USA Captain Ben Salomon, Dentist. Hero.

In an earlier post today by DrewM, honoring LT. Michael Murphy USN, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his selfless and heroic actions to save the lives of the men in his command, reader and commenter Sgt. Seavey mentioned having been a participant in the ceremony of the awarding of this same honor to an Army Captain, CPT. Ben Salomon, USA.

The story of Captain Salomon's heroic actions in defense of his position and the wounded patients in his charge, may be found here, and I am grateful to Sgt. Seavey for pointing me to this amazing story.

Long story short. Captain Salomon and his units, the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 105th Infantry Regiment were targeted for a vicious counter attack by Japanese forces upon their tenuous position on the beaches of Saipan. Captain Salomon defended his position, and those in his care tenaciously, and very likely killed 100 enemy combatants or more who assaulted his position.

In so doing, he suffered seventy-six bullet wounds, of which a doctor who examined him stated that at least twenty four had occurred before he died.

He had dragged a heavy machine-gun several times, while wounded, to defend his men. Before him lay ninety-eight dead Japanese soldiers.

The attack, and the resulting casualties, were so horrific, that for decades, despite the best efforts of good men who only wanted to do the right thing, the honors this valiant man rightly deserved fell by the wayside, into the chasm of war and lost remembrance.

This error was properly righted in May of 2002.

Rest in peace Captain Salomon, USA. Rest in peace LT. Murphy, USN. Your sacrifices are not forgotten.

posted by Dave In Texas at 05:30 PM

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