Robert L. Howard was a distinguished U.S. Army Special Forces soldier, renowned for his remarkable resilience and bravery during the Vietnam War. Over the course of 54 months in combat, he sustained 14 different wounds, earning him the title of the most decorated soldier of the Vietnam War and the most highly decorated Green Beret in U.S. military history.
Throughout his service, Howard accumulated numerous prestigious awards, including eight Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and four Bronze Stars for acts of valor.
His most significant honor, the Medal of Honor, was awarded to him after being nominated three times, a testament to his extraordinary heroism and unwavering dedication throughout his military career.
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
Robert Howard accompanied a deep-penetration mission into Laos with a Hatchet Platoon from FOB-2 in November 1968. After four days in enemy territory, the unit found itself ambushed by small arms fire, grenades, and a Soviet-made PT-76 amphibious light tank. Amid the chaos, Howard displayed remarkable courage by using an anti-tank rocket to destroy the enemy tank, significantly helping to protect his team.
Things took a turn for the worse when a Medevac helicopter arrived to evacuate the wounded but was shot down by anti-aircraft fire. Already injured, Howard ran 300 yards across open ground under enemy fire to reach the crash site, where he rescued both pilots and a wounded door gunner, suffering additional injuries in the process.
Due to the heavy anti-aircraft fire, no rescue helicopters could make it back that night. The platoon had to hold its position until the next morning. The following day, Howard tracked down and destroyed a 37 mm anti-aircraft gun, ensuring a safe evacuation for the rest of the team.
Although his extraordinary actions deserved the Medal of Honor, Howard was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery during this 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.