Wreath-laying ceremony held for Milton Lee Olive III, first Black recipient of the Medal of Honor in Vietnam Struggle

A wreath-laying ceremony shall be held 8 a.m., Monday, Could twenty ninth, on the Olive Park, East Ohio St., in remembrance of Milton Lee Olive, III, the primary African American to have acquired a Medal of Honor in the course of the Vietnam Struggle.

A local Chicagoan from the Englewood group, Olive was born on November 7, 1946 to Clara and Milton B. Olive, II. He was a breech child. His mom died 4 hours later.

Mr. Olive requested a relative, Zelphia Wareagle and her husband, Jacob Augustus Spencer, to lift his son. Years later, Mr. Olive married a Chicago faculty instructor, however Skipper, because the household referred to as his son, all the time thought Mrs. Spencer was extra like a mom.

After shifting in together with his father and stepmother on the town’s far South Aspect, Skipper ran away a number of occasions to his paternal grandfather’s residence in Lexington, MS. The final time he ran away, his father felt his son’s life could also be in peril as a result of he had joined a Mississippi Freedom voter registration marketing campaign. It was lower than ten years in the past when Emmett Until was killed in Cash, MS.

So, his father gave his son three choices: return to highschool, get a job or be a part of the navy. Skipper joined the Military the place he was as a paratrooper. He was injured and briefly returned residence, however informed Mrs. Spencer, whom he referred to as, “Large Mama, “I’ve to return to complete my jobs.”

On October 25, 1965, Younger Olive noticed a reside grenade, grabbed the system, positioned it on his abdomen permitting it to blow up. His deliberate option to pay the final word worth saved the lives of 4 comrades, John “Hop” Foster, Lionel Hubbard, Sgt. Vince Yrineo and retired Capt. Jimmy Stanford who’s the lone survivor.

Stanford mentioned he was a racist till Skipper saved his life. He thanks God each day for the heroism displayed by the teenage struggle hero.

“In remembrance of Pfc. Milton Lee Olive, III, the American Legion Submit 1932 is honoring his heroism within the line of obligation for placing his life in peril to guard the lives of his comrades,” mentioned Mr. Gunard Well mannered, Senior Vice Commander of the Milton Lee Olive, III Submit 1932.

In honoring Pfc. Olive, former Gov. Pat Quinn, mentioned: “The third verse of America the Stunning describes our reverence for Milton Olive and all our fallen veterans: ‘O lovely for heroes proved in liberating strife. Who extra self thy nation liked. And mercy greater than life.’”

On Fridayh,, October 22, 1965, younger Olive completed his job when he selected to pay the final word worth in saving the lives of 4 of his comrades, and at this time due to his unselfish act of bravery all 4 of these males have great-grandchildren at this time.

Observe: Milton Lee Olive, III was the cousin of journalist Chinta Strausberg on her father’s facet of the household.