Extraordinary Valor

Extraordinary Valor PDF Author: William Reeder Jr.
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1493063685
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 297

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Book Description
A Congressional Medal of Honor Account Extraordinary Valor is the story of Special Forces Major John Duffy’s Medal of Honor gallantry at Firebase Charlie, and the heroism of South Vietnamese paratrooper, Major Lê Văn Mễ, who fought by his side. It is the true story of their battle to defend Charlie Hill, a key to holding Vietnam's Central Highlands during North Vietnam's 1972 Easter Offensive. John Joseph Duffy was born in New York City; Le Van Mễ in a small village outside the old imperial capital of Hue in South Vietnam. Living on opposite sides of the globe, they come together in the heat of war in Southeast Asia when Major Duffy is assigned as the American advisor to the elite South Vietnamese 11th Airborne Battalion where Mễ is second in command. The battalion receives the order to "Fight to the death" on Charlie Hill. After two weeks of intense combat, hundreds lay dead and those still standing are out of food, water, and medical supplies. Their ammunition is nearly gone. Duffy and Mễ draw on their bond of friendship and trust to make a selfless two-man last stand against the final North Vietnamese human wave assault. Both are badly wounded, Duffy multiple times. Their heroic action allows 36 members of the 471-man battalion to escape and be rescued. The rest are killed, captured, or missing in action. This is their story.

Extraordinary Valor

Extraordinary Valor PDF Author: William Reeder Jr.
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1493063685
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 297

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Book Description
A Congressional Medal of Honor Account Extraordinary Valor is the story of Special Forces Major John Duffy’s Medal of Honor gallantry at Firebase Charlie, and the heroism of South Vietnamese paratrooper, Major Lê Văn Mễ, who fought by his side. It is the true story of their battle to defend Charlie Hill, a key to holding Vietnam's Central Highlands during North Vietnam's 1972 Easter Offensive. John Joseph Duffy was born in New York City; Le Van Mễ in a small village outside the old imperial capital of Hue in South Vietnam. Living on opposite sides of the globe, they come together in the heat of war in Southeast Asia when Major Duffy is assigned as the American advisor to the elite South Vietnamese 11th Airborne Battalion where Mễ is second in command. The battalion receives the order to "Fight to the death" on Charlie Hill. After two weeks of intense combat, hundreds lay dead and those still standing are out of food, water, and medical supplies. Their ammunition is nearly gone. Duffy and Mễ draw on their bond of friendship and trust to make a selfless two-man last stand against the final North Vietnamese human wave assault. Both are badly wounded, Duffy multiple times. Their heroic action allows 36 members of the 471-man battalion to escape and be rescued. The rest are killed, captured, or missing in action. This is their story.

Beyond Valor

Beyond Valor PDF Author: Jon Erwin
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 1400216842
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 237

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Book Description
On April 12, 1945, a fleet of American B-29 bombers flew toward Japan. Their mission was simple: Stop World War II by burning the cities, factories, and military bases of the Japanese em­pire, thereby forcing an unconditional surrender. But it didn't go as planned. Beyond Valor is one soldier's extraordinary tale of bravery, faith, and devotion. Onboard one of the B-29s, the City of Los Angeles, a phosphorus bomb detonated inside the plane. Staff Sergeant Henry E. "Red" Erwin absorbed the blast of burning phosphorus and managed to throw the still-flaming bomb overboard be­fore collapsing from the third-degree burns that covered his body. Breaking protocol, the plane diverted to a military hospital at Iwo Jima. President Truman quickly ordered that Erwin be awarded the Medal of Honor, the highest honor of the American military. Drawn from in-depth interviews with eyewitnesses and deep archival research, Beyond Valor tells the gripping story of Erwin's life--from his upbringing in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama to his enduring commitment to supporting veterans. Beyond Valor gives you a front-row seat to Erwin's amazing life and legacy. Along the way, you'll learn: How Erwin's childhood in Birmingham shaped his faith and his family How a split-second decision changed the course of his life The countless ways that Erwin chose to give back to his fellow veterans after he returned home Beyond Valor is about more than that fateful day in April 1945. It's a story of one man's journey from the ultimate despair to a place beyond service, beyond honor, and beyond valor: a life illuminated by the light of God's love.

Uncommon Valor

Uncommon Valor PDF Author: Dwight Jon Zimmerman
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 1429988916
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 323

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Book Description
Uncommon Valor from Dwight Jon Zimmerman and John D. Gresham presents a fascinating look at six of our bravest soldiers and the highest military decoration awarded in this country. Since the Vietnam War ended in 1973, the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor, has been presented to only eight men for their actions "above and beyond the call of duty." Six of the eight were young men who had fought in the current war in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. All of these medals were awarded posthumously, as all had made the choice to give their lives so that their comrades might live. Uncommon Valor answers the searing question of who these six young soldiers were, and dramatically details how they found themselves in life-or-death situations, and why they responded as they did. For the first time, this book also provides a comprehensive history of the Medal of Honor itself—one marred by controversies, scandals, and theft. Using an extraordinary range of sources, including interviews with family members and friends, teammates and superiors in the military, personal letters, blogs posted within hours of events, personal and official videos and newly declassified documents, Uncommon Valor is a compelling and important work that recounts incredible acts of heroism and lays bare the ultimate sacrifice of our bravest soldiers.

Through the Valley

Through the Valley PDF Author: William Reeder Jr.
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
ISBN: 1682470598
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 273

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Book Description
Through the Valley is the captivating memoir of the last U.S. Army soldier taken prisoner during the Vietnam War. A narrative of courage, hope, and survival, Through the Valley is more than just a war story. It also portrays the thrill and horror of combat, the fear and anxiety of captivity, and the stories of friendships forged and friends lost. In 1971 William Reeder was a senior captain on his second tour in Vietnam. He had flown armed, fixed-wing OV-1 Mohawks on secret missions deep into enemy territory in Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam on his first tour. He returned as a helicopter pilot eager to experience a whole new perspective as a Cobra gunship pilot. Believing that Nixon’s Vietnamization would soon end the war, Reeder was anxious to see combat action. To him, it appeared that the Americans had prevailed, beaten the Viet Cong, and were passing everything over to the South Vietnamese Army so that Americans could leave. Less than a year later, while providing support to forces at the besieged base of Ben Het, Reeder’s chopper went down in a flaming corkscrew. Though Reeder survived the crash, he was captured after evading the enemy for three days. He was held for weeks in jungle cages before enduring a grueling forced march on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, costing the lives of seven of his group of twenty-seven POWs. Imprisoned in the notorious prisons of Hanoi, Reeder’s tenacity in the face of unimaginable hardship is not only a captivating story, but serves as an inspiration to all. In Through the Valley William Reeder shares the torment and pain of his ordeal, but does so in the light of the hope that he never lost. His memoir reinforces the themes of courage and sacrifice, undying faith, strength of family, love of country, loyalty among comrades, and a realization of how precious is the freedom all too often taken for granted. Sure to resonate with those serving in the armed forces who continue to face the demands of combat, Through the Valley will also appeal especially to readers looking for a powerful, riveting story.

Classic Legendary Hero Stories

Classic Legendary Hero Stories PDF Author: Stephen Vincent Brennan
Publisher: Globe Pequot
ISBN: 9781592288724
Category : English literature
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
History is filled with myth. Heroes and icons from our distant past are no longer remembered by people who actually experienced them. They are remembered by the stories passed down from generation to generation. After so many centuries have passed, it is often difficult to discern who was truly alive, and who lived only in the minds of the storytellers. Fictional beings are no less capable than real-life heroes of teaching society a lesson, or exemplifying what the reader believes is right and just, or downright evil. Whether or not the characters in a story were ever alive is a decision each reader will have to make on their own. Regardless of when or where the characters may have lived, each story in this collection will share with the reader some moral lesson that applies to the world today. Classic Legendary Hero Stories includes characters from a variety of places and time periods, including: Gilgamesh; Young David (Goliath's foe); Odysseus; Beowulf; El Cid; Richard Lionheart; Robin Hood; King Arthur; and Rama the Indian Prince.

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Government publications
Languages : en
Pages : 1046

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Book Description


Leo Thorsness

Leo Thorsness PDF Author: Michael P. Spradlin
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
ISBN: 1250157137
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
Languages : en
Pages : 92

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Book Description
For middle-grade readers, the true story of a pilot in the U.S. Air Force who received the Medal of Honor for his great acts of aerial valor. Lieutenant Colonel Leo K. Thorsness was a Wild Weasel pilot in the Vietnam War, targeting enemy missile sites. On a 1967 mission, when his wingmen ejected from their burning aircraft, Thorsness initiated attacks on enemy planes and other daring maneuvers in order to protect them. Two weeks later, he was shot down and would become a P. O. W. for the next six years. This is the third nonfiction middle-grade book in the Medal of Honor series, which profiles the courage and accomplishments of recipients of the Medal of Honor, the highest and most prestigious personal military decoration, awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary acts of valor.

The War of the Rebellion

The War of the Rebellion PDF Author: United States. War Department
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Confederate States of America
Languages : en
Pages : 1250

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Book Description
Official records produced by the armies of the United States and the Confederacy, and the executive branches of their respective governments, concerning the military operations of the Civil War, and prisoners of war or prisoners of state. Also annual reports of military departments, calls for troops, correspondence between national and state governments, correspondence between Union and Confederate officials. The final volume includes a synopsis, general index, special index for various military divisions, and background information on how these documents were collected and published. Accompanied by an atlas.

Protection and Money

Protection and Money PDF Author: United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight
Publisher: Office of the Federal Register
ISBN: 9780160793233
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 676

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Book Description
The Code of Federal Regulations is a codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the Executive departments and agencies of the United States Federal Government.

A chronological account of the history of France. To which is added a biographical dictionary of eminent French characters

A chronological account of the history of France. To which is added a biographical dictionary of eminent French characters PDF Author: Peter Hervé
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 604

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Book Description