Honoring a
Fallen Hero
Honoring a Fallen
Hero
Memorial Day Parades in Sheffield, Pa., are led by
the local high school band, fire trucks, police cars
and others winding through town to Sheffield Memorial
Park to honor America's defenders. The 1999 Memorial
Day event marked a special occasion for the small
Northwestern Pennsylvania community. This year they
honored a member of the community who sacrificed his
life in the jungles of Vietnam and earned the Medal
of Honor - U.S.Army Staff Sergeant John G. Gertsch.
SSgt. Gertsch, who served with
Tiger Force Recon Company E, 1st Battalon, 327th
Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. During his
service, he was awarded two Silver Star Medals, three
Bronze Star Medals, three Purple Hearts and numerous
other awards and medals, before being awarded the
Medal of Honor posthumously for his acts of selfless
courage from July 15 through 19, 1969, in the A Shau
Valley of Vietnam.
During the five day period, SSgt.
Gertsch dragged his wounded platoon leader to safety
and assumed command of his platoon. In the ensuing
battles his leadership and relentless offensive
maneuvers drove back the enemy and saved the lives of
several of his men. While under attack by the enemy
using automatic weapons, grenades and rocket fire, he
was severely wounded, but continued to command his
platoon. It was during this time that he sighted an
aidman treating a wounded officer from an adjacent
unit, and realized they were in imminent danger of
being killed by the enemy. SSgt. Gertsch rushed
forward, placing himself between them and the enemy.
As the wounded officer was being dragged to safety
under his protective fire, SSgt. Gertsch was mortally
wounded by the enemy, sacrificing his life for that
of
his comrades on the field of battle.
Nearly 400 townspeople of
Sheffield gathered to witness the dedication of a new
section to the park that included a black granite
monument to SSgt. Gertsch, and a new flagpole.
The call for the monument was
initiated by Sheffield DAV Chapter 75 Past Commander
Joe Wills. With help from other Chapter 75 members,
State Representative Jim Lynch, a grant was obtained
frm the Pennsylvania Department of Community and
Economic Development to construct the memorial. Mr.
Wills also located 12 Tiger Force Recon members via
the internet. Six were able to attend the dedication,
during which, Representative Lynch, on behalf of the
Pennsylvania House of Representatives, presented a
citation to SSgt. Gertsch's sister, Mrs. Pati
Leggate.
As the memorial park emptied at the end of the
ceremony, one lone figure remained looking down at
the black granite monument. It was Mrs. Leggate,
lingering to be alone with her brother, to say
good-bye
again......
John 15:13 Greater
love
hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life
for his
friends.
<
BR>The Medal
of Honor
<
BR>
"Thank you my Brother"
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