Month: February 2020

PM2 GEORGE EDWARD WAHLEN Attached to 2d Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands 29 February During action against enemy forces on Iwo Jima, Pharmacist’s Mate Second Class (PM2) Wahlen was administering medical aid to a fallen Marine when he was himself seriously wounded. Despite his painful wounds, Wahlen remained on the … Continue reading 29 February

PSG MATTHEW LEONARD Company B, 1st Battalion 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division Near Suoi Da, RVN 28 February 1967 When PSG Leonard’s platoon was ambushed by a much larger enemy force and his Platoon Leader and several key NCOs and officers wounded in the first assault, Leonard quickly rallied his men into a counter-attack stopping … Continue reading 28 February

G/SGT WILLIAM GARY WALSH U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Attached to Company G, 3d Battalion 27th Marines, 5th Marine Division Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands 27 February 1945 Gunny Walsh was leading an assault platoon against well entrenched enemy forces on Iwo Jima, when they were confronted with and pinned down by machinegun.  G/Sgt. Walsh fearlessly charged, … Continue reading 27 February

1SG MAXIMO YABES Company A, 4th Battalion 9th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division Near Phu Hoa Dong, RVN 26 February 1967 1SG Yabes’ company was providing security for a land clearing operation when they came under intense automatic weapons, and mortar fire then was attacked from 3 sides by a Batallion size element of enemy infantry. … Continue reading 26 February

SSG PETER S. CONNOR F Co., 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines 1st Marine Division (Rein), FMF Quang Nag Province, RVN 25 February 1966 SSG Conner was leading his platoon on a search and destroy operation against Viet Cong positions in an area honeycombed with extensive cave and tunnel complexes. As Connor maneuvered his platoon forward encountering … Continue reading 25 February

SGT JOHN L. LEVITOW 3d Special Operations Squadron. U.S. Air Force Long Binh Army post, RVN 24 February 1969 While flying a night mission as Loadmaster on a Special Operations AC-47 fixed-wing aircraft in support of ground troops from Long Binh, Sgt. (then A1c.) Levitow’s aircraft was struck by a mortar round tearing a 2-foot … Continue reading 24 February

PFC WILLIAM J. GRABIARZ Troop E, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cav Div Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands 23 February 1945 While serving as the unit’s advanced scout PFC Grabiarz, was walking with a squadron of tanks along a street in Manilla when they were ambushed by enemy rifle and Machinegun emplacements concealed in the buildings. The troop … Continue reading 23 February

CPT WESLEY L. FOX Co. A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines 3d Marine Division. U.S.M.C. Quang Tri Province, RVN 22 February 1969 In command of A Co., CPT Fox. (then 1st Lt.) and his men were engaging a significant enemy force in the northern section of the A Shau Valley. As Capt. Fox’s company came under … Continue reading 22 February

SSG Clifford C. Sims D Co. 2d Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Div. 21 February 1968 Serving as squad leader with D. CO SSG Sims’ squad was assaulting a heavily fortified and well-concealed enemy position when the enemy mounted a ferocious counter-attack. SSG Sims realized a platoon of Americans were pinned down and took … Continue reading 21 February

2lt WALTER E. TRUEMPER and SGT Archibald Mathies (Air Mission) 510th Bomber Squadron, 351st Bomber Group U.S. Army Air Corps 20 February 1944 Lt. Truemper and Sgt Mathies were Flying as Navigator and Ball-Turret Gunner respectively, on a bombing mission over Europe on 20 February 1944. Their aircraft was attacked in force by a squadron … Continue reading 20 February