Medal of Honor to Be Awarded to Soldier Killed in Iraq, a First

New York Times ^ | March 29, 2005 | ERIC SCHMITT

[Neil E. Wright]

Sgt. First Class Paul R. Smith, God Speed Soldier! Thank you for your service, and sacrifice, in the cause of FREEDOM! You done good! Rest in peace!

On behalf of a Grateful Nation, we pray:

Lord God, You are the Author of Freedom and the eternal advocate of Liberty. It is by Your hand that our great land has been led into the fields of freedom, and it is in keeping with Your intent that this nation promote Freedom to all the far corners of this globe. It is in this regard that we bring thanks before You. We thank you for a Nation that has embedded in it's social contract descriptions of the Freedoms that come from the Creator.
We thank you for the many citizens throughout this nation who pray for the continued freedom of this nation and for the freedom of others around the world. We thank you for men and women in our armed forces, now and in the past, who have placed all on the line for the cause of freedom.
And finally, we thank you for that select group of American fighting men and women who have sacrificed their lives so that others might remain free.
Make us ever mindful that You are the Author of Liberty, the ACTIVE advocate of Liberty from the freeing of the Hebrew Children to the freeing of the American slaves to the freeing of the Iraqi peoples.
We pray in the name of Jesus Christ; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

---

±

"The Era of Osama lasted about an hour, from the time the first plane hit the tower to the moment the General Militia of Flight 93 reported for duty."
Toward FREEDOM

I'm starting a Military/Veteran's Affairs ping list. FReep mail me if you want ON/OFF the list.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."-George Patton

[SeaBiscuit]

God Bless Sgt. First Class Paul R. Smith and his family, he is a TRUE hero, where without Brave and Unselfish people like him this Nation would never have survived. Thank you Sir for your great sacrifice and service to America, God rest your soul.

[GloriaJane]

"Sergeant Smith's "extraordinary heroism and uncommon valor without regard to his own life in order to save others are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service," a draft of the medal citation says."

A True Hero! God Bless him in Heaven and his family on earth.

[NautiNurse]

Wonderful story! Thanks.

[leadpenny]

Colonel Jack Jacobs will be on with Imus in a few minutes.

[dsc]

Anybody know if the children of MOH winners are still guaranteed a spot at the Military Academies?

[dsc]

"The men who served under Sgt. Paul Smith didn't much like him."

New York Slimes weenie.

The more you sweat in training, the less you bleed on the battlefield.

[leadpenny]

Don't know.

Colonel Jacobs is about to leave for Iraq and Afghanistan. He and four other MOH recipients (one from each service) are going to meet the troops. Col. Jacobs hopes to meet with some of the men of the 3rd ID who were there the first time and who were with a 3rd ID NCO who is being awarded the MOH posthumously.

[e5man_r_u?]

Thank God for the service of such men!

I have read a few MOH citations. This is definitely one honor that is not given lightly.

Does anyone have a link to past MOH citations?

[SAMWolf]

Medal of Honor Bump

[JarheadFromFlorida]

Outstanding!! Makes me proud to be an American and a veteran!

[Jet Jaguar]

One of you should be able to help e5man_r_u? with a link to MOH citations.

[Dante3]

Well deserved. The US Post Office should put his face, along with heroes such as Jason Dunham, Pat Tillman, Neil Roberts, and Arland Williams on stamps instead of some of their at times odd choices.

[Condor51]

***Does anyone have a link to past MOH citations?***

yep, here ya go..
Medal of Honor Citations

[mad_as_he$$]

About time.

[mad_as_he$$]

I have read an account of a Marine who was with Peralta and should of been in that place in line but stopped to do something else. I believe he was a combat photographer. The first time I read that story I was deeply saddened and then my heart swelled with pride for the courage, honor and duty of the modern Marine.

Here's to every Marine and their devotion to the cause.

Semper Fi.

[Jet Jaguar]

thanks Condor.

[traviskicks]

The story of Paul Ray Smith is that of an ordinary recruit from Tampa, Fla., who fresh out of high school joined the Army [not out of patriotism] but for a steady paying job.

Sergeant Smith's widow, Birgit, expressed gratitude. "I'm proud and honored that Paul would be recognized by his country in such a meaningful way," she said in a telephone interview. "[He loved his country]; he loved the Army; and he loved his soldiers."
---

little contrast [], the Times had to throw that one in. Maybe I'm being a little nit picky... :) What a hero!

[Redbob]

Note the number, 1522, awarded during the "Civil" War - they must have been handing them out like popcorn.