THE US REPORT

by Kay B. Day

Sgt. Leonard B. Keller received the Medal of Honor for heroic actions beyond the call of duty in a battle in the Ap Bac Zone in the Republic of Vietnam on May 2, 1967.Sgt. Leonard B. Keller pulled out of the parking lot of a veterans’ association on Sunday in Milton (Fla.), taking a sharp left turn to hit the highway on his Harley. Something went wrong, and the motorcycle overturned. When Sgt. Keller, 62, died later that day, Florida’s loss spoke to the heart of a nation. Keller belonged to one of the most exclusive and distinguished groups in our country—he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Known colloquially as the Congressional Medal of Honor, the award is the highest military award for valor in combat. Sgt. Keller’s citation gives an idea of what a soldier does to earn the distinction.

On May 2, 1967, the Ap Bac Zone in the Republic of Vietnam wasn’t a place anyone would really want to be. An enemy ambush had occurred and Sgt. Keller’s unit came in to sweep the area. Suddenly intense automatic weapons and small arms fire erupted from enemy bunkers. Numerous snipers fired mercilessly, perched in trees. Wounded American troops were scattered on the ground. MSNBC recounted Keller’s response that would earn him the Medal of Honor: “His own unit was also taking casualties. As he heard voices yelling, ‘Retreat!’ Keller became angry and called out, ‘Let’s go get them!’ to an American named Ray. The two of them charged the enemy.”

What Keller did that day is painstakingly described in the official citation:

“Sgt. Keller quickly moved to a position where he could fire at a bunker from which automatic fire was received, killing 1 Viet Cong who attempted to escape. Leaping to the top of a dike, he and a comrade charged the enemy bunkers, dangerously exposing themselves to the enemy fire. Armed with a light machine gun, Sgt. Keller and his comrade began a systematic assault on the enemy bunkers. While Sgt. Keller neutralized the fire from the first bunker with his machine gun, the other soldier threw in a hand grenade killing its occupant. Then he and the other soldier charged a second bunker, killing its occupant. A third bunker contained an automatic rifleman who had pinned down much of the friendly platoon. Again, with utter disregard for the fire directed to them, the 2 men charged, killing the enemy within. Continuing their attack, Sgt. Keller and his comrade assaulted 4 more bunkers, killing the enemy within. During their furious assault, Sgt. Keller and his comrade had been almost continuously exposed to intense sniper fire as the enemy desperately sought to stop their attack. The ferocity of their assault had carried the soldiers beyond the line of bunkers into the treeline, forcing snipers to flee. The 2 men gave immediate chase, driving the enemy away from the friendly unit. When his ammunition was exhausted, Sgt. Keller returned to the platoon to assist in the evacuation of the wounded. The 2-man assault had driven an enemy platoon from a well prepared position, accounted for numerous enemy dead, and prevented further friendly casualties.”

Some would read that passage and rightfully recognize a willingness to sacrifice self for the benefit of others. Some would read the same words and rightfully recognize a level of bravery few of us will ever know—a deliberate defiance of death, a split-second decision to fight in a context where there is no guarantee of fairness or outcome. There was no debate, discussion or extended analysis—just reflexive action based on the innate qualities that define a hero.

Keller’s citation pointed out the sergeant’s “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty…His acts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.”

Major General James E. Livingston (USMC, Ret.), a fellow Medal of Honor recipient who knew Sgt. Keller, spoke to The US Report by phone from his Lowcountry South Carolina home. Livingston and Keller knew each other through various MOH events across the country. He said Keller “was not particularly outspoken—he was kind of quiet—very very likable.” In the classic hero sense Livingston called Keller  an “humble” person.

People liked to be around the Illinois native who, after leaving the Army, worked at the Naval Supply Center, Gulf Coast Supply Operations for 22 years in Pensacola. Keller had just retired from that job when the accident occurred in Milton. “He was enjoying retirement, having a ball,” Livingston said. “This really saddens me—he was finally at a time in his life when he could do what he wanted.”

When the article about Keller was published at MSNBC, many readers weighed in with their own opinions of the MOH recipient. One man wrote, “I am a pilot currently serving at NAS Whiting Field in Milton, FL. I had no idea that the man who issued my flight gear was a Medal of Honor winner…”

The loss of Sgt. Keller leaves less than 100 living recipients of the MOH. The 2010 MOH convention in Charleston will be hosted by the South Carolina State Guard Foundation, one of our nation’s oldest, most respected state defense forces, and the Citadel. 

As mere mortals, recognizing the bravery of these heroes is the least we can do.

Update on Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 12:00PM by Kay B. Day

Followup on Sgt. Keller's fellow MOH recipient

After a reader asked about the soldier named Ray who fought with Sgt. Keller, we did some quick research. That solder, Raymond R. Wright, Jr., also received the Medal of Honor for his valor in that battle. We focused on Sgt. Keller for this article, but we plan to do additional stories on MOH recipients in the future. We thank our reader for asking an excellent question and we hope we have addressed it suitably.--best, Editor TUSR