Congressional Medal of Honor

 


Milton L. Olive III

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Milton L. Olive III
Milton L. Olive III
Listen to Medal of Honor Presentation Ceremony

Rank and Organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 503d Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade.

Place and Date: Phu Cuong, Republic of Vietnam, 22 October 1965.

Entered Service At: Chicago, Ill.

Born: 7 November 1946, Chicago, Ill.

G.O. No.: 18, 26 April 1966.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Olive was a member of the 3d Platoon of Company B, as it moved through the jungle to find the Viet Cong operating in the area. Although the platoon was subjected to a heavy volume of enemy gunfire and pinned down temporarily, it retaliated by assaulting the Viet Cong positions, causing the enemy to flee. As the platoon pursued the insurgents, Pfc. Olive and 4 other soldiers were moving through the jungle together with a grenade was thrown into their midst. Pfc. Olive saw the grenade, and then saved the lives of his fellow soldiers at the sacrifice of his by grabbing the grenade in his hand and falling on it to absorb the blast with his body. Through his bravery, unhesitating actions, and complete disregard for his safety, he prevented additional loss of life or injury to the members of his platoon. Pfc. Olive's extraordinary heroism, 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.


Source: Department of Defense.
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy.
Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation.
Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1985.





The parents of Milton L. Olive, III receive his Medal of Honor from President Lyndon Johnson
"President Lyndon Johnson presents Medal of Honor, posthumously, to parents of
PFC Milton L. Olive, III for his act of gallantry in Vietnam."

Source: Department of Defense.
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy.
Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation.
Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1985.





Legend

Albelo, Dorothy. "Two Views of Survival." New York Times, May 15, 1966. P. SM7.
Annotation

"Artifact Induction Ceremony of Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Milton Olive's 'Dog Tags'." Diversityinbusiness.com, (February 2004). Retrieved March 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.diversityinbusiness.com/Events/Loc/
Chicago/ix_Ev_Chicago.htm.
Annotation

Calloway, Earl. "Drama 'Skipper' by Oscar Walden is a Literary Memorial Tribute to PFC Milton Lee Olive III." Chicago Defender, September 15, 2001, p. 20.
Annotation

Department of Defense. "SUBJECT: Weekly Report for the President." September 6, 1966.
Annotation

Finney, John W. "Johnson Extols a Soldier's Valor in Vietnam." New York Times, April 22, 1966. P. 1, 14.
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Lantz, Ragni. "Chicago Youth Joins 46 Other Negroes Who Won Top U.S. Medal." Jet, May 5, 1966, p. 6-10.
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"L.I. School Named For Negro Soldier Who Died a Hero." New York Times, October 3, 1966. P. 26.
Annotation

McCann, Tom. "Vietnam Veterans Recall African-American Hero." Chicago Tribune, (July 8, 2002). Retrieved September 9, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://new.blackvoices.com/news/bv-chi-0207080230jul08.story.
Annotation

"The Medal of Honor: Milton Lee Olive III." Surname: Olive, (2004). Retrieved November 30, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.dpo.uab.edu/~folive/
olivemedalofhonor.html.
Annotation

"Medal of Honor: Pfc. Milton Lee Olive III." 503rd P.R.C.T. Heritage Battalion, (2002). Retrieved September 9, 2003 from the World Wide Web: http://corregidor.org/heritage_battalion/moh/olive.html.
Annotation

 
"Milton Lee Olive, III, Private First Class." Crisis, (May 1966), p. 247-248.
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"Pfc. Milton Lee Olive III." Military.com, (2004). Retrieved March 9, 2004 from the World Wide Web: http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/?file=vn_olive.
Annotation

Presentation Ceremony at The White House, April 21, 1966. President Johnson's Remarks Upon Awarding the Medal of Honor to Milton L. Olive III. Citation for Milton L. Olive III read by Secretary of the Army Stanley R. Resor.
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"Remarks by Johnson at Medal Ceremony." New York Times, April 22, 1966. P. 14.
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Skipper: A Tribute To A Vietnam Hero – Milton Lee Olive III A.K.A. "Skipper". Oscar Walden Jr. Sextet. (2001). W & B Records.
Annotation

"Slain Negro Private Is Awarded Medal of Honor." New York Times, April 21, 1966. P. 4.
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Strausberg, Chinta. "Vet's Outlook on Life Shaped by Olive Heroics." Chicago Defender, October 24, 1995, p. 5.
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Strausberg, Chinta. "Watson to Create War Hero Campus at Olive/Harvey." Chicago Defender, September 25, 1999, p. 3.
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Terry, Wallace. "Brave Men & Leaders of Men: The Stories Of Black Soldiers In Vietnam." (February/March 2002). The VVA Veteran, p. 24-27.
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Legend
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Kief Schladweiler
Librarian, NYC


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