United States Army Officer, Author, Journalist. A highly decorated soldier, his military career began at age 14 with the Merchant Marine followed by enlistment in the United States Army at age 15 and he rose from the rank of private via a battlefield commission in Korea, becoming the Army's youngest captain, to Vietnam, where he served as its youngest full colonel. He served four tours of duty in Vietnam and was one of the first senior officers to speak out publicly against the Vietnam War, for which he was nearly court-martialed before he retired from the military in 1971 and gave up his medals in protest. He moved to Australia and was a successful restaurateur. Later his medals were reissued by Brigadier General John Howard in the 1980s, and he returned to the United States where he was a strong advocate for military reform. From 1990 to 1996, he was "Newsweek" magazine's contributing editor for defense, and covered the first Gulf War as well as peacekeeping battles in Somalia, the Balkans, Korea and Haiti. His awards as a journalist included the George Washington Honor Medal for excellence in communications. His books inlcuded "Price of Honor" and most recently "Steel My Soldiers' Hearts". Also co-authored the "Vietnam Primer," a fighting man's bible for guerrilla warfare in Vietnam. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross (one Oak Leaf Cluster), Silver Star (nine Oak Leaf Clusters), Legion of Merit (three Oak Leaf Clusters), Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal (with "V" Device & seven Oak Leaf Clusters, seven awards for heroism), Purple Heart (seven Oak Leaf Clusters), Air Medal (with "V" Device & Numeral 34; one for heroism and 33 for aerial achievement) and others. Also awarded the United Nations Medal for Peace. He died of cancer in Tijuana, Mexico in May 2005.
United States Army Officer, Author, Journalist. A highly decorated soldier, his military career began at age 14 with the Merchant Marine followed by enlistment in the United States Army at age 15 and he rose from the rank of private via a battlefield commission in Korea, becoming the Army's youngest captain, to Vietnam, where he served as its youngest full colonel. He served four tours of duty in Vietnam and was one of the first senior officers to speak out publicly against the Vietnam War, for which he was nearly court-martialed before he retired from the military in 1971 and gave up his medals in protest. He moved to Australia and was a successful restaurateur. Later his medals were reissued by Brigadier General John Howard in the 1980s, and he returned to the United States where he was a strong advocate for military reform. From 1990 to 1996, he was "Newsweek" magazine's contributing editor for defense, and covered the first Gulf War as well as peacekeeping battles in Somalia, the Balkans, Korea and Haiti. His awards as a journalist included the George Washington Honor Medal for excellence in communications. His books inlcuded "Price of Honor" and most recently "Steel My Soldiers' Hearts". Also co-authored the "Vietnam Primer," a fighting man's bible for guerrilla warfare in Vietnam. His military decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross (one Oak Leaf Cluster), Silver Star (nine Oak Leaf Clusters), Legion of Merit (three Oak Leaf Clusters), Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal (with "V" Device & seven Oak Leaf Clusters, seven awards for heroism), Purple Heart (seven Oak Leaf Clusters), Air Medal (with "V" Device & Numeral 34; one for heroism and 33 for aerial achievement) and others. Also awarded the United Nations Medal for Peace. He died of cancer in Tijuana, Mexico in May 2005.
Bio by: Fred Beisser
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