Viet Nam War Soldier To Be Awarded Medal Of Honor

Joseph Robidoux III · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 7:49 am

I'm happy for Specialist Sabo's family that his heroism is being acknowledged yet saddened that it appears his parents are not still alive to experience this event.

The White House wrote:

On May 16, President Barack Obama will award Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.

Specialist Sabo will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on May 10, 1970, while serving as a rifleman in Company D, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division in Se San, Cambodia.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-off ... edal-honor

Stars And Stripes wrote:

According to the Post-Gazette, the 22-year-old from Ellwood City, Pa., was recommended for the Medal of Honor shortly after his actions, but the citation was lost. In 1999, a writer for the 101st Division association magazine came across Sabo’s records at the National Archives, and coupled with two members of Congress, was able to finally bring the recommendation to the president’s desk.
http://www.stripes.com/news/army/vietna ... y-1.174664

John Thomas8 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 7:43 pm

Sent to some place he wasn't legally allowed to be, fought as hard as any CMH winner has ever fought, and got forgotten for 40 years. How incredibly sad that this turned out this way.

My hat's off to Specialist Sabo and his sacrifice.

TollandRCR · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 8:18 pm

Heroes are -- at least sometimes -- not forgotten.

John Thomas8 · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:00 pm

The men that did above and beyond that didn't get written up "correctly" is legion.

TollandRCR · **Posted:** Tue Apr 17, 2012 9:18 pm

A little bit of that comes through in Tim O'Brien's wrenching collection of related short stories, The Things They Carried. Karl Mariantes' essay The Truth About Being a Hero also speaks to this, as does his novel Matterhorn.

Edit: Tim O'Brien's autobiography, If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home, is very closely linked to the experiences and comrades of the fictional Tim O'Brien in The Things They Carried. These books are now the best way for me to grasp, just a bit, what these soldiers went through in Vietnam while I sat in government-paid comfort in a graduate school in the U.S. The 29 names on The Wall of soldiers from my hometown bring up few memories.

Joseph Robidoux III · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 12:14 pm

A reminder for folks:

White House wrote:

On May 16, President Barack Obama will award Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry.

Specialist Sabo will receive the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on May 10, 1970, while serving as a rifleman in Company B, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division in Se San, Cambodia.
<snipped>
Specialist Sabo's widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown and his brother, George Sabo, will join the President at the White House to commemorate his example of selfless service and sacrifice.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-off ... edal-honor

The White House schedule does not list a time at present for tomorrows event.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/complete/2012-05-16

Stars and Stripes has an article about Specialist Sabo which includes a video with Sabo's widow.
http://www.stripes.com/news/army/vietna ... y-1.174664

One of the many tragedies in this story is Sabo's father didn't learn about his son's last day.

Beaver County Times wrote:

When Leslie Sabo Jr. was killed on Mother's Day 1970, his body was shipped home in a bag marked "Remains Unfit for Viewing" and the Army withheld the exact circumstances of his life's final moments.

His own father and namesake died seven years later without knowing exactly how his son died. Now though, the entire United States will soon know the story of Ellwood City's bravest son.
http://www.timesonline.com/news/local_n ... 418a4.html

Additional information about Specialist Sabo that includes photos.
http://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/sabo

I'll be back here later. Pollen count must be high.

Joseph Robidoux III · **Posted:** Wed May 16, 2012 11:01 am

White House Schedule - May 16, 2012

The White House wrote:

3:10 pm [edt] The President awards Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, the Medal of Honor

http://www.whitehouse.gov/schedule/complete

John Thomas8 · **Posted:** Wed May 16, 2012 11:26 pm

Specialist Four Leslie H. Sabo Jr. distinguished himself by conspicuous acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the cost of his own life while serving as a rifleman in Company B, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division in Se San, Cambodia, on May 10, 1970. On that day, Specialist Four Sabo and his platoon were conducting a reconnaissance patrol when they were ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force. Without hesitation, Specialist Four Sabo charged an enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers. Immediately thereafter, he assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. In order to re-supply ammunition, he sprinted across an open field to a wounded comrade. As he began to reload, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Four Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded his comrade with his own body, thus absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade's life. Seriously wounded by the blast, Specialist Four Sabo nonetheless retained the initiative and then single-handedly charged an enemy bunker that had inflicted severe damage on the platoon, receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire in the process. Now mortally injured, he crawled towards the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Four Sabo's life. His indomitable courage and complete disregard for his own safety saved the lives of many of his platoon members. Specialist Four Sabo's extraordinary heroism and selflessness, above and beyond the call of duty, at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company B, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, and the United States Army.

Highlands · **Posted:** Wed May 16, 2012 11:36 pm

I watched this ceremony on CNN today. There was a lot of pollen in the air here.

John Thomas8 · **Posted:** Wed May 16, 2012 11:52 pm

I tear up every time I visit the CMH web site.

Sometimes for the men that received the medal, sometimes for the men that earned it and didn't get it. There's a number in November/December of 1950 deployed above the 38th Parallel that earned it, died, and were left were they lay to this day.

Joseph Robidoux III · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 3:00 am

Highlands wrote:

I watched this ceremony on CNN today. There was a lot of pollen in the air here.

A lot of pollen in lots of places yesterday.

Attachment:

Rose Mary Sabo-Brown 1b.jpg

For those who missed it, the White House site has video of the ceremony.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-vi ... -h-sabo-jr

John Thomas8 · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 3:06 am

What about the men in the 2/9th that fought to the last man and never got their stories told? Or the 3/38th? Or the 8th Cav that got crushed trying to rescue the Commonwealth Brigade. Or the men of the 24th who fought hard with idjits for senior leadership? I salute SP4 Sabo, but your government forgot someplace, someplace they didn't need to be and some place far too lied about outside of TV.

MRich · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 10:48 am

John Thomas8 wrote:

What about the men in the 2/9th that fought to the last man and never got their stories told? Or the 3/38th? Or the 8th Cav that got crushed trying to rescue the Commonwealth Brigade. Or the men of the 24th who fought hard with idjits for senior leadership? I salute SP4 Sabo, but your government forgot someplace, someplace they didn't need to be and some place far too lied about outside of TV.

John, these men didn't fight for the medals.

John Thomas8 · **Posted:** Thu May 17, 2012 2:10 pm

That's correct.

However, they did earn the medal.

realist · **Joined:** Fri Jan 23, 2009 1:33 pm **Posts:** 23530

John Thomas8 wrote:

That's correct.

However, they did earn the medal.

Perhaps a valid discussion for another thread?

IMO this one was begun to celebrate Specialist Sabo.

Just sayin'.

Joseph Robidoux III · **Posted:** Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:44 pm

I came upon this while checking the status of HJR 122 (changing the date for a joint session of Congress to count the electoral votes) a few days ago. Note the second item.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room ... egislation

Quote:

H.R.5954
Latest Title: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the "Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building".
Sponsor: Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] (introduced 6/18/2012) Cosponsors (18)
Related Bills: S.3386
Latest Major Action: 12/21/2012 Presented to President.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D ... eData.php|

HR 5954 was signed by the President Dec 28, 2012.

Foggy · **Posted:** Sat Dec 29, 2012 5:47 am

Falsehoods unchallenged only fester and grow.

Viet Nam War Soldier To Be Awarded Medal Of Honor

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