Posted on 08/09/2010 1:50:11 PM PDT by mdittmar
SPIRIT LAKE, Idaho – Sergeant David C. Dolby, a Medal of Honor recipient, passed away Friday in Spirit Lake, Idaho.
Dolby received his Medal of Honor on Sept. 28, 1967 for service on May 21, 1966 in Vietnam. The citation was issued for Dolby’s gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.
Sergeant Dolby was assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division, Company B, 1st battalion (Airborne) 8th Cavalry.
Dolby and his platoon came under intense enemy fire as they were advancing tactically. With many members of his platoon wounded, including the platoon leader, Dolby moved the wounded men to safety and directed the rest of the platoon to engage the enemy.
The citation says that Dolby’s unsurpassed valor during four hours of intense combat were a source of inspiration to his entire company, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers.
Dolby was 64. Funeral services are pending.
There are 87 living recipients of the Medal of Honor today.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty, when his platoon, while advancing tactically, suddenly came under intense fire from the enemy located on a ridge immediately to the front. Six members of the platoon were killed instantly and a number were wounded, including the platoon leader. Sgt. Dolby's every move brought fire from the enemy. However, aware that the platoon leader was critically wounded, and that the platoon was in a precarious situation, Sgt. Dolby moved the wounded men to safety and deployed the remainder of the platoon to engage the enemy. Subsequently, his dying platoon leader ordered Sgt. Dolby to withdraw the forward elements to rejoin the platoon. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire and with utter disregard for his own safety, Sgt. Dolby positioned able-bodied men to cover the withdrawal of the forward elements, assisted the wounded to the new position, and he, alone, attacked enemy positions until his ammunition was expended. Replenishing his ammunition, he returned to the area of most intense action, single-handedly killed 3 enemy machine gunners and neutralized the enemy fire, thus enabling friendly elements on the flank to advance on the enemy redoubt. He defied the enemy fire to personally carry a seriously wounded soldier to safety where he could be treated and, returning to the forward area, he crawled through withering fire to within 50 meters of the enemy bunkers and threw smoke grenades to mark them for air strikes. Although repeatedly under fire at close range from enemy snipers and automatic weapons, Sgt. Dolby directed artillery fire on the enemy and succeeded in silencing several enemy weapons. He remained in his exposed location until his comrades had displaced to more secure positions. His actions of unsurpassed valor during 4 hours of intense combat were a source of inspiration to his entire company, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. Sgt. Dolby's heroism was in the highest tradition of the U.S. Army.
Thank you and God Bless. Prayers to his family.
On a side note, did you know Medal of Honor recipients get 2,000 dollars a month now if you received the award. That is pretty good. Of course no money is enough for what they did for our country. It was just an interesting fact. I bet when he first earned the award, it was probably 50 bucks...lol.
Thank you Sgt. Dolby.
RIP
He looks like a cheerful fellow in his photos, I suppose a person wouldn't want to p-$$ him off, though.
RIP, Hero. You are rememberd.
/johnny
Rest in Peace, Soldier.
Good night Sweet Prince...and flights of angels guide thee to try rest.
Hand salute!
Correction:
“Now cracks a noble heart. Good-night, sweet prince;
And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
—Shakespeare HAMLET
Rest in peace, Sergeant.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Let four captains
Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage;
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have proved most royally: and, for his passage,
The soldiers’ music and the rites of war
Speak loudly for him.
Take up the bodies: such a sight as this
Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.
Go, bid the soldiers shoot.
Land of the Free because of the Brave.
RIP
HAMLET
Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting,
That would not let me sleep: methought I lay
Worse than the mutines in the bilboes. Rashly,
And praised be rashness for it, let us know,
Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well,
When our deep plots do pall: and that should teach us
There’s a divinity that shapes our ends,
Rough-hew them how we will,—
Last I heard the MOH pension was $100. I'm delighted that it has inflated any amount. $2K sounds good.
My prayers and heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sgt. David C. Dolby. Thank you for your service and sacrifices Soldier.
Salute
Rest in Peace
RIP, sir, and thank you. Prayers for the family.
How do you thank such a man.
Pray for his soul. My family will do so.
And stand. He did for me.
WESTMORELAND
O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!
KING HENRY V
What’s he that wishes so?
My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin:
If we are mark’d to die, we are enow
To do our country loss; and if to live,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
God’s will! I pray thee, wish not one man more.
By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires:
But if it be a sin to covet honour,
I am the most offending soul alive.
No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England:
God’s peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more, methinks, would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made
And crowns for convoy put into his purse:
We would not die in that man’s company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is called the feast of Crispian:
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when the day is named,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say ‘To-morrow is Saint Crispian:’
Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
And say ‘These wounds I had on Crispin’s day.’
Old men forget: yet all shall be forgot,
But he’ll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day: then shall our names.
Familiar in his mouth as household words
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remember’d;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition:
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Shakespeare, Henry V
Thank you, soldier. I am in awe of your courage, and many did indeed “hold their manhoods cheap” when you were in the room. Our loss is Heaven’s gain.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.