A Tribute to Medal of Honor Winner Robert L. Howard, COL, USA (Retired)

The following is information on my 1/6 scale tribute to Medal of Honor winner Robert L. Howard. Colonel Howard is now retired from the U.S. Army. He is originally from Opelika, AL and after a long and distinguished career of serving his country, Howard now resides in Texas. At left he is pictured along with fellow MOH recipient COL Wesley Fox (center). The two Vietnam legends are pictured attending the dedication of the Vietnam War Memorial located adjacent to the National Mall in Washington, DC.

He entered the Army at Montgomery, AL as an enlisted man and retired as colonel.
As a staff sergeant in the Military Assistance Command Vietnam - Studies and Oberservation Group (MACV-SOG), Howard was recommended for the Medal of Honor on three separate occasions for three individual actions during a thirteen month period spanning 1967-1968. The first two nominations were downgraded to the award of the Distinguished Service Cross due to the covert nature of the operations in which Howard participated.

As a Sergeant First Class of the same organization, he risked his life during a rescue mission in Cambodia on 30 December 1968, while second in command of a platoon-sized Hornet force that was searching for missing American solider Robert Scherdin, and was finally awarded the Medal of Honor. It can be argued that Howard is the most highly decorated combat soldier in U.S. military history.

Col. Howard retired to Texas and spends much of his free time working with veterans. He also takes periodic trips to Iraq to visit with active duty troops.

Decorations and Awards

• Congressional Medal of Honor
• Distinguished Service Cross (Two Awards)
• Silver Star
• Bronze Star for Valor (4th Award, Three Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Purple Heart (8th Award, Seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Defense Superior Service Medal
• Legion of Merit (4th Award, Three Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Bronze Star for Meritorious Achievement
• Air Medal for Valor (3rd Award, Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Army Commendation Medal for Valor (4th Award, Three Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Air Medal for Aerial Flights
• Army Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award, Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Achievement (3rd Award, Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Joint Service Commendation Medal
• Joint Service Achievement Medal
• Army Achievement Medal
• Good Conduct Medal, 4th Award
• National Defense Service Medal
• Armed Forces Reserve Medal
• PNCO Ribbon W/2 device
• Army Overseas Ribbon
• Army Service Ribbon Expeditionary Medal (3rd Award, Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
• Vietnam Service Medal
• Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 device
• Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star
• Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star
• Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star
• Vietnam Honor Medal (2nd Award)
• Vietnamese Wound Medal
• Vietnamese Civil Action Medal (2nd Award)
• Army Presidential Unit Citation, (2nd Award, One Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Navy Valorous Unit Citation
• Army Meritorious Unit Citation
• Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm (2nd Award, One Oak Leaf Cluster)
• Republic of Korea Samil Medal
• Combat Infantryman's Badge
• Aircraft Crewman's Badge
• Master Parachute Badge
• Pathfinder Badge
• Air Assault Badge
• Expert Infantryman's Badge
• Vietnamese Ranger Badge
• Army Ranger Tab
• Special Forces Qualification Tab
• Thai Master Parachute Wings
• Vietnamese Master Parachute Badge
• French Parachutist Badge
• Korean Master Parachute Badge
• Thai Balloonist Badge