A Soldier's Story: Sergeant First Class Lawrence Joel



Sergeant First Class Lawrence Joel was born on February 22, 1928, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  After spending a year as a Merchant Marine, he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1946, at the age of 18, and chose to be a career soldier from the beginning.

Sergeant First Class Lawrence Joel trained as a combat medic and, in addition to his Korean War deployments, earned a Congressional Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War's Operation Hump, when, on November 8, 1965, while assigned to the 503rd Infantry Regiment, he remained in the field (wounded and against orders) and continued to render aid during a firefight that lasted more than 24 hours.



Sergeant First Class Lawrence Joel retired from the U.S. Army in 1973 and worked with the Veteran's Administration until 1982.  He died in 1984 and rests in Arlington Cemetery.

Sergeant First Class Lawrence Joel's Vietnam valor was honored in the song "November 8" by Big and Rich.


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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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Location: Winston-Salem, NC, USA

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