Vietnam Veteran News

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Medal of Honor recipient then-Air Force Capt. James P. Fleming

Episode 2744 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Air Force COL James Fleming 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: Air Force COL James Fleming ok. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Helicopter pilots inserted troops and pulled them out of the jungles of Vietnam on a regular basis during the war. But Air Force Col. James P. Fleming’s refusal to leave anyone behind during an incident on Nov. 26, 1968, set him apart from the average pilot and earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about James Fleming, he was born in Sedalia, Missouri, at the end of World War II. His father had been a military pilot, so Fleming naturally grew fascinated with service and flying. He joined ROTC while he was at Washington State University and, upon graduation in 1966, he entered the Air Force to become a pilot, too.

Fleming was halfway through fixed-wing pilot training when a call went out for men to fly helicopters in Vietnam, so he volunteered. After more months of training, he was sent into combat.

“I was terribly excited to go,” Fleming said in an interview with the Veterans History Project. “I wanted to go fly in war.”

A few months into his tour, Fleming was a first lieutenant and the aircraft commander of a UH-1F Iroquois transport helicopter that was part of the 20th Special Operations Squadron based out of Nha Trang Air Base. Their mission: to support troops sent into volatile areas of Vietnam along the Cambodian border.

Listen to episode 2744 and discover more about Air Force COL James Fleming  and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Marine COL Donald Cook, Medal of Honor recipient

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook transits the Mediterranean Sea, July 6, 2018. Donald Cook was forward-deployed to Rota, Spain, on its seventh patrol in the U.S. 6th Fleet

Episode 2743 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine COL Donald Cook 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 COL Donald Cook. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Marine Corps Col. Donald Cook wasn’t in Vietnam long before he was captured, but the nearly three years he spent as a prisoner of war defined his legacy and earned him the Medal of Honor.

Lange added this about Donald Cook, he was born in Brooklyn, New York, in August 1934. He worked summers at a naval shipyard in college before graduating in 1956. Within a year, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve.

Fluent in several languages, Cook worked in intelligence and interrogation for years before volunteering to go to Vietnam in December 1964.

Cook was in Vietnam for only 18 days when he was captured on Dec. 31, 1964. During the Battle of Binh Gia, he was shot and passed out from blood loss, so Viet Cong fighters took him prisoner. He and several other POWs were passed around to various primitive camps.

During nearly three years of captivity, Cook took responsibility for the men around him, despite the harsher treatment brought upon him. He shared his food and small amounts of medicine with other prisoners and took care of them when they were struggling, despite his own deteriorating health due to exposure, deprivation, malnutrition and disease. Even then, Cook refused to stray from the U.S. Military Code of Conduct, despite enemy efforts to break his spirit.

Listen to episode 2743 and discover more about Marine COL Donald Cook and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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This is the only known reconnaissance photo ever to capture actions leading to a Medal of Honor. Joe Jackson’s C-123, then an Air Force lieutenant colonel, top center, prepares to evacuate the last three men from Kham Duc in Vietnam, May 12, 1968.

Episode 2742 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Air Force Col. Joe Jackson 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: Air Force Col. Joe Jackson. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Air Force Col. Joe Jackson earned the nation’s highest honor by rescuing three men in Vietnam in 1968, and he became a living example of military valor for 50 years after that. Unfortunately, he passed away Jan. 12 at age 95. But his story — and the famous photograph that goes with it — will live on in military pilot lore for decades to come.

Lange added this about Joe Jackson, he was born on March 14, 1923, and grew up in Newnan, Georgia. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps right out of high school in March 1941 because he said he’d always wanted to be an aircraft mechanic. He worked in that field until he happened to be on a flight where the plane caught fire. His knowledge of the plane’s mechanics helped land the aircraft, and that’s when he decided to become a pilot himself.

Jackson was commissioned as a pilot in April 1943. The rest of his World War II experience was spent training aircraft gunners, but by the end of the Korean War, he had flown more than 100 missions as a fighter pilot. As the 1950s progressed, he also became one of the first pilots of the U-2 spy planes.

He continued his military career into the 1960s and deployed to Vietnam as a lieutenant colonel.

Listen to episode 2742 and discover more about Air Force Col. Joe Jackson and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Medal of Honor recipient Army Spc. 4th Class Daniel Fernandez.

Episode 2741 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Spec. Daniel Fernandez 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. Daniel Fernandez. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that of the more than 260 service members who received the Medal of Honor for actions taken in Vietnam, not many volunteered for their tour of duty in Vietnam.

Army Spec. 4th Class Daniel Fernandez volunteered for his second stint there. It was a choice that led to his death, but the soldiers he saved will never forget his sacrifice.

Lange added this about Daniel Fernandez, he was born on June 30, 1944, and grew up on a farm with an orchard in Los Lunas, New Mexico, just south of Albuquerque. He was the oldest of four children and loved to ride horses.

Fernandez was part of Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, when he joined the Army in 1962, before the conflict in Vietnam intensified. But his family said he believed in the cause so much that he volunteered for a second tour of duty.

On Feb. 18, 1966, Fernandez was about eight months into that second tour when his patrol was ambushed by Viet Cong forces near Cu Chi, a suburb of Saigon. The area was famous for the underground tunnels the Viet Cong dug there and used as their headquarters.

During the ambush, Fernandez’s patrol was forced out of its location by intense enemy fire before they could evacuate a wounded soldier.

Listen to episode 2741 and discover more about Army Spec. Daniel Fernandez and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno.

Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno conducts a field prayer service for the men of A Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines.

Episode 2740 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno 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: Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Chaplains aren’t just religious advocates for service members. They’re also relied upon for moral and spiritual well-being, with an ability to be calm in the most harrowing of circumstances.

Only a handful of chaplains have earned the Medal of Honor. Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno, whose bravery and selflessness were exemplified during the Vietnam War, is one of them.

Lange added this about Vincent Capodanno, he was born on Staten Island, New York, in February 1929. He was the youngest of nine siblings and loved to volunteer throughout his community. He went to college for a year after high school, but eventually decided that his true calling was to serve others through God.

Capodanno quit school and joined the seminary. He was ordained as a priest in 1957. During the next eight years of his life, he would travel to Taiwan as a missionary, then to Hong Kong to teach disadvantaged children.

By the mid-1960s, America’s involvement in Vietnam had grown so much that Capodanno felt the urge to serve. So, in December 1965, he volunteered to become a commissioned officer in the Navy to work as a chaplain. In April 1966, Capodanno was sent to Vietnam to serve with the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment 1st Marine Division.

On Sept. 4, 1967, a 38-year-old Capodanno was with his Marines in South Vietnam’s Quang Tin province when his unit learned that another platoon was in danger of being overrun by enemy forces.

Listen to episode 2740 and discover more about Navy Lt. Vincent Capodanno and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Retired Army Maj. Ed Freeman wears his Medal of Honor.

Episode 2739 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Captain Ed Freeman 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 Captain Ed Freeman. It was submitted by Katie Lange, the outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that Heroes are often people who volunteer for missions they know might be their last. During the Vietnam War, despite having reached retirement age while managing to survive two wars, Army Capt. Ed Freeman volunteered for just such a mission.

Lange added this about Ed Freeman, Freeman was born on Nov. 20, 1927, into a big family who lived on a farm in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He never finished high school. He later said he just wanted to get out of his hometown, so in 1944, he joined the Navy and served on an oiler that provided petroleum to combat ships in the Pacific during World War II.

He went back to finish school after the war ended, then enlisted in the Army, where he served in Korea and received a battlefield commission in 1953.

Freeman’s tour in Korea made him want to be a pilot, so as soon as he returned to the states, he applied for flight school. At first he didn’t qualify because at 6 feet, 4 inches, he was too tall. But he eventually got in and became a pilot. For the next decade, he flew around the world mapping countries, first in fixed-wing aircraft before switching to helicopters.

Freeman was close to retirement when war broke out in Vietnam. He was assigned to the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, which took part in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley.

Listen to episode 2739 and discover more about Army Captain Ed Freeman and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Army PFC Leslie Bellrichard, Medal of Honor Recipient

Episode 2738 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army PFC Leslie Bellrichard 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 Leslie Bellrichard. It was submitted by Katie Lange, then outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that selfless sacrifice is a common theme among Medal of Honor recipients, as many of them give their own lives to save their fellow comrades during war. Army Pfc. Leslie Bellrichard was no exception.

Bellrichard was born in Janesville, Wisconsin, on Dec. 4, 1941 — three days before America was thrust into World War II — and his life was a struggle almost from the start. His father died in a truck-train collision when he was only 11 months old. A year later, a similar collision killed one of his brothers and severely injured another brother. Their mother, who had been driving them that day, fell into a depression afterward, and eventually county officials took the children away from her.Hooper was born Aug. 8, 1938, in Piedmont, South Carolina, but he grew up in Washington State. He enlisted in the Navy at 17, serving until his honorable discharge in 1959. He later decided to join the Army.

Bellrichard and one of his brothers bounced around the foster system for years after that. They eventually landed in a good home, but it didn’t last. Bellrichard had a breakdown when he was about 12, so he was moved to a children’s home, where he remained until he dropped out of high school and moved to California to be closer to his birth mother, who had relocated there.

Newspaper clippings show that Bellrichard got his GED, taught Sunday school and worked for Lockheed Aviation in San Jose for five years before being drafted into the Army in 1966.

Listen to episode 2738 and discover more about Army PFC Leslie Bellrichard and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Army SGT Joe Ronnie Hooper, Medal of Honor Recipient

Episode 2737 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army SGT Joe Ronnie Hooper 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 Joe Ronnie Hooper. It was submitted by Katie Lange, an outstanding writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that several Medal of Honor recipients earn the honor for a moment of action. But for Army Sgt. Joe Ronnie Hooper, his moment lasted more than seven hours — fitting, considering he’s one of the most decorated soldiers of the Vietnam War.

Hooper was born Aug. 8, 1938, in Piedmont, South Carolina, but he grew up in Washington State. He enlisted in the Navy at 17, serving until his honorable discharge in 1959. He later decided to join the Army.

Hooper was on his second tour of duty in Vietnam during 1968’s Tet Offensive. He was a 29-year-old sergeant in Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 101st Airborne Division, when he earned his Medal of Honor.

On Feb. 21, 1968, Hooper’s squad was northwest of Hue City, South Vietnam. They were attacking a heavily defended enemy position near a 20-foot-wide stream when a hail of gunfire and rockets came down on them from the Viet Cong — guerrilla allies of the North Vietnamese from the south.

Most of the company was pinned down by the gunfire, but Hooper and five other paratroopers weren’t, so he led them across the stream and into the heart of enemy fire, overtaking five enemy bunkers on the opposite shore. Shortly after, the rest of his company saw what they’d done and joined the fight.

Listen to episode 2737 and discover more Army SGT Joe Ronnie Hooper and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Army Spec. Leslie Sabo Jr., Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2736 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Army Spec. Leslie Sabo 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 Spec. Leslie Sabo Jr. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that A lot of U.S. service members may not have been born in America, but they’re just as willing to die for our ideals. Army Spec. Leslie Sabo Jr. is a shining example of those who were willing to fight for their adopted country. His efforts to save his fellow soldiers during the Vietnam War earned him the Medal of Honor decades after his death.

Sabo was born in Kufstein, Austria, on Feb. 23, 1948, only a few years after World War II ended. His family fled to the United States when he was 2 to escape the Soviet takeover of Eastern Europe. They moved to Ellwood City in western Pennsylvania, where Sabo grew up. Lange added this about Oscar Austin; he was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, when he was very young. He grew up there and graduated high school in 1967 before enlisting in the Marine Corps on April 22, 1968. A few months later, in October 1968, the newly promoted private first class was sent to Vietnam, where he served as an assistant machine gunner.

Sabo was known to many as being kindhearted, hardworking and dependable. He was working at a steel mill when he was drafted into the Army in 1969. After a few months of training, the 22-year-old was sent to Vietnam on Nov. 14, 1969, as part of the 506th Infantry in the famed 101st Airborne Division.

Listen to episode 2736 and discover more about Army Spec. Leslie Sabo Jr. and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.

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Marine Corps Pfc. Oscar Austin, Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient.

Episode 2735 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine Corps Pfc. Oscar Austin 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. Oscar Austin. It was submitted by Katie Lange, a writer for DOD News.

Lange, in her story, reported that sacrificing yourself for another is one of the most valiant things a person could do. Its how 21-year-old Marine Corps Pfc. Oscar Austin earned his Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.

Lange added this about Oscar Austin; he was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. His family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, when he was very young. He grew up there and graduated high school in 1967 before enlisting in the Marine Corps on April 22, 1968. A few months later, in October 1968, the newly promoted private first class was sent to Vietnam, where he served as an assistant machine gunner.

By early 1969, the North Vietnamese kicked off another offensive similar to the massive Tet Offensive of 1968. By February, they had launched simultaneous attacks on more than 100 towns, cities and villages across South Vietnam. On Feb. 23, 1969, Austin was at a Marine base just west of Danang when that enemy offensive came to them.

Early that morning, Austin and his friend, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Douglas Payne, were on duty at an observation post when the enemy attacked, spraying the Marines with gunfire, grenades and explosives.

Austin found himself protected from the assault in a dugout, but he quickly noticed that Payne was lying injured several dozen yards away. Without considering his own safety, Austin ran from his hole across the open terrain to help drag Payne back to safety.

Listen to episode 2735 and discover more about Marine Corps Pfc. Oscar Austin  and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.