00:00The next two we recognize today served in the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division, better
00:09known as Big Red One.
00:12Do you know about that, Pete? Right?
00:14Command Sergeant Major Terry Richardson, we are honored to have you with us.
00:20On September 12th, 1968, 102 brave men of Terry's Alpha Company were asked with securing Hill 222 deep behind the
00:34enemy's line in Vietnam.
00:37They didn't know it at the time, had no idea, but the area was totally infested with nearly 300 enemy
00:45bunkers and many, many enemy soldiers, far outnumbering them by at least four, five, even six to one.
00:53As Terry led Lima Platoon up Hill 222, the enemy launched an ambitious and violent attack, unleashing a withering fire
01:06of machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades.
01:09Just didn't stop. It just kept coming.
01:12Pinned down in hell on earth, Terry summoned unimaginable courage.
01:18Three times he exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue severely wounded comrades, and three times he dragged them back
01:26to the group.
01:28Terry soon realized that the 82 remaining men had one chance of survival.
01:33That was air support.
01:35Acting without regard of his own life, he grabbed a radio and charged up Hill 222 alone.
01:42He needed to be there. It was the only place you'd get reception.
01:46He withstood a storm of enemy bullets, eventually reaching the top, where he spent the next eight hours calling in,
01:53tactical strikes completely exposed.
01:57An hour in, an enemy sniper shot rang out, and the bullet tore through his right leg violently.
02:04He was in bad shape, but Terry disregarded that and pushed through.
02:09And after seven more hours of calling in, American fire from above, the enemy retreated.
02:18Later that day, his team found him with both eardrums totally ruptured and a mangled right leg and foot, but
02:26still barely living, but living, nevertheless.
02:30Due to Terry's actions above and beyond the call of duty, 82 men, Alpha Company survived this battle, including two
02:39in this room, Norm Meyer and Dave Hemmer.
02:44Where are you?
02:45Do you want to stand up?
02:46Norm and Dave?
02:47Where is Norm and Dave?
02:50That's pretty good.
02:57Pretty good.
03:03And that story is 100% correct, isn't it?
03:06See, pretty.
03:07How much have you paid him over the years?
03:09Have you said, take everything we have?
03:12We wouldn't be here, right?
03:14That's great.
03:14That's a great story.
03:15Terry, today, you enter the ranks of the bravest warriors ever to stride the face of the earth.
03:23Please stand up.
03:24Please.
03:56Command Sergeant Major Terry P. Richardson.
04:06The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress March 3, 1863,
04:13has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Terry P. Richardson,
04:18United States Army.
04:19Staff Sergeant Terry P. Richardson distinguished himself by acts of gallantry above and beyond
04:24the call of duty on September 14, 1968, in the vicinity of Lough Ninh, Republic of Vietnam.
04:31On this date, his company was tasked with the mission of securing Hill 222 in hostile and
04:37enemy territory near the Cambodian border.
04:39Staff Sergeant Richardson directed one of his squads to be the point element leading the
04:44way.
04:44Shortly after the assault began, three of the squad members became severely wounded and
04:49pinned down between three enemy machine gun bunkers.
04:52Staff Sergeant Richardson advanced forward under heavy enemy fire and recovered his wounded
04:58soldiers between heavy machine gun fire.
05:01By the time he was able to make it back to join his unit, his entire company had been completely
05:06surrounded by the enemy.
05:08Staff Sergeant Richardson recognized that the only way to keep his company from being overrun
05:12was with accurate tactical airstrikes.
05:15Staff Sergeant Richardson advanced to the top of Hill 222 under heavy enemy fire for better
05:21sight lines to direct the tactical airstrikes.
05:23He began to direct the tactical airstrikes and shortly thereafter became wounded by an enemy
05:28sniper.
05:29Staff Sergeant Richardson continued directing the tactical airstrikes for seven more hours
05:34before the enemy broke contact.
05:37Six soldiers from his platoon found him still alive.
05:40Staff Sergeant Richardson declined medical evaluation for his gunshot wound and requested that he be
05:45allowed to stay to lead his soldiers.
05:47All together, his actions directly resulted in 85 lives being spared on that faithful day.
05:54Staff Sergeant Richardson's conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism at the risk of his
05:59life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military
06:03service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
06:08with his hand and the задач he took on and demonstrating.
Comentarios