Charles Calvin Rogers Major General, United States Army |
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| Charles
Calvin Rogers earned the Medal of Honor while serving as Lieutenant Colonel,
1st Battalion, 5th Artillery at the Fishhook, near the Cambodian border
in Vietnam on November 1, 1968.
Later in life he became a Baptist Minister, working with U.S. troops in Germany and promoting racial harmony within the United States Army. He was born on September 6, 1929 in Claremont, West Virginia and died in Germany on September 21, 1990. He is buried in Section 7-A of Arlington National Cemetery.
Colonel Manning wrote:
"I am submitting to you the attached photograph of my upper classmate Charles
C. Rogers, MG USA who is listed in your website under the Medal of Honor
recipients. Charles gave me this photo before he retired from Active Duty
and I cherish it as a memorable keepsake of a fantastic schoolmate and
leader. I would very much appreciate your sharing it with others through
your website."
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S . Army, 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Fishhook, near Cambodian border, Republic of Vietnam, 1 November 1968. Entered service at: Institute, West Virginia. Born: 6 September 1929, Claremont, West Virginia. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in
action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Lt. Col.
Rogers, Field Artillery, distinguished himself in action while serving
as commanding officer, 1st Battalion, during the defense of a forward fire
support base. In the early morning hours, the fire support base was subjected
to a concentrated bombardment of heavy mortar, rocket and rocket propelled
grenade fire. Simultaneously the position was struck by a human wave ground
assault, led by sappers who breached the defensive barriers with bangalore
torpedoes and penetrated the defensive perimeter. Lt. Col. Rogers with
complete disregard for his safety moved through the hail of fragments from
bursting enemy rounds to the embattled area. He aggressively rallied the
dazed artillery crewmen to man their howitzers and he directed their fire
on the assaulting enemy. Although knocked to the ground and wounded by
an exploding round, Lt. Col. Rogers sprang to his feet and led a small
counterattack force against an enemy element that had penetrated the howitzer
positions. Although painfully wounded a second time during the assault,
Lt. Col. Rogers pressed the attack killing several of the enemy and driving
the remainder from the positions. Refusing medical treatment, Lt. Col.
Rogers reestablished and reinforced the defensive positions. As a second
human wave attack was launched against another sector of the perimeter,
Lt. Col. Rogers directed artillery fire on the assaulting enemy and led
a second counterattack against the charging forces. His valorous example
rallied the beleaguered defenders to repulse and defeat the enemy onslaught.
Lt. Col. Rogers moved from position to position through the heavy enemy
fire, giving encouragement and direction to his men. At dawn the determined
enemy launched a third assault against the fire base in an attempt to overrun
the position. Lt. Col. Rogers moved to the threatened area and directed
lethal fire on the enemy forces. Seeing a howitzer inoperative due to casualties,
Lt. Col. Rogers joined the surviving members of the crew to return the
howitzer to action. While directing the position defense, Lt. Col. Rogers
was seriously wounded by fragments from a heavy mortar round which exploded
on the parapet of the gun position. Although too severely wounded to physically
lead the defenders, Lt. Col. Rogers continued to give encouragement and
direction to his men in the defeating and repelling of the enemy attack.
Lt. Col. Rogers' dauntless courage and heroism inspired the defenders of
the fire support base to the heights of valor to defeat a determined and
numerically superior enemy force. His relentless spirit of aggressiveness
in action are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects
great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
Photo by Michael Patterson Page Updated: 1 October 2000 Updated: 14 January 2003 Updated: 9 August 2003 Updated: 9 April 2005 Updated: 27 January 2006 |
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