Most Decorated Soldier of Modern Times.....

[bigjarofwasps]

We're all familiar with the exploits of the likes of Audie Murphy, Joe Hooper & David Hackworth. But I wonder is there anyone of a similar ilk from modern times? I wonder who the most decorated soldier for Iraq Campaign for instance is. Are any contenders known? Does anyone know of any examples of guys winning several awards during one deployment?

[Dave Danner]

The most/most highly decorated for Iraq is probably Navy SEAL Michael  Monsoor, who received the Medal of Honor and the Silver Star.  His were both awarded posthumously.

They were on separate deployments, but CWO Jason Myers of 3rd Special Forces Group received both the DSC and the Silver Star in Afghanistan.

http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=34094

Same for SSG Erich Phillips of the 173rd Airborne Brigade:

http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=3664

CWO David Cooper, a Little Bird pilot with the 160th SOAR, received a DSC and Silver Star for actions in Iraq.  He also received a DSM on retirement in 2012, although that does not really count as a combat decoration:

http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=3663

Based on the photo here, he also has at least a DFC, Bronze Star, multiple Air Medals, and at least one Army Commendation Medal with Valor device. I can't tell if the Bronze Star has a "V" or an Oak Leaf Cluster, though.

Lt. Mark L. Donald, USN, received the Navy Cross and the Silver Star for actions in Afghanistan:

http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=3654

 

[bigjarofwasps]

Thanks Dave, that's very interesting!!!

 

Is there some sort of time lapse placed between awards. By that I mean for example day one of deployment, your out on patrol and something happens, which results in you being recommended for a Silver Star. Then next day something else happens of equal merit, would that result in two silver stars or would the be added together for a DSC? What if they were a few months apart and the silver star has already been awarded, would it be withdrawn and a DSC used to replace it, or would two stars be awarded.

 

Judging by the examples above it would appear that, their awards were for separate tours and those which aren't, the various awards were issued for increased acts of heroism?

 

Am I thinking too hard about this? Surely this type of thing must have manifested itself as some point? How did the powers that be address it?

 

Edited September 16, 2015 by bigjarofwasps

[Paul R]

Yes- very interesting stuff.  Thanks for the information. 

[Dave Danner]

I don't think there is a single standard way for these things to happen.  When you read the citations, it is often hard to tell why in one case one award was given and in another case another.  Awards often get downgraded for reasons having little to do with the actual merits. So someone could have been put in for the DSC or Navy Cross, for example, and had it downgraded to a Silver Star, and then a few months later he is put in for another award, and the reviewers are forced to think, "Wow. This guy is a stud.  Maybe we shouldn't have downgraded the other award, but at least we won't make the same mistake again."

[peter monahan]

Also, sadly, both national, internal and inter-service politics, I strongly suspect, play a part.  The most obvious examples, to go to a by gone age, were the number of VCs awarded for the relief of Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny - 24 in a single day - or for the defence of Rourke's Drift.  How badly the force(s) and or the public need 'bucking up' must sometimes influence the awarding authroities.  And that is in now way a dig at those honoured!  But it does, I think, explain some of the apparent discrepanices mentioned by dave and BigJar.