Leslie H. Sabo Jr. to be awarded posthumous MOH

Leslie H. Sabo Jr. lost his life in Cambodia in 1970 and 42 years later, his family will be receiving his Medal of Honor, the application for which has been languishing in a pile of bureaucratic malaise, according to his hometown Ellwood, PA City Ledger;

President Barack Obama announced Monday that Sabo will receive the Medal of Honor, the U.S. military’s highest award for combat valor. Sabo, who grew up in Ellwood City and graduated in 1966 from Lincoln High School, will be the third Lawrence County native, and first since the Civil War, to receive the medal.

Obama will personally give Sabo’s family the Medal of Honor in the fallen soldier’s name on May 16 during a White House ceremony. The president informed Sabo’s wife, Rose Brown of Hickory Township, by a phone call earlier this month.

Fox News tells a little bit more about Sabo’s exploits that day;

That day, his platoon was ambushed by enemy forces and Sabo charged the enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers.

His actions drew fire away from his fellow soldiers and forced a retreat of enemy forces. A grenade later landed near where he was resupplying and he threw it away and shielded a wounded comrade with his body, saving his life.

He crawled toward the enemy encampment, threw a grenade into the bunker, which ended the enemy fire but also killed Sabo. He was 22.

Thanks to Former3c0 for the link.

Category: Military issues