#peerintothepast

Remembering double Medal of Honor Recipient Cpl. John Henry Pruitt on the 120th anniversary of his birth and the 98th anniversary of his death on October 4.

John Henry Pruitt (October 4, 1896–October 4, 1918) was a United States Marine during World War I and is one of only 19 people who received two Medals of Honor. The Medals of Honor were presented posthumously for his actions during World War I. John Henry Pruitt was born on October 4, 1896 in Fayetteville, Arkansas and he entered military service from Phoenix, Arizona in May 1917. Pruitt was a corporal in the Marine Corps, he attacked and captured two enemy machine guns, and later captured forty of the enemy. Killed by shell-fire, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery on October 4, 1918 at the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, France by both the US Navy and the US Army (for the same action). After his remains were returned to the United States he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Army Medal Citation: Cpl. Pruitt single-handededly attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant Marine was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping at the enemy.

Navy Medal Citation: For extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division, in action with the enemy at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, October 3, 1918. Cpl. Pruitt, single-handed attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping the enemy.

Battles: Battle of Chateau-Thierry Battle of Belleau Wood Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge Awards: •Medal of Honor Army •Medal of Honor Navy •Silver Star (3) •Purple Heart •Croix de Guerre.

“Inside Yankee Papa 13, one of 17 copters making up the mission, with the pilot and co-pilot buckled in at the controls, U.S. Marine gunner Pfc Wayne Holien, Vietnam. March 31, 1965.”

“The U.S. Marines’ Helicopter Squadron 163 knew their mission – to airlift nine Vietnamese infantry to a post some 20 miles away. The date was March 31, 1965.

By the time of the photo essay, entitled One Ride with Yankee Papa 13, Burrows had been covering Vietnam for more than three years and had seen his fair share of operations.Doubt lingered thick in the air – would this mission be a ‘milk run,’ a simple leave and return, or would the Vietcong be waiting with guns to ambush the Yankee Papa 13?

The answer, unfortunately, was the latter. The crew was being led by Lance Cpl James C. Farley, who was only 21, and had been shopping around the nearby town of Da Nong earlier that day. Once airborne and with nine Vietnamese infantry on board, they knew it was a trap.

‘The Vietcong dug in along the tree line, were just waiting for us to come into the landing zone,’ Burrows wrote in his report. ‘We were all like sitting ducks and their raking crossfire was murderous.’

He described the chaos of trying to rescue a wounded pilot who was bleeding from the neck from the nearby Yankee Papa 3. The helicopter’s blades were still whirring and enemy fire rang around him.