Robert Howard’s Medal of Honor and the Birth of the SEALs
In W. Thomas Smith, Jr.‘s latest article in his “This Week in American Military History” series at Human Events today, Smith writes about the late Colonel Robert Howard’s actions that earned the Medal of Honor in Dec. 30-31, 1968. Amazingly, Howard had been nominated for the nation’s highest decoration twice before within the last year.
U.S. Army Special Forces (Green Beret) Sergeant First Class Robert L. Howard is operating deep in the South Vietnamese backcountry (some sources say Cambodia) when suddenly his 40-man hatchet platoon is attacked by a force of some 250 North Vietnamese soldiers.
As the attack unfolds, Howard and his lieutenant are struck by an exploding claymore. Howard is knocked unconscious. He comes to, but with blood in his eyes, he initially believes he has been blinded. Momentarily he can see, but he quickly realizes his body is riddled with shrapnel, his weapon is destroyed, and the enemy is all around him.
Howard manages to toss a grenade at an enemy soldier who is burning the bodies of Howard’s dead comrades with a flamethrower. Howard then crawls under heavy fire to his wounded lieutenant, and drags the officer toward a position of relative safety. Howard survives a second blast when his lieutenant’s ammunition pouch is struck and detonates. Despite his shredded hands, Howard manages to shoot several enemy soldiers with a pistol. He is then shot in the foot and no longer able to walk. Nevertheless, he organizes what’s left of the platoon into a defensive position, then crawls from one man to the next, tending to the wounded and dying, shouting encouragement to the living and fighting, and directing airstrikes on the attacking enemy. Though surrounded, Howard successfully repels attack-after-attack, saves his platoon, and ultimately receives the Medal of Honor.
Retired as a colonel in 1992, Howard is the only soldier to be nominated three times for the Medal of Honor for three separate actions over a period of just over a year.
Unfortunately, Col. Howard passed away last month. He was a great man – the 70 year-old found time to visit U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan, Germany, Bosnia, Kosovo and elsewhere this past year. I was looking forward to meeting him in the upcoming Medal of Honor convention in South Carolina this September.
Also Smith writes that SEAL Teams One (Coronado, Calif.) and Two (Little Creek, Va.) were established on Jan.1, 1962 to the horror of Communists and evil-doers worldwide.
[Originally published at Blackfive]
In: Military History · Tagged with: Green Berets, Medal of Honor, Navy SEALs, Robert L. Howard, SEAL Team 1, SEAL Team 2, Special Forces, Vietnam War, W. Thomas Smith Jr.
SEAL Creed
Hooyah!
In times of war or uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nation’s call. A common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside America’s finest special operations forces to serve his country, the American people, and protect their way of life. I am that man.
My Trident is a symbol of honor and heritage. Bestowed upon me by the heroes that have gone before, it embodies the trust of those I have sworn to protect. By wearing the Trident I accept the responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. It is a privilege that I must earn every day.
My loyalty to Country and Team is beyond reproach. I humbly serve as a guardian to my fellow Americans always ready to defend those who are unable to defend themselves. I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. I voluntarily accept the inherent hazards of my profession, placing the welfare and security of others before my own.
I serve with honor on and off the battlefield. The ability to control my emotions and my actions, regardless of circumstance, sets me apart from other men. Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character and honor are steadfast. My word is my bond.
We expect to lead and be led. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my teammates and accomplish the mission. I lead by example in all situations.
I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nation expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight.
We demand discipline. We expect innovation. The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me – my technical skill, tactical proficiency, and attention to detail. My training is never complete.
We train for war and fight to win. I stand ready to bring the full spectrum of combat power to bear in order to achieve my mission and the goals established by my country. The execution of my duties will be swift and violent when required yet guided by the very principles that I serve to defend.
Brave men have fought and died building the proud tradition and feared reputation that I am bound to uphold. In the worst of conditions, the legacy of my teammates steadies my resolve and silently guides my every deed. I will not fail.
In: Military · Tagged with: Navy SEALs, SEAL Creed
Rules: Shoot terrorists on sight
As I have pointed out on air, the rules state that terrorists can be shot on sight. Not rules put forth by Dick Cheney – but the rules found in the Geneva Convention that was agreed upon by countries across the globe. Because the international community wanted to stop terrorists (non-uniformed combatants) from wreaking havoc upon noncombatants.
But Western civilization has all but accepted terrorism as a legitimate way to fight and govern.
Does putting a bullet in a captured al Qaeda cell leader sound cruel and unusual? Not as cruel and unusual as allowing them to terrorize their own people, as al Qaeda and the Taliban are wont to do. Or as messed up as turning them loose on our judicial system, a move that will lead to the destruction of something that suicide bombers and hijacked airplanes couldn’t touch.
FrontPage has more on the situation with the upcoming court-martial of three Navy SEALs, whose capture of a high-value terrorist may or may not have resulted in a “fat lip.”
As far as legality is concerned, terrorists like Abed are lucky to be left among the living after their capture. As conservative columnist Thomas Sowell rightly points out, Islamic terrorists have never followed the Geneva Convention regarding the rules of warfare, as can be easily discerned in the case of the Blackwater security guards alone. More importantly, however, the terrorists themselves are not covered by the Convention’s provisions.
“Neither the Constitution of the United states nor the Geneva Convention gives rights to terrorists who operate outside the law,” writes Sowell.
Legally, under the Convention’s terms, the American military in wartime has the right to shoot any captured enemy not in uniform. Sowell states, “There was a time when everyone understood this” and cites World War Two’s Battle of the Bulge as an example. German troops caught in American uniforms during that battle were shot almost immediately and without trial. Their executions were even filmed and shown years later on American television with no fuss ever made regarding legality.
60-something years ago, the U.S. transitioned from a peacetime economy to simultaneously defeating the two greatest militaries the world had seen in no time flat. In fact, in the time we have spent fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, we would have won World War II twice by now. Our troops stopped the Wehrmacht cold, but we can’t seem to put a dent in a bunch of RPG-toting terrorists who want to turn the clock back to 600 A.D.
Perhaps the world would be better off if we abandoned the political correctness that affords Constitutional rights to those who have no regard for civilization. Perhaps folks like the aforementioned terrorist should be treated like we did the German spies – shot on sight.
In: National Security · Tagged with: al Qaeda, Geneva Conventions, Navy SEALs, Political Correctness, World War II
Navy SEALs Face Charges for Capturing Most-Wanted Terrorist
The "alleged" terrorist's handiwork: two of the four American contractors who were mutilated and burned in Fallujah, 2004.
Can you believe the world we live in?
NavyTimes.com reports that three SEALs are facing charges of alleged mishandling of a high-value target. The SEALS captured Ahmed Hashim Abed – who allegedly was the mastermind of the 2004 ambush in Fallujah that resulted in the deaths and subsequent mutilation of four Blackwater employees – one a former SEAL himself, two former Rangers, and a former Army Night Stalker. The SEALs refused non-judicial punishment and opted for the court-martial.
One defense attorney said they had refused to accept nonjudicial punishment, administrative actions that some in the military may consider as a admission of guilt.
Neal Puckett, a defense attorney who is representing McCabe, said the SEALs are being essentially charged for allegedly giving the detainee “a punch in the gut.”
The “alleged” terrorist claims to have a fat lip. How much more FUBAR is our military going to become? For crying out loud: Even the French military is attacking the pirate terrorists off the coast of Somalia, while our Navy can only do so after finding a loophole in the Obama administration’s legal gauntlet.
In: Military, Politics · Tagged with: Army Rangers, Blackwater, Iraq, Navy SEALs, Night Stalkers, Obama administration, US Navy
Tommy Norris interview
The Pritzker Military Library hosted Medal of Honor recipient Thomas R. Norris earlier this year.
In the video, Norris tells his story of his Naval Special Warfare training and his daring rescue of American pilots behind enemy lines in Vietnam. The video and podcast are available here.
In addition, Ben Stein, the writer and economist, graduated in the same high school class as Norris, and recently wrote a very heartfelt piece at The American Spectator honoring his friend.
Now, many people say America is finished, that it does not have the spirit that it once had, that its best days are behind. I beg to differ, and I offer as Exhibit A, my childhood friend and classmate and neighbor in North Idaho, Tom Norris, a man of total fearlessness and total modesty, Blair class of 1962. If our school had produced him and not one other person, it would still be a place of honor.
In: Military History · Tagged with: Navy SEALs, SEAL Team 1, Thomas R. Norris, US Navy, Vietnam War
Michael Thornton appearing in Chicago
Michael Thornton
Medal of Honor recipient Michael Thornton will be appearing at the Pritzker Military Library in Chicago on November 19.
Thornton appeared along with fellow SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient Tom Norris (who pulled off one of the military’s most daring rescues, and whose life Thornton saved in 1972) appeared together at a similar event in 2006. Video and audio of the 2006 event are available from the library’s site, which I highly recommend that everyone watch.
In: Military History · Tagged with: Medal of Honor, Michael E. Thornton, Navy SEALs, SEAL Team 1, Thomas R. Norris, US Navy, Vietnam War
Military Milestones from Humphrey’s Solo to Thornton’s Swim
In his “This Week in American Military History” series at Human Events this week, W. Thomas Smith Jr. mentions the anniversary of Navy SEAL Michael Thornton’s amazing battle with the North Vietnamese Army:
Oct. 31, 1972: U.S. Navy SEAL Petty Officer (future lieutenant) Michael E. Thornton; his commanding officer, Lt. Thomas R. Norris; and three South Vietnamese Naval commandos are conducting an intelligence-collection and prisoner-snatch operation deep behind enemy lines when they are discovered by a force that outnumbers them at least 10 to one.
Fierce, close fighting ensues. Thornton and Norris are both wounded, Norris badly.
As the team begins a fighting withdrawal toward the beach, Thornton learns that Norris is down, perhaps dead.
Thornton races back through a hailstorm of enemy fire to find and retrieve his commander — dead or alive.
Thornton finds Norris, kills two enemy soldiers who are standing over his wounded commander, then hoists Norris onto his shoulders and sprints back toward the beach for several hundred yards under heavy enemy fire.
When he hits the surf, Thornton ties Norris to his own body and starts swimming. When he sees one of the South Vietnamese commandos shot in the hip and unable to swim, Thornton grabs him too; swimming both men out to sea for more than two hours before they are rescued.
For his actions, Thornton will receive the Medal of Honor.
Norris will survive and receive the Medal himself for a previous action.
I did a radio show on Mike Thornton in January, and the transcript is available here.
The remainder of the article can be found at Human Events or by clicking below.
In: Military History · Tagged with: Civil War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Medal of Honor, Michael E. Thornton, Navy SEALs, SEAL Team 1, Thomas R. Norris, US Army, US Navy, USS Langley, Vietnam War, W. Thomas Smith Jr., War of 1812, World War II
More on US raid into Somalia
Bill Roggio at Long War Journal has more details on the U.S. special forces raid into southern Somalia to kill al Qaeda leader Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan. Roggio reports that “Nabhan is thought to train terrorists in Somalia and has been at the forefront in cementing ties between Shabaab and al Qaeda.”
Originally, eyewitnesses reported that the helicopters and troops were French.
The operation, dubbed Celestial Balance, was approved 11 days ago after US intelligence determined that Nabhan was shuttling back and forth between the Shabaab-controlled port cities of Merka and Kismayo. A car transporting Nabhan and five other foreign fighters was escorted by another car carrying three Shabaab escorts; the vehicles were hit as they stopped for breakfast as they traveled to Kismayo.
According to one witness, upwards of six helicopters were involved in the raid. At least two AH-6 Little Bird special operations attack helicopters strafed the two-car convoy. Other helicopters dismounted Navy SEALs, who seized the body of Nabhan and another, and purportedly took two other wounded fighters captive. An unconfirmed report indicated that Sheikh Hussein Ali Fidow, a senior Shabaab leader, was among those killed.
In: Military · Tagged with: al Qaeda, al Shabaab, Navy SEALs, Somalia, terrorism
SEALs kill top Somali terrorist
Finally, some decisive action from the president. Ten days ago, Obama signed an Execute Order against Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, a terrorist with the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab group.
Navy SEALs conducted a raid in southern Somalia which killed Nabhan – one of the FBI’s most wanted terrorists. Nabhan was wanted for his role in a 2002 suicide attack against an Israeli-owned hotel in Mombasa, Kenya, and an unsuccessful surface-to-air missile attack against an Israeli Boeing 757 airliner. He was also wanted for the 1998 U.S. Embassy attacks in Kenya.
From FOX News:
Ten days ago President Obama signed the Execute Order for Nabhan, who since 2006 was on the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists. He was also wanted for the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Kenya in 1998.
They called it operation Celestial Balance: at least two AH-6 Little Bird helicopters deployed from one of two U.S. Navy vessels near Somalia’s coast strafed a vehicle Nabhan was using to go back and forth between meetings.
Intelligence operatives had been monitoring Sabhan prior to the attack. The helicopters passed once, firing on the vehicle, and then circled back around to retrieve the body so they could make a positive identification, according to an official.
In: Military · Tagged with: al Shabaab, Navy SEALs, Somalia, terrorism, US Navy
USS Ohio trades nukes for SEALs
Due to a 1992 treaty, the Navy had to remove the nuclear missiles from four of its 18 ICBM- equipped subs. Little did the Russians know that we would trade the nukes for something even more deadly – Navy SEALs (and about 100 conventional cruise missiles). The sub allows SEALs to be stealthily inserted most anywhere, and the Cruise missile capabilities make this platform unstoppable!
Military.com has more here.
Crew members prepare on the USS Ohio, U.S. Navy's newest billion-dollar submarine before its maiden voyage off Guam Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008. Seen at left is a dry dock from which a small submersible is launched. (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge)
In: Military · Tagged with: Navy SEALs, US Navy, USS Ohio
