Did you know this about the IW Knights of Columbus?
Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection, 1964–1980 / National Archives / Critical Past.
A true story (in two parts) entitled “Service above and Beyond”. “In the early hours of July 6, 1964, hundreds of communist fighters attacked a military outpost in Nam Dong, Vietnam, where a small team of American Green Berets had been training South Vietnamese troops. The Special Forces team and its allies held out against the larger force for five exhausting hours before daylight and air support brought an end to the battle.
The 30-year-old commanding officer, Capt. Roger Donlon, had exposed himself repeatedly to gunfire, grenade attacks and mortar shells throughout the fight, as he rallied his men, responded to threats and assisted the wounded.
Five months later, in recognition for his actions at Nam Dong, Capt. Donlon was awarded the Medal of Honor — the first of the Vietnam War and the first ever bestowed on a Special Forces soldier. The citation concluded, ‘His dynamic leadership, fortitude, and valiant efforts inspired not only the American personnel but the friendly Vietnamese defenders as well and resulted in the successful defense of the camp.’
Donlon, a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1961, continued to serve in the Army for more than three decades, retiring as a colonel in 1988. Now 88 years old, he lives in Leavenworth, Kan. with his wife of 54 years, Norma; together they have five children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The following text was excerpted and adapted from an interview with Donlon earlier this year.
Photo by Spirit Juice Studios
I WAS BLESSED to be born into an Irish Catholic family in Saugerties, New York. I’m number eight out of 10 kids and grew up in an environment where service was emphasized.
Daddy said, ‘Don’t be afraid to work hard,’ and he showed by example. I started by learning how to make kindling and build the fire for the hot-water heater. Once I mastered that, I’d qualified to stoke the fire in the furnace. So you had to earn your way to do chores.
When I was 10 years old, he gave me my best birthday present: 50 baby chicks. It was my turn to start putting food on the table. They turned into a money-making machine — selling eggs to the neighbors, bartering. You go to the dentist with a dozen eggs and you get a tooth filled. Daddy would say, ‘There’s no disgrace to be poor, but it’s mighty darn inconvenient at times.’
As youngsters, the first opportunity we had to serve was as acolytes in church. In those days, you had to learn another language before you could become an altar boy, so we had to learn our Latin. My mother always emphasized the importance of prayer. She said, ‘A family that prays together will stay together.’
But service was emphasized time and time again, and opportunities to serve were given to us.
My father and my uncle served in World War I and my older brothers Paul and Mike in World War II. Paul spent his 19th birthday on Anzio Beach in Italy. My brother, Jack, later served in Korea and Vietnam.
I had dreamt about flying since I was a kid, so I joined the Air Force. They gave me a test for entrance into the Air Force Academy, which was opening up. I passed it and was on the roster for the first class. They gave us a physical, and when they dilated my eyes, they said, ‘I believe you may have a congenital cataract.’ [That] Blew me out of the sky right there.
Donlon transferred from the Air Force to the Army, studying at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., for two years and later attending Officer Candidate School. He graduated from Special Forces training in 1963. The following year, Special Forces Team A-726, led by Capt. Donlon, was sent to advise South Vietnamese soldiers in Nam Dong. Close to the Laos border and a route used by communist fighters, the camp became a target. The attack began 2 a.m. on July 6.” (Part two next week.)
The above article can be found in the K ofC ’s Columbia On-Line magazine at KofC.org – or on IWKnights9981.com/bulletin, on facebook.com/IWknights9981, and on Twitter at twitter.com/IwKnights or by contacting Rob Schultz at (314) 973-2373.
Links Related to this week’s column:
Service Above and Beyond
Roger Donlon, the first Medal of Honor recipient in the Vietnam war, reflects on his love of God, family and country
By Knights of Columbus' Columbia Magazine (11/1/2022)
Click here to read the article
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