Imagine losing your arm and suffering other serious wounds while still prioritizing the safety of others. That is precisely what Army Spc said.  , 4th Class Gary George Wetzel destroyed his unit’s helicopter during a firefight in Vietnam. Wetzel miraculously made it through the day, and the Medal of Honor was given to him for his bravery.
On September 29, 1947, Wetzel was born in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was the oldest of four boys, one of nine children, and had five sisters. When the kids were old enough to care for themselves, his mother started working as a part-time nursing assistant. His father had worked in the factory during World War II.
Wetzel idolized John Wayne and loved sports and Boy Scout outings as a young boy. However, he was n’t really good at school, so in February 1966, just a few months after turning 18 and enlisting in the Army.
He worked as a heavy equipment instructor at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, after receiving basic training. He claimed in a 2003 interview with the Library of Congress ‘ Veterans History Project that his request to deploy was denied because he knew that eventually sent to Vietnam would be made. Later, he submitted a second request, which was granted, and by October 1966, his journey to Vietnam had begun.
Wetzel initially served in an ordnance unit, but he wanted to work in aviation instead, so while in the United States and abroad, reenlisted to obtain his preferred duty station. He was assigned to the 11th Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade’s 173rd Assault Helicopter Company. In that unit, he received his first taste of combat and was shot down four times while serving.
He received the Medal of Honor for the fifth time after being shot down, which occurred about 10 days before the end of his second tour of duty.
Then, on January 8, 1968,- Pfc. When Wetzel’s unit touched down in a landing zone that was immediately bombarded with enemy fire, they were conducting flights to check for enemy activity near Ap Dong An in the southern part of Vietnam.
Wetzel, who was acting as his chopper’s door gunner, later remarked,” The crossfire was tremendous.”
A rocket hit the plane a few seconds after it touched down. Two more enemy rockets detonated just inches away from Wetzel and his crew chief, Bart Jarvis, as they attempted to assist their injured aircraft commander, Tim Artman. Wetzel was blown out of the helicopter and into a rice paddy by those explosions.
Wetzel suffered a serious injury. He found that his right arm, chest, and left leg were all heavily bleeding, as well as his useless left arm. He was still able to kill an enemy soldier who was about to fire a grenade, though.
Wetzel stumbled back to his helicopter’s gun well to return fire after regaining his bearings. His machine gun was the only weapon that could effectively fire back at the enemy, according to his Medal of Honor citation. The automatic weapons emplacement that had pinned down and caused significant casualties for American soldiers was eventually destroyed by his shooting.
Wetzel attempted to drag himself back to Jarvis to assist Artman but was unable to do so due to blood loss. He persisted in his efforts to assist his commander after regaining consciousness.
Another soldier in Wetzel’s helicopter remarked after the incident,” I recall thinking even then how miraculous it was that the man was still alive.” ” Pfc. Wetzel’s actions, in my opinion, will be remembered for years to come as the epitome of a truly selfless devotion to the well-being of another person.
Wetzel finally made it to Jarvis, who was still attempting to rescue the injured Artman from the rice paddy and into the safety of a nearby dike. Wetzel kept helping him until he passed out once more. Sadly, Artman passed away.
Wetzel claimed that his crew struggled for 10 to 12 hours before receiving assistance and being able to flee. He later claimed that he was determined to leave because, despite believing himself to be in danger of passing away, the thought of doing so in a rice paddy did n’t appeal to him.
In his interview with the Library of Congress, he said,” Medically, I should have been dead.” When the Vietnam Women’s Memorial was built in 1993, Wetzel claimed to have met some of the nurses who treated him. They informed him that during his quick recovery, he passed through 18 units of blood.
At a field hospital, Wetzel’s arm had to be amputated. Before being released in June 1968, he spent six months in hospitals after being flown out of Vietnam.
Wetzel claimed that in September, soon after turning 21, his superiors had mentioned that he would be taking a trip, but they were unable to tell him where or why. He eventually discovered that receiving the Medal of Honor would require him to travel to Washington, D.C.
Wetzel received the medal from President Lyndon B. Johnson on November 19, 1968, during a White House ceremony. It was possible for Wetzel’s father, fiancée, and a number of other family members to attend. On that day, four other men received the same honor.
Wetzel has taken his honor as the nation’s highest honor for bravery very seriously ever since that day.
In a 2016 USA Today article, Wetzel remarked,” I have been wearing that blue ribbon around my neck for forty-five years, and every time I have the privilege of wearing it. For the guys who are n’t here, I try to live up to it.
Shortly after the medal ceremony, Wetzel departed the service. He later wed Kathy, his fiancée, and the two of them had a son.
Wetzel briefly worked as a welder before beginning his employment with Ameriprise in 1971. He has continued to be involved with veterans ‘ organizations and has participated in several iterations of the Rolling Thunder motorcycle ride over Memorial Day weekend to Washington, D.C. Wetzel frequently discusses his military service and patriotism with students.
The recipient of the Medal of Honor has also received a lot of praise recently.
A stone marker and street sign honoring Wetzel’s valor were unveiled by the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center in 2015. Additionally, he won the Milwaukee County Purple Heart Pass for the first time in 2015, making him the county’s veteran of the year.
In 2016, he was honored with the Gary G. Wetzel Way nature trail at Camp American Legion in Wisconsin. The camp aids in the rehabilitation and healing of post-9/11 veterans and their families.
Wetzel was seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident that same year, but he overcame his injuries. He was greeted back at his South Milwaukee home with a parade-like atmosphere and warm welcomes from his neighbors, family, and well-wishers, which was very different from the welcome he received in 1968. The Gary Sinise Foundation had renovated Wetzel’s house to meet his needs in light of his severe injuries.
Gary G. Wetzel Day was most recently observed in South Milwaukee on May 18, 2017.
The U.S. military’s highest medal for bravery has been awarded to more than 3,500 Medal of Honor recipients, and this article is a part of the weekly series” Medal of Honour Monday.”