These Stories of Valor are part of an ongoing oral history program of the Honor Project to ensure the experiences of our combat wounded and those who gave their all in the service of America are remembered for generations to come.
Staff Sergeant Jonathon L. Porter, United States Army, heroically distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous conduct in the face of the enemy during an indirect fire attack while serving as the Weapons Sergeant for Operational Detachment-Alpha 1326, Special Operations Task Force-West, Nahr E Saraj District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan,
Read MoreMichael Pirga enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in 1922 where he proudly served until 1957. On December 7, 1941 when Pearl Harbor came under attack, then Sergeant Pirga was in his barracks. He was buried under the collapsed building and had to be dug out by his comrades.
Read MoreDaniel Carmona was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1967, and served until 1969 with the 173rd Airborne Brigade. On November 1, 1968, SP4 Carmona's company was on an early morning mission. Carmona's platoon was moving along a trail, with Carmona third in line, when they encountered a booby trap.
Read MoreMichael Perron enlisted into the U.S. Army in 2002 and served for more than four years as a member of the 10th Mountain Division and the 2nd Battalion, 87th Infantry Division. While serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, SGT Perron received shrapnel wounds when a suicide bomber struck his platoon.
Read MoreOriginally from New York, John Grand enlisted into the U.S. Army in December 1955 and served for the next seven years before being commissioned in June 1962 and continuing to serve another 14 years. Grand did two tours in Vietnam with A and C companies, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division operating in the Delta and Plain of Reeds areas of operations.
Read MoreKen Teunissen was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969 and later enlisting and serving for nearly a decade, including time in Vietnam and Berlin, Germany. In February 1970, Teunissen was providing cover fire when he suffered a shrapnel wound to his leg.
Read MoreWilliam "Billy" Dobbs enlisted in the Army in 1986, joining with the 2nd battalion, 20th Special Forces Group, serving as a Paratrooper. He later served with 101st Airborne Division, where he taught Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare. In total, Dobbs served for 23 years, including Desert Storm.
Read MoreJohn "Todd" Swanson enlisted into the U.S. Army in October 1967, serving for the next two years, including a tour in Vietnam.
Read MorePatrick Burgess enlisted into the U.S. Army in June 1967, right after high school. Because he was only 17 years old, his father had to sign for him.
Read MoreNathaniel Loomis enlisted in the Idaho Army National Guard in 1998, and later attended the United States Military Academy from 2002 to 2004. He commissioned to Warrant Officer in the Idaho Army National Guard in 2016, where he is currently serving with B Co, 145th BSB, 116th CBCT.
Read MoreGlenn Boche was drafted into the U.S. Army in April 1969 and served with the 22nd Infantry Regiment, the 25th Infantry Division, while in Vietnam.
Read MoreErnest Boisvert was drafted into the U.S. Army, serving as a member of the 4th Infantry Division, including a tour in Vietnam.
Read MoreEd O’Neal first joined the U.S. Army in November 1977, serving in the Army until November 1980. He was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force in July 1986, serving for the next two decades until May 2007, serving with the U.S. Central Command, including time in Saudi Arabia during Operation Enduring Freedom.
Read MoreArmando "Chris" Martinez IV was commissioned into the U.S. Army in October 2011 and served for the next decade, including time in Korea with the 9th Infantry; Fort Bliss, Texas, with the 1st Armored Brigade; Germany with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment; and Fort Wainwright with the 25th Infantry Division.
Read MoreBlanca Taylor enlisted in the Army National Guard in August 2002 and served for more than a decade as a member of the 1864th Motor Transport Company, including a deployment as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Read MoreVanessa (Brown) Schieber enlisted in the Army in April 2007 and served for the next 11 years a member of the 101st Airborne Division and later the 1st Armor Division.
Read MoreLouis Zayas was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1965 and for the next two years. While serving as a helicopter door gunner escorting other troops into a hot Landing Zone in Vietnam, Zayas’ unit came under heavy fire. During the firefight he was struck in the thigh from an explosion.
Read MoreDouglas Quick enlisted into the U.S. Army in August 2000 and served for the next 12 years, including a tour in Iraq in 2006-2007. It was during that tour, that the vehicle SSG Quick was riding in took a direct hit from an enemy rocket. The blast killed the driver of the vehicle and severely injured SSG Quick.
Read MoreJames Ives was drafted into the Army in November 1967 and served for the next two years as a member of the173rd Airborne Brigade, including a tour in Vietnam.
Read MoreDale Thomsen enlisted into the U.S. Army in November 1966, serving for the next three years as a member of the 610th Transportation Company, including a tour in Vietnam.
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