Daily Register SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2018 Gainesvilleregister.Com 1B

GAINESVILLE Daily Register SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2018 gainesvilleregister.com 1B

HEROES RETURN

By MEGAN GRAY-HATFIELD A total of 21 recipients — Bennie Staff Writer Adkins, John Baca, Don “Doc” [email protected] Ballard, Gary Beikirch, Paul Bucha, Michael John Fitzmaurice, Robert ach year, recipients of the Ingram, Charles Kettles, Walter Joe Enation’s highest military Marm, Jim McCloughan, Hiroshi award for valor arrive in Gainesville Miyamura, Robert Modrzejewski, the first week of April for the Medal Melvin Morris, Robert Patterson, of Honor Host City Program and, Gary Rose, Ronald E. Rosser, this year, more are expected than Kenneth Stumpf, James Taylor, ever before. Mike Thornton, Gary Wetzel and “This is a record year for Hershel “Woody” Williams — are recipients,” said Tommy Moore, scheduled to be present at various president of the Medal of Honor Host City Board of Directors. See Heroes , page 2B

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HEROES continued from page 1B STEVENS Enderby Gas events hosted throughout the city April 4 through April 7. FLOOR COVERINGS Rosser, Bucha, Kettles, McCloughan and Rose will Since 1948 be visiting Gainesville for the first time, Moore said. Previously, the highest See us for all your number of recipients to visit was 19 in 2014. ﬂooring needs Moore said the program has also started bringing widows of recipients back 2626 E. Highway 82 to Gainesville and that’s Gainesville something board members are really proud of. The (940)665-0318 1405 W. Hwy 82 • Gainesville, TX • 940/665-3457 widows are personally (Between Goodwill and Scivallys) invited and are taken care of during their stay. “What happens is once Gary and Mary Endres - Owners Thank You For their husbands pass, the www.stevensfloorcoverings.com society quits communicating with them,” Moore said. Your Service To “They spend like 40, 50, 60 years of their lives with this Our Country being their second family, and then, all of a sudden they are just dropped like a hot potato.” Moore said he believes last year was the first time for family members who were not with their spouses to attend. “It’s been touching to see these women have their voice back and their family back,” he said. The Medal of Honor Host City Program was established in 2001 to provide residents with a more interactive connection with America’s history, the military and the veteran community, according to the organization’s website. Gainesville is the only Medal of Honor Host City in the U.S.

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helicopter, fighting with mor- grenade was thrown into the had been shot in the face yelled, tars, machine guns, recoilless midst of the patrol. Fully aware “Grenade!” rifles, small arms and hand of the danger to his comrades, Ballard’s first thought as grenades, it was estimated Sp4c. Baca unhesitatingly, and he saw it hit nearby was that Adkins killed up to 175 of the with complete disregard for it would kill the men he was enemy while sustaining 18 dif- his own safety, covered the treating if it exploded. With ferent wounds to his body.” grenade with his steel helmet no thought for his own safety, and fell on it as the grenade Ballard threw himself on the exploded, thereby absorbing grenade and cradled it against the lethal fragments and con- his body. cussion with his body. His gal- Seconds passed. The gre- lant action and total disregard nade failed to immediately for his personal well-being detonate and Ballard was able We Salute Our Heroes directly saved 8 men from cer- to throw it out of the hole; it tain serious injury or death. exploded harmlessly a few sec- Bennie Adkins The extraordinary courage and onds later. Ballard calmly con- Molded Fiber Glass U.S. Army/Vietnam selflessness displayed by Sp4c. tinued to treat the wounded. Baca, at the risk of his life, are Ballard eventually left the Sgt. First Class Bennie in the highest traditions of the Navy and later received a com- 3333 I-35 Adkins, a native of Waurika, military service and reflect mission in the Army Medical Oklahoma, received his Medal great credit on him, his unit, Corps. Gainesville TX of Honor from President and the U.S. Army. He retired at the rank of Obama on Sept. 15, 2014. colonel. His exploits, so numerous John P. Beca 940.668.0302 and heroic in the jungles of U.S. Army/Vietnam Vietnam caused President Obama to exclaim, “There For conspicuous gallantry would not be enough time to and intrepidity in action at describe them all.” the risk of his life above and We Salute our The following edited tran- beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. script of the ceremonial cita- Baca, Company D, distin- tion details a portion of Adkins’ guished himself while serving Heroes incredible story. on a recoilless rifle team dur- In the presentation to ing a night ambush mission A Adkins, the president related platoon from his company was the events of March 9, 1966, sent to investigate the detona- when Adkins’ camp was tion of an automatic ambush attacked by a large North device forward of his unit’s Vietnamese and Viet Cong main position and soon came Don “Doc” Ballard force in the early morning under intense enemy fire from Gary Beikirch U.S. Navy/Vietnam hours. concealed positions along the U.S. Army/Vietnam “Sergeant First Class Adkins trail. Hearing the heavy fir- On May 16, 1968, having just rushed through intense enemy ing from the platoon position treated two Marines for heat Born in Okmulgee, fire and manned a mortar posi- and realizing that his recoil- exhaustion during a patrol, Oklahoma Jan. 7, 1942, Melvin tion continually adjusting fire less rifle team could assist Ballard was returning from the Morris, Staff Sergeant US. for the camp, despite incur- the members of the besieged evacuation landing zone when Army, Vietnam received the ring wounds as the mortar pit patrol, Sp4c. Baca led his team his company was ambushed MOH for valorous actions on received several direct hits through the hail of enemy fire by a North Vietnamese unit Sept. 17, 1969. Morris receiving 940.665.9891 from enemy mortars.” to a firing position within the firing automatic weapons and his MOH March 18, 2014. “During a 38 hour battle and patrol’s defensive perimeter. mortars. President Obama said 48 hours of escape and evasion As they prepared to engage As he kneeled to take care www.Home Hospice waiting for a second evacuation the enemy, a fragmentation of the wounded, a Marine who See Stories, page 4B

WE ARE PROUD TO SALUTE OUR HEROES!

3401 W. Hwy 82 • Gainesville, TX 76240 940-665-0053 4B – SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2018 GAINESVILLE DAILY REGISTER STORIES continued from page 3B Gainesville Daily Register “Morris led an advance across of the defense. He directed enemy lines to retrieve a fallen artillery, helicopter gunship comrade. He single-handedly and Air Force gunship fire destroyed an enemy force who on the enemy strong points had pinned his battalion down and attacking forces, mark- in a series of bunkers. Morris ing the positions with smoke was shot three times running grenades. Using flashlights in back to the “American lines complete view of enemy snip- with casualties but did not stop ers, he directed the medical until he reached safety.” evacuation of 3 air-ambulance “Staff Sergeant Morris, loads of seriously wounded 27 years old, was one of our personnel and the helicopter nation’s very first Green supply of his company. At day- Michael Fitzmaurice Berets, “ President Obama break Capt. Bucha led a res- U.S. Army/Vietnam said. “I mean one of our very cue party to recover the dead first Green Berets, think about and wounded members of the Born in Jamestown, North that, I mean that’s legendary.” ambushed element. During Dakota, on March 9, 1950, the period of intensive combat, Specialist Fourth Class Capt. Bucha, by his extraor- Michael John Fitzmaurice dinary heroism, inspirational received the Medal of Honor example, outstanding leader- on Oct. 15, 1973 for valorous ship and professional compe- actions on March 23, 1971. tence, led his company in the According to the cita- Cynthia G. Fleitman, O.D. decimation of a superior enemy tion, Fitzmaurice distin- force which left 156 dead on the guished himself at Khe Sanh. battlefield. His bravery and gal- Fitzmaurice and three fellow Margie A. York, O.D. lantry at the risk of his life are soldiers were occupying a in the highest traditions of the bunker when a company of Christopher R. Deaton, O.D. military service, Capt. Bucha North Vietnamese sappers has reflected great credit on infiltrated the area. himself, his unit, and the U.S. At the onset of the attack Army.

Paul Bucha See Stories, page 5B U.S. Army/Vietnam For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Bucha distinguished himself while serving as command- ing officer, Company D, on a reconnaissance-in-force mission against enemy forces near Phuoc Vinh, The company was inserted by helicopter into the suspected enemy stronghold to locate and destroy the enemy. City CU gives you the freedom to spend, borrow and save! During this period Capt. Bucha aggressively and courageously • Low-rate loans led his men in the destruction • Competitive deposit rates of enemy fortifications and • Platinum Mastercard® base areas and eliminated scat- tered resistance impeding the advance of the company. On 18 Visit our Gainesville branch for personal service with March while advancing to con- your financial needs! tact, the lead elements of the company became engaged by 406 N. Grand Ave., Suite. 101 the heavy automatic weapon, (940) 665-0981 www.citycu.org heavy machine gun, rocket propelled grenade, Claymore mine and small-arms fire of an estimated battalion-size force. Capt. Bucha, with complete disregard for his safety, moved For qualified borrowers only. Some restrictions apply. See credit union for details. Federally insured by NCUA. to the threatened area to direct the defense and ordered reinforcements to the aid of the lead element. Seeing that his men were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire from a concealed bunker located some 40 meters to the front of the positions, Capt. Bucha crawled through the hail of fire to single-handedly destroy the bunker with grenades. During this heroic action Capt. Bucha received a painful shrapnel wound. Returning to the perimeter, he observed that his unit could not hold its positions and repel the human wave assaults launched by the determined enemy. Capt. Bucha ordered the withdrawal of the unit elements and covered the withdrawal to positions of a com- Welcome to Our pany perimeter from which he could direct fire upon the charg- ing enemy. When 1 friendly ele- Medal of Honor Recipients ment retrieving casualties was ambushed and cut off from the perimeter, Capt. Bucha ordered them to feign death and he directed artillery fire around them. During the night Capt. Bucha moved throughout the position, distributing ammunition, providing encourage- ment and insuring the integrity WCM

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STORIES a way off the face of the ridge, another helicopter crew that continued from page 4B but again he heard the call he had fuel streaming out of for corpsman and again, he his aircraft. Despite the risk Gainesville Daily Register Fitzmaurice observed three resolutely answered. Though posed by the leaking fuel, he explosive charges which had severely wounded three times, nursed the damaged aircraft been thrown into the bunker he rendered aid to those inca- back to base. Later that day, the by the enemy. Realizing the pable until he finally reached Infantry Battalion Commander imminent danger to his com- the right flank of the platoon. requested immediate, emer- rades, and with complete disre- While dressing the head gency extraction of the remain- gard for his personal safety, he wound of another corpsman, ing 40 troops, including four hurled two of the charges out of he sustained his fourth bullet members of Major Kettles’ unit the bunker. He then threw his wound. From sixteen hundred who were stranded when their flak vest and himself over the hours until just prior to sunset, helicopter was destroyed by remaining charge. Petty Officer Ingram pushed, enemy fire. With only one fly- By this courageous act he pulled, cajoled, and doctored able UH-1 helicopter remain- absorbed the blast and shielded his Marines. Enduring the pain ing, Major Kettles volunteered his fellow-soldiers. Although from his many wounds and dis- to return to the deadly landing suffering from serious mul- regarding the probability of his zone for a third time, leading a tiple wounds and partial loss demise, Petty Officer Ingram’s flight of six evacuation helicop- of sight, he charged out of intrepid actions saved many ters, five of which were from for your service. the bunker, and engaged the lives that day. By his indomi- the 161st Aviation Company. enemy until his rifle was dam- table fighting spirit, daring During the extraction, Major aged by the blast of an enemy initiative, and unfaltering dedi- Kettles was informed by the hand grenade. cations to duty, Petty Officer last helicopter that all per- While in search of another Ingram reflected great credit sonnel were onboard, and weapon, Fitzmaurice encoun- upon himself and upheld the departed the landing zone tered and overcame an enemy highest traditions of the United accordingly. Army gunships sapper in hand-to-hand combat. States Naval Service. supporting the evacuation Having obtained another also departed the area. Once 101 E. Broadway St. • Gainesville, Texas 76240 weapon, he returned to his airborne, Major Kettles was original fighting position and advised that eight troops (940) 665-3484 inflicted additional casual- had been unable to reach the for a complete list of locations, visit ties on the attacking enemy. evacuation helicopters due to Although seriously wounded, the intense enemy fire. With firstunitedbank.com Fitzmaurice refused to be med- complete disregard for his own ically evacuated, preferring to safety, Major Kettles passed Banking | Mortgage | Insurance | Investments remain at his post. the lead to another helicopter Fitzmaurice’s extraordinary and returned to the landing heroism in action at the risk zone to rescue the remaining of his life contributed signifi- troops. Without gunship, artil- cantly to the successful defense lery, or tactical aircraft sup- of the position and resulted in port, the enemy concentrated saving the lives of a number of all firepower on his lone air- his fellow soldiers. craft, which was immediately Charles Kettles damaged by a mortar round U.S. Army/Vietman that shattered both front wind- shields and the chin bubble On 15 May 1967, Major and was further raked by small Kettles, upon learning that arms and machine gun fire. an airborne infantry unit had Despite the intense enemy fire, suffered casualties during Major Kettles maintained con- an intense firefight with the trol of the aircraft and situation, enemy, immediately volun- allowing time for the remain- teered to lead a flight of six ing eight soldiers to board the UH-1D helicopters to carry aircraft. In spite of the severe reinforcements to the embat- damage to his helicopter, Major tled force and to evacuate Kettles once more skillfully wounded personnel. Enemy guided his heavily damaged small arms, automatic weap- aircraft to safety. Without ons, and mortar fire raked his courageous actions and Robert Ingram the landing zone, inflicting superior flying skills, the last U.S. Marine Corps/Vietnam heavy damage to the helicop- group of soldiers and his crew ters; however, Major Kettles would never have made it off For conspicuous gallantry refused to depart until all the battlefield. Major Kettles’ and intrepidity at the risk of helicopters were loaded to selfless acts of repeated valor his life above and beyond the capacity. He then returned to and determination are in keep- call of duty while serving as the battlefield, with full knowl- ing with the highest traditions Corpsman with Company edge of the intense enemy fire of military service and reflect Gainesville C, First Battalion, Seventh awaiting his arrival, to bring great credit upon himself and California & Grand Marines against elements of more reinforcements, landing the United States Army. 665-8700 a North Vietnam Aggressor in the midst of enemy mortar (NVA) battalion in Quang Ngai and automatic weapons fire Province Republic of Vietnam that seriously wounded his Gainesville on 28 March 1966. Petty Officer gunner and severely damaged Ingram accompanied the point his aircraft. Upon departing, Daily platoon as it aggressively dis- Major Kettles was advised by patched an outpost of an NVA Register battalion. The momentum of Full Grooming Service & Boarding the attack rolled off a ridge line down a tree covered slope K-9 to a small paddy and a village Klips & beyond. Suddenly, the village Kountry tree line exploded with an intense hail of automatic rifle Klub fire from approximately 100 • Each A/C & Heated Suite Has A North Vietnamese regulars. Private Run In The Sun In mere moments, the pla- • Two Outdoor Play Areas Treat Your Pet To a Sweet Retreat toon ranks were decimated. Oblivious to the danger, Petty Resort: Open 7 Days A Week 940-665-8500 Salon: Monday - Friday Officer Ingram crawled across 7450 E. Hwy. 82 • Gainesville the bullet spattered terrain to reach a downed Marine. As he administered aid, a bullet went through the palm of his hand. Calls for “CORPSMAN” echoed across the ridge. Bleeding, he edged across the fire swept landscape, col- lecting ammunition from the dead and administering aid to the wounded. Receiving two more wounds before realizing the third wound was life-threatening, he looked for

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STORIES Yon Hill. Private First Class He volunteered to be part company was running out of ammunition when the enemy continued from page 5B McCloughan was wounded a of the all-Nisei 100th Infantry second time by small arms fire Battalion. This army unit was attacked. Facing more than and shrapnel from a rocket mostly made up of Japanese 1,000 soldiers, he reorganized propelled grenade while ren- Americans from Hawaii and his men for close combat and dering aid to two Soldiers in the mainland. again called in danger- close an open rice paddy. In the He was discharged from the air strikes. final phases of the attack, two active army shortly after Japan Then, sometime before dark, companies from the 2d North surrendered. for reasons Modrzejewski Vietnamese Army Division Following the war, he never fully understood, the and an element of 700 soldiers enlisted in the U.S. Army North Vietnamese force broke from a Viet Cong regiment Reserve, and was recalled to off its assault and withdrew descended upon Company C’s active duty following the start into the mountains. position on three sides. Private of the Korean War. He endured First Class McCloughan, again as a prisoner of war for 28 with complete disregard for months. his life, went into the crossfire Korean War We Salute our numerous times throughout He was awarded the Medal of the battle to extract wounded Honor for his actions on April Walter Joseph Marm Soldiers, while also fighting 24–25, 1951, near Taejon-ni, Heroes U.S. Army/Vietman the enemy. His relentless and Korea, while serving as a cor- courageous actions inspired poral in the 2nd Battalion, As Alpha Company, 7th and motivated his comrades to 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Air Cavary, landed in the Ia fight for their survival. When Infantry Division. His was the Drag Valley in 1965, young Joe supplies ran low, Private First first Medal of Honor to be clas- Marm had been in country Class McCloughan volunteered sified Top Secret. only two months. It would be to hold a blinking strobe light Miyamura was captured by Alpha Company’s second pla- in an open area as a marker for the North Koreans and held as a nighttime resupply drop. He a prisoner of war immediately toon commander’s first time Melvin Morris under fire. remained steadfast while bul- after the actions that led to his A well-planned ambush hit lets landed all around him and award. U.S. Army/Vietnam the 500 troopers as soon as the rocket propelled grenades flew As Brigadier Gen. Ralph Born in Okmulgee, choppers hit the LZ and chaos over his prone, exposed body. Osborne explained to Oklahoma Jan. 7, 1942, Melvin reigned in the opening min- During the morning darkness Miyamura and a group of Morris, Staff Sergeant US. utes of what would be one of of May 15th, Private First Class reporters upon notifying them Army, Vietnam received the Vietnam’s pivotal battles. McCloughan knocked out a of his medal, “If the Reds knew MOH for valorous actions on 940.665.9891 Trying to move his unit to rocket propelled grenade posi- what he had done to a good Sept. 17, 1969. Morris receiving reinforce the remnants of a tion with a grenade, fought number of their soldiers just his MOH March 18, 2014. disseminated lead platoon, and eliminated enemy soldiers, before he was taken prisoner, President Barack Obama www.Home Hospice Marm was held back by an treated numerous casualties, they might have taken revenge said “Morris led an advance NVA gun emplacement. kept two critically wounded on this young man. He might across enemy lines to retrieve Attacking over 100 feet of Soldiers alive during the night, not have come back.” a fallen comrade. He single- open ground with only gre- and organized the dead and Following his release on handedly destroyed an enemy nades and his rifle, Marm wounded for evacuation at August 20, 1953, he was repatri- force who had pinned his bat- We Salute silenced the position, killing daylight. His timely and cou- ated to the United States and talion down in a series of bun- 12-18 of the enemy. rageous actions were instru- honorably discharged from the kers. Morris was shot three Our Brave Heroes Marm’s action was effective, mental in saving the lives of his military shortly thereafter. times running back to the saving his men from a deadly fellow Soldiers. Private First His medal was presented to “American lines with casual- torrent of fire, but it was also Class McCloughan’s personal him by President Dwight D. ties but did not stop until he costly — less than an hour into heroism, professional compe- Eisenhower in October 1953 at reached safety.” his combat experience, he was tence, and devotion to duty are the White House. “Staff Sergeant Morris, shot in the face. in keeping with the highest tra- 27 years old, was one of our Medevaced stateside, his ditions of the military service nation’s very first Green jaw was reconstructed, and and reflect great credit upon Berets,” President Obama said. a year later he received the himself, the Americal Division, “I mean one of our very first Medal of Honor. and the United States Army. Green Berets, think about that, In 1969 Marm returned to I mean that’s legendary.” Vietnam at his request. 705 W. Hwy 82 “I felt like I should pull my share of the hardship tours,” Gainesville, Texas 76240 he said. “I was really there just to lead them and set the exam- Gainesville 904-665-5577 ple and do the best I could,” Marm says now. “I always say Daily Fax: 940-665-6406 I wear the medal for all those brave men who were in that Register battle whose actions went unsung. My actions happened Robert Modrzejewski to be observed.” U.S. Marine Corps/Vietnam Over a period of three days, Capt. Modrzejewski and his Hiroshi Miyamura men fought at close quarters U.S. Army/Korea against a regiment-size North Vietnamese concentration. Wounded by shrapnel, he Miyamura was born ran and crawled 200 yards in Gallup, New Mexico to to retrieve ammunition and Japanese immigrant parents. deliver it to vulnerable troops; He is a Nisei, which means he later called in artillery that he is a second generation strikes within a few yards of Japanese-American. the Marine positions. Miyamura joined the US Decimated by casualties and Army in January 1945. surrounded, Modrzejewski’s

Jim McCloughan U.S. Army/Vietnam Private First Class James WWee SSalutealute C. McCloughan distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the OurOur call of duty from May 13 - 15, 1969, while serving as a combat medic with Company C, 3d Battalion, 21st Infantry, HHeroeseroes 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. The company air assaulted into an area near Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill. On May 13th, with complete disregard for his life, he ran 100 meters in an open field through heavy fire to rescue a comrade too injured to move and carried him to safety. 1825 E. Hwy 82 That same day, 2d Platoon was ordered to search the Gainesville, Texas area near Nui Yon Hill when 940-665-6789 the platoon was ambushed by a large North Vietnamese Army force and sustained heavy casualties. With com- We Salute Our Heroes! plete disregard for his life and personal safety, Private First Class McCloughan led two Americans into the safety of a trench while being wounded by shrapnel from a rocket propelled grenade. He ignored a direct order to stay back and braved an enemy assault while moving into the “kill zone” on four more occasions to extract wounded comrades. He treated the injured, prepared

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Thank You rounds rained down while the adversary sprayed the area For Your Bravery with small arms and machine gun fire, wounding many and forcing everyone to seek cover. And Service! Sergeant Rose, braving the hail of bullets, sprinted fifty meters to a wounded soldier’s side. He then used his own body to protect the casualty from further injury while treating his We Salute Our Herœs wounds. After stabilizing the casualty, Sergeant Rose car- 940-612-GRUB (4782) ried him through the bullet-rid- Located on the square in historic den combat zone to protective 1115 N. Grand Ave. downtown Gainesville Robert M. Patterson 115 W. California cover. As the enemy acceler- U.S. Army/Vietnam ated the attack, Sergeant Rose continuously exposed himself Gainesville Sp4c. Patterson woke up in a to intense fire as he fearlessly bomb crater with no memory moved from casualty to casu- of how he got there. alty, administering life-saving After he enlisted in the aid. A B-40 rocket impacted just (940) 668-6857 Army, Robert M. Patterson meters from Sergeant Rose, was assigned to the 82nd knocking him from his feet Airborne Division at Fort and injuring his head, hand, Bragg in his native North and foot. Ignoring his wounds, Carolina. In December 1967, Sergeant Rose struggled to his a few months before his 20th feet and continued to render birthday, he was transferred aid to the other injured soldiers. to the 17th Cavalry and sent to During an attempted medevac, Vietnam. Six months later, his Sergeant Rose again exposed platoon was ordered to sweep himself to enemy fire as he out what they were told was attempted to hoist wounded a small force of Vietcong near personnel up to the hovering the farming region of La Chu. helicopter, which was unable However, what they found to land due to unsuitable ter- there instead was a bat- rain. The medevac mission was talion-sized force of North aborted due to intense enemy Vietnamese Army regulars — fire and the helicopter crashed and they were suddenly out- a few miles away due to the numbered by more than three enemy fire sustained during to one. the attempted extraction. Over In the ensuing firefight, the next two days, Sergeant Patterson’s squad was cut off Rose continued to expose him- from the rest of the platoon by self to enemy fire in order to a complex of enemy bunkers treat the wounded, estimated and oneman “spider-holes.” to be half of the company’s We Honor Our Climbing to the second floor personnel. On September 14, of a pagoda, Patterson was able during the company’s even- to destroy two of the bunkers, tual helicopter extraction, the Medal of Honor but several more remained. enemy launched a full-scale Recipients With flanking maneuvers offensive. Sergeant Rose, after stalled and his unit taking loading wounded personnel on casualties, Patterson made the the first set of extraction heli- EstablishedWe Salute in Our 1947 fateful decision to charge into copters, returned to the outer the hail of enemy fire — and perimeter under enemy fire, Heroes that was when his memory carrying friendly casualties went out. Though he would and moving wounded person- remember none of it, his fellow nel to more secure positions soldiers saw him single-hand- until they could be evacuated. edly destroy five bunkers, kill He then returned to the perim- Community eight enemy soldiers, and cap- eter to help repel the enemy ture a cache of weapons. until the final extraction heli- With that opening, his squad copter arrived. As the final heli- Lumber Company Buying All Metals was able to rejoin their platoon copter was loaded, the enemy David E. Fulton and continue the attack until began to overrun the compa- they were relieved the next ny’s position, and the helicop- Family Owned and Operated Open Mon.-Fri. 7:30-5:00pm Sat. 7:300am-12:00pm morning. ter’s Marine door gunner was 940-665-2800 shot in the neck. Sergeant Rose for Seventy Years instantly administered critical 700 E. Scott St. Gainesville, Texas medical treatment onboard the helicopter, saving the Marine’s life. The helicopter carrying 200 E. Hwy 82 Sergeant Rose crashed several hundred meters from the Muenster, TX evacuation point, further injuring Sergeant Rose and the per- Ph. 940-759-2278 • Fax 940-759-2249 sonnel on board. Despite his numerous wounds from the past three days, Sergeant Rose continued to pull and carry unconscious and wounded personnel out of the burning wreckage and continued to Gary Rose administer aid to the wounded U.S. Army/Vietnam until another extraction helicopter arrived. Sergeant Rose’s Sergeant Gary Michael extraordinary heroism and Rose distinguished himself by selflessness above and beyond acts of gallantry and intrepid- the call of duty were critical ity at the risk of his life above to saving numerous lives over Saluting and beyond the call of duty that four day time period. His while serving as a Special actions are in keeping with the Forces Medic with a com- highest traditions of military America’s pany sized exploitation force, service and reflect great credit 5th Special Forces Group, 1st upon himself, the 1st Special Greatest Heroes! Special Forces. Between 11 and Forces, and the United States 14 September 1970, Sergeant Army. Rose’s company was continu- 301 East California Street ously engaged by a well-armed and numerically superior Gainesville (940) 665-0726 hostile force deep in enemy- Gainesville, TX 76240 controlled territory. Enemy Daily www.davideurichdds.com B-40 rockets and mortar Register

We Honor Your Courage Welcome Medal of Honor Honoring and Dedication to Our Recipients! All Who So Country

Bravely Served

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threat. Arming himself with Disregarding continued extra handgrenades, S/Sgt. intense enemy fire, Capt. Stumpf ran over open ground, Taylor moved forward to res- through a volley of fire directed cue the wounded men from a at him by a determined enemy, second burning vehicle and toward the machinegun personally removed all the position. As he reached the wounded crewmen and, val- bunker, he threw a handgre- iantly established a landing nade through the aperture. zone for medical evacuation. It was immediately returned Then, aggressively respond- by the occupants, forcing S/ ing to enemy machine gun Sgt. Stumpf to take cover. fire not 50 yards away, Taylor Undaunted, he pulled the pins engaged the position with his on 2 more grenades, held them machine gun, killing the 3-man for a few seconds after activa- crew. Honoring America’s Ronald Rosser tion, then hurled them into the Jim Taylor Once again, Capt. Taylor U.S. Army/Korea position, this time successfully U.S. Army/Vietman rushed forward and pulled the destroying the emplacement. wounded from a third vehicle, Greatest Heroes Cpl. Rosser, distinguished With the elimination of this key One of Taylor’s armored loaded them aboard his vehi- himself by conspicuous gal- position, his unit was able to cavalry assault vehicle was hit cle, and returned them safely Richards Monument Co. lantry above and beyond the assault and overrun the enemy. immediately by recoilless rifle to the evacuation site. call of duty. While assault- S/Sgt. Stumpf’s relentless spirit fire and all five crew members ing heavily fortified enemy of aggressiveness, intrepid- were wounded. 1 Block East And 2 Blocks hill positions, Company L, ity, and ultimate concern for Aware that the stricken North Of Courthouse 38th Infantry Regiment, was the lives of his men, are in the vehicle was in grave danger stopped by fierce automatic- highest traditions of the mili- of exploding, Capt. Taylor Gainesville Downtown Gainesville weapons, small-arms, artillery, tary service and reflect great rushed forward and person- and mortar fire. Cpl. Rosser, credit upon himself and the ally extracted the wounded Daily Bus 940-665-2491 • 1-800-435-4271 a forward observer was with U.S. Army. to safety despite the hail of James Richards 111 E. Broadway St. the lead platoon of Company L, enemy fire and exploding Register when it came under fire from 2 ammunition. Home 940-665-1397 Gainesville, Texas 76240 directions. Cpl. Rosser turned his radio over to his assistant and, disregarding the enemy fire, charged the enemy posi- Thank You For Your Service tions armed with only carbine and a grenade. At the first bunker, he silenced its occupants Discount Tire & Brake with a burst from his weapon. Locally Owned & Operated Since 2002 Gaining the top of the hill, he Brakes • Shocks • Struts • Alignments killed 2 enemy soldiers, and then went down the trench, 700 N. I-35 Access Road killing 5 more as he advanced. He then hurled his grenade 940-668-6526 into a bunker and shot 2 other Located just north of I-HOP soldiers as they emerged. Having exhausted his ammunition, he returned through the enemy fire to obtain more ammunition and grenades and charged the hill once more. Calling on others to follow him, he assaulted 2 more enemy bunkers. Although those who attempted to join him became casualties, Cpl. Rosser once The again exhausted his ammunition obtained a new supply, and Hungry returning to the hilltop a third time hurled grenades into the Hippo enemy positions. During this heroic action Cpl. Rosser sin- Sub Shop gle-handedly killed at least 13 of the enemy. After exhausting his ammunition he accompanied the withdrawing platoon, and though himself wounded, made several trips across open terrain still under enemy fire to help remove other men injured more seriously than himself. This outstanding soldier’s courageous and selfless devotion Smile, it’s to duty is worthy of emulation by all men. He has contributed magnificently to the high traditions of the military service. FREE!

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Kenneth Stumpf U.S. Army/Vietman All Insurance Make your For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at risk Accepted of his life above and beyond Including appointment the call of duty. S/Sgt. Stumpf distinguished himself while Medicaid today! serving as a squad leader of the 3d Platoon, Company C, on a search and destroy mission. As S/Sgt. Stumpf’s company approached a village, it encountered a North Vietnamese rifle company occupying a well fortified bun- Orthodontic Care for the Whole Family ker complex. During the initial contact, 3 men from his squad fell wounded in front of a hostile machinegun emplacement. We help you achieve your dental goals The enemy’s heavy volume of fire prevented the unit from moving to the aid of the injured and promote the health and beauty of your mouth. men, but S/Sgt. Stumpf left his secure position in a deep trench and ran through the •Clear Braces•Metal Braces• barrage of incoming rounds to reach his wounded comrades. He picked up 1 of the men and carried him back to the safety Saturday appointments available of the trench. Twice more S/ Sgt. Stumpf dashed forward while the enemy turned automatic weapons and machine- guns upon him, yet he man- FREE Consultations! aged to rescue the remaining two wounded squad members. 0% Financing Available He then organized his squad and led an assault against several enemy bunkers from which continuously heavy fire was being received. He and his squad successfully eliminated two of the bunker positions, but one to the front of the advancing platoon remained a serious www.starnesortho.com GAINESVILLE DAILY REGISTER SATURDAY, MARCH 31, 2017 – 9B

fire. Sp4c. Wetzel was going crew chief who was attempting Born in West Virginia, to the aid of his aircraft com- to drag the wounded aircraft Williams worked as a truck mander when he was blown commander to the safety of a driver and taxi driver before into a rice paddy and critically nearby dike. Unswerving in enlisting in the Marine Corps wounded by 2 enemy rockets his devotion to his fellow man, Reserve in the spring of 1943. that exploded just inches from Sp4c. Wetzel assisted his crew After training in California he his location. Although bleeding chief even though he lost con- was assigned to a tank bat- profusely due to the loss of his sciousness once again during talion, and later trained as a left arm and severe wounds in this action. Sp4c. Wetzel dis- demolition man and in the use his right arm, chest, and left leg, played extraordinary heroism of the flame thrower. Sp4c. Wetzel staggered back to in his efforts to aid his fellow During July and August his original position in his gun- crewmen. His gallant actions 1944 he participated in action well and took the enemy forces were in keeping with the high- against the Japanese at Guam, under fire. His machinegun est traditions of the U.S. Army and in October he rejoined was the only weapon placing and reflect great credit upon Company C. His next and final Michael Thornton effective fire on the enemy at himself and the Armed Forces campaign was on Iwo Jima U.S. Navy/Vietnam that time. Through a resolve of his country. where he earned the Medal of that overcame the shock and Honor. Petty Officer Michael intolerable pain of his injuries, Landing on Feb. 21, 1945, Thornton, as Assistant U.S. Sp4c. Wetzel remained at his Williams distinguished him- Navy Advisor, along with a position until he had elimi- self by volunteering his ser- U.S. Navy lieutenant serving as nated the automatic weapons vices to assist Marine tanks Senior Advisor, accompanied emplacement that had been and infantry maneuver a three-man Vietnamese Navy inflicting heavy casualties through a maze of reinforced SEAL patrol on an intelligence on the American troops and concrete pillboxes, buried gathering and prisoner capture preventing them from mov- mines, and the unforgiving operation against an enemy- ing against this strong enemy black volcanic sand. Williams occupied naval river base. force. Refusing to attend his daringly went forward alone Launched from a Vietnamese own extensive wounds, he to attempt the reduction of Navy junk in a rubber boat on attempted to return to the aid devastating machine gun fire Oct. 31, 1972, the patrol reached of his aircraft commander but from the unyielding positions. land and was continuing on passed out from loss of blood. foot toward its objective when Regaining consciousness, he See Stories, page 11B it suddenly came under heavy persisted in his efforts to drag Hershel W. “Woody” fire from a numerically supe- himself to the aid of his fellow Williams rior force. The patrol called in crewman. After an agonizing U.S. Marine Corps/WWII naval gunfire support and then effort, he came to the side of the engaged the enemy in a fierce firefight, accounting for many enemy casualties before moving back to the waterline to prevent encirclement. Upon learning that the Senior Advisor had been hit by enemy fire and was believed to be dead, Thornton returned through a hail of fire to the lieutenant’s last position; quickly disposed of two enemy soldiers about to overrun the position, and succeeded in removing the seriously wounded and unconscious Senior Naval Advisor to the water’s edge. He then inflated the lieutenant’s lifejacket and towed him seaward for approximately two hours until picked up by support craft. By his extraordinary courage and perseverance, Petty Officer Thornton was directly responsible for saving the life of his superior officer and enabling the safe extraction of all patrol members, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

Gary Wetzel U.S. Army/Vietnam Sp4c. Wetzel, 173d Assault Helicopter Company, distin- Your Hometown Grocer guished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity Since 1958 at the risk of his life. above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Wetzel was serving as door East Hwy. 82 • Gainesville gunner aboard a helicopter 665-4891 which was part of an insertion force trapped in a landing zone by intense and deadly hostile In honor of WWII Veteran,

EDWARD W. SICKING FATHER AND

JOE B. WALTER GRANDFATHER

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STORIES awarded the Purple Heart. the White House. In September 1945, he Williams served in various continued from page 9B returned to the United States, billets through the rest of his Covered by only four rifle- and on Oct. 5 he was pre- Marine Corps career, retiring men, he fought desperately sented the Medal of Honor by at the rank of Chief Warrant for four hours under terrific President Harry S. Truman at Officer in 1969. enemy small-arms fire and WE SALUTE AMERICA’S repeatedly returned to his own lines to prepare demolition charges and obtain serviced flame throwers, struggling GREATEST HEROES! back, frequently to the rear of hostile emplacements, to wipe out one position after another. At one point he was mounted on a pillbox, inserted the nozzle of his flame thrower through the air vent, killing the occupants and silencing the gun. On another, he grimly charged enemy riflemen who attempted to stop him with bayonets and destroyed them with a burst of flame from his 940-612-0200 weapon. He was wounded in action 1108 N. Grand Ave. Gainesville, TX during the campaign on March 6, 1945, for which he was Open 7 Days 10:30-10:00PM

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor has been awarded only 3,459 times to 3,440 recipients, almost half of them Civil War soldiers. There have been 19 double recipients. We Proudly Welcome More than half of those who have received the Medal America's Greatest Heroes of Honor did not survive the action for which it was awarded. The medal, which is presented by the president in the name of Congress, is the highest military honor that can be bestowed upon any American. There are actually three Medals of Honor — one each for the Navy, Army and Air Force. A Civil War doctor named Mary Walker is the lone female Medal of Honor recipient. The medal was presented to her in 1866 for treating wounded soldiers. The Medal of Honor is earned in action, at the risk of one’s life. In their provisions for judging whether someone is entitled to the Medal of Honor, the armed services have set up regulations that permit no margin of doubt or error. 4320 North I-35 • Gainesville • 940-668-8770 — Information derived from PBS.org. Conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

Thank You For Your Valor and Bravery In Service To Our Country.

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