Between September 11 and 14, 1970, Sergeant Gary Rose, a Special Forces combat medic with the 5th Special Forces Group, fought through unrelenting fire to save the lives of his wounded brothers-in-arms during Operation Tailwind.

Deep in enemy-controlled territory in Laos, a company-sized unit came under heavy attack from a larger North Vietnamese force. As B-40 rockets, mortars, and small-arms fire tore through the jungle, Sgt. Rose sprinted through open ground under fire to reach a wounded soldier, shielding him with his body while providing life-saving care.

Despite being wounded by a rocket blast, Sgt. Rose refused evacuation. For the next 72 hours, he treated nearly half the unit’s casualties while dodging bullets, directing evacuations, and even pulling injured men from a helicopter crash site after their bird was shot down.

During the final extraction under heavy assault, Sgt. Rose once again ran into danger to rescue the wounded. Onboard the departing helicopter, he saved the life of a shot Marine door gunner, then survived the crash landing, and kept treating others until every last man was out.

For his extraordinary courage and sacrifice, Sergeant Gary Rose was awarded the Medal of Honor.

🔔 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