American Revolution: Captain Nathan Hale
Mission: Gather intelligence for General Washington on British troop strength in New York City
Cause and date of death: British noose; Sept. 22, 1776.
American hero because: Dying well, Hale inspired a young nation. He was 21.
“He was calm, and bore himself with gentle dignity, in the consciousness of rectitude and high intentions, British Captain John Montresor said, recounting the American spy’s death. “He asked for writing materials, which I furnished him: he wrote two letters, one to his mother and one to a brother officer. He was shortly after summoned to the gallows…He said, ‘I only regret, that I have but one life to lose for my country'” (Seymour, George Dudley, Documentary Life of Nathan Hale, 1941).
American Civil War: Captain Andre Cailloux
Battle: Siege of Port Hudson, one of two Confederate fortresses blocking the Mississippi river.
Cause and date of death: Exploding artillery shell; May 27, 1863
American hero because: Leading the all-black 1st Louisiana Native Guard, Cailloux fell during a frontal assault against a fortified Confederate position. His death inspired thousands of freed slaves to fight for the Union. He was 38.
“At 10 a.m. the bugle sounded and the Native Guards…emerged from the woods in good order, advancing toward the bluff about 600 yards away. At a distance of about 200 yards, the Confederates began to unleash withering musket and artillery fire at the advancing troops. The barrage threw the leading elements into confusion and they broke and ran to cover among willow trees. Cailloux and other officers rallied their men several times. Finally, Cailloux led a charge of screaming and shouting men that reached the backwater, about 200 yards from the bluffs…By then Cailloux had been hit in the left arm, but he kept going. His arm dangling by his side, Cailloux held his unsheathed sword aloft in his right hand and hoarsely exhorted his soldiers to follow him.
“As he moved in advance of his troops across the flooded ditch, Confederate artillery opened up with solid shot, grape and canister, while the infantry rained down lead. In the maelstrom of fire, Cailloux was struck in the head and killed,” (Ochs, Stephen, “The Rock of New Orleans,” 2010).
World War I: Second Lieutenant Frank Luke
Battle: Dogfights above the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
Cause and date of death: Machine gun bullet, Sept. 29, 1918
American hero because: Luke shot down 14 German balloons, four enemy fighters, and became the first airman to receive the Medal of Honor. He was 21.
“After having previously destroyed a number of enemy aircraft within 17 days he voluntarily started on a patrol after German observation balloons. Though pursued by 8 German planes which were protecting the enemy balloon line, he unhesitatingly attacked and shot down in flames 3 German balloons, being himself under heavy fire from ground batteries and the hostile planes. Severely wounded, he descended to within 50 meters of the ground, and flying at this low altitude near the town of Murvaux opened fire upon enemy troops, killing 6 and wounding as many more. Forced to make a landing and surrounded on all sides by the enemy, who called upon him to surrender, he drew his automatic pistol and defended himself gallantly until he fell dead from a wound in the chest,” (Presidential Medal of Honor citation, 1919).
World War II: First Lt. John R. Fox
Battle: Fighting around Sommocolonia, Italy
Cause and date of death: American high explosives, Dec. 26, 1944
American hero because: Fox knowingly called an artillery strike on his own position to halt a German offensive. He was 29.
As German soldiers in civilian clothes overran the little Italian hilltop village of Sommocolonia, Fox climbed to the second floor of a villa to direct defensive artillery fire to cover the American retreat.
“As the Germans closed in, Fox called for fire directly on his position. The fire direction control officer balked, and so did the colonel who had never heard such a suicidal request. Fox replied, “There are hundreds of them coming. Put everything you’ve got on my OP [observation post]!” The colonel still balked and called to division headquarters for approval. He got it, and high explosive shells then rained on Fox’s position. The unit later retrieved his body from the shattered wreckage, surrounded by about 100 dead German soldiers,” (United State Department of Defense, 2007)
Korean War: Private First Class Melvin L. Brown
Battle: Kasan Offensive
Cause and date of death: Killed In Action, Circa 1950
American hero because: Brown staved off a communist attack with his rifle, dozens of grenades, and when his ammunition was finally exhausted, a shovel. He was 19.
“While his platoon was securing Hill 755 (the Walled City), the enemy, using heavy automatic weapons and small arms, counterattacked. Taking a position on a 50-foot-high wall he delivered heavy rifle fire on the enemy. His ammunition was soon expended and although wounded, he remained at his post and threw his few grenades into the attackers causing many casualties. When his supply of grenades was exhausted, his comrades from nearby foxholes tossed others to him and he left his position, braving a hail of fire, to retrieve and throw them at the enemy. The attackers continued to assault his position and Pfc. Brown weaponless, drew his entrenching tool from his pack and calmly waited until they 1 by 1 peered over the wall, delivering each a crushing blow upon the head. Knocking 10 or 12 enemy from the wall, his daring action so inspired his platoon that they repelled the attack and held their position” (Presidential Medal of Honor citation 1951).
Vietnam War: Corporal Thomas Bennett
Battle: Action in the Chu Pa Region
Cause and date of death: Machine gun fire; Feb. 11, 1969
American hero because: Bennett wouldn’t carry a gun but he did volunteer to serve as an Army medic and willingly sacrificed his life to save his fallen comrades, becoming the first conscientious objector to win the Medal of Honor. He was 21.
“On 9 February, the platoon was moving to assist the 1st Platoon of Company D which had run into a North Vietnamese ambush when it became heavily engaged by the intense small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and rocket fire from a well fortified and numerically superior enemy unit. In the initial barrage of fire, 3 of the point members of the platoon fell wounded. Cpl. Bennett, with complete disregard for his safety, ran through the heavy fire to his fallen comrades, administered life-saving first aid under fire and then made repeated trips carrying the wounded men to positions of relative safety from which they would be medically evacuated from the battle position. Cpl. Bennett repeatedly braved the intense enemy fire moving across open areas to give aid and comfort to his wounded comrades. He valiantly exposed himself to the heavy fire in order to retrieve the bodies of several fallen personnel. Throughout the night and following day, Cpl. Bennett moved from position to position treating and comforting the several personnel who had suffered shrapnel and gunshot wounds.
“On 11 February, Company B again moved in an assault on the well fortified enemy positions and became heavily engaged with the numerically superior enemy force. Five members of the company fell wounded in the initial assault. Cpl. Bennett ran to their aid without regard to the heavy fire. He treated 1 wounded comrade and began running toward another seriously wounded man. Although the wounded man was located forward of the company position covered by heavy enemy grazing fire and Cpl. Bennett was warned that it was impossible to reach the position, he leaped forward with complete disregard for his safety to save his comrade’s life. In attempting to save his fellow soldier, he was mortally wounded” (Presidential Medal of Honor citation, 1970)
Somali Civil War: Master Sergeant Gary Gordon
Battle: Battle for Mogadishu
Cause and date of death: Somali small arms fire, Oct. 3, 1993
American hero because: A Delta Forces sniper, Gordon asked three times to be inserted into a firefight to defend downed helicopter pilots. He expended all his ammunition, killing over 50 Somali attackers. He was 33.
“Master Sergeant Gordon’s sniper team provided precision fires from the lead helicopter during an assault and at two helicopter crash sites, while subjected to intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fires. When Master Sergeant Gordon learned that ground forces were not immediately available to secure the second crash site, he and another sniper unhesitatingly volunteered to be inserted to protect the four critically wounded personnel, despite being well aware of the growing number of enemy personnel closing in on the site.”
“Equipped with only his sniper rifle and a pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon and his fellow sniper, while under intense small arms fire from the enemy, fought their way through a dense maze of shanties and shacks to reach the critically injured crew members. Master Sergeant Gordon immediately pulled the pilot and the other crew members from the aircraft, establishing a perimeter which placed him and his fellow sniper in the most vulnerable position.”
“Master Sergeant Gordon used his long range rifle and side arm to kill an undetermined number of attackers until he depleted his ammunition. Master Sergeant Gordon then went back to the wreckage, recovering some of the crew’s weapons and ammunition. Despite the fact that he was critically low on ammunition, he provided some of it to the dazed pilot and then radioed for help. Master Sergeant Gordon continued to travel the perimeter, protecting the downed crew. After his team member was fatally wounded and his own rifle ammunition exhausted, Master Sergeant Gordon returned to the wreckage, recovering a rifle with the last five rounds of ammunition and gave it to the pilot with the words, “good luck.” Then, armed only with his pistol, Master Sergeant Gordon continued to fight until he was fatally wounded. His actions saved the pilot’s life” (Presidential Medal of Honor citation, 1994).
War in Afghanistan: Lieutenant Michael Murphy
Mission: Operation Red Wings
Cause and date of death: Taliban gunfire, June 28, 2005
American hero because: Murphy deliberately braved enemy fire to find a signal for his satellite phone. Though shot numerous times, he stayed on the line long enough to call for an evacuation, telling the operator “thank you” before hanging up. He was 33.
“On 28 June 2005, operating in an extremely rugged enemy-controlled area, Lieutenant Murphy’s team was discovered by anti-coalition militia sympathizers, who revealed their position to Taliban fighters. As a result, between 30 and 40 enemy fighters besieged his four-member team.”
“The ensuing fierce firefight resulted in numerous enemy casualties, as well as the wounding of all four members of the team. Ignoring his own wounds and demonstrating exceptional composure, Lieutenant Murphy continued to lead and encourage his men. When the primary communicator fell mortally wounded, Lieutenant Murphy repeatedly attempted to call for assistance for his beleaguered teammates. Realizing the impossibility of communicating in the extreme terrain, and in the face of almost certain death, he fought his way into open terrain to gain a better position to transmit a call. This deliberate, heroic act deprived him of cover, exposing him to direct enemy fire. Finally achieving contact with his Headquarters, Lieutenant Murphy maintained his exposed position while he provided his location and requested immediate support for his team. In his final act of bravery, he continued to engage the enemy until he was mortally wounded, gallantly giving his life for his country and for the cause of freedom,” (Presidential Medal of Honor, 2005).
War in Iraq: Sergeant First Class Paul Ray Smith
Mission: Occupation
Cause and date of death: Insurgent small arms fire, April 4, 2003
American hero because: Smith held off a battalion sized attacking force by manning a machine gun atop a burnt out personnel carrier, exposing himself to enemy fire and helping kill as many as 50 Iraqi insurgents.
“Sergeant First Class Smith was engaged in the construction of a prisoner of war holding area when his Task Force was violently attacked by a company-sized enemy force. Realizing the vulnerability of over 100 fellow soldiers, Sergeant First Class Smith quickly organized a hasty defense consisting of two platoons of soldiers, one Bradley Fighting Vehicle and three armored personnel carriers. As the fight developed, Sergeant First Class Smith braved hostile enemy fire to personally engage the enemy with hand grenades and anti-tank weapons, and organized the evacuation of three wounded soldiers from an armored personnel carrier struck by a rocket propelled grenade and a 60mm mortar round.”
“Fearing the enemy would overrun their defenses, Sergeant First Class Smith moved under withering enemy fire to man a .50 caliber machine gun mounted on a damaged armored personnel carrier. In total disregard for his own life, he maintained his exposed position in order to engage the attacking enemy force. During this action, he was mortally wounded. His courageous actions helped defeat the enemy attack, and resulted in as many as 50 enemy soldiers killed, while allowing the safe withdrawal of numerous wounded soldiers,” (Presidential Medal of Honor citation, 2005).
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
