Robert Lewis Howard (July 11, 1939 – December 23, 2009) was the most highly decorated officer of Vietnam United States Army

Special Forces Special forces and special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...

and Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. He was wounded 14 times over 54 months of combat, was awarded the Medal of Honor, eight Purple Hearts, a Distinguished Service Cross, a

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

, and four Bronze Stars. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor three times over a 13-month period but received lesser medals for the first two nominations, which were for actions performed in Cambodia where the U.S. was fighting covertly. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on December 30, 1968, his third nomination. He retired from the US Army after 36 years of service as a full colonel. He was one of the most decorated soldiers in the Vietnam War and was "said to be the most decorated service member in the history of the United States". He died as a result of pancreatic cancer, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on February 22, 2010.

Biography

Howard enlisted in the Army in 1956 at Montgomery, Alabama and retired as colonel, Army Special Forces, in 1992. Howard's service in Vietnam included assignments with 1/327th Airborne Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division,

5th Special Forces Group The 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) (5th SFG (A)) is one of the most decorated active duty United States Army Special Forces groups in the U.S. armed forces. The 5th SFG (A) saw extensive action in the Vietnam War and played a pivotal role i ...

and MACV-SOG As a

staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

of the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), Howard was recommended for the Medal of Honor on three occasions for three individual actions during thirteen months spanning 1967–1968. The first two nominations were downgraded to a Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross due to the covert and top secret nature of the operations in which Howard participated. As a sergeant first class of the SOG, he risked his life during a rescue mission in Cambodia on December 30, 1968, while second in command of a platoon-sized Hatchet Force that was searching for missing American soldier Robert Scherdin for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He learned of the award over a two-way radio while under enemy fire, immediately after being wounded, resulting in one of his eight Purple Hearts. Howard was wounded 14 times during a 54-month period in the Vietnam War. For his distinguished service, Howard received a direct appointment from Master Sergeant to First Lieutenant in December 1969. Howard graduated from Ranger School class 7-73 in May 1973 and served with the 2nd Ranger Battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington as company commander. From 1977 to 1978 he served as Mountain Ranger Training instructor. Howard later served as officer-in-charge of Special Forces training at Camp Mackall, near Ft. Bragg, N.C., and later, commanding the Mountain Ranger Training Camp at Dahlonega, Georgia Howard graduated from the National War College, Class 1987–1988. He received two master's degrees during his Army career which spanned 1956 to 1992. Howard retired as a colonel in 1992. Associated Press,
Decorated Army colonel, MoH recipient dies
, '' Military Times'', December 24, 2009. He was one of the most decorated soldiers in the Vietnam War. '' NBC News'' said that Howard may have been the most highly decorated American soldier of the modern era, while KWTX-TV states that he was "said to be the most decorated service member in the history of the United States". John Plaster in his 1998 book ''SOG: The Secret Wars of America's Commandos in Vietnam'' states that Howard "remains to this day the most highly decorated American soldier." His residence was in Texas and he spent much of his free time working with veterans until the time of his death. He also took periodic trips to Iraq to visit active duty troops. Howard died of

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of t ...

at a hospital in Waco, Texas, on December 23, 2009. He was survived by four children and five grandchildren. His funeral was in Arlington National Cemetery on February 22, 2010.

Legacy

In 2014, Howard was announced as the recipient of United States Special Operations Command's

Bull Simons Arthur D. "Bull" Simons (June 28, 1918 – May 21, 1979) was a United States Army Special Forces colonel best known for leading the Sơn Tây raid, an attempted rescue of U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War from a North Vietnamese p ...

award for his "lifetime achievements in Special Operations". In April 2017 a building at the Rowe Training Facility on Camp Mackall was named Howard Hall in his honor.

Medal of Honor Citation

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

Silver Star Citation

Awards and decorations

Notes

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Howard, Robert L. 1939 births 2009 deaths Deaths from pancreatic cancer Deaths from cancer in Texas People from Opelika, Alabama People from Waco, Texas United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War United States Army colonels Members of the United States Army Special Forces Recipients of the Air Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Silver Star Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States) United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor Military personnel from Texas