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John Reitzell in Vietman

Episode 2764 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about John Reitzell and his inspiring story of service to his country in war and peace. The featured story appeared on the U.S. Department of Defense website. It was submitted by Skip Vaughn.

John Reitzell went to Vietnam in the spring of 1970 as a 23-year-old second lieutenant in the Army infantry. The year-long experience was as challenging as one would expect.

“It was not very pleasant. There’s nothing worse on Earth than a nasty gunfight, and I was in multiple combat close-quarter battles,” the now-retired colonel said.

He was a rifle platoon commander in the 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in the central highlands, the mountain jungles. He spent the last eight months of his tour as an operations officer for N Company, a long-range reconnaissance patrol company, with the 75th Rangers, 173rd Airborne Brigade.

Besides the Purple Heart, Reitzell has three Legions of Merit, five Bronze Stars (two with “V” for valor), the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, five Army Service Medals, five Air Medals and the Joint Service Commendation Medal. During his tour, he spent three weeks in the hospital recuperating from his wounds before returning to the field. He came home in the summer of 1971.

He said he was treated “shabbily” when he returned to the United States. He didn’t get spat on, but he did get called “baby killer” by a female protester at the Seattle airport. Reitzell received a welcome reception when he got home to Monroe, Louisiana.

The son of a World War II veteran, Reitzell graduated from Northeast Louisiana State College, now called Louisiana-Monroe, in 1969 with a bachelor’s in pre-med with a specialty in chemistry. He was commissioned through the Army ROTC. He became a master parachutist in 1972

Listen to episode 2764 and discover more about John Reitzell and his inspiring story of service to his country in war and peace.

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Capt. Stephen A. Rusch holding his daughter, Sharon Rusch. He was an F-4E Phantom pilot during the Vietnam War, who was shot down in southern Laos and considered missing in action. His remains were identified in 2007 and laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery, Va.

Episode 2763 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the inspiring story of Sharon Rusch, the daughter of a Vietnam War MIA. The featured story comes from The U.S. Air Force website and was titled: Echoes of Vietnam: An Air Force family legacy. It was submitted By Bryce Baswell, Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Sharon Rusch was three days from her sixth birthday when a knock came at the door. She says she does not remember the Air Force officers from casualty affairs speaking with her mother. She does, however, remember the birthday card, the last message she would ever receive from her father.

Stephen A. Rusch enlisted in the Air Force and later commissioned as an Air Force weapons systems officer flying with an F-4E Phantom squadron during the Vietnam War. On the morning of March 7, 1972, his two-ship formation was flying a classified mission over the jungles of southern Laos when it was cleared to engage enemy trucks on the ground. On the second pass, the flight lead lost sight of his aircraft.

Three days of aerial searches by the Air Force yielded nothing, and Rusch’s status was changed to missing in action. Finding out the details of what happened to her father and coming to terms with it has been a lifelong journey for Sharon and her family.

Maj. Gen. Sharon Bannister, daughter of Air Force MIA Stephen A. Rusch

Sharon Rusch is now Maj. Gen. Sharon Bannister, a two-star general officer, mother of two and wife to a retired Army colonel. She currently serves as the director of medical operations in the Office of the Surgeon General in the Pentagon, close enough to walk to Arlington National Cemetery and just across the Potomac River from “The Wall” at the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where she frequently volunteers. On March 29, she accompanied Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall to The Wall to conduct a commemorative paper rubbing of the engraving of her father’s name, as well as other names.

Listen to episode 2763 and discover more about the inspiring story of Sharon Rusch, the daughter of a Vietnam War MIA.

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Army 1st Lt. Loren Hagen poses for a photo in Vietnam shortly before his final mission on Aug. 7, 1971, when he died in action saving members of his team. Hagen posthumously received the Medal of Honor.

The Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Studies and Observations Group was activated, Jan. 24, 1964, to function as a joint special operations task force in Vietnam. The 5th Special Forces Group was the largest source of volunteers for the unit.

Episode 2762 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Capt. Loren D. 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 D. Hagen. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Army Capt. Loren Douglas Hagen joined the Green Berets during the Vietnam War so he could find a childhood friend who’d never returned from deployment. Hagen didn’t come home, either, but the extraordinary heroism he displayed while leading his men during a harrowing mission earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Hagen, he 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.

After high school, Hagen moved back to the Fargo area to attend North Dakota State University. He earned an engineering degree in 1968 before enlisting in the Army when the Vietnam War was still escalating.

Hagen was commissioned as an officer before training to join the Special Forces. He eventually served in the same unit Boyer had been in, according to a 2016 Decatur Herald and Review article. They were both part of the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, which often conducted dangerous, classified missions in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

Listen to episode 2762 and discover more about Army Capt. Loren D. Hagen and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Army Sgt. Peter C. Lemon, Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2761 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Sgt. Peter C. Lemon 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. Peter C. Lemon. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Army Sgt. Peter Charles Lemon was injured several times during a lopsided attack in Vietnam, but he took out several enemy soldiers and refused to quit fighting until he lost consciousness. His courage to defend his base and his fellow soldiers earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Lemon, he was born on June 5, 1950, in Toronto, to Charles and Geraldine Lemon. He has a sister, Judy, and a brother, Richard.

The family immigrated to the U.S. when Lemon was 2 and set up their new lives in Tawas City, Michigan. About a decade later, he became a naturalized citizen.

Lemon graduated from Tawas Area High School in 1968 and started working in a factory in nearby Saginaw, according to a 1971 article in the Escanaba Daily Press of Escanaba, Michigan. By then, however, the Vietnam War was raging, so Lemon enlisted in the Army in February 1969.

After basic training, Lemon received advanced infantry training. He was sent to Vietnam in late July 1969, where he went to Recondo School, which teaches select troops about long-range reconnaissance techniques and small-unit tactics. The training earned him the coveted title of Army Ranger.

By the spring of 1970, then-Spc. 4 Lemon was serving as an assistant machine gunner at Fire Support Base Illingworth, with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.

Listen to episode 2761 and discover more about Army Sgt. Peter C. Lemon and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Army 1st Lt. Stephen Holden Doane, Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2760 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army 1st Lt. Stephen H. Doane 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 1st Lt. Stephen H. Doaner. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Army 1st Lt. Stephen Holden Doane could have remained in college during the Vietnam War, but he decided to serve his country instead. He was only 21 when he gave his life to save other soldiers around him. His valor and devotion earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Doane, he was born on Oct. 13, 1947, in Beverly, Massachusetts, to David and Joan Doane. A few months after his birth, his father received his medical degree and joined the Navy, serving through the Korean War.

After graduating high school in 1965, Doane briefly attended the Tilton Academy, a prep school in Tilton, New Hampshire, before enrolling at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania. In the one semester Doane attended, the college said he was on the wrestling team and in the process of joining Phi Kappa Psi fraternity until he opted to join the Army in March 1967.

About a year after enlisting, the younger Doane became an Army Ranger and graduated from Officer Candidate School. He initially served as an instructor before being sent to Vietnam in January 1969. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division.

In the three months Doane was there, he earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart. His most gallant actions came on March 25, 1969, when he gave his life to save his fellow soldiers.

Listen to episode 2760 and discover more about Army 1st Lt. Stephen H. Doane and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel Sr., Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2759 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Novosel Sr. 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 Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Novosel Sr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Joseph Novosel Sr. served in three wars, including a stint in which he flew side-by-side with his son. He was the last World War II pilot to actively fly in the military, and he’s so revered across the services that he recently became the new namesake of a storied military base. With all these accolades, it’s no surprise that he also earned the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Novosel, he was born on Sept. 3, 1922, in Etna, Pennsylvania. Since his parents emigrated from Yugoslavia and only spoke Croatian, Novosel said he didn’t begin to learn English until he started school. He did well, however, and graduated high school in 1940.

Less than a year later, in February 1941, 18-year-old Novosel joined the Army Air Corps so he could further his education and pay back the U.S. for welcoming his family with open arms.

The Air Force denied Novosel’s request to rejoin the service, so in 1964, he joined the Army to help alleviate its need for combat helicopter pilots.

He eventually caught a break and was quickly designated an Army aviator. He reported to Fort Bragg in early September 1964 and flew missions in the Dominican Republic with his new unit in 1965. He was there when he learned he’d be going to Vietnam.

Listen to episode 2759 and discover more about Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Novosel Sr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Marine Corps Sgt. Lawrence D. Peters, Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2758 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine Corps Sgt. Lawrence Peters 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 Sgt. Lawrence Peters. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that when you’re in charge during battle, you do whatever you can to keep your comrades safe. Marine Corps Sgt. Lawrence David Peters led a squad of men as they fought their way out of a firefight in Vietnam. He didn’t survive the ordeal, but his grace, leadership and bravery earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Taylor; he was born Sept. 16, 1946, in Johnson City, New York, to Clyde and Mildred Peters.  He had three brothers and two sisters who called him Larry.

Peters’ parents said he’d wanted to be a Marine since he was a child, so during the fall of his senior year of high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve. Peters was assigned to the 48th Rifle Company out of nearby Binghamton, New York.

After Peters graduated from Binghamton North High School in 1964, he went right into the Marines. He completed all his training by the end of the year, then went back to serve with the 48th in Binghamton until he was discharged and transferred to the active-duty Marines in January 1966.

In May of that year, Peters volunteered to go to Vietnam with the 3rd Marine Division, where he served as a squad leader and non-commissioned officer in charge of the Combined Action Company.

Peters returned from his deployment in the spring of 1967. He re-enlisted for another tour and went back to Vietnam that May. By July 1967, he was a squad leader with Company M of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

Listen to episode 2758 and discover more about Marine Corps Sgt. Lawrence Peters and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Karl Gorman Taylor Sr., Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2757 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Karl G. Taylor Sr.  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 Staff Sgt. Karl G. Taylor Sr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that when Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Karl Gorman Taylor Sr. was called upon to rescue a trapped platoon in Vietnam, he didn’t hesitate to do whatever it took to get his comrades to safety. For Taylor, that meant giving his life for theirs — a sacrifice that earned him a posthumous Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Taylor; he was born July 14, 1939, to parents Arthur and Anna Taylor. He and his younger brother, Walter, grew up on a small farm outside of Laurel, Maryland.

Taylor went to Arundel Senior High School but left after his junior year in 1956 to work in construction. In January 1959, both he and his brother joined the Marine Corps.

After infantry combat training, the elder Taylor served with the Fleet Marine Force at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In the early days of his career, he was able to study for his high school equivalency diploma and, in 1961, earned that from the former Armed Forces Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.

In February 1968, Taylor returned to Vietnam for his second tour of duty, again with the 3rd Marine Division. He was assigned as a platoon sergeant and company gunnery sergeant of Company I of the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment.

Listen to episode 2757 and discover more about Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Karl G. Taylor Sr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Army Lt. Col. Charles C. Rogers, Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2756 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers 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 Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that From the 1950’s to the 1980’s, a lot changed in America and abroad, and Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers served through all of it. As a Black man, he worked for gender and race equality while in the service. But he’s perhaps most well-known for his leadership during an intense battle in Vietnam, which earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Rogers; he was born on Sept. 6, 1929, and grew up with his brother and three sisters outside of the coal-mining town of Claremont, West Virginia. Rogers’ dad was a coal miner and World War I veteran, which could be what nurtured his desire to serve.

Rogers, who attended the all-Black Dubois High School during the segregation era, excelled as a student. He was consistently on the honor roll, played quarterback for the football team and was elected the student body president. He graduated in 1947 and attended West Virginia State College (now University), where he earned a degree in mathematics. Rogers commissioned into the Army through ROTC after he graduated in June of 1951.

Rogers was put in command of the 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, and sent to Vietnam in July 1967. He spent the next two years on the battlefront.

Listen to episode 2756 and discover more about Army Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers and his Congressional Medal of Honor award honors.

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Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Leonard, Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2755 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army SFC Matthew Leonard 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 SFC Matthew Leonard. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Army Sgt. 1st Class Matthew Leonard had completed nearly 20 years of service when he died in a firefight in the jungles of Vietnam. He sacrificed his life to save his platoon, and for that he earned the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Leonard; he was born Nov. 26, 1929, in Eutaw, Alabama. Not a lot has been published about his family or childhood, but Leonard was a Boy Scout who went to Ullman High School in Birmingham. His wife told a newspaper that as a teen, he worked at a drugstore for $15 a week to help his mother pay the bills.

Leonard enlisted in the Army in 1947 when he was in 11th grade. Shortly after that, he married his grade-school sweetheart, Lois. Over the next few years, they had five children, three girls and two boys.

Leonard served as a drill sergeant and trained young recruits at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. But as the war in Vietnam broke out, Leonard’s wife said he struggled to watch those young recruits, who weren’t much older than his sons, go to war and die. So, even though he was close to retirement, he volunteered to deploy in the hope of making a difference.

On Feb. 28, 1967, Leonard was serving as platoon sergeant for Company B of the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.

Listen to episode 2755 and discover more about Army SFC Matthew Leonard  and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.