04APR2003: Two weeks into the invasion of Iraq, SFC Paul Smith was found himself just outside Saddam International Airport tasked with setting up a hasty enemy prisoner of war detention area.  His team found a triangular shaped courtyard that would do the trick and they set about checking for enemy soldiers in the area.

One end of the courtyard had a metal gate and as soon as some of Smith's Soldiers neared the gate they noticed a substantial enemy force moving on their position.  Fire erupted as they notified the rest of their team who were now running to take up defensive positions.  Identifying upwards of 100 Iraqi soldiers, SFC Smith called on a nearby Bradley Fighting Vehicle to ram the gate and begin engaging targets.  

Three M113 Armored Personnel Carriers arrived and joined in the fight with their .50 caliber machine guns to support Smith and his men.  Before long, one APC was hit wounding the crew of three.  Running low on ammunition, the Bradley was forced to disengage in order to resupply away from the fight.  The damaged APC now served as the only heavy machine gun to defend the position.  

With Iraqi fighters occupying and firing from a nearby tower, Smith's men now faced fire from at least three directions.  Recognizing that a retreat could roll up the larger American position, SFC Smith manned the APC machine gun and directed the driver to position the vehicle so he could alternate fire between three enemy strongholds.  From the tower to the gate to the walls and back, SFC Smith stood steady at his machine gun repelling an enemy force of over 100.   As the battle ended, Smith's machine gun fell silent and he was found dead at his position having suffered thirteen separate bullet wounds in the engagement.

SFC Paul Smith's actions allowed his team to hold on in the face of an overwhelming enemy force.  His continuous machine gun fire stopped a strong enemy attack in their tracks and saved the lives of countless American Soldiers.  For this, SFC Smith would be posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.  

23JUN1944: Serving as a bombardier on a B17, 2LT David Kingsley was on a mission near Ploesti, Romania when his aircraft was hit by enemy flak.  Shortly thereafter, a series of enemy fighters engaged his craft wounding the tail gunner.  His task of dropping the bombs complete. 2LT Kingsley made his way to the tail gunner to begin providing medical treatment.  To best treat his wounds, he was forced to remove the gunners parachute harness and a few layers of clothing.

As enemy attacks continued, 2LT Kingsley was again called upon to treat his crew as the ball turret gunner was struck by enemy fire.  As he was treating his wounds, the order was given to bail out of the severely damaged aircraft.  In the chaos of the battle, the tail gunner's harness was presumed damaged and lost.  

Without hesitation, 2LT David Kingsley took off his parachute and attached it to the tail gunner.  He then watched as his crew left the doomed craft.  Shortly after, the plan crashed killing 2LT Kingsley at the age of 25.  His brave and selfless act saved the life of his friend and crewmate.  For his actions he would be awarded, posthumously, the Medal of Honor.  

19JUN1945: Working to clear out some of the final Japanese positions on Okinawa, Technical Sergeant John Meagher found himself in pitched battle with an entrenched enemy.  Working with a group of tanks, T/SGT Meagher noticed a Japanese soldier with an explosive charge attempting to throw himself under the tread.  Leaping from the tank, T/SGT Meagher bayoneted the soldier at the last minute, saving the tank and it's crew.

His rifle now broken, T/SGT Meagher picked up a machine gun and assaulted directly into the dug in Japanese positions.  Firing from the hip with bullets tearing through his clothing, Meagher charged the nearest pillbox killing all six inside.  Continuing on to the next position, he found himself out of ammunition just as he reached the bunker.  Without hesitation, Meagher began swinging the machine gun violently killing the entire Japanese crew himself.  

For his fearless assault and incredible courage, T/SGT John Meagher would be awarded the Medal of Honor.  

02-03DEC1944:  PVT Pedro Cano was fighting with the 4th Infantry Division when they found themselves leading an assault against German forces in the Hurtgen Forest.  Before long, his unit was pinned down by enemy machine gunners set in behind a defensive perimeter covered with mines.  

Without regard for his own safety, PVT Cano crawled forward through a minefield to within ten yards of the first machine gun nest and destroyed it with his bazooka, killing an estimated seven enemy fighters.  He then fired into the second position, killing two and forcing five to flee.

Noticing that the company to their flank was experiencing the same issues, PVT Cano took off in their direction.  He crawled through another minefield to again destroy two enemy machine gun emplacements with his bazooka.

The following day seemed to match the previous.  PVT Cano's unit was pinned down, he again crawled through a minefield and from close range, went on to destroy three additional enemy machine gun nests in short order.  

For his incredible bravery in knocking out seven German positions, PVT Pedro Cano would be awarded the Medal of Honor.  

23JUN1944: Wounded on the 14th, 2LT John Butts refused medical aid in order to stay with his platoon.  A week later, 2LT Butts found himself leading an attack near Flottemanville Hague against an entrenched German position that included tanks, pillboxes and concentrated artillery fire.   

Wounded in the initial assault, 2LT Butts stayed at the front of his formation, rallying his men.  Despite his wounds, he directed a squad on a flanking maneuver while he stood to attract the increasing enemy fire.  Hit again, he crawled forward to within 10 yards of the enemy emplacement where he was shot and killed.

By sacrificing himself in the face of a heavy German defense, 2LT Butts allowed his men to overtake the stronghold that could have cost countless lives in the battle.  

04MAR2002:  Planning to insert on a mountaintop in support of Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan, Senior Chief Britt Slabinski and Technical Sergeant John Chapman's aircraft was hit by enemy fire.  Buckling from the explosion, PO1 Neil Roberts was thrown from the aircraft, landing near al-Qaeda positions while the Chinook was forced to land four miles away.

Coordinating their pick up and reinsertion to the top of Lakur Ghar, T/SGT Chapman volunteered for the mission that Slabinski would lead to rescue their stranded comrade.  As soon as they landed on the mountaintop, the entire seven man team came under heavy enemy fire.  Without regard for his own safety, T/SGT Chapman charged forward, with Slabinski close behind, and cleared the nearest bunker killing two enemy fighters in the process.  Now with a little breathing room for their SEAL team, Slabinski and Chapman began their assault towards the second bunker.  At this point, T/SGT Chapman was shot twice and presumed dead by his teammates.  As enemy fire intensified, Slabinski made the call to begin movement back down the hillside to a more tenable position.

As enemy forces attempted to manuever on his position, Senior Chief Slabinski alternated between carrying wounded, engaging in close range firefights, and directing close air support strikes.  

Approximately 30 minutes after his team moved down the mountaintop, Chapman regained consciousness and began his one man stand against at least twenty al-Qaeda fighters.  For nearly an hour, Chapman engaged the enemy positions, fending off multiple charges and engaging in hand to hand combat.  With his SEAL team still sustaining casualties and heavy enemy fire, Chapman stayed out front providing cover as best he could.  

Suffering from multiple wounds, T/SGT John Chapman's final act was to stand and suppress the enemy positions as reinforcements were nearly shot down and landed mere meters behind his position.  T/SGT Chapman's sacrifice and continued determination allowed for the survival of his SEAL team as well as countless Rangers that landed with the QRF.  Without him bearing the brunt of the enemy attack, American casualties likely would have been substantially worse that day.  

For their actions Technical Sergeant John Chapman and Senior Chief Britt Slabinski would be awarded the Medal of Honor, Chapman's posthumously.   

25JUN1944: Manning a machine gun position during the Battle of Saipan, PFC Harold Epperson found himself facing the brunt of a heavy enemy counter attack.  His crew reduced wave after wave of attackers in the early morning hours before a Japanese Soldier, presumed dead, rolled over and threw a grenade into Epperson's position.  

Without hesitation. PFC Harold Epperson threw himself on the grenade, killing himself instantly but saving his fellow Marines.  For his selfless act, PFC Epperson would be awarded, posthumously, the Medal of Honor. 

Joined again by Sayre Payne a business litigation attorney from Cincinnati.  This is a story Sayre had brought up before so we thought it a great topic to discuss on the podcast.  

21APR1945: Wounded in the stomach and pinned down by multiple enemy machine gun positions, 2LT Daniel Inouye began his assault.  Moving within close range of the first position, he quickly destroyed it with hand grenades and rifle fire.  Not having accepted treatment for his wounds, he then moved on to the second machine gun nest, silencing that as well.

Having moved within 10m of the third position, LT Inouye stood and cocked his arm to throw a grenade.  At that instant, he was hit in the elbow by an enemy rifle fired grenade that didn't go off but completely severed his arm.  His arm now lying on the ground somehow maintained it's grip on the live grenade, keeping the spoon attached so it didn't detonate.  As the enemy fighters frantically reloaded, LT Inouye picked up his arm, removed the live grenade and used it to destroy the third machine gun nest before they could reengage him.  

Continuing to advance, LT Inouye killed at least one more enemy fighter before accepting medical treatment.  

15JUN1969: Commanding River Assault Division 152, Lt. Thomas Kelly was tasked with evacuating a US Army infantry company in Kien Hoa province.  As his team of 8 ships maneuvered through the Ong Muong Canal, one of the craft broke down precipitating an intense Viet Cong attack from the shore.

Recognizing the vulnerability of his down craft, Lt. Kelly moved his ship between the craft and the enemy forces and began laying down a heavy volume of suppressive fire.  Now in the middle of the kill zone, Lt. Kelly's ship took a direct hit from an enemy rocket which caused him severe head wounds.

Despite his wounds, Lt. Kelly stayed in command and refused medical treatment until all men and ships had exited the engagement site.  For placing himself in harms way in order to save a crew, Lt. Kelly would be awarded the Medal of Honor.  He would go on to serve 30 years in the US Navy which included time on the USS Sample and commanding the USS Lang.  

19JUN & 24OCT1944: Leading Air Group Fifteen during the Battle of the Phillipine Sea, Commander David McCampbell shot down seven Japanese aircraft.  His actions earned him the title of 'ace in a day'.  

A few months following during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Commander McCampbell brought down nine enemy aircraft, setting a U.S. single mission record.  In doing so he became the only American airman to achieve 'Ace in a Day' status twice.  

For his actions, Commander McCampbell would be awarded the Medal of Honor.  He would survive the war and go on to serve 31 total years in uniform.