This veteran would have been a hero even without the medals - Was he?

2015-05-19T09:48:11-04:00

A lieutenant with Oklahoma’s 45th Infantry Division during World War II, Montgomery was well-known for a battle in northern Italy, where he left his platoon behind the safety of a stone wall while he single-handedly stormed a row of German machine-gun nests. He killed 11 Nazis and captured 32 others, by himself, while dodging intense enemy fire.

And for that, he received the Medal of Honor.

http://www.tulsaworld.com/homepagelatest/michael-overall-after-the-war-this-veteran-became-an-even/article_d2d06fba-41f6-59a4-85fc-536f55aaf878.html

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 10:17 AM

2015-05-19T10:17:29-04:00

He IS a hero regardless of what anyone has to say. His actions speak for him.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made May 19 at 2015 12:57 PM

2015-05-19T12:57:08-04:00

Heroism makes the hero. Awards and decorations are simply symbols bestowed upon those whose heroism was witnessed and reported on the proper forms and not lost in the bureaucratic morass.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 19 at 2015 1:08 PM

2015-05-19T13:08:18-04:00

The man makes the medals the medals do not describe the man. Yes he is a hero despite the medals not because of the medals.

Sounds kind of familiar, different generation in a different war. So ladies and gentlemen I give you SGT Alvin C. York.

"When all was said and done, Alvin York had singlehandedly killed 28 enemy soldiers and captured 128 enlisted men, 4 officers and 32 machine guns without suffering so much as a scratch on his body. With this regimental-sized enemy machine gun Company out of the way, the American 77th Division was able to capture the railroad that evening,. For his 1337 ass-kicking skills, York was lauded as a hero by the Allied forces - he received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Croix de Guerre, the Legion of Honor, and the Croce di Guerra. As all of the POWs were being marched back to the American HQ, Brigadier General Lindsay walked up and said something to the effect of, "Jesus Christ York, I hear that you captured the whole fucking German Army!" York responded, "No sir, just 132 of them."

When asked why he did it SGT York replied with words to the effect of I did it to save lives of soldiers. I can only imagine what reasons were in the mind of 2nd LT Montgomery.

Response by SSG (ret) William Martin made May 19 at 2015 1:12 PM

2015-05-19T13:12:48-04:00

I wonder what his PSG said when he came back? "Where yer been, sir?" "You know sarge, killin' Nazi bastards".

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 19 at 2015 1:53 PM

2015-05-19T13:53:35-04:00

I got to meet this man at a Memorial Day ceremony in 1995 in OKC.