Episode 2707 – Vietnam Vet Army PFC Garfield Langhorn was a great one

Army Pfc. Garfield M. Langhorn posthumously earned the Medal of Honor for saving the lives of his fellow soldiers in Vietnam., vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Army Pfc. Garfield M. Langhorn posthumously earned the Medal of Honor for saving the lives of his fellow soldiers in Vietnam.

Episode 2707 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Army PFC Garfield Langhorn and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army PFC Garfield Langhorn.  It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to DoD documents, Army Pfc. Garfield McConnell Langhorn was only 20 years old when he lost his life fighting in Vietnam. He sacrificed himself to save his fellow soldiers from harm in an act of valor that earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange also reported that Langhorn was born to Garfield and Mary Langhorn in Cumberland, Virginia, on Sept. 10, 1948. At some point, the family —his parents, him and his two sisters— moved to Riverhead, a town on Long Island, New York.

As a young man, Langhorn was a devout Christian who served as an usher at his church. He graduated from Riverside High School in 1967 and worked for Suffolk County, New York, before being drafted into the Army in 1968.

Langhorn was assigned to the 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry of the 1st Aviation Brigade. He deployed to Vietnam in November 1968,

On Jan. 15, 1969, Pfc. Langhorn was serving as a radio operator with Troop C, which was inserted into a landing zone near Plei Djereng, Vietnam. The platoon was on a mission to rescue two U.S. AH-1G Cobra helicopter pilots who had been shot down by enemy fire on a heavily wooded slope.

While the platoon’s soldiers hacked their way through dense jungle to get to the wreckage, Langhorn coordinated with command-and-control aircraft overhead. Unfortunately, when they got to the wreckage site, they found both pilots dead.

Listen to episode 2707 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Army PFC Garfield Langhorn and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2706 – Vietnam Vet Army Spec 5 Dwight W. Birdwell was a great one

Army Spc. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell, Medal of Honor recipient. , vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Army Spc. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell, Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2706 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Army Spec 5 Dwight W. Birdwell and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Spec. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell.  It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to DoD documents, Army Spec. 5 Dwight W. Birdwell was one of the first U.S. soldiers to engage with the enemy during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam. He wasn’t in charge of his unit, but when soldiers fell, he stepped forward to fill the leadership gap. The Silver Star he earned for his bravery was recently upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

Lange also reported that Birdwell was born on Jan. 19, 1948, in Amarillo, Texas, but he grew up in the small town of Bell, Oklahoma, a mostly Native American community. Birdwell, who is Cherokee, said he learned to fish and hunt from his father— skills that likely helped him survive in Vietnam.

Birdwell graduated from Stilwell High School in 1966 and joined the Army shortly thereafter. He received training at the Armored School in Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was sent to Korea, according to the Stilwell Democratic Journal. According to the newspaper, after coming home on leave in September 1967, Birdwell was reassigned to the 2nd Battalion, 34th Armored Division, which was already in Vietnam. Birdwell was eventually reassigned to the 4th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.

The 20-year-old was near Saigon in South Vietnam when the Tet Offensive began in late January 1968. He was assigned to Troop C of the regiment’s 3rd Squadron.

Listen to episode 2706 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Army Spec 5 Dwight W. Birdwell and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2705 – Vietnam Vet Army Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro was a great one

Army Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro poses for a photo at Yokohama Port, Japan, 1959., vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Army Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro poses for a photo at Yokohama Port, Japan, 1959.

Episode 2705 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Army Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro.  It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to DoD documents, When Army Staff Sgt. Edward Noboru Kaneshiro learned his fellow soldiers were in trouble in Vietnam, he didn’t hesitate to take on the enemy alone. His fearlessness and courage saved his comrades and led to mission success. More than five decades after that feat, the award Kaneshiro initially earned was upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

Lange also reported that Kaneshiro was born July 22, 1928, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Japanese immigrants. He was the 8th of 16 children – nine boys and seven girls – and grew up working on his family’s farm. He graduated from Leilehua High School in June 1946 and worked for several civilian employers before enlisting in the Army on April 2, 1959, four months before Hawaii became a state.

On the morning of Dec. 1, 1966, their platoon came upon a village. Two of the platoon’s squads had deployed to its center, while Kaneshiro’s squad scouted more open terrain to the village’s east. No one in the platoon knew the village was heavily fortified with a bunker and concealed trench system that was harboring a massive force of enemy fighters.

Thanks to Kaneshiro’s incredible bravery, the squads were able to get to safety and reorganize as a platoon, which led to many saved lives and a successful withdrawal from the village.

Listen to episode 2705 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Army Staff Sgt. Edward Kaneshiro and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2704 – Vietnam Vet Eugene Ashley Jr. was a great one

Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley Jr., vietnam veteran news,

Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley Jr. was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for valorous actions near Lang Vei, South Vietnam, Feb. 6-7, 1968. He was assigned to Detachment A-101, Company C, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at the time of his death.

Episode 2704 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Eugene Ashley Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley Jr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to DoD documents, Army Sgt. 1st Class Eugene Ashley Jr.’s bravery was integral in rescuing Special Forces troops during the Battle of Lang Vei, which marked the first enemy use of tanks in the Vietnam War. Ashley, a Green Beret, never made it home from the war, but his determination earned him unending respect and the Medal of Honor.

Lange also reported that Ashley was born on Oct. 12, 1931, in Wilmington, North Carolina, to Eugene and Cornelia Ashley. He had two sisters, Gertrude and Louise.

Not long after Ashely was born, the family moved to New York City, where he grew up and attended Alexander Hamilton High School. After graduation, Ashley was weary of going into a dead-end job, so on Dec. 7, 1950, he joined the Army.

Since the Korean War was in progress, Ashley was initially sent to serve there with the 187th Regimental Combat Team. In the years after he returned, he served in many capacities, including as an infantryman, ambulance driver, anti-aircraft ammunition handler and as a specialist in heavy weapons and parachute repair. He also served as a cavalry and armored battle group squad leader, as well as a company sergeant.

According to Lange’s story, Ashley was sent to Vietnam in January 1968, in February, 1968 Ashley was serving as a senior advisor in the 5th SFG’s Detachment A-101 at Special Forces Camp Lang Vei in the northwest corner of South Vietnam. Located about a mile from the Laos border and 8 kilometers west of the U.S. Marine base at Khe Sanh, the camp was established in December 1966 as an outpost where Ashley’s detachment could train and equip locally recruited Vietnamese soldiers.

Listen to episode 2704 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Eugene Ashley Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2703 – Vietnam Vet Marine PFC. James Anderson Jr. was a great one

Marine Corps Pfc. James Anderson Jr. , vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Marine Corps Pfc. James Anderson Jr. earned the Medal of Honor when he saved his comrades from a grenade during a battle in Vietnam on Feb. 28, 1967.

Episode 2703 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Marine PFC James Anderson Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Marine Corps Pfc. James Anderson Jr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to DoD documents, Marine Corps Pfc. James Anderson Jr. had a plan for his future, but when the Vietnam War began, he felt compelled to serve. The 20-year-old never returned home to fulfill the plans he had for himself, but the valor he showed during his short time in service earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange also reported that Anderson was born in Compton, California, on Jan. 2, 1947, to Aggiethine and James Anderson Sr. He was the first boy born to the couple, who already had five daughters.  He also had a younger brother, Jack.

Growing up, Anderson liked to sing in the choir; he was also a fabulous dancer and took part in service organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, according to his niece, Denise Johnson-Cross. Anderson played clarinet in the band at Centennial High School and graduated 10th in his class in 1964. Johnson-Cross said her uncle, who was 14 when she was born, wanted to be minister.

After high school, Anderson went to L.A. Harbor College to study pre-law for a year and a half. When the Vietnam War started, he didn’t want to be drafted into the Army, so he enlisted in the Marine Corps in February 1966 and was sent to Vietnam in December.

On Feb. 28, 1967, Anderson had just celebrated his 20th birthday and his one-year anniversary in the Marines when he was put to the ultimate test.

Listen to episode 2703 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Marine PFC James Anderson Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2702 – Vietnam Vet Army SGT James W. Robinson Jr. was a great one

Army SGT James W. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor recipient. , vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Army SGT James W. Robinson Jr., Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2702 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Army SGT James W. Robinson Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army SGT James W. Robinson Jr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to Army documents, Army Sgt. James William Robinson Jr. was surrounded by the enemy deep in the Vietnam jungle when he gave his last full measure of devotion to save his fellow soldiers. His bravery and selflessness were never forgotten, and they earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange also reported that Robinson was born Aug. 30, 1940, in Hinsdale, Illinois, to parents James Sr. and Ethel Robinson, but he was raised in nearby Lyons, Illinois, with his younger brother, Tom, and sister Joan.

Robinson was known to be a bright, pleasant boy who loved animals and became interested in health and fitness at a young age. As he grew up, he started to appreciate literature and wanted to become a writer, according to a letter from his father that was published online.

Robinson went to Morton West High School and played football before leaving to join the Marines in 1958. Much of his time in the service was spent in Okinawa, where he earned a black belt in karate.

As U.S. involvement in Vietnam expanded, Robinson really wanted to do his part. He decided to enlist again in December 1963, but this time, he joined the Army.

For his extraordinary valor in action during Operation Abilene, the young soldier earned the Medal of Honor. His family received it from Army Secretary Stanley R. Resor during a ceremony at the Pentagon on July 16, 1967.

Listen to episode 2702 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Army SGT James W. Robinson Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2701 – Vietnam Vet Loren Douglas Hagen was a great one

Montagnards, vietnam veteran news, mack payne

SOG Montagnard mercenaries in Vietnam.

Congressional Medal of Honor recipent Army Capt. Loren Douglas Hagen, vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Congressional Medal of Honor recipent Army Capt. Loren Douglas Hagen

Episode 2701 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Army Capt. Loren Douglas Hagen and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Capt. Loren Douglas Hagen. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that according to Army documents, on the afternoon of Aug. 6, 1971, Recon Team Kansas led by Doug Hagen was inserted into mountainous, rocky enemy terrain to do some reconnaissance and potentially rescue prisoners of war. After they set up defensive perimeters around the few bunkers near the hilltop, the team hunkered down for the night, occasionally detected enemy movement that they fired upon as needed.

Around 6 a.m. the next day, they were fiercely attacked by a large enemy force that was employing small-arms, automatic weapons and mortar and rocket fire against them.

While valiantly leading his men in the battle, Hagen ignored his own safety and crawled through enemy fire, returning volleys with his own gun until he was hit and killed. For his actions that day, Hagen was presented The Medal of Honor was by Vice President Gerald R. Ford on Aug. 8, 1974,

Lange also reported that Doug Hagen was born on Feb. 25, 1946, to Loren and Eunice Hagen, and went by his middle name, Doug. For much of his childhood, he and his two younger brothers lived in Moorhead, Minnesota, on the border with Fargo, North Dakota, until their parents moved them to Decatur, Illinois. There, Hagen excelled at MacArthur High School, where he was an honor student and the president of the student council his senior year. He was also an Eagle Scout.

Listen to episode 2701 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Army Capt. Loren Douglas Hagen and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2700 – Army Vietnam Vet Jon Robert Cavaiani was a great one

staff sergeant, Jon R. Cavaiani, vietnam veteran news, mack payne

The 31-year-old staff sergeant, Jon R. Cavaiani, received the nation’s highest medal for valor from President Gerald R. Ford during a White House ceremony on Dec. 12, 1974.

Episode 2700 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Raymond Army Sgt. Maj. Jon Robert Cavaiani and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Army Sgt. Maj. Jon R. Cavaiani. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange in her story reported that Army Sgt. Maj. Jon Robert Cavaiani fought an overwhelming North Vietnamese force until he couldn’t fight anymore. His actions saved dozens of men who served under him, but they also earned him two years at a prisoner of war camp. When he finally returned home, the Special Forces legend was greeted with respect and, soon after, the Medal of Honor.

Cavaiani was born Jon Lemmons in Royston, England, to an American soldier named Pete Lemmons and a British mother, Dorothy. He had a younger brother named Carl.

When Jon was 4, he and his brother were sent to live with their uncle in California. Eventually, his parents came over, too, but they divorced. His mother remarried a man named Ugo Cavaiani in 1950, and they settled in Ballico, California. When his stepfather adopted him in the early 1960s, Jon decided to take the name Cavaiani.

Cavaiani became a naturalized citizen in 1968. He joined the Army because he said he had a few half-brothers who were already serving in Vietnam.  He became a member of the Special Forces and was sent to Vietnam. He was sent to Hickory Hill near the DMZ. On the morning of June 4, 1971, the young staff sergeant woke up to find the entire camp under fire from a large enemy force. Without regard for his own safety, he put himself in harm’s way several times to move around the camp’s perimeter to rally and direct the platoon’s return fire; using any weapon he could find to join them.

For his actions at Hickory Hill Cavaiani was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Listen to episode 2700 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Raymond Army Sgt. Maj. Jon Robert Cavaiani and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2699 – Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. was a great one

Congressional Medal of Honor recepient Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr.

Congressional Medal of Honor recepient Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr.

Marine Corps Pfc. Raymond “Mike” Clausen Jr., vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Marine Corps Pfc. Raymond “Mike” Clausen Jr. shakes hands with President Richard M. Nixon after receiving the Medal of Honor at the White House, June 15, 1971. Clausen earned the Medal of Honor for actions he took to rescue several Marines from a minefield in Vietnam.

Episode 2699 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. The featured story comes from The U.S. Department of Defense website and was titled: Medal of Honor Monday: Marine Corps Pfc. Ray “Mike” Clausen Jr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange reported that Clausen, who went by Mike, was born on Oct. 14, 1947, in New Orleans to parents Ray Sr. and Mary Louise. He had a sister and three brothers, two of whom also served in the Marines.

After first grade, Clausen’s family moved to Hammond, Louisiana, where he attended a Catholic primary school and was an altar boy at his church. Eventually, he switched to public school, graduating from Hammond High School in 1965. That fall, he started classes at nearby Southeastern Louisiana University, but after reading daily about all that was happening in Vietnam, he decided he needed to be part of the war effort.

Clausen enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in March 1966. By May of that year, he was discharged so he could join the regular Marines. After attending aviation school, Clausen was deployed to Vietnam, where he served as a jet helicopter mechanic with Marine Aircraft Group 16 of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.

Mike Clausen wasn’t exactly known for acquiescing to authority during his time in Vietnam, and that lack of obedience helped save more than a dozen Marines who got trapped in a minefield in 1970. Clausen’s fearless actions during that mission earned him the Medal of Honor.

Mike Clausen is another tremendous representative of the Vietnam Veteran Generation – one as great as any that ever heeded the call of duty from our country.

Listen to episode 2699 and discover more about Marine Vietnam Vet Raymond Michael Clausen Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Episode 2698 – RIP Roger Donlon, the first Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient

Roger Donlon (1934–2024), first Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient, vietnam veteran news, mack payne

Roger Donlon (1934–2024), first Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient

Episode 2698 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the passing of Roger Donlon, the first Vietnam Veteran to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in the Vietnam War. The featured story comes from Legacy.com and was titled: Roger Donlon (1934–2024), first Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient. It was submitted by Linnea Crowther.

Roger Donlon was the first Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. He passed away on January 25, 2024 at Leavenworth, Kansas.

Donlon was born in Saugerties, New York, the eighth child of ten. He attended the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University for a year. He joined the United States Air Force in 1953 and was admitted to West Point in 1955, but resigned for personal reasons. He re-enlisted, this time in the United States Army, in 1958, went to Officer Candidate School, and served as a general’s aide. In August 1963 he joined the Special Forces. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1967.

A portion of his CMoH citation reads as follows: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while defending a U.S. military installation against a fierce attack by hostile forces. Capt. Donlon was serving as the commanding officer of the U.S. Army Special Forces Detachment A-726 at Camp Nam Dong when a reinforced Viet Cong battalion suddenly launched a full-scale, predawn attack on the camp. During the violent battle that ensued, lasting 5 hours and resulting in heavy casualties on both sides, Capt. Donlon directed the defense operations in the midst of an enemy barrage of mortar shells, falling grenades, and extremely heavy gunfire

Listen to episode 2698 and discover more about the passing of Roger Donlon, the first Vietnam Veteran to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for service in the Vietnam War.

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