Collier - Medal of Honor: portraits of valor beyond the call of duty

Medal of Honor

PORTRAITS OF VALOR BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY

FOREWORD Brian Williams
ESSAYS Tom Brokaw, Victor Davis Hanson, Senator John McCain
PHOTOGRAPHS Nick Del Calzo TEXT Peter Collier

Text copyright 2003, 2006, 2011 by the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation

Portraits copyright 2003, 2006, 2011 by Nick Del Calzo

Archival photographs courtesy of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Doug Sterner

Foreword copyright 2011 by Brian Williams

A Special Category of Hero copyright 2003 by Tom Brokaw

When Courage Is Second Nature copyright 2006 by Victor Davis Hanson

Ennobled by Example copyright 2003 by Senator John McCain

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproducedmechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopyingwithout written permission of the publisher.

Published by Artisan
A division of Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
www.artisanbooks.com

Published simultaneously in Canada by Thomas Allen & Son, Limited

The Library of Congress has cataloged the first edition as follows:

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Available

ISBN: 978-1-57965-662-1

Medal of Honor is published in collaboration with the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation.

DISCLAIMER : Neither the Executive Office of the President, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Military, nor any other government or military body has approved, endorsed, or authorized this product or promotion, service, or activity.

To fallen friends, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who answered their nations call and gave their lives that others may live in freedom. We reflect on what their lives might have been, but never will be. Their sacrifice is our mandate; our challenge is to remember.

Each of the Medal of Honor recipients featured in this book, many in the twilight of their years, agreed to sit for a photograph and to recount his story one more time for the benefit of future generations. Sadly, some of them have passed away since the photographer and the author were privileged to work with them. Yet together, these recipients, living or dead, help us put a face on the meaning of hero and understand what their heroism represents for us all.

BRIAN WILLIAMS

I was profoundly honored to be asked to write this introduction to the third edition of Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty, which has been published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the Medal of Honor by an act of Congress, signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln back in 1861. This milestone celebrates the heroism and sacrifice of all those who have fought and died to defend the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

As a member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation board, I have had the staggering privilege of meeting and getting to know many of the recipients of this high honor who are still with us. I have listened to their conversations, heard their remarkable war stories, and marveled at their reflections on what the medal means to them. To a man, they insist they were just doing their job and were inspired to action by the plight of their fellow soldiers. Theirs is a bond that those of us who have not faced the horrors of combat can only imagine. They did what they did for their buddies, on their right and their left, whose very lives were held in the balance. They will tell you they wear the medal for their fellow soldiers, and for those who didnt come home. Their modesty and humility are breathtaking. They are living reminders that our culture of self-celebration has not yet affected everyone. As I wrote this foreword, we heard about the demise of the worlds number one terrorist, Osama bin Laden. I couldnt help but reflect on those brave men and women who quietly go about their business without fanfare, willing to brave incredible risk on our behalf. It is why I believe that those serving today do so with the same spirit of courage and sacrifice as those of previous generations, as Peter Collier points out so poignantly in (page 328).

Sadly, time and fate have taken a toll. As of this writing, there are fewer than eighty-five recipients still alive to carry on the Medal of Honors rich legacy of courage and sacrifice, manifested in the most extreme situations. I have said many times: If you take the time to read their storiesor even just one story of one recipientyoull never have a bad day again. These men represent the very best our country has to offer, and we can learn from their experience and their strength of character. They did the right thing when the chips were down and when things seemed hopeless. They thought of others before themselves, and risked life and limb to make a difference. And so can wein our civilian lives on any particular day. As one recipient put it, The Medal of Honor is proof that ordinary men and women have within them the potential to challenge fate and literally change the course of historyit only requires the courage to try.

See more here.

THE WHITE HOUSE

WASHINGTON

As President of the United States, I am afforded no greater privilege than serving as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military the world has ever known. With this responsibility comes the distinction of bestowing military decorations upon our Nations most valiant service members, and no award is higher than the Medal of Honor.

In 1861, President Abraham Lincoln began acknowledging individuals for their gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. In the century and a half since then, fewer than 3,500 brave patriots have received the Medal of Honor, each recipient embodying the virtues and values Americans hold dear: duty, honor, service, humility, and heroism.

This medal reflects the gratitude of our entire Nation, and we remain forever indebted to the women and men of our Armed Forces and their families for their service and sacrifice. May God bless and protect all those who serve, and may God bless the United States of America.

Sincerely,

G EORGE W. B USH

Laura and I are proud to join our fellow Americans in observing the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor and in honoring the outstanding patriots who have received it.

The Medal of Honor is the nations highest military distinction and the greatest award for bravery a President can bestow. It is given for gallantry above and beyond the call of duty, and for valor beyond anything that duty could require. For any President, presenting the Medal of Honor is a high privilege. I awarded the Medal to twelve brave Americans. Their storieswhich spanned World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and todays conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraqare awe-inspiring.

Since World War II, more than half of those who have been awarded this medal gave their lives in the action that earned it. Though many of these Americans never lived to wear the medal, they will always be honored in the annals of our countrys history. By risking their own lives to save others, they exemplified the highest ideals of military service.

I commend the Congressional Medal of Honor Foundation for its work to preserve the history of those who have received this high award. On this anniversary, Laura and I extend our deepest gratitude to all the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families who have sacrificed so much to defend the freedoms we hold dear. We salute our Medal of Honor recipients for their unmatched bravery and heroism. And we ask for Gods blessings on all who wear the uniform of the United States.