American Legion Post 804 - Medal of Honor - Eugene A Obregon

Medal of Honor. U.S. Air Force.

U.S. Air Force Medal of Honor recipients are photographed with, standing from left, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz and Commander of Air Education and Training Command Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz during the Air Education and Training Command 2010 Symposium at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 15, 2010. The honorees, seated from left, are retired Cols. Leo K. Thorsness, Bernard F. Fisher, George E. Day, Joe M. Jackson and James P. Fleming.

Honored member of the Hispanic American Airborne Association, at the American Legion Post 804, East Los Angeles.

Rodolfo Pérez "Rudy" Hernández (April 14, 1931 – December 21, 2013) was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor — America's highest military decoration — for his actions on May 31, 1951, during the UN May–June 1951 counteroffensive in the Korean War. Despite his wounds, Hernández took actions during an enemy counterattack near Wonton-ni that allowed his platoon to retake their defensive position.

Citation: Cpl. Hernandez, a member of Company G, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. His platoon, in defensive positions on Hill 420, came under ruthless attack by a numerically superior and fanatical hostile force, accompanied by heavy artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire, which inflicted numerous casualties on the platoon. His comrades were forced to withdraw due to lack of ammunition but Cpl. HERNANDEZ, although wounded in an exchange of gr***des, continued to deliver deadly fire into the ranks of the onrushing assailants until a ruptured cartridge rendered his rifle inoperative. Immediately leaving his position, Cpl. HERNANDEZ rushed the enemy armed only with rifle and bayonet. Fearlessly engaging the foe, he killed 6 of the enemy before falling unconscious from gr***de, bayonet, and bullet wounds but his heroic action momentarily halted the enemy advance and enabled his unit to counterattack and retake the lost ground. The indomitable fighting spirit, outstanding courage, and tenacious devotion to duty clearly demonstrated by Cpl. HERNANDEZ reflects the highest credit upon himself, the infantry, and the U.S. Army.

Medal of Honor. Born in Chihuahua, Mexico and raised in Oxnard, California.
On September 1, 2002, Rascon returned to the army as an Army Reserve major in the Army Medical Service Corps. His position was individual mobilization augmentee to the Surgeon General's Office. Rascon served in Afghanistan and Iraq with the Medical Service Corps. He retired from the military with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Alfred Velazquez Rascon (born September 10, 1945) is a retired United States Army lieutenant colonel. In 2000, he was awarded the Medal of Honor—the United States' highest military decoration—for his actions as a medic near Long Khánh Province during the Vietnam War.

On more than one occasion, Rascon exposed himself to enemy fire and gr***des by covering the bodies of those whom he was aiding with his own. In addition to Vietnam, Rascon also served as a medical officer in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Citation:
Specialist Four Alfred Rascon distinguished himself by a series of extraordinarily courageous acts on March 16, 1966, while assigned as a medic to the Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade (Separate). While moving to reinforce its sister battalion under intense enemy attack, the Reconnaissance Platoon came under heavy fire from a numerically superior enemy force. The intense enemy fire from crew-served weapons and gr***des severely wounded several point squad soldiers. Specialist Rascon, ignoring directions to stay behind shelter until covering fire could be provided, made his way forward. He repeatedly tried to reach the severely wounded point machine-gunner laying on an open enemy trail, but was driven back each time by the withering fire. Disregarding his personal safety, he jumped to his feet, ignoring flying bullets and exploding gr***des to reach his comrade. To protect him from further wounds, he intentionally placed his body between the soldier and enemy machine guns, sustaining numerous shrapnel injuries and a serious wound to the hip. Disregarding his serious wounds he dragged the larger soldier from the fire-raked trail. Hearing the second machine-gunner yell that he was running out of ammunition, Specialist Rascon, under heavy enemy fire crawled back to the wounded machine-gunner stripping him of his bandoleers of ammunition, giving them to the machine-gunner who continued his suppressive fire. Specialist Rascon fearing the abandoned machine gun, its ammunition and spare barrel could fall into enemy hands made his way to retrieve them. On the way, he was wounded in the face and torso by gr***de fragments, but disregarded these wounds to recover the abandoned machine gun, ammunition and spare barrel items, enabling another soldier to provide added suppressive fire to the pinned-down squad. In searching for the wounded, he saw the point grenadier being wounded by small arms fire and gr***des being thrown at him. Disregarding his own life and his numerous wounds, Specialist Rascon reached and covered him with his body absorbing the blasts from the exploding gr***des, and saving the soldier's life, but sustaining additional wounds to his body. While making his way to the wounded point squad leader, gr***des were hurled at the sergeant. Again, in complete disregard for his own life, he reached and covered the sergeant with his body, absorbing the full force of the gr***de explosions. Once more, Specialist Rascon was critically wounded by shrapnel, but disregarded his own wounds to continue to search and aid the wounded. Severely wounded, he remained on the battlefield, inspiring his fellow soldiers to continue the battle. After the enemy broke contact, he disregarded aid for himself, instead treating the wounded and directing their evacuation. Only after being placed on the evacuation helicopter did he allow aid to be given to him. Specialist Rascon's extraordinary valor in the face of deadly enemy fire, his heroism in rescuing the wounded, and his gallantry by repeatedly risking his own life for his fellow soldiers are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

On June 1, 1918, the battle of Belleau Wood began.

The Marines who fought there, cemented a legacy for generations to come. This was the first large-scale battle for the Marines and one that would be seared into the collective memory of the United States Marine Corps. The battle was fierce and raged for more than three weeks, finally coming to an end on June 26, 1918.

The Germans said the Marines fought like devils, calling them "teufel hunden." From that day on, Marines would be forever known as Devil Dogs.

This painting, by artist Franc-Earle Schoonover, shows the Marines’ savage fight for infamous, French woods.

https://www.facebook.com/DepartmentofWar/videos/2231049927639383/?mibextid=NnVzG8

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1697821605112378&id=100046536651323&mibextid=ZbWKwL

The Marines may need 40 amphibious warfare ships, general says The discussion on amphibious warfare ships comes as the Corps plans to continuously deploy three Marine Expeditionary Units.

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On this Day in 1917.

Declaration of War: The U.S. Enters World War I https://share.google/leA8dstm5RTmyN7bu

The United States suffered 53,402 battle deaths in World War I, in less than six months of fighting. Another 63,114 died from accidents and disease. After the Civil War and World War II, World War I is the deadliest war in American history.

Declaration of War: The U.S. Enters World War I On April 6, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson signed this declaration of war, ending America’s neutral stance and formally declaring war against Germany.