Because so many of you responded so favorably to Lieutenant Colonel Michael Novosel's Metal of Honor recounting, I would like to share the story of the only MoH recipient I have ever known. Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Louis Richard Rocco. I met him through his grandson in 2000, his grandson was attempting to join the Army and I was his recruiter. His grandson had some, issues, not unlike CW2 Rocco had in his early life. MoH recipients and exert a great deal of influence into certain areas of the military, recruiting of a family member is one of them. In 2000 and 2001 I had the honor of having several long conversations with CW2 Rocco before his passing from lung cancer on 31 October 2002. His grandson was able to get in the Army in 2003. This is Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Louis Richard Rocco's MoH Citation:
"WO Rocco distinguished himself when he volunteered to accompany a medical evacuation team on an urgent mission to evacuate eight critically wounded Army of the Republic of Vietnam personnel. As the helicopter approached the landing zone, it became the target for intense enemy automatic-weapons fire. Disregarding his own safety, WO Rocco identified and placed accurate suppressive fire on the enemy positions as the aircraft descended toward the landing zone. Sustaining major damage from the enemy fire, the aircraft was forced to crash land, causing WO Rocco to sustain a fractured wrist and hip and severely bruised back. Ignoring his injuries, he extracted the survivors from the burning wreckage, sustaining burns to his own body. Despite intense enemy fire, WO Rocco carried each unconscious man across approximately 20 meters of exposed terrain to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam perimeter. On each trip, his severely burned hands and broken wrist caused excruciating pain, but the lives of the unconscious crash survivors were more important than his personal discomfort, and he continued his rescue efforts. Once inside the friendly position, WO Rocco helped administer first aid to his wounded comrades until his wounds and burns caused him to collapse and lose consciousness. His bravery under fire and intense devotion to duty were directly responsible for saving three of his fellow soldiers from certain death. His unparalleled bravery in the face of enemy fire, his complete disregard for his own pain and injuries, and his performance were far above and beyond the call of duty and were in keeping with the highest traditions of self-sacrifice and courage of the military service."
Presentation Date & Details: December 12, 1974 The White House, presented by Pres. Gerald R. Ford CW2 Rocco was an E-7 (Sergeant First Class) on 24 May 1970 (I would be born the in June 1970 while my dad was in Vietnam.) with Advisory Team 162, U.S. Military Assistance Command, northeast of Katum, Republic of Vietnam when he earned hos Metal of Honor. I still have a service flyer from his funeral in my military "keep safe" trunk. He was a damned good man.
Source 1, Congressional Medal of Honor Society Source 2, National Museum of the United States Army Source 3, Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Center of History and Heritage
