It was a monumental task, but the 25-year-old Army Ranger was up to it. He and his small cohort of friendly Vietnamese soldiers were sleep-deprived and knew they were outnumbered. It was April 4, 1970, near the Cambodian border in Vietnam and close to 5,000 North Vietnamese and Viet Cong hostiles surrounded them, the feeling of imminent death heavy in the hot, humid air.
Despite the odds, the young sergeant first class did what he was trained to do – survive and win. He was the only American left in his unit and with the Vietnamese he learned in language school before being deployed, Gary Littrell motivated his allies to fight. He radioed friendly artillery on enemy positions, often putting himself in the line of fire to do so.
It’s been more than 52 years since the events that led to Littrell’s earning the Medal of Honor and he said he’s tried to live his life to uphold what the award stands for.
“I feel that I’m the caretaker of this medal and feel that most recipients will feel the same thing,” said Littrell, who retired from the Army as a command sergeant major in 1983. “A recipient will wear this medal for those that gave all – their life – on the battlefield.”
Littrell joined fellow Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam veteran James McCloughan and several hundred others during an “Evening of Honor” event to share his story with veterans, active duty service members and others at the Luxe Hotel in Los Angeles on Oct. 6.
The event was sponsored by American Legion Ronald Reagan-Pacific Palisades Post 283 and the Military and Veterans Appreciation Trust Foundation (MVAT). It was meant to bring members of veteran, business, active duty and law enforcement communities together for an evening of networking and inspiration.
“I saw a lot of opportunity where the American Legion could step up as a coming-together point for veterans to help each other – improve their careers, improve their family lives,” said Jim Cragg, commander of Post 283 and CEO of military gear manufacturer S.O.Tech. “We’ve put on a really quality event where successful veterans could help other veterans become successful and look for that mentor and look for that inspiration. And what better inspiration than two Medal of Honor recipients?”
Like Littrell, McCloughan’s story pits him against the Viet Cong some five decades ago. On May 13, 1968, McCloughan’s company flew into a landing zone in Tam Kỳ, some 50 miles south of Da Nang. The Americans immediately came under small arms fire
Two of the helicopters were shot down near the landing zone. Because of the fierce fighting put on by the enemy, a rescue helicopter was unable to land. Instead McCloughan’s squad was sent to rescue its crew. Once they reached the crash site, McCloughan, a medic, saw a wounded soldier on the ground and ran some 100 meters through an open field of enemy fire to reach him. McCloughan then carried the soldier back to relative safety, ultimately saving his life.
McCloughan said of the events leading to his Medal of Honor award in 2017 that it’s all about character.
“A lot of people thought they knew who we were and they had all kinds of things to say about us,” McCloughan said, referring to the bad treatment he received coming home from war. “You should always remember where you came from.”
McCloughan came from a small town in South Haven, Michigan. After the war, he went home to teach high school sports. Since then, he’s been a mentor to young people looking for their way in life.
“To be a good mentor, you need to encourage,” said McCloughan, who has coached American Legion Baseball.
Author: Jared Morgan
Jared is the senior editor and web team lead for the Department of California and chair of its Media & Communications Commission. He became a member of the American Legion in 2014 when he joined Palisades Post 283 to find stories about veterans issues for a local newspaper while working as its news editor. He was soon brought in as 283's assistant adjutant and historian to help produce the post's award-winning community newspaper. Since then, Jared has used his media skills to help further the efforts of The American Legion in its advocacy of veterans and their families. Jared has also worked for several years to help revitalize the 100-year-old Santa Monica Post 123, formerly as its adjutant and as a member of its executive board, before transferring back to Post 283.