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Army Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael J. Novosel Sr., Medal of Honor recipient. Photo By: U.S.Army
Episode 2621 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast features a story about U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Joseph Novosel Sr. who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. 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, a writer for DOD News.
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.
Novosel 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.
Novosel received the nation’s highest honor for valor from President Richard M. Nixon on June 15, 1971, during a White House ceremony. His family attended with him.
Novosel died April 2, 2006, after being hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for liver cancer complications, according to his Pittsburgh Post-Gazette obituary. The 83-year-old is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Novosel has been honored in many ways since his death, including via a bronze bust of his likeness that’s on display at the Spaatz Center’s Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base. However, no honor may be greater than the recent redesignation of Fort Novosel earlier this year.
Listen to episode 2621 and discover more about U.S. Army Vietnam Veteran Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael Joseph Novosel Sr. who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
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