Once Young Soldier Bruce Crandall Receives Medal of Honor
WASHINGTON — Bruce Crandall was a soldier once ... and young. As a 32-year-old helicopter pilot, he flew through a gantlet of enemy fire, taking ammunition in and wounded Americans out of one of the fiercest battles of the Vietnam War, Army records say.
Now, a week after his 74th birthday, Crandall received the nation's highest military honor Monday in a White House ceremony with President Bush.
"I'm still here," he said of his 41-year-wait for the Medal of Honor. "Most of these awards are posthumous, so I can't complain."
Crandall's actions in the November 1965 Battle at Ia Drang Valley were depicted in the Hollywood movie "We Were Soldiers," adapted from the book "We Were Soldiers Once ... And Young."
At the time, Crandall was a major commanding a company of the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).
"We had the first airmobile division ... the first one to use aircraft as a means of transportation and sustaining combat," Crandall said. His unit was put together earlier that year to go to Vietnam and "wasn't as thought out as things are today." ...
Who are your icons?
Michelle Malkin
Tune out Tinseltown. Tune into The Pentagon Channel's new program, "Icon:"
The Pentagon Channel tomorrow will debut a new program, “Icon,” which takes an in-depth look at iconic figures in the U.S. military and Defense Department.
The first Icon program will feature retired Army Lt. Col. Bruce P. Crandall, who is receiving the Medal of Honor today at the White House for his actions in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam in November 1965. During the fight, which was the first major ground battle of the war, Crandall, then a major and commander of Company A, 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), dodged intense enemy fire as he repeatedly flew to a landing zone to rescue and resupply besieged 1st Cavalry Division ground troops. ...
Icon will be featured on the Pentagon Channel as distinctive individuals arise for whom more information and a more in-depth look are needed. From Medal of Honor recipients to top leaders on today's battlefield, Icon aims to bring the audience more information about these compelling individuals. In the future, the Pentagon Channel looks to add an interactive Web component to Icon to further enhance the audience experience, officials said.
The inaugural Icon episode will air at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time tomorrow.
