Robert L. Howard, a dedicated member of the U.S. Army Special Forces, served an incredible 54 months in Vietnam and survived 14 separate combat wounds. His unmatched bravery made him the most decorated soldier of the Vietnam War and the most highly decorated Green Beret in U.S. history.
Throughout his service, Howard received numerous prestigious awards, including eight Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and four Bronze Stars for valor.
His greatest recognition came with the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded after being nominated for it three times—a testament to his exceptional heroism on the battlefield.
Robert Howard and the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne)
Robert Howard was born in Opelika, Alabama in 1939 and enlisted in the US Army in 1956. His first deployment was in 1965, with the 101st Airborne Division. He’d completed a few tours in Vietnam before attending Special Forces training, returning to Vietnam in 1967 as a sergeant first class with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
It was during his time serving in Vietnam that Howard would be recommended for the Medal of Honor – not once, but on three separate occasions. He was only awarded it once. It’s believed the reason he wasn’t given it all three times had to do with his assignment as a staff sergeant with the top secret Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG). The US military didn’t want to draw attention to his work on classified missions.
Presented with the Distinguished Service Cross
On November 27, 1967, Robert Howard was serving as an adviser to a reconnaissance patrol when they unexpectedly stumbled upon an enemy bunker complex near the Laotian border. A fierce firefight erupted, and Howard took cover beside one of the bunkers, only to find himself pinned down under heavy machine gun fire.
Despite the relentless attack, Howard managed to throw a grenade into one of the bunker openings, eliminating all the enemy personnel inside. He then grabbed an anti-tank weapon, “rose up amidst the relentless barrage of bullets, fired his weapon, and completely destroyed the position.” His courageous actions created an opportunity for him and his team to be safely evacuated by helicopter.
For his extraordinary bravery during the battle, Howard was nominated for the Medal of Honor but was ultimately awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.
Heroics earned Robert Howard a Silver Star
In November 1968, Robert Howard accompanied a FOB-2 Hatchet Platoon mission deep in Laos. After four days in hostile territory, the unit was ambushed by enemy forces, including a Soviet-made PT-76 amphibious light tank. Under heavy fire, Howard managed to destroy the tank using an anti-tank rocket—a bold move that helped protect his team.
When a Medevac helicopter arrived to evacuate the wounded, it was shot down by Vietnamese anti-aircraft fire. Although already injured, Howard ran 300 yards through open enemy fire to reach the crash site, rescuing the two pilots and a wounded door gunner—sustaining even more injuries in the process.
The platoon was forced to remain in place overnight, as the enemy’s anti-aircraft defenses made it too dangerous for rescue aircraft to return. The following day, Howard located and destroyed a 37 mm anti-aircraft gun, clearing the way for evacuation.
Though his actions were once again worthy of the Medal of Honor, he was instead awarded the Silver Star for his heroism during the mission.
Third time’s the charm – Robert Howard receives his Medal of Honor
In December 1968, Robert Howard joined a rescue mission to recover Special Forces Sgt. Robert F. Scherdin. Scherdin was part of a 10-man team deployed at the junction of Laos, Cambodia, and South Vietnam. The team had split into two groups, both of which came under enemy attack. Severely wounded, Scherdin was left behind when the patrol was forced to retreat.
The next morning, Lt. James Jerson sent his Special Forces commando platoon, including Howard and a group of Montagnard tribesmen, to rescue Scherdin. Along the way, Jerson and Howard were hit by a remotely detonated mine, seriously injuring them, and the rest of the platoon was attacked by the enemy.
Despite injuries to his legs and hand, Howard moved swiftly through enemy fire to reach Jerson and pull him to safety. A helicopter evacuated the platoon after Howard successfully rescued Jerson, but Jerson later succumbed to his injuries. Scherdin was not found and was declared missing in action.
Howard’s bravery and resilience earned him another recommendation for the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him for having “crawled from position to position, administering first aid to the wounded, giving encouragement to the defenders and directing their fire on the encircling enemy.” President Richard Nixon presented him the medal on March 2, 1971.
Robert Howard’s life following the Vietnam War
Robert Howard spent a total of four and a half years fighting in Vietnam. He served with the US Army for 36 years, 33 of which were with airborne status. Howard retired as a full colonel in 1992, but continued to work with other veterans in some form. He even visited American troops who were stationed in Iraq.
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Howard became the most decorated Green Beret and soldier since World War II. Among the aforementioned decorations, he was also awarded seven Army Commendation Medals, three Air Medals, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation and four Legions of Merit.
The Special Forces veteran died of pancreatic cancer on December 23, 2009 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.