Angelo Liteky

Infobox Military Person
name=Angelo J. (Charles) Liteky
born= Birth date and age|1931|2|14
died=
placeofbirth= Washington, D.C.
placeofdeath=
placeofburial=


caption=
allegiance= United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank= Chaplain (Captain)
commands=
unit= U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 199th Infantry Brigade
battles= Vietnam
awards= Medal of Honor
laterwork=

Angelo J. (Charles) Liteky (born February 14, 1931) is a recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Vietnam War. A chaplain (at the time, he was a Roman Catholic priest) and captain in the United States Army, he earned the award for his actions near the village of Phuoc-Lac, in Bien Hoa province, Vietnam, on December 6, 1967. A social activist, he renounced the medal in 1986.

After the Vietnam War

In 1975, he left the Catholic priesthood, and, eight years later, married a former nun, who encouraged his involvement in social justice activities, particularly protesting the School of the Americas (now the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation) at Fort Benning, Georgia. On July 29, 1986, he renounced his Medal of Honor by placing it in an envelope addressed to then-President Ronald Reagan near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The decoration is now on display at the National Museum of American History. In doing this, Liteky (who is now known as Charles Liteky) became one of the few men, if not the only one, to renounce the Medal of Honor. He has been arrested and imprisoned several times for trespassing in attempts to disrupt activities at Fort Benning. In recent years, he has also opposed the United States’ invasion of Iraq.

Medal of Honor action

Rank and organization: Chaplain (Capt.), U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 199th Infantry Brigade. Place and date: Near Phuoc-Lac, Bien Hoa province, Republic of Vietnam, December 6, 1967. Entered service at: Fort Hamilton, N.Y. Born: February 14, 1931, Washington, D.C.

Citation:

:Chaplain Liteky distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while serving with Company A, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Light Infantry Brigade. He was participating in a search and destroy operation when Company A came under intense fire from a battalion size enemy force. Momentarily stunned from the immediate encounter that ensued, the men hugged the ground for cover. Observing 2 wounded men, Chaplain Liteky moved to within 15 meters of an enemy machine gun position to reach them, placing himself between the enemy and the wounded men. When there was a brief respite in the fighting, he managed to drag them to the relative safety of the landing zone. Inspired by his courageous actions, the company rallied and began placing a heavy volume of fire upon the enemy's positions. In a magnificent display of courage and leadership, Chaplain Liteky began moving upright through the enemy fire, administering last rites to the dying and evacuating the wounded. Noticing another trapped and seriously wounded man, Chaplain Liteky crawled to his aid. Realizing that the wounded man was too heavy to carry, he rolled on his back, placed the man on his chest and through sheer determination and fortitude crawled back to the landing zone using his elbows and heels to push himself along. Pausing for breath momentarily, he returned to the action and came upon a man entangled in the dense, thorny underbrush. Once more intense enemy fire was directed at him, but Chaplain Liteky stood his ground and calmly broke the vines and carried the man to the landing zone for evacuation. On several occasions when the landing zone was under small arms and rocket fire, Chaplain Liteky stood up in the face of hostile fire and personally directed the medivac helicopters into and out of the area. With the wounded safely evacuated, Chaplain Liteky returned to the perimeter, constantly encouraging and inspiring the men. Upon the unit's relief on the morning of December 7, 1967, it was discovered that despite painful wounds in the neck and foot, Chaplain Liteky had personally carried over 20 men to the landing zone for evacuation during the savage fighting. Through his indomitable inspiration and heroic actions, Chaplain Liteky saved the lives of a number of his comrades and enabled the company to repulse the enemy. Chaplain Liteky's actions reflect great credit upon himself and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients
*List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War
*Roy Bourgeois, activist Catholic priest who also served in Vietnam
*Brian Willson, antiwar activist, former U.S. Air Force officer who served in Vietnam

External links

* [http://www.peacehost.net/Charlie/index.html "Website for Charlie: Index of Articles, Letters & Sundry Postings"]
* [http://www.mfso.org/liteky.html Liteky’s Open Letter to the US Military]
* [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/03/13/MN46424.DTL General Information on Liteky’s recent activities]
* [http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/citations_living/vn_a_liteky.html Liteky’s MOH Citation]
* [http://www.homeofheroes.com/photos/7_rvn/liteky.html Picture of Liteky]

Persondata
NAME= Liteky, Angelo
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH= February 14, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH= Washington, D.C.
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=