Lieutenant Commander Thomas Gunning Kelly served in Vietnam as a river assault division commander. Even after a rocket rendered him temporarily blind and unable to walk, he successfully directed his division’s defense of a vulnerable boat until the threat was gone.

Surviving a Rocket: Lt. Comdr. Thomas Gunning Kelly

Ken Harbaugh tells the stories of service members who have distinguished themselves through an act of valor. These stories from the Civil War to present day include recipients who were originally overlooked for the medal as well as those who were celebrated at the time.This podcast is made in partnership with The National Medal of Honor Museum.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Documentary

Private Dale Merlin Hansen served in the Marine Corps during World War II. On May 7th, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa, Hansen took matters into his own hands and crawled into an exposed, advanced position. He fired his rocket launcher, destroying an important Japanese pillbox before his weapon was broken by enemy fire. Finding a nearby rifle, he continued his advance, killing four enemies before it jammed. He then fought two more off with the butt of his weapon and took cover. From there, he was able to arm himself with several grenades and a new weapon. He advanced again, killing eight enemies and destroying a strong enemy mortar position all on his own.
Sadly, three days later, Hansen was mortally wounded by a sniper round while fighting at Dakeshi Ridge.
On May 30th, 1946, Private Dale Merline Hansen was posthumously awarded for his bravery and indomitable determination during the Battle of Okinawa.

A One-Man Advance: Pvt. Dale Merlin Hansen

Today we want to introduce you to a new podcast from Evergreen Podcasts called History Shorts.
Award-winning historian, author, and history professor Peter Zablocki shares his research into the little-known and hidden-in-plain-sight historical curiosities you probably never heard of. All in the little time you probably do not have. Our guest today is Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Jack H. Jacobs. His selfless acts under fire in Vietnam saved the lives of fellow soldiers and earned him the nation’s highest military honors. The story of Mr. Jacobs’ life before and after the defining event is one of resilience, leadership, and unwavering principles.

Feed Drop: History Shorts - Conversations: Col. Jack H. Jacobs

On January 31st, 1968, Specialist 5 Dwight W. Birdwell and his troop were ordered to respond to an NVA attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base. When the arrived on scene, they were ambushed by over 1,000 soldiers from either side of the road. Birdwell’s troop immediately took heavy casualties, including Birdwell’s tank commander. Under heavy fire, Birdwell got him out of the tank, onto the ground, and to a safe position before commandeering the tank. Standing in the hatch half exposed, Birdwell used the tank, a .50 caliber machine gun, a m60 machine gun, and his m16 rifle to fend off the attackers. Eventually something exploded in front of him, destroying his machine gun and sending shrapnel into his face, chest, arms, and hands. He then gathered a few other soldiers and took cover in the ditch beside the road. He was ordered to evacuate via a helicopter due to his wounds, but he snuck off the other side of the aircraft in order to stay and keep fighting. He then helped treat other wounded soldiers and continued engaging the enemy until reinforcements arrived. Only then did he finally agree to be evac’ed. Birdwell’s bravery and leadership was crucial to the defense of Tan Son Nhut, and directly led to an American victory. This NVA attack was one of several that marked the beginning of the Tet Offensive, which became one of the bloodiest periods in the Vietnam War. 

Birwell’s commanding officer originally recommended him for the Medal of Honor, but that recommendation was sabotaged. In an act of racism, the events of January 31st were intentionally recorded incorrectly in order to prevent Birdwell from receiving the medal. Major chunks of Birdwell’s heroism were missing, and as a result, it was not originally upgraded.

Finally on July 5th, 2022, Dwight Birdwell was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership and tenacity under fire over 50 years prior. His other awards include two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and two Silver Stars.

﻿You can read Birdwell's Medal of Honor Citation on the National Medal of Honor Museum website.

1,000 Man Ambush: SP5 Dwight W. Birdwell

Airman First Class Jone Lee Levitow served in Vietnam as a loadmaster. On February 24th, 1969, Levitow’s AC-47, a fixed wing gunship, was hit by an enemy mortar round. The explosion tore a hole in the plane, slashed the fuselage, temporarily blinded the pilots, and threw everyone in the cargo hold to the ground, causing numerous injuries. It also knocked a 3 foot long, 27 pound explosive metal flare out of a crew member's hands, with the safety pin still around his finger. Armed and ready to explode, the smoking canister threatened to ignite all 19,000 pounds of ammunition in their aircraft. Despite being weak from the loss of blood, his right leg being partially numb, and the aircraft shaking in a 30 degree tilt,  Levitow attempted to grab the flare as it rolled around the floor. Eventually he threw his body on it, and managed to toss it out of the aircraft right before it ignited.

The pilots of the AC-47 were able to get the aircraft under control, and were met with an ambulance when they arrived back at base. All eight crew members survived.

On May 14th, 1970, Airman First Class John Lee Levitow was awarded the Medal of Honor for his incredible feat under dire circumstances. His heroism is probably best summarized by Major Ken Carpenter, who flew the AC-47 that day: “In my experience, I have never seen such a courageous act performed under such adverse circumstances. The entire eight-man crew owes their lives to John, and his quick reactions surely saved the aircraft. It was not possible to bail out as we had two seriously injured men aboard, one of them John Levitow. How the plane ever flew back to the base, I'll never know. How a plane with over 3,500 holes in the wings and fuselage stayed airborne defies description.”

A Ticking Time Bomb: AC1 John Lee Levitow

Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne served in Iraq as an Army Ranger. On October 22nd, 2015, Payne’s special operations unit was paired with Kurdish allies in order to complete a hostage rescue mission from an ISIS compound. Payne continuously wethered enemy fire, brownout conditions, and smoke from a burning building on the brink of collapse in order to help rescue 75 Iraqi hostages. 
Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism and selfless service on that day.

Surviving a Rocket: Lt. Comdr. Thomas Gunning Kelly

Download our free app to listen on your phone