Rob Jackson to get Silver Star
When Private Rob Jackson was first offered a Silver Star Medal, he refused it because he thought that he was just doing his job when he rushed unarmed into a firefight to treat his fallen brothers, but he’s changed his mind about the action on October 15, 1970. Now he’ll get his medal. From Portland Press Herald;
Jackson was drafted, but he was also a conscientious objector. He wasn’t opposed to serving in the military, but he didn’t want to kill anyone. The Army placed him in a noncombat role as a medical aidman.
“I had just connected with God,” he says. “It wasn’t like Roman candles, but it was a very powerful, very meaningful conversion.”
Jackson refused to carry a weapon. Instead, he carried his Bible and his first aid kit whenever he was on a mission.
[…]
The citation reads in part: “With complete disregard for his own safety, Private Jackson unhesitatingly maneuvered under a hail of enemy machine gun fire to reach the wounded soldiers and render first aid. … The bravery, aggressiveness and devotion to duty exhibited by Private Jackson are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, the 25th Infantry Division and the United States Army.”
The details are at the link, along with the confrontation that Jackson had with his sergeant after the battle. He’ll be accepting the medal at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Category: Real Soldiers
There is much to be said about Jackson and his decision first to decline the Silver Star and then, decades later, to accept it. He received the award yesterday at The Wall. In Heaven, Desmond T. Doss nodded knowingly and smiled approvingly.
I was going to mention Doss, but you beat me to it. Desmond Doss is my favorite lesson to young soldiers on the failures of prejudiced leadership and the perseverance of the heart.
He just raised the bar, a lot.
CONGRATULATIONS, Rob Jackson ! ! !
Gosh, gee whillikers, he and I were in Viet Nam at the same time!
He was from Portland, Maine, and I was from Portland, Oregon.
Apparently, we also both experienced our religious conversions during approximately the same time period, but I didn’t become a conscientious objector.
I didn’t know the Army allowed guys to refuse being awarded a medal.
I’ve heard guys brag (?) about being heroes and refusing to be decorated, but I always figured that was just idle talk.
I’m glad he thought enough of his children and grandchildren to accept his decoration.
That will mean an awful lot to them.
By the way, the Silver Star is a decoration, not a medal.
Do you know the difference between a medal and a decoration?
When I accidentally learned about it, I mentioned it in my post, “PROPER CIVILIAN WEAR OF MILITARY MEDALS”, at my own personal web site, “OUR ETERNAL STRUGGLE”.
http://writesong.blogspot.com/2011/10/proper-civilian-wear-of-military-medals.html
All my respect and honor go to Rob Jackson. A true hero and a humble man.
Amazing. Lot of respect.