Men of Honor

I was taken by the heroic valor and steely resolve of MSG Gary Gordon and SFC Randall (Randy) Shughart, who gave their lives in Mogadishu, Somalia, October 3, 1993 to save Michael Durant.  Reading about these two men's sacrifice in  Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down is always emotional.  They represent the finest America's armed forces have produced.  For their actions they each received post-humously the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award.

Shortly after the fall of Baghdad, I read this story from the Washington Post regarding the heroic acts of   SGT 1st Class Paul R. Smith, who saved his engineering platoon and possibly another 100 GIs during the battle to take Baghdad International Airport.  The St. Petersburg Times is reporting that Sgt. Smith's family will receive on his behalf the first Medal of Honor since the brave men of Mogadishu received the award: 

Lt. Col. Smith commanded the 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, during the American attack on Iraq, which began March 20, 2003. On the morning of April 4, the engineers found themselves manning a roadblock not far from Baghdad International Airport.

A call went out for a place to put some Iraqi prisoners.

Sgt. Smith volunteered to create a holding pen inside a walled courtyard. Soon, Iraqi soldiers, numbering perhaps 100, opened fire on Smith's position. Smith was accompanied by 16 men.

Smith called for a Bradley, a tank-like vehicle with a rapid fire cannon. It arrived and opened up on the Iraqis. The enemy could not advance so long as the Bradley was in position. But then, in a move that baffled and angered Smith's men, the Bradley left.

Smith's men, some of whom were wounded, were suddenly vulnerable.

Smith could have justifiably ordered his men to withdraw. Lt. Col. Smith believes Sgt. Smith rejected that option, thinking that abandoning the courtyard would jeopardize about 100 GIs outside - including medics at an aid station.

Sgt. Smith manned a 50-caliber machine gun atop an abandoned armored personnel carrier and fought off the Iraqis, going through several boxes of ammunition fed to him by 21-year-old Pvt. Michael Seaman. As the battle wound down, Smith was hit in the head. He died before he could be evacuated from the scene. He was 33.

These men leave a legacy of honor and are an inspiration to us all. 

Greater love has no one than this, to lay down his life for his friends

Comments

[Ed Rice]

Amen!