January 15, 1949 Oscar Palmer Austin, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. Austin joined the United States Marine Corps in April, 1968. He was promoted to private first class in October, 1968 and deployed to the Republic of Vietnam where he served as ammunitions man with Company E, 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, [...]
Tag Archives | Vietnam War
January 6th in African American History – Ruppert Leon Sargent
January 6, 1938 Ruppert Leon Sargent, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Hampton, Virginia. Sargent joined the United States Army and by March 15, 1967 was serving as a first lieutenant in Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War. On that day, while in Hau Nghia Province [...]
December 10th in African American History – Riley Leroy Pitts
December 10, 1968 President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to the widow and son and daughter of Riley Leroy Pitts. Riley was the first African American commissioned officer to receive the medal. Pitts was born October 15, 1937 in Fallis, Oklahoma. He graduated from Wichita State University with a degree in journalism. After being [...]
March 2nd in African American History – Frank E. Petersen, Jr.
March 2, 1932 Frank E. Petersen, Jr., the first African American Marine Corps aviator and the first African American Marine Corps general, was born in Topeka, Kansas. Petersen enlisted in the United States Navy in 1950 as a seaman apprentice.
February 28th in African American History – James Anderson, Jr.
February 28, 1967 James Anderson, Jr., the first African American United States Marine recipient of the Medal of Honor, died in action. Anderson was born January 22, 1947 in Los Angeles, California. He enlisted in the marines in 1966. He was promoted to private first class after graduating from recruit training and sent to Vietnam [...]
February 25th in African American History – Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr.
February 25, 1978 Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr., the first African American to achieve the rank of general, died. James was born February 11, 1920 in Pensacola, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Tuskegee Institute in 1942.
February 22nd in African American History – Lawrence Joel
February 22, 1928 Lawrence Joel, Medal of Honor recipient, was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Joel joined the United States Army in 1946 and served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.