| 词条 | Robert L. Howard | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 释义 |
|name= Robert L. Howard |image= Col howard.jpg |caption= Colonel Robert L. Howard |birth_date= {{birth date|1939|7|11}} |death_date= {{death date and age|2009|12|23|1939|7|11}} |birth_place= Opelika, Alabama |death_place= Waco, Texas |placeofburial= Arlington National Cemetery Section 7A Grave 138 |nickname= |allegiance= United States |branch= {{army|United States}} |serviceyears=1956–1992 |rank= Colonel |unit= 5th Special Forces Group MACV-SOG Special Operations Command Korea |commands= |battles= Vietnam War |awards= Medal of Honor Distinguished Service Cross Silver Star Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (4) Bronze Star (4) Purple Heart (8) Meritorious Service Medal (3) Air Medal (3) Joint Service Commendation Army Commendation Medal (7) |laterwork=Department of Veterans Affairs }} Robert Lewis Howard (July 11, 1939 – December 23, 2009) was a highly decorated United States Army Special Forces officer and Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. He was wounded 14 times over 54 months of combat, was awarded the Medal of Honor, eight Purple Hearts, a Distinguished Service Cross,{{efn|He initially was awarded a second Distinguished Service Cross, but this was later rescinded and upgraded to the Medal of Honor[1]}} a Silver Star, and four Bronze Stars. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor three separate times over a 13-month period but received lesser medals for the first two nominations, which were for actions performed in Cambodia where the U.S. was fighting covertly. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 30, 1968, his third nomination. He retired from the US Army after 36 years of service as a full colonel, and the most highly decorated service member on active duty.[2] He died as a result of pancreatic cancer, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on February 22, 2010. Before his death he was the most decorated living Medal of Honor recipient.[3] BiographyHoward enlisted in the Army in 1956 at Montgomery, Alabama and retired as colonel, Army Special Forces, in 1992. Howard`s service in Vietnam included assignments with 1/327th Airborne Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, 5th Special Forces Group and MACV-SOG As a staff sergeant of the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), Howard was recommended for the Medal of Honor on three separate occasions for three individual actions during thirteen months spanning 1967–1968. The first two nominations were downgraded to a Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross due to the covert and top secret nature of the operations in which Howard participated. As a sergeant first class of the SOG, he risked his life during a rescue mission in Cambodia on December 30, 1968, while second in command of a platoon-sized Hatchet Force that was searching for missing American soldier Robert Scherdin for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He learned of the award over a two-way radio while under enemy fire, immediately after being wounded, resulting in one of his eight Purple Hearts.[4] Howard was wounded 14 times during a 54-month period in the Vietnam War. For his distinguished service, Howard received a direct appointment from Master Sergeant to First Lieutenant in December 1969. Howard graduated from Ranger School class 7-73 in May 1973 and served with the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington as Company Commander. From 1977-1978 he served as Mountain Ranger Training instructor. Howard later served as officer-in-charge of Special Forces training at Camp Mackall, near Ft. Bragg, N.C., and later, commanding the Mountain Ranger Training Camp at Dahlonega, Georgia Howard graduated from the National War College, Class 1987-1988. He received two master's degrees during his Army career which spanned 1956 to 1992.[5] Howard retired as a colonel in 1992.[6] According to NBC News, Howard may have been the most highly decorated American soldier of the modern era. His residence was in Texas and he spent much of his free time working with veterans until the time of his death. He also took periodic trips to Iraq to visit active duty troops.[6] Howard died of pancreatic cancer at a hospital in Waco, Texas on December 23, 2009. He was survived by four children and five grandchildren.[5][7] His funeral was in Arlington National Cemetery on February 22, 2010. [8]LegacyIn 2014, Howard was announced as the recipient of United States Special Operations Command's Bull Simons award for his "lifetime achievements in Special Operations".[9] Medal of Honor CitationThe President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to ROBERT L. HOWARD UNITED STATES ARMY for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
General Orders: Department of the Army, General Orders No. 16 (March 24, 1971) Action Date: December 30, 1968 Service: Army Regiment: 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Division: 1st Special Forces Distinguished Service Cross CitationThe President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Sergeant First Class Robert Lewis Howard (ASN: RA-14628152), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Command and Control (Central), 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Sergeant First Class Howard distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 November 1967, as Special Forces Advisor to a joint American and Vietnamese reconnaissance patrol conducting a search mission near the Laotian border. His patrol discovered a huge rice and ammunition cache surrounded by an enemy bunker complex. Sergeant Howard led a small team to provide security while the remainder of the unit began to destroy the stored supplies. His team encountered four North Vietnamese Army soldiers, and Sergeant Howard killed them with a fierce burst of rifle fire. He and his men were immediately pinned down by a murderous curtain of fire which erupted from a nearby enemy machine gun position. With complete disregard for his safety, Sergeant Howard crawled toward the emplacement and killed a North Vietnamese sniper who was firing at him as he maneuvered. He then charged the bunker, eliminating its occupants with rifle fire. A second machine gun position unleashed a savage barrage. Sergeant Howard moved his troops to a covered location and directed an air strike against the fortified bunker. While assessing the bomb damage, Sergeant Howard was fired upon by North Vietnamese soldiers in the bunker who had survived the blasts. Pinned down directly outside the strongpoint with a blazing machine gun barrel only six inches above his head, he threw a hand grenade into the aperture of the emplacement, killing the gunners and temporarily silencing the weapon. He then dashed to his team's location and secured a light anti-tank weapon. As the enemy machine gun resumed firing, Sergeant Howard stood up amid a withering hail of bullets, fired his weapon, and completely demolished the position. His fearless and determined actions in close combat enabled the remainder of the patrol to destroy the enemy cache. Sergeant First Class Howard's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army. General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 2018 (May 2, 1968) Action Date: 21-Nov-67 Service: Army Rank: Sergeant First Class Company: Command and Control (Central) Regiment: 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) Division: 1st Special Forces Awards and decorations
See also{{Portal|Biography|United States Army}}
Notes{{notelist}}References1. ^{{cite web|title=Upgraded or Revoked Awards of The Distinguished Service Cross|url=http://www.homeofheroes.com/members/02_DSC/indexes/4_rvn/dsc_rvnrevoked.html|website=Homeofheroes.com|accessdate=October 9, 2015}} 2. ^http://rlhtribute.com 3. ^http://www.veterantributes.org/Top20MostDecorated.htm 4. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.marines.mil/unit/hqmc/Pages/2006/Medal%20of%20Honor%20recipients%20make%20special%20visit.aspx |title=Medal of Honor recipients make special visit |date=November 19, 2006 |first=Lance Cpl. Ben |last=Eberle |accessdate=2010-02-24 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604113029/http://www.marines.mil/unit/hqmc/Pages/2006/Medal%20of%20Honor%20recipients%20make%20special%20visit.aspx |archivedate=June 4, 2011 |df= }} 5. ^1 Associated Press, "Decorated Army colonel, MoH recipient dies", Military Times, December 24, 2009. 6. ^1 Williams, Brian, "Medal of Honor: Robert Howard 1939–2009", NBC News, December 23, 2009. 7. ^Col. Robert Lewis Howard, believed to be nation's most decorated soldier, dies at 70 Star-Telegram, Associated Press story. Retrieved on December 24, 2009. 8. ^Horst, Kaitlin, Arlington National Cemetery Public Affairs "Col. Robert L. Howard laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery". Retrieved on October 26, 2014. 9. ^{{cite web |url=http://www.socom.mil/News/Pages/MedalofHonorrecipient,SpecialOperationslegendreceivesUSSOCOM%E2%80%99s2014BullSimonsAward.aspx |title=Medal of Honor recipient, Special Operations legend receives USSOCOM’s 2014 Bull Simons Award |author=Mike Bottoms |publisher=United States Special Operations Command Public Affairs |date=2014-05-27 |accessdate=June 7, 2014}} Further reading
External links{{commons category}}
18 : 1939 births|2009 deaths|Deaths from pancreatic cancer|Deaths from cancer in Texas|People from Opelika, Alabama|People from Waco, Texas|American army personnel of the Vietnam War|United States Army colonels|Members of the United States Army Special Forces|Recipients of the Air Medal|Recipients of the Legion of Merit|Recipients of the Silver Star|Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|United States Army Medal of Honor recipients|Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam)|Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal|Burials at Arlington National Cemetery|Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor |
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