to an airstrip outside the camp for evacuation and drew enemy fire away from the evacuation aircraft. He went outside the camp again to retrieve supplies from an airdrop that fell into a minefield. And that was just day one.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
God Bless him for his bravery on the battlefield too bad he had to get this medal almost 50 years later from a CIC who does not like things military.
Freegards
LEX
It takes a while for government bureaucrats to count that high.
Thank you, thank you Mr. Adkins. I am humbled by your bravery and devotion.
Indeed, there is something shameful about waiting so long to recognize such actions.
I too am humbled. But I also got an immense kick out of part of his explanation for how he made it out “The bottom line is that that just was not my day to go.” We’ll put that in the “mild understatement” file.
I recall reading that there was a project in the Pentagon to review MOH recommendations that were downgraded in the past for reasons unrelated to the action. For example, some minorities, Jews, and awards that were downgraded “because we only awardedX number of MOH for that theater.” The recent awards that are really old are a result of that review.
Sgt. Maj. Adkins must have been put in for the MoH at the time, it was probably downgraded to a lesser award. That happened a lot.
Wow.
Amen.
Democrats trying to fool everyone that they care. An election is coming up.
My respects to the man. Very courageously done!
On the other hand pinning a medal on him for his heroism,by you know who, does not offset the 99.9% general disregard for the rest of our soldiers.
Sorry. But this is just another insincere PHOTO op.
Guess this guy, quickly forgotten, was a little above JV when it counted.
Also from the article:
'Spc. Donald P. Sloat was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in using his body to shield comrades from a grenade blast near Danang, Vietnam, in January 1970.'
As you said, really old.
“The bottom line is that that just was not my day to go.” We’ll put that in the “mild understatement” file.
~~~~~
Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Thy book they were all written,
The days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.
Psalm 139:16
I'm surprised obammy hasn't turned him over to Vietnam as a serial killer.
bfl
At the same award ceremony, The President presented the MOH to Brevet Major Alonso Cushing, commander of Batter A 4th U.S. Artillery. Cushing was killed at his battery during Pickets Charge on the 3rd day of the Battle of Gettysburg.
Wow.
Long overdue.
And a guardian angel tiger.
I did not learn till recently that a few men were lost to tigers.
I have seen old buddies getting together for reunions, when they find out a buddy never received his due, they begin to go to work seeing if anything can be done about it. Have saw that a few times.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.