President Obama today awarded the Medal Of Honor to a soldier for actions during the Vietnam War.
The citation reads in part
“Even though his platoon was ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force, Sabo charged the enemy position, killing several enemy Soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly Soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. While securing a re-supply of ammunition, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded a wounded comrade with his own body — absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade’s life.
“Although wounded by the grenade blast, Sabo continued to charge the enemy’s bunker. After receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire, he crawled toward the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Sabo’s life.”
Charging a superior force once would be impressive. Doing so twice even more so. Following that up with braving a field of fire to resupply, taking a grenade for a fellow soldier and then charging AGAIN and taking out an enemy bunker is beyond amazing.
Sabo and his family came to the United States from Austria after World War 2. When he received his draft notice he could have gotten an exemption both because he was married and because he was in college. But he refused to even consider it, saying that he owed his country a debt for all he and his family had been given.
If you want to see what a hero looks like, look no further.