Okla-homey
10/22/2008, 06:41 AM
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.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/662/olivemohne11xo1.th.jpg (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=olivemohne11xo1.jpg)http://img78.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
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.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/9172/oliveml01cpl1.th.jpg (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=oliveml01cpl1.jpg)http://img507.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
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.
http://img507.imageshack.us/img507/8490/olivemohsw2.th.jpg (http://img507.imageshack.us/my.php?image=olivemohsw2.jpg)http://img507.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
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.
http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/662/olivemohne11xo1.th.jpg (http://img78.imageshack.us/my.php?image=olivemohne11xo1.jpg)http://img78.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
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.
http://img79.imageshack.us/img79/6927/medalofhonoreb5.th.jpg (http://img79.imageshack.us/my.php?image=medalofhonoreb5.jpg)http://img79.imageshack.us/images/thpix.gif (http://g.imageshack.us/thpix.php)
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.