A Closing Valiant Act: The Story of Doug Dickey, Medal of Honor

Doug Dickey was an unlikely Marine hero. He was a delicate soul who sang within the college’s refrain and struggled to make it by boot camp. Nonetheless, within the horrible seconds that handed after a grenade landed in the course of his platoon’s command aspect, Doug selected to sacrifice his life to save lots of his comrades. For this Closing Valiant Act, Doug acquired the Medal of Honor.

Doug grew up on a farm in Ohio and enlisted within the Marine Corps with 4 of his buddies from highschool. Arriving in Vietnam, he was assigned to “Blackjack” Westerman’s 1st Battalion, 4th Marines—one of many few Marine models to make amphibious assaults through the Vietnam Conflict.

As a part of 2nd Platoon, Firm C, Doug took half in Operation Deckhouse VI, to rout the Viet Cong from Quang Ngai; and Operation Beacon Hill, which culminated within the determined battle on March 26, 1967. That afternoon, the platoon grew to become engaged with a a lot bigger NVA unit simply south of the DMZ. Within the midst of that fierce battle, with casualties mounting quickly, an enemy grenade landed in the course of the platoon’s command group. Doug dove on the grenade—saving his buddies and comrades. Second Platoon was in the end victorious, however at a excessive price: greater than 40 males had gone into battle that day; solely 12 walked out the subsequent morning.

Doug’s comrades in 2nd Platoon by no means forgot him. Easter Sunday 1967 was seared into their recollections. In 1997, they started holding yearly reunions. They determined to honor Doug by holding their first reunion in his hometown. Harold and Leona Dickey have been lastly capable of meet the boys their son had saved 30 years earlier.

A Closing Valiant Act is the results of over 14 years of analysis— drawing on Doug’s letters house, and greater than 50 interviews.

The private tales are woven right into a meticulously researched battle historical past, sourced from dozens of declassified fight reviews—yielding probably the most detailed account of Operation Beacon Hill but written.

Desk of Contents

1. Introduction: No Phrases; 2. An American Household; 3. A Distant Conflict; 4. The Buddy Program; 5. I Corps: “Marineland”; 6. Platoon 394; 7. 1st Battalion, 4th Marines: God, Nation, Obligation, Corps; 8. Okinawa; 9. The Particular Touchdown Pressure (SLF); 10. HMM 363: The Fortunate Purple Lions; 11. Troopers of the Sea; 12. Operation Deckhouse VI; 13. Subic; 14. A Purple Coronary heart; 15. Operation Beacon Hill; 16. Easter Sunday; 17. The Gold Star; 18. The Medal of Honor; 19. A Marine Hero is Honored; 20. Veterans; 21. Rally Level; 22. A Brotherhood; 23. The Legacy