On August 19, 1967, during the Vietnam War, Captain Stephen Pless—a helicopter gunship pilot with Marine Observation Squadron 6—heard a chilling radio call: four American soldiers were about to be overrun on a beach.

Pless diverted immediately. What he saw was horrifying—30 to 50 Viet Cong were swarming the wounded Americans, some beating and bayoneting them.

Without hesitation, Captain Pless and his crew dove into a low-level rocket and machine-gun attack, flying so low that debris from their own ordinance struck the aircraft. The assault killed or scattered the enemy, forcing them into the treeline.

Spotting a wounded soldier waving, Pless landed under fire, using his helicopter to shield the man. His crew dragged the wounded aboard as enemy fighters rushed the aircraft—closing to within feet before being repelled.

Overloaded and under fire, Pless struggled to lift off. The helicopter touched the sea four times before he finally got airborne and flew them all to safety.

For this act of unmatched bravery, Captain Stephen Pless became the only Marine aviator awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War.

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