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Medal of Honor recipient Army SGT Charles Clinton Fleek
Congressional Medal of Honor
Episode 2854 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Army SGT Charles Clinton Fleek and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. Information featured in this episode comes from a story that appeared on the Kentucky History website and was titled: Marker #2604 Charles Clinton Fleek (1947-1969)/Medal of Honor Recipient. The story was submitted by Olivia Dale.
Charles Clinton “Chalky”[2] Fleek (August 28, 1947 – May 27, 1969) was a United States Army soldier and a posthumous recipient of the United States military’s highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.
Fleek was drafted and entered Army service at Cincinnati, Ohio in 1968, and by May 27, 1969, was serving as a sergeant in Company C, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.
Sergeant Fleek distinguished himself on May 27, 1969, in the Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, while serving as the squad leader for Company C during an ambush operation. The platoon was given an order to withhold fire, because their forces were much smaller than that of the North Vietnamese. The unit was deployed in ambush locations when a large combatant force approached their position. The North Vietnamese sensed the ambush and began to withdraw. In response, Fleek immediately started to fire. He then directed his men to pursue the enemy. Amid this, a North Vietnamese soldier threw a grenade into Fleek’s squad position. When he realized his men had not seen the grenade land amongst them, Fleek shouted a warning and threw himself onto the explosive. Although his position would have allowed him to seek cover, he chose to absorb the blast. His actions saved the lives of eight U.S. soldiers.
On August 17, 2018, a section of state highway Kentucky Route 20 in Petersburg, was named the Charles “Chalky” Fleek Memorial Highway.
Listen to Episode 2854 and discover more about Army SGT Charles Clinton Fleek and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.
