3rd Marine Aircraft Wing

Retired Army Col. Robert L. Howard signs a copy of his citation of the Medal of Honor for a service member at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation building at Al Asad, Iraq, April 20. Howard received the Medal of Honor March 12, 1968, for his gallant and intrepid actions in the Vietnam War. Leaving his helicopter landing zone and moving out to rescue a missing American soldier, his platoon came under attack by a two-company force. During the initial engagement, he was wounded and a grenade destroyed his weapon. Unable to walk, and seeing his platoon leader wounded, Howard crawled to his leader's aid. After dragging the seriously wounded officer back to the platoon area, Howard was able to rally the disorganized platoon and direct their fire upon the encircling enemy with shouts of encouragement. For three and a half hours, his small force repulsed enemy attacks enough to give rescue helicopters a chance to land. He personally supervised the loading of his men and would not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all of his soldiers were aboard the helicopters safely.

Retired Army Col. Robert L. Howard gives a speech to service members at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation building at Al Asad, Iraq, April 20. Howard received the Medal of Honor March 12, 1968, for his gallant and intrepid actions in the Vietnam War. Leaving his helicopter landing zone and moving out to rescue a missing American soldier, his platoon came under attack by a two-company force. During the initial engagement, he was wounded and a grenade destroyed his weapon. Unable to walk, and seeing his platoon leader wounded, Howard crawled to his leader's aid. After dragging the seriously wounded officer back to the platoon area, Howard was able to rally the disorganized platoon and direct their fire upon the encircling enemy with shouts of encouragement. For three and a half hours, his small force repulsed enemy attacks enough to give rescue helicopters a chance to land. He personally supervised the loading of his men and would not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all of his soldiers were aboard the helicopters safely.

Retired Army Col. Robert L. Howard signs a copy of his citation of the Medal of Honor for a soldier at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation building at Al Asad, Iraq, April 20. Howard received the Medal of Honor March 12, 1968, for his gallant and intrepid actions in the Vietnam War. Leaving his helicopter landing zone and moving out to rescue a missing American soldier, his platoon came under attack by a two-company force. During the initial engagement, he was wounded and a grenade destroyed his weapon. Unable to walk, and seeing his platoon leader wounded, Howard crawled to his leader's aid. After dragging the seriously wounded officer back to the platoon area, Howard was able to rally the disorganized platoon and direct their fire upon the encircling enemy with shouts of encouragement. For three and a half hours, his small force repulsed enemy attacks enough to give rescue helicopters a chance to land. He personally supervised the loading of his men and would not leave the bullet-swept landing zone until all of his soldiers were aboard the helicopters safely.

Retired Marine Capt. John J. McGinty III shakes hands with a soldier at the Morale, Welfare and Recreation building at Al Asad, Iraq, April 20. McGinty received the Medal of Honor March 12, 1968, for his gallant and intrepid actions in the Vietnam War. During a four-hour battle in which two of the squads in his 32-man platoon became separated from the rest of his men, he charged through intense automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position. Finding 20 men wounded and the medical corpsman killed, McGinty quickly reloaded ammunition for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the enemy. Becoming wounded in the effort, he never ceased to shout encouragement to his troops, directing their fire to beat the attacking hordes off. When the smoke cleared, the destructive firepower of the artillery and air strikes that he had skillfully directed left an estimated 500 enemy bodies on the battlefield.