A very brave man

On this day, 55 years ago, on May 10, 1970, Specialist Four Leslie H. Sabo Jr., 22, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, was serving as a rifleman with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. That morning, his platoon was conducting a reconnaissance patrol near Se San, Cambodia, when they were ambushed by a large enemy force.

Sabo immediately charged an enemy position, killing several soldiers. He then assaulted an enemy flanking force, drawing their fire away from his fellow soldiers and forcing the enemy to retreat. While re-supplying ammunition to a wounded comrade, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Sabo picked it up, threw it away, and shielded his comrade with his own body, absorbing the brunt of the blast. Despite being seriously wounded, he continued to fight. He single-handedly charged an enemy bunker that had inflicted severe damage on the platoon, receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire in the process. Now mortally injured, Sabo crawled towards the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire but also ended Sabo's life.

Sabo's actions saved the lives of many of his platoon members. For his extraordinary heroism and selflessness, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The medal was presented to his widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown, by President Barack Obama on May 16, 2012. Sabo is buried at Holy Redeemer Cemetery in North Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania.