This is the third in my profile series on the seven most recent recipients of the Medal of Honor.

Five of those posthumous Medals were for actions during the Korean War. Four of those — Private Bruno Orig, Private First Class Wataru Nakamura, Corporal Fred McGee, and Private First Class Charles R. Johnson — I profiled here.

The fifth Medal of Honor was awarded to GEN Richard E. Cavazos, profiled here.

As I have noted before regarding long delays between service rendered and recognized, these recipients are, first and foremost, humble warriors. Inherent in their willingness to “lay down one’s life for his friends” is the ultimate expression of humility, valuing the lives of others above one’s own. Thus, it is not in their nature to advocate for their personal recognition. The advocacy to upgrade a warrior’s prior decoration to a Medal of Honor falls to others — mostly those with whom the recipient served.

Over the last century, many Medals of Honor have been approved and awarded for actions that occurred decades earlier, most often posthumously. The verification process for valorous actions that may merit a Medal of Honor is very strenuous, making that process more difficult with the passage of time.

The first of the most recent Vietnam War recipients is Captain Hugh R. Nelson Jr., who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions while serving with the 114th Aviation Company (Airmobile Light) on June 5, 1966.

Nelson was a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama. His father was an Army Air Corps pilot and officer, a fearless barnstormer and flight instructor. After graduating from a local high school, he then graduated from the Citadel (Class of 1959). A month later, he married his sweetheart, Elizabeth, and then joined the Army.

He was stationed in Taiwan for three years before deploying to Vietnam in January 1966. He was killed in action on June 5 of that year.

His citation notes:

Nelson was the acting aircraft commander of a Huey helicopter on a search-and-destroy reconnaissance mission when it was struck by a large volume of enemy fire that rendered the aircraft virtually uncontrollable.

With great difficulty, Nelson and the pilot were able to crash-land the aircraft without lateral controls. At some point after the crash, Nelson exited the aircraft and went to the aid of his wounded comrades. Proceeding to the other side of the aircraft, he found his dazed and wounded crew chief still trapped inside. After removing the specialist and placing him on the ground, Nelson climbed into the severely damaged helicopter to assist the door gunner, who was still strapped inside and unable to move.

While Nelson tried to free his comrade, the insurgents engaged the aircraft with a heavy volume of automatic rifle and small-arms fire at a range of approximately thirty feet from the aircraft. Despite the heavy enemy fire, Nelson continued his gallant efforts, freeing the trapped door gunner despite being hit by enemy fire. Upon removing the wounded door gunner from the aircraft, he forced the specialist to the ground and, without regard for his own life, used his body as a shield to cover his comrade from the intense enemy fire. Nelson was hit several times as he sacrificed his own life to save his comrade.

His selfless sacrifice allowed his wounded comrade to use a smoke grenade to signal supporting aircraft in the area that there were crash survivors. The supporting aircraft responded immediately, preventing the insurgents from advancing on the downed aircraft and successfully rescuing the three wounded crew members.

His citation concludes: “Nelson’s conscious decision to sacrifice his own life for that of his comrades saved the lives of his three fellow crew members that fateful day. Nelson’s distinctive accomplishments are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and the United States Army.”

While Nelson was the first Citadel graduate to receive a Medal of Honor, two other cadets are also recipients, including SFC Christopher Celiz, who I profiled here. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2018.

Notably, Nelson’s surviving copilot, CPT Warren Jones, a Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross recipient, was also a Citadel graduate (Class of 1964). Citadel President Gen. Glenn Walters, USMC (Ret.), observed that Nelson “exemplified the highest values of courage, selflessness and leadership that we instill in every Citadel cadet.”

The second of the recent Vietnam War recipients is then-Private First Class Kenneth David, who received the Medal of Honor in person for acts of gallantry and intrepidity while serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division.

David grew up in the small town of Girard near Youngstown, Ohio. Among other accomplishments as a youngster, he was an Eagle Scout. He was drafted in August 1969, completed basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, then advanced training at Fort Polk, Louisiana. He deployed to Vietnam in January 1970.

While serving as a radio-telephone officer on May 7, his platoon was overrun. During the attack, he handed off his radio to his Sergeant and went to assist the other men in his company. “I kept saying, ‘I got to get back to my boys. My boys, I gotta help them.’” Once locating the others, he periodically yelled at the enemy lines to draw fire away from his men.

His citation notes:

Private First Class David’s company came under an intense attack from a large hostile force. The enemy’s ferocious initial assault mortally wounded the company’s Platoon Leader and resulted in numerous other friendly casualties. Upon the initial assault and without hesitation, PFC David handed his radio to his Platoon Sergeant and moved forward to the defensive perimeter, unleashing a barrage of automatic weapons fire on the enemy.

From this location, PFC David bitterly resisted all enemy efforts to overrun his position. Realizing the impact of the enemy assault on the wounded who were being brought to the center of the perimeter, PFC David, without regard for his own life, moved to a position outside of the perimeter while continuing to engage the enemy. Each time the enemy attempted to concentrate its fire on the wounded inside the perimeter, PFC David would jump from his position and yell to draw the enemy fire away from his injured comrades and back to himself.

Refusing to withdraw in the face of the concentrated enemy fire now directed toward him, he continued to engage the enemy. Although wounded by an exploding satchel charge and running perilously low on ammunition, he tossed hand grenades toward the attackers to effectively counter their fire. The unit’s medic, realizing that PFC David had been injured, moved to his position to provide aid, but PFC David assured him that he was okay and continued to fight on. PFC David’s courageous and selfless actions continued to draw the enemy fire away from the incoming medevac helicopters, allowing the wounded to be safely evacuated.

After allied reinforcements fought their way to his company’s position, PFC David carried a wounded comrade to a sheltered position. He then returned to the contact area and continued to engage the enemy and provide covering fire for the wounded until the enemy broke contact and fled, at which point he too was medically evacuated.

His citation concludes: “Private First Class David’s conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

It was miraculous that David survived, and as he says with conviction: “I was not alone that day. I had superior help from the Lord above. From that day on, my life changed. It’s not about me. It’s about helping the rest of my fellow veterans.”

For treatment of his severe injuries, David was evacuated for recovery to Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania. He spent the rest of his career working for a mechanical engineering company in Youngstown. In retirement, he now devotes most of his time to serving other Vets through the Girad Chapter of Disabled American Veterans.

He says: “I get the most enjoyment when a Veteran comes to our DAV building. I give him a gift card for $50 or $100, and he shakes my hand; he’s crying. And his wife will give me a kiss on the cheek; she’s crying. They have nothing, so $100 is so important to them.”

And that, brothers and sisters, is a call for attention to the circumstances of many disabled Vets.

CPT Hugh Nelson and PFC Kenneth David: Your examples of valor — humble American Patriots defending Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty and in disregard for the peril to your own lives — is eternal.

“Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

Live your life worthy of his sacrifice.

(Read more Profiles of Valor here.)

Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776

Follow Mark Alexander on X/Twitter.

---

Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of American Liberty, honoring their oath “to support and defend” our Constitution. Pray for our Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please consider a designated gift to support the National Medal of Honor Sustaining Fund through Patriot Foundation Trust, or make a check payable to “NMoH Sustaining Fund” and mail it to:

Patriot Foundation Trust
PO Box 407
Chattanooga, TN 37401-0407

Thank you for supporting our nation’s premier journal of American Liberty.