Photo By Lt. Col. Bradford Leighton | Staff Sgt. Brandon Cabrera talks to Spc. Syed Bukhari after the Chicago Memorial Day...... read more read more
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Two Illinois Army National Guard retirees; Medal of Honor Recipient Allen Lynch and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, joined Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Memorial Day Grand Marshal Coast Guard Rear Admiral Zeita Merchant, in honoring fallen U.S. service members at the Chicago Memorial Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony on Saturday, May 25, on Daley Plaza in Chicago.
Lynch, of Gurnee, Illinois, and born in Chicago earned the Medal of Honor on Dec. 15, 1967 in Vietnam while serving with the U.S. Army's Co. D, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division for incredibly valorous actions saving wounded comrades.
His Medal of Honor citation reads:
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Lynch (then Sp4c.) distinguished himself while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company D. While serving in the forward element on an operation near the village of My An, his unit became heavily engaged with a numerically superior enemy force. Quickly and accurately assessing the situation, Sgt. Lynch provided his commander with information which subsequently proved essential to the unit's successful actions. Observing three wounded comrades lying exposed to enemy fire, Sgt. Lynch dashed across 50 meters of open ground through a withering hail of enemy fire to administer aid. Reconnoitering a nearby trench for a covered position to protect the wounded from intense hostile fire, he killed two enemy soldiers at point-blank range. With the trench cleared, he unhesitatingly returned to the fire-swept area three times to carry the wounded men to safety. When his company was forced to withdraw by the superior firepower of the enemy, Sgt. Lynch remained to aid his comrades at the risk of his life rather than abandon them. Alone, he defended his isolated position for two hours against the advancing enemy. Using only his rifle and a grenade, he stopped them just short of his trench, killing five. Again, disregarding his safety in the face of withering hostile fire, he crossed 70 meters of exposed terrain five times to carry his wounded comrades to a more secure area. Once he had assured their comfort and safety, Sgt. Lynch located the counterattacking friendly company to assist in directing the attack and evacuating the three casualties. His gallantry at the risk of his life is in the highest traditions of the military service. Sgt. Lynch has reflected great credit on himself, the 12th Cavalry, and the U.S. Army."
After his service in Vietnam, he joined the Illinois National Guard and retired with 21 years of service from the Army National Guard in 1994.
Duckworth was severely wounded in Iraq on Nov. 12, 2004, when the Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade some 50 miles north of Baghdad. She would continue her service in the Illinois Army National Guard and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel retiring in 2014 with 23 years of service.
She spoke about Vietnam Veteran Sgt. 1st Class William Chaney, a mentor and friend who served with her in the National Guard's Chicago-based Co. B, 1st Battalion, 106th Aviation Regiment. Chaney would mentor Duckworth as a new officer in the unit guiding her toward making the right decisions.
Chaney, 59, of Schaumburg, Illinois, died on May 18, 2004 while deployed following emergency surgery in Landstuhl, Germany.
Merchant, who was born in Chicago, attained the rank of rear admiral this year becoming the first African American woman in the 233-year history of the Coast Guard to attain the rank of admiral.
Jean Harris, a Survivor Outreach Services coordinator and Gold Star step-mother to Illinois Army National Guard Sgt. Joshua Harris, spoke during the ceremony about how Gold Star Families are a club that doesn't want any more members but lean on each other for support.
Korean War Veteran André Richardson King was awarded the General John A. Logan Award during the ceremony. King is an African American designer and architect and the Honorary Consul of Barbados. Major General Logan was a general in the Illinois Militia, today's Illinois National Guard, during the Civil War. Logan is credited with starting the first Memorial Day commemoration.
Also honored during the ceremony were two Chicago Public School JROTC Cadets, Lorena Mozo and Fernando Gonzalez, both whom showed exceptional leadership in the program.
The Illinois National Guard's 34th Division Sustainment Brigade provided a ceremonial rifle squad for the ceremony and the U.S. Navy's Navy Band Great Lakes provided music for the ceremony.
| Date Taken: | 05.26.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.26.2024 20:22 |
| Story ID: | 472287 |
| Location: | CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 153 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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