Medal of Honor Recipients

Want to learn more about the Congressional Medal of Honor and its recipients? There are many great resources available to learn more about the LEST WE FORGET… JOHN ESSEBAGGER, JR. Medal of Honor recipients. If interested, these sites are a good place to start. ARMY — KOREA HOLLAND’S The Congressional Medal of Honor “I walked my post in a military manner.” CONGRESSIONAL That is the quote by the senior picture Society’s website: of John Essebagger, Jr., in the 1946 Holland http://www.cmohs.org/ MEDAL OF HONOR High School yearbook. A member of Company A, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd and The Medal of Honor Foundation’s Infantry Division, Essebagger was a reservist RECIPIENTS who had been recalled into the Army in website: Sept. 1950 and arrived in Korea early in http://www.themedalofhonor.com/ 1951. On Apr. 25, 1951, then Corporal Essebagger sacrificed his life in a heroic one The Medal of Honor is the most -man stand on a Korean battlefield and prestigious military decoration that can posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor. be awarded to U.S. military personnel The 22 year-old soldier walked into who have distinguished themselves by murderous gunfire to stall an attack by acts of valor. Generally, the Medal of Communist troops, which allowed his Honor is presented by the President of buddies to withdraw in safety. Essebagger was credited with single-handedly inflicting the United States, on behalf of Congress. heavy losses on the enemy and disrupting their advance before he fell near The Medal of Honor began in the Popsudong, Korea, April 5, 1951. His U.S. Navy in 1861, originally named as company commander said the young hero the Medal of Valor. In 1862 the Army accounted for an estimated 14 enemies established the Medal of Honor, and the killed and an untold number of wounded. Air Force in 1965—18 years after it was His Medal of Honor citation concludes: established as a separate military “His valorous conduct and devotion to duty branch from the Army. reflected lasting glory upon himself and was in The Holland Museum keeping with the noblest traditions of the infantry Holland Michigan has been home 31 W 10th Street and the U.S. Army” to four Medal of Honor recipients; one of Holland, MI 49424 Essebagger, who grew up at 326 W 3rd only two cities in the country in which this Phone: (616) 796-3329 Street, attended Washington Elementary is the case. School, Holland East Junior, and Holland Visit us online at High School, is buried in Pilgrim Home www.hollandmuseum.org Cemetery. PAUL RONALD LAMBERS MATT URBAN GORDON DOUGLAS YNTEMA ARMY — VIETNAM ARMY — WWII ARMY — VIETNAM Staff Sgt. Paul Ronald Lambers, of On July 19, 1980, almost 36 years after Lt. A Holland High School graduate, Gordon Holland MI received the Congressional Medal Col. Matt Urban had rejoined his troops at Yntema attended Washington Elementary, of Honor Nov. 24, 1969 from President Richard Normandy, President Jimmy Carter awarded and E.E. Fell Junior High whilst a child. Sgt. Nixon, as his mother Jeanette looked on. the Col. With the Congressional Medal of Gordon Douglas fell Jan. 18, 1968 while Lambers was a member of Company A, Honor. At the time of the Medal of Honor engaged in a desperate fight with the Viet 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, 25th Infantry presentation, Captain Matt Urban became Cong at Thong Binh, Vietnam. For his heroic Division in Tay Ninh provice when the unit was America’s most decorated WWII soldier, with actions and courageous stand, Sgt. Yntema attacked on Aug. 20, 1968 by a Viet Cong 29 other combat medals for military service was posthumously awarded the Congressional battalion. He took over when the platoon and medals of valor from France and Belgium. Medal of Honor. leader was seriously wounded. Seven times wounded, Urban spent 20 Hopelessly outnumbered but fighting During the Viet Cong onslaught, Sgt. months in front-line action in six major battle valiantly, Yntema was ordered to withdraw Lambers left his covered position and secured campaigns across Europe. After hearing of his from battle. After refusing to leave his the platoon radio, directing the defense from units losses in Normandy, Urban voluntarily comrades, he carried a wounded Vietnamese the command post. When the radio became checked himself out of the hospital after commander and a fatally wounded American inoperable, he crossed the fire-swept position sustaining leg injuries, and hitchhiked back to Special Forces advisor to a small gully 50 feet to the recoilless rifle. As the 5 hour battle his company, taking command on July 15th. away from enemy fire, in order to shield them raged on, he repeatedly exposed himself to On August 2nd and 15th, Urban was again from further injuries. Despite the fact that he enemy fire. He redistributed ammunition and wounded, but refused evacuation. On was out of ammunition and surrounded by the cared for wounded comrades, moving them September 2nd, he led the charge to establish Viet Cong, Yntema stood his ground and to sheltered positions. His Medal of Honor a crossing-point on the Meusse River, near refused to surrender. Before being mortally citation reads: Heer Belgium. After being wounded above the wounded, he had clubbed approximately 15 neck, the 24 year-old again refused to be Viet Cong with the end of his rifle as they were “Lambers’ superb leadership, professional skill and evacuated until his battalion had secured the attempting to capture him. Yntema’s Medal of magnificent courage saved the lives of his point. His Medal of Honor citation read: Honor citation reads: comrades, resulted in the virtual annihilation of a “Sergeant Yntema’s persnonal bravery in the face vastly superior enemy force and was largely “Captain Urban’s personal leadership, limitless of insurmountable odds, and supreme self-sacrifice instrumental in thwarting an enemy offensive bravery, and repeated extraordinary exposure to were in keeping with the highest traditions of against Tay Ninh City.” enemy fire served as an inspiration to his entire military service and reflect the utmost credit upon battalion” himself, the 1st Special Forces, and the United A 1960 Holland Christian High School States Army.” graduate, Lambers graduated from Calvin Urban arrived in Holland in 1971 as a city College in 1965. He attended the University of recreation director. In 1989 he retired, and Amvets Post was instituted on Jul. 20, Michigan before entering service in May 1967. remained in Holland until his death in March 1982 in the sergeants honor, as well as the He went to Vietnam five months later. On 1995. He is buried at Arlington National noncommissioned officers club at Fort Bragg, Dec. 1, 1970, Lambers was swept by high Cemetery. N.C., where he trained for three years from waves from the south breakwater at Holland 1964-1967. Gordon Yntema is buried in Pilgrim Harbor. His body was never recovered. Home Cemetery. .

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