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Army Col. Robert Howard deployed five times during the
Vietnam War and is the only soldier to have been nominated three
times for the Medal of Honor. He is the most decorated soldier
to have served in the conflict.
Howard's first deployment to Vietnam was with the 101st
Airborne Division in 1965. After being injured in battle, he was
recruited to Special Forces until his deployment was finished.
He then went back to the states for Ranger School and Special
Forces training.
He returned to Vietnam four more times, usually working for
MAC-V SOG on cross-border operations into Laos, Cambodia, and
North Vietnam. In December 1969, while serving in the rank of
Master Sergeant, he was commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant. He
reached the rank of Captain by February 1971. On March 2, 1971,
Howard was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Nixon.
During his five tours in Vietnam Howard was wounded 14 times
- serving a total of 55 months in combat. He earned eight Purple
Hearts during his career, along with numerous other awards. He
retired in 1992 after 36 years of service. Howard died in 2009
and is buried in Arlington National Cemetary.
References
"Medal of Honor Monday: Army Col Robert L. Howard", U.S.
Department of Defense, December 30, 2024.
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