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Medal of Honor recipient Army Corporal Michael Fleming Folland.
Congressional Medal of Honor
Episode 2856 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Army Corporal Michael Fleming Folland and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. Information featured in this episode comes from a story that appeared on WTVR and was titled: Holmberg revisits local troublemaker who sacrificed his life and won Medal of Honor. The story was submitted by Mark Holmberg.
Army Corporal Michael Fleming Folland was from Richmond, Virginia. As a boy, Michael Folland had been sent to a reformatory and his family feared for the hard-headed young man. In 1969, at just 20 years old, he found himself in the thick of the Vietnam War, serving as a radio operator with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 199th Light Infantry Brigade.
On July 3rd, Folland’s platoon was patrolling near Long Khanh Province when they were ambushed by a well-concealed enemy force. The jungle erupted with gunfire, and chaos ensued. Folland, recognizing the immediate danger to his comrades, sprang into action. As the battle raged, a grenade suddenly landed in the midst of his platoon. Without a second thought, Folland made a split-second decision that would save the lives of his fellow soldiers.
In an act of extraordinary heroism, he threw himself onto the grenade, absorbing the full force of the explosion with his body. The blast was devastating, but his selfless act shielded his comrades from certain death. Folland’s bravery and sacrifice were beyond measure, a testament to his character and devotion to his brothers in arms.
For his actions, Corporal Michael Folland was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. His legacy endures as a symbol of courage, honor, and the ultimate sacrifice in the service of others. His name is etched in history, a reminder of the profound cost of freedom.
Listen to Episode 2856 and discover more about Army Corporal Michael Fleming Folland and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.
