On October 31, 1972, in the final years of the Vietnam War, Navy SEAL Michael Thornton displayed extraordinary courage that would earn him the Medal of Honor—for saving the life of a fellow SEAL who had also received the Medal of Honor just months earlier.

Then a Petty Officer, Thornton was on a covert intelligence mission with Lieutenant Thomas Norris and three South Vietnamese commandos targeting an enemy naval base. Inserted by rubber boat, the five-man team advanced inland, only to be ambushed by a vastly superior North Vietnamese force. In a brutal four-hour firefight, their naval gunfire support was knocked out, but the team fought back hard, inflicting heavy casualties.

During the withdrawal, LT Norris was struck in the head by enemy fire and presumed dead. But Thornton refused to leave him behind. Braving a gauntlet of enemy fire, he fought his way back, shot two enemy soldiers about to overrun Norris' position, and carried the unconscious lieutenant on his back toward the sea.

As they neared the shore, a supporting round from USS Newport News exploded so close that it hurled Thornton into the air. Somehow, he got back up, grabbed Norris, and dragged him to the water’s edge. He then rescued another teammate who couldn’t swim and, with both men in tow, swam into the open sea under enemy fire.

For two hours, Thornton treated Norris' life-threatening injuries while they floated offshore. Both men were assumed KIA—until Thornton fired LT Norris’s AK-47 skyward to signal their position. When finally rescued, Thornton carried Norris—still barely alive—into surgery. Against all odds, Norris survived.

Michael Thornton’s selfless heroism made him the only person in American history to earn the Medal of Honor for saving the life of another Medal of Honor recipient.

🔔 Subscribe for more true stories of courage and sacrifice
💬 Share your thoughts in the comments
👍 Like if you value these stories
👥 Share to honor our military heroes