A Salute to Thomas William Bennett. He gave his all to save his brothers.
Deeply religious, Thomas Bennett became the first conscientious objector since Desmond Doss in World War II to be awarded the Medal of Honor (Posthumously). Bennett, from Morgantown, West Virginia, serving with the 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Division of the US Army was honored for his heroic actions at Chu Pa, Pleiku Province.
Corporal Bennett's Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Corporal Thomas William Bennett (ASN: 51908201), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon Medical aidman with 2d Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Chu Pa, Pleiku Province, Republic of Vietnam, from 9 to 11 February 1969, during a reconnaissance-in-force mission. On 9 February the platoon was moving to assist the 1st Platoon of Company D which had run into a North Vietnamese ambush when it became heavily engaged by the intense small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and rocket fire from a well fortified and numerically superior enemy unit. In the initial barrage of fire, three of the point members of the platoon fell wounded. Corporal Bennett, with complete disregard for his safety, ran through the heavy fire to his fallen comrades, administered life-saving first aid under fire and then made repeated trips carrying the wounded men to positions of relative safety from which they would be medically evacuated from the battle position. Corporal Bennett repeatedly braved the intense enemy fire moving across open areas to give aid and comfort to his wounded comrades. He valiantly exposed himself to the heavy fire in order to retrieve the bodies of several fallen personnel. Throughout the night and following day, Corporal Bennett moved from position to position treating and comforting the several personnel who had suffered shrapnel and gunshot wounds. On 11 February, Company B again moved in an assault on the well fortified enemy positions and became heavily engaged with the numerically superior enemy force. Five members of the company fell wounded in the initial assault. Corporal Bennett ran to their aid without regard to the heavy fire. He treated one wounded comrade and began running toward another seriously wounded man. Although the wounded man was located forward of the company position covered by heavy enemy grazing fire and Corporal Bennett was warned that it was impossible to reach the position, he leaped forward with complete disregard for his safety to save his comrade's life. In attempting to save his fellow soldier, he was mortally wounded. Corporal Bennett's undaunted concern for his comrades at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
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Original description and photo sourced by
militarytimes.com and West Virginia University Libraries.
