Good Morning...US Paratrooper gives his life that others might live

[Okla-homey]

October 22, 1965: 173rd Airborne trooper saves comrades

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PFC Milton Lee Olive III

43 years ago today, in action this day near Phu Cuong, about 35 miles northwest of Saigon, PFC Milton Lee Olive III of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry, throws himself on an enemy grenade and saves four soldiers, including his platoon leader, 1st Lt. James Sanford.

The action came during a patrol that made contact with Communist forces on the southern fringes of the infamous "Iron Triangle," a traditional Communist stronghold. Private Olive's body absorbed the full, deadly blast of the grenade and he died saving his comrades.

Lieutenant Sanford later said of Olive's act that "It was the most incredible display of selfless bravery I ever witnessed." Olive, a native of Chicago, was only 18 years old when he died; he received the Medal of Honor posthumously six months later.

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Olive's parents at the MOH ceremony at the White House with LBJ

The city of Chicago honored its fallen hero by naming a junior college, a lakefront park, and a portion of the McCormick Place convention center after him.

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Olive Park in Chicago


Name: MILTON L. OLIVE III
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade.
Place: Phu Cuong, Republic of Vietnam
Date: 22 October 1965
Entered service at: Chicago, Ill.
Born: 7 November 1946, Chicago, Ill.
G.O. No.: C.O. No.: 18, 26 April 1966.

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Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. PFC. Olive was a member of the 3d Platoon of Company B, as it moved through the jungle to find the Viet Cong operating in the area. Although the platoon was subjected to a heavy volume of enemy gunfire and pinned down temporarily, it retaliated by assaulting the Viet Cong positions, causing the enemy to flee. As the platoon pursued the insurgents, PFC. Olive and four other soldiers were moving through the jungle together with a grenade was thrown into their midst. PFC. Olive saw the grenade, and then saved the lives of his fellow soldiers at the sacrifice of his by grabbing the grenade in his hand and falling on it to absorb the blast with his body. Through his bravery, unhesitating actions, and complete disregard for his safety, he prevented additional loss of life or injury to the members of his platoon. PFC. Olive's extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

[SoonerJack]

Hats off to Milton Olive III. May he rest in peace.

[C&CDean]

I was in B Company, 2nd Battalion, 504 Parachute Infantry. The 503d moved to the 82nd in the late 60's or early 70's. I've worked with guys from that exact outfit.

Airborne! All the way!!

[TUSooner]

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.

(That's John 15:13, btw)

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Why does a man jump on a grenade? Probably for the same reason a man ****s his pants or quivers like a leaf when getting shot at...involuntary reaction. Intimate combat brings men back to the starting line (regardless of the quality of training they get) and you never know what route they take.

I don't buy that at all.

Depending on the level and intensity of the training you receive, one falls back into what they know in the most stressful of situations. Hence the seasoned combat veteran having his head under combat situations. Hence the seasoned fire captain knowing exactly where to have his nozzleman lay a stream when they're hip deep in sh*t.

Now why Mr. Olive decided to jump that grenade only Mr. Olive can say. Training, experience, or the base realization that many will die if I do not act. But even with the latter, that's rooted in the realization of the results of the situation at hand via training or experience and taking an amazingly high road in the service and protection of his brothers in arms. That's a voluntary decision. The involuntary response, rooted in fight or flight, would be to tuck tail and bug the hell outta Dodge.

[C&CDean]

I don't buy that at all.

Depending on the level and intensity of the training you receive, one falls back into what they know in the most stressful of situations. Hence the seasoned combat veteran having his head under combat situations. Hence the seasoned fire captain knowing exactly where to have his nozzleman lay a stream when they're hip deep in sh*t.

Now why Mr. Olive decided to jump that grenade only Mr. Olive can say. Training, experience, or the base realization that many will die if I do not act. But even with the latter, that's rooted in the realization of the results of the situation at hand via training or experience and taking an amazingly high road in the service and protection of his brothers in arms. That's a voluntary decision. The involuntary response, rooted in fight or flight, would be to tuck tail and bug the hell outta Dodge.

I gotta disagree a little. Yes, your training kicks in. Yes, sometimes you have time to think and actually act based upon your training. And yes, I remember having a complete parachute malfunction one and I don't even remember getting my reserve out. It just happened based on repetition in training.

However, intimate combat is a whole different deal than jumping from a plane or fighting a fire. About the only comparison would be if a firefighter was in a burning building, sees a couple other guys further in, sees the whole roof coming down, and runs and knocks the other guys outta the way and takes the whole roof on himself. That is not training kicking in. That is not even rational. But it's happened, and when it does you simply say "that was a brave man" and leave it at that.

[Okla-homey]

IMHO, men fight and die for the guy in the foxhole next to them, not grand ideals. It comes down to this; people who stick when lesser men might flee stick because they know they wouldn't want to try and live with themselves if they high-tail it because running equals letting down your comrades.

[picasso]

Why does a man jump on a grenade? Probably for the same reason a man ****s his pants or quivers like a leaf when getting shot at...involuntary reaction. Intimate combat brings men back to the starting line (regardless of the quality of training they get) and you never know what route they take.

my Dad has a book about the Korean War (he fought as a Marine). the back of it is chock full of posthumous MOH winners who jumped on grenades.

[Okla-homey]

my Dad has a book about the Korean War (he fought as a Marine). the back of it is chock full of posthumous MOH winners who jumped on grenades.

FWIW, a while back, someone posted something about a Marine of Mexican birth who purportedly fell on a grenade in Iraq and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, much to his family's chagrin because they were expecting a MOH.

I seem to recall there was some question in the mind of service officials as to whether he deliberately fell on the grenade or fell on it as he expired.