Medal of Honor Statue

Medal of Honor Statue. National Navy UDT-Seal Museum. , Side 1: , The Medal of Honor is the United States of America’s highest military honor, awarded for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. it is presented by the President of the United States in the name of Congress., Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Joseph R. Kerry (1969, Vietnam) , Engineman First Class Michael E. Thornton (1972, Vietnam) , Lieutenant Thomas R. Norris (1972, Vietnam) , ✶ Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy (2005, Afghanistan) , ✶ Master-At-Arms Second Class Michael A. Monsoor (2006,Iraq) , Chief Edward C. Byers (2012, Afghanistan) , Senior Chief Britt K. Slabinski (2002, Afghanistan) , , Side 2: , Mike Thornton and Tommy Norris “Teammates” , In late 1972, Lieutenant Tommy Norris and Petty Officer Mike Thornton, advising a three-man LDNN (Vietnamese special forces) patrol on a dangerous intelligence gathering and prisoner capture operation, came under heavy and sustained fire from a numerically superior force. After five hours of intense combat, Lieutenant Norris was severely wounded, rendered unconscious and inaccurately reported dead by the LDNNs. Petty Officer Thornton immediately ran to Lieutenant Norris through a hail of bullets, killed two enemy soldiers in close combat, carried Norris back through enemy fire to the coast and began swimming him out to sea., Although wounded by bullets and shrapnel, Petty Officer Thornton put his own life jacket on Lieutenant Norris to keep him afloat. Two hours later, the entire patrol was picked up by another Navy SEAL in a Vietnamese junk. By his extraordinary actions, Petty Officer Thornton saved Lieutenant Norris and enabled all patrol members to return to base. Petty Officer Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Nixon on October 15, 1973.Lieutenant Norriswas himself awarded the Medal of Honor by President Ford on March 6th, 1976, for rescuing two downed U.S. Air Force officers behind enemy lines in April of 1972., These remarkable teammates received two of the three Medals of Honor awarded to Navy SEALs during the Vietnam War., Side 3: , United States Navy SEAL Teams , Navy SEAL (Sea-Air-Land) Teams were established by President Kennedy in 1962 to address emerging irregular conflicts. Then combat effectiveness in Southeast Asia proved the value of organizing carefully selected and highly trained men into small teams that could operate in remote areas with little support., The legend of Navy SEALs, born in the jungles and on the rivers of Vietnam, was sustained and enhanced through their remarkably courageous and skillful actions in Panama, Kuwait, Somalia, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and dozens of other places during both conflict and peacetime missions., SEALs have participated in every major U.S. military operation. They have also trained and supported foreign counterparts in their home countries, fought pirates on the open seas, rescued hostages under forbidding conditions and conducted numerous other sensitive and dangerous missions including the daring raid that resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden. Their ferocity, discipline and precision in combat have made Navy SEALs a model for small unit operations globally., SEALs operate in all environments under all conditions. Their strength is in their individual skill and valor, the operational versatility of their small teams, their specialized equipment and their fierce determination to accomplish any mission., Side4: , The Navy SEAL Ethos: Forged By Adversity , – I am a common man with an uncommon desire to succeed. , – My Trident is my symbol of honor, and heritage. I must earn it everyday. , – I accept the full responsibility of my chosen profession and way of life. , – I serve with honor, on and off the battlefield. My word is my bond. , – Uncompromising integrity is my standard. My character is steadfast. , – If knocked down, I will get back up every time. I am never out of the fight. , – The lives of my teammates and the success of our mission depend on me. , – I am innovative and disciplined. My training is never complete. , – I do not advertise the nature of my work, nor seek recognition for my actions. , – I persevere and thrive on adversity. I train for war and fight to win., I Will Never Quit. I Will Not Fail..