Medal of Honor recipients speak at Sapulpa Junior, Senior High
Posted on 04/26/2018
(SPS) - Three Medal of Honor recipients spoke during two assemblies Friday at Sapulpa High School.

Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins, Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris, and Captain James E. Livingston shared their message of commitment, leadership, and sacrifice to students of the Junior High School and High School at Shaw Auditorium.

Since the Medal of Honor was created in 1861 just more than 3,400 Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen have received the award. The men are three of the 71 living recipients of the award.

Sergeant First Class Bennie G. Adkins distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as an Intelligence Sergeant with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Camp A Shau, Republic of Vietnam from March 9 to 12, 1966. When the camp was attacked by a large North Vietnamese and Viet Cong force in the early morning hours, Sergeant First Class Adkins rushed through intense enemy fire and manned a mortar position continually adjusting fire for the camp, despite incurring wounds as the mortar pit received several direct hits from enemy mortars. READ MORE HERE.

Staff Sergeant Melvin Morris distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commander of a Strike Force drawn from Company D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, during combat operations against an armed enemy in the vicinity of Chi Lang, Republic of Vietnam on September 17, 1969. On that afternoon, Staff Sergeant Morris’ affiliated companies encountered an extensive enemy mine field and were subsequently engaged by a hostile force. READ MORE HERE.

Captain James E. Livingston, USMC, distinguished himself for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While serving as Commanding Officer, Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade in action against enemy forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 2 May 1968, Company E launched a determined assault on the heavily fortified village of Dai Do, which had been seized by the enemy on the preceding evening isolating a Marine company from the remainder of the battalion. Skillfully employing screening agents, Captain Livingston maneuvered his men to assault positions across 500 meters of dangerous open rice paddy while under intense enemy fire. Ignoring hostile rounds impacting near him, he fearlessly led his men in a savage assault against enemy emplacements within the village. READ MORE HERE.