Most Medal of Honor awards are given posthumously, because the level of bravery and sacrifice required to receive the award often results in the death of the awardee. Lawrence Joel, an Army medic in Vietnam, survived a 24-hour battle while treating the wounded from an entire battalion of paratroopers. He was the first living African-American since the Spanish-American war to receive the Medal. He also was the first individual of any background to have a parade in his honor in his home town of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Black History Month
This is the third in a series of articles in honor of Black History Month. For other installments in the series, please click here. Every day this month a new article will honor an American of African heritage who has made a significant contribution to American society. If there is any individual you would like to see honored, please send me his or her name and background information. Please use the email address I set up to receive stories about Christmas deployments, [email protected]. (If you have stories about being deployed at Christmas, please send those also – I will run a story every day of December, and will be collecting stories all year.)
Lawrence Joel
Lawrence was born in Winston-Salem, the third child of sixteen. He enlisted in the Army at age 18, after serving a year in the U.S. Merchant Marine. That was in 1946, and he stayed in the Army his entire career.
In spite of being wounded himself, he crawled all over that battlefield for more than 24 hours, rendering medical assistance to wounded soldiers.
In 1965, on 8 November, Joel was a Specialist Five medic on patrol near Bien Hoa with his paratroopers battalion. They were suddenly attacked by a force of Viet Cong, outnumbered by more than six to one. Almost all of the soldiers in the lead platoon were immediately killed or injured.
Specialist Joel’s citation gives the details of the battle, and of his valor. In spite of being wounded himself, he crawled all over that battlefield for more than 24 hours, rendering medical assistance to wounded soldiers. He ran out of supplies, so he improvised treatment using what was available.
In an interesting side note, one of the many lives Spc. Joel saved that day was a personal friend of Kris Kristofferson and the members of the country duo Big and Rich. They wrote a song, called “8th Of November,” commemorating the battle. The song includes a Kristofferson voiceover introduction, telling their friend’s story, and commemorating the service of Lawrence Joel.
Citation
Medal Of Honor
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. SP6 Joel demonstrated indomitable courage, determination, and professional skill when a numerically superior and well-concealed Viet Cong element launched a vicious attack which wounded or killed nearly every man in the lead squad of the company. After treating the men wounded by the initial burst of gunfire, he bravely moved forward to assist others who were wounded while proceeding to their objective. While moving from man to man, he was struck in the right leg by machine gun fire. Although painfully wounded his desire to aid his fellow soldiers transcended all personal feeling. He bandaged his own wound and self-administered morphine to deaden the pain enabling him to continue his dangerous undertaking. Through this period of time, he constantly shouted words of encouragement to all around him. Then, completely ignoring the warnings of others, and his pain, he continued his search for wounded, exposing himself to hostile fire; and, as bullets dug up the dirt around him, he held plasma bottles high while kneeling completely engrossed in his life saving mission. Then, after being struck a second time and with a bullet lodged in his thigh, he dragged himself over the battlefield and succeeded in treating 13 more men before his medical supplies ran out. Displaying resourcefulness, he saved the life of one man by placing a plastic bag over a severe chest wound to congeal the blood. As 1 of the platoons pursued the Viet Cong, an insurgent force in concealed positions opened fire on the platoon and wounded many more soldiers. With a new stock of medical supplies, SP6 Joel again shouted words of encouragement as he crawled through an intense hail of gunfire to the wounded men. After the 24-hour battle subsided and the Viet Cong dead numbered 410, snipers continued to harass the company. Throughout the long battle, SP6 Joel never lost sight of his mission as a medical aidman and continued to comfort and treat the wounded until his own evacuation was ordered. His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all. SP6 Joel’s profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
[From the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Lawrence Joel entry.]
Additional Honors
Many public buildings are named after Lawrence Joel, to honor his memory. They include clinics at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and Fort Benning, Georgia; an auditorium at Walter Reed Army Medical Center; the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and the road on which Blanchfield Community Hospital at Fort Campbell, Kentucky is located. Joel was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.
