Posthumous Medal of Honor for Vietnam War Soldier

President Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Army Spc. Leslie H. Sabo Jr. on May 16 during a White House ceremony, announced Administration officials. The President will honor Sabo, a rifleman during the Vietnam War, for his conspicuous gallantry in combat with the enemy in De San, Cambodia, on May 10, 1970, that cost him his life. “His indomitable courage and complete disregard for his own safety saved the lives of many of his platoon members,” reads the White House’s release. On that fateful day, a large enemy force ambushed Sabo’s platoon. Sabo “immediately charged the enemy position” killing several enemy soldiers, states the release. He then assaulted the enemy’s flanking force, forcing enemy soldiers to retreat and drawing fire away from his colleagues. When a grenade landed near Sabo, he grabbed it and threw it away, shielding a comrade from the blast. Although severely wounded from the grenade and from automatic weapons fire, Sabo once again crawled toward the enemy and tossed a grenade into an enemy bunker. “The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Sabo’s life,” reads the release. Sabo’s widow and brother will attend the ceremony, according to the White House.