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More than 40 million Americans
have served
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in the United States armed forces.
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Of those, fewer than 3,600 have been
awarded the military's highest honor.
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Where did we find such men?
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We find them
where we've always found them.
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In our villages and towns,
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on our city streets, in our shops,
and on our farms.
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Summoned a degree of courage
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that stirs wonder and respect
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and an overpowering pride in all of us.
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It recognizes gallantry that goes
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above and beyond the call of duty.
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We may not always hear of their success,
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but they are there, in the thick
of the fight, in the dark of night,
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achieving their mission.
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Ladies and gentlemen,
the President of the United States.
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My fellow Americans,
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powerful and resourceful gangsters
have banded together
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to make war upon the whole human race.
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We didn't want to get in it,
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but we are in it,
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and we're going to fight it
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with everything we've got.
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World War II really... truly showcased
who we were as a nation.
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It changed who we were as a country.
It changed our identity.
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I am an American.
I come from Brooklyn, New York.
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I am an American. Fairview, Montana.
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I am an American.
I come from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
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- I am an American.
- I am an American.
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I am an American.
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They're called "The Greatest Generation"
because everyone fought.
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If you weren't out there wearing
a uniform, fighting,
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you were out there in the factories,
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building equipment
so that these individuals could
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successfully and safely
accomplish their mission.
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I have said, not once, but many times
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that I have seen war...
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and that I hate war.
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After years of war, and suffering,
and degradation,
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the Italian people are, at last,
coming to the day of liberation
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from their real enemies, the Nazis.
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We must drive the Germans out of Italy
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as we have driven them out
of Tunisia and Sicily.
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It was felt that we needed to knock Italy
out of the war,
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to deprive Germany
of one of its last allies,
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so we headed for Anzio in January of '44.
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The idea was that this invasion
would unhinge the German lines
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and eventually lead the Allies to Rome.
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Unfortunately, they got bottled up
by the Germans.
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It just turned into a big killing ground,
a big battle of attrition.
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They were losing about
800 men a day in this Anzio beachhead.
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Just from shelling, from sniping.
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From, you know, just random German fire.
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So they're kind of stuck there,
literally shrinking day by day by day,
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and the guys are like, "We don't know
how we're gonna get out of here.
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How can possibly break out, because
our force is getting smaller and smaller."
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So, morale is definitely... suffering.
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The Germans are just trying
to contain this beachhead
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and make the Allies pay as dearly
for the ground as they can
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without being able to expand it.
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The only way to rescue yourself
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from this German defensive fire
was to move forward,
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disrupt the German line,
and push them back.
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Fortunately, the Germans
are getting smaller and smaller, too,
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because one thing the Americans
have massive superiority in,
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on the Anzio beachhead, is artillery.
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The German strength
was thinning because of casualties,
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so we thought there's a good opportunity
to break out of this beachhead,
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so that they could move on Rome.
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Well, Sergeant Antolak was part
of a large operation
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that was trying to break out
of the beachhead,
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trying to penetrate the defensive lines
of the Germans
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and finally open up that path to Rome.
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The key to breaking the encirclement
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around Anzio was the town of Cisterna.
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Once you got to Cisterna, there were a lot
of directions you could go
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and you really had burst out
of the confinement of the beachhead.
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Sergeant Antolak's platoon
was going out first.
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They'd had a rough day on the 23rd.
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They'd been fighting through the defenses,
they had made progress.
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They got up to an important railroad
embankment on the morning of the 24th.
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They had taken the time...
They were protected behind the embankment,
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so they could get down there
under cover and regroup,
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get some food, stock up on ammunition.
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Sergeant Antolak was a squad leader,
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so I'm sure he had his ten or so men
around him,
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and was telling them
what they were gonna do for that morning,
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and the platoon was getting together and
the company was getting ready to jump off,
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really into the teeth
of Cisterna's defenses.
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See anything?
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I can see there's still no cover
once we leave this wall.
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Sylvester Antolak,
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his story is one of those
that's just incredible.
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Honestly, I kinda look at it as saying,
like, this is not true.
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No way a human being could go through
what he went through and do what he did.
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That's why I just find it funny that
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I am part of that society
as a Medal of Honor recipient.
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There's no way what I did is comparable
to what this incredible human being did.
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He enlisted in the Army in July 1941,
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before the war has really kicked off,
before Pearl Harbor, so he's obviously
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patriotic and thinking about the future
and the necessity to serve.
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This is a modest man
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from a small farming community in Ohio,
he's of Polish heritage.
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He grew up on a farm.
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Ten brothers and sisters.
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Growing up in that large family, you have
to learn how to work with each other.
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You learn that you have this love
for your brothers and sisters.
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He brought that with him to the fight
that these are my brothers next to me
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and I'm not going to
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let them die here today.
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Sergeant Antolak and his men
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have experienced an existence
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where they're under constant threat.
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They're just trying to get through
each moment they're under fire,
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each hour, each day,
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each night. It's miserable.
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They're just trying to survive.
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This is an infantryman's existence
at its very toughest.
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The night before, they had fought
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a horrendous battle all night
and it took quite a few casualties.
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You know, the next morning, it's...
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they got orders from high command
saying, "Hey, go out there and
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cross over this railroad, take over
this town, and kick out the Germans."
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You just saw some really horrible things
and you lost a lot of friends, and...
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you didn't have time to take a breath,
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and you're back at it.
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I get a smoke?
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The waiting's the hardest part.
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What's the easy part?
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When I was ten,
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there was this bully in my school.
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He bullied everybody.
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So, I guess,
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one day it was my turn.
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I knew he was waiting for me after school.
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I remember staring at the clock,
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hoping that the day would never end.
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But, uh...
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it did.
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And, uh...
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then I pissed in my pants.
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And, uh...
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I went out to face him.
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But my brothers were already beating
on that poor kid.
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Krauts are just bullies.
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Leading soldiers in combat is really
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the greatest privilege
and the most awesome of responsibilities.
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It can put entire units,
entire armies at risk.
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At the level
of Sergeant Antolak's leadership,
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he realizes that
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every direction that he gives,
every order,
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could result in someone being exposed
to enemy fire.
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All right, First Squad, out!
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Sergeant Antolak and his unit
are part of the spearhead
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that's supposed to lead
the Third Infantry Division
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in an encirclement of Cisterna.
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The Germans had machine gun
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firing points scattered all through
the whole area in depth.
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The Germans know how important it is.
It's a major stronghold.
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By breaking through at Cisterna,
the American armies can completely unhinge
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the German defensive line,
so they can take Rome.
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There was a lot of symbolic
significance of Rome.
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It would be
the first major axis capital to fall.
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But first, they have to take Cisterna.
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The roughest part of the battle
was about to come.
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Germans have a lot of advantages.
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When you're on the defensive,
you have already been there for a while,
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you understand the terrain,
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you've picked out the best places
to set up your security,
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so they absolutely have the advantage
in this situation.
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They're across.
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Move out!
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Yes, sir.
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Not everybody loves each other
in a combat unit,
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but they all have to rely on one another.
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Your life depends
on everybody else in your unit.
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Every soldier in there has to rely
on the other guy to do his job.
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Contact!
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Those sons of bitches waited
to cut us in half!
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A surprise is everything
in small unit actions.
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It's common for the enemy
to let the lead element go through,
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and then the enemy can ambush them.
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How far out are they?
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About 200 yards.
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Those Krauts want us
to leave First Squad out there.
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We're not leaving anyone out there!
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Sergeant Antolak understands
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that the only way we support First Squad
is by having us, Second Squad,
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get up and take out the enemy.
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But if we all get up and start running
towards this machine gun,
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we're gonna get killed.
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You see the fear in their eyes
and they start doubting themselves.
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They start doubting their own team.
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You do have to improvise, at times,
to the situation,
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and that's...
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most likely what he was trying
to think about:
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"How do I improvise this situation?
How do I...
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execute the enemy, and yet,
make sure my men come home?"
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He's at a considerable
disadvantage to the Germans,
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but he also knows that he has
a responsibility to his men,
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that he has to respond immediately.
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The casualties at this level are friends.
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They're not just names and faces,
much less numbers.
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They're your fellow soldiers.
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Wait for my signal.
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00:15:51,242 --> 00:15:52,577
What the hell's he doing?
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00:15:53,744 --> 00:15:55,455
He clearly recognized
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that something had to be done,
that they could not just
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hug the Earth and survive,
that the German machine gun fire
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00:16:01,878 --> 00:16:03,504
had to be disrupted.
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He's going to shock the enemy.
He's going to make himself a target...
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00:16:07,592 --> 00:16:09,594
and stop that machine gun
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from imperiling the lives of his men.
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In combat,
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there might be a moment
where you have to make a decision
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that will more than likely dictate
whether or not you live or die.
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00:16:33,826 --> 00:16:37,497
You put every experience
that you've ever had in your life,
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from the moment you can remember...
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00:16:43,836 --> 00:16:46,923
and then you put in all your training
and all your beliefs...
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00:16:48,424 --> 00:16:50,510
all your love for the people around you,
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whether at that specific moment
or back home.
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00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:01,646
Life is short.
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00:17:02,313 --> 00:17:03,397
Life is precious.
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But I'd rather put my life on the line,
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00:17:07,860 --> 00:17:08,861
and not come home,
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00:17:09,612 --> 00:17:10,738
than cower away.
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00:17:12,698 --> 00:17:16,160
When Sergeant Antolak decided
to sprint towards that machine gun nest,
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he bottled up everything that he loved
about life, all his experiences,
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and he gambled on that.
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That, what I represent,
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00:17:28,548 --> 00:17:29,799
not as an individual
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00:17:31,133 --> 00:17:33,970
but as a countryman,
is stronger than what you represent,
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00:17:34,595 --> 00:17:36,472
and today I will show it to you.
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00:17:54,031 --> 00:17:55,231
Get behind the wall.
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00:17:55,992 --> 00:17:57,451
Get behind the wall!
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00:17:58,494 --> 00:18:01,454
- You've lost your damned mind!
- We can't leave him out there!
237
00:18:11,924 --> 00:18:13,676
There was this bully in my school.
238
00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,930
- One day, it was my turn.
- Let's go.
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00:18:18,180 --> 00:18:19,557
I went out to face him,
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00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:21,767
but my brothers were already beating
on that poor kid.
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00:18:21,892 --> 00:18:23,852
You didn't have to do that for me!
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00:18:24,812 --> 00:18:26,188
I can take care of myself.
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00:18:26,856 --> 00:18:29,251
The Powerful and resourceful gangsters
244
00:18:29,275 --> 00:18:30,526
who have banded together...
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00:18:30,610 --> 00:18:32,028
Krauts are just bullies.
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00:18:32,111 --> 00:18:35,531
We didn't want
to get in it, but we are in it.
247
00:18:36,449 --> 00:18:40,328
and we're going to fight it
with everything we've got.
248
00:19:02,141 --> 00:19:03,768
Because of his actions,
249
00:19:04,435 --> 00:19:08,189
his men forgot about being hungry,
forgot about being tired,
250
00:19:09,023 --> 00:19:11,400
forgot about the horrible night
they had prior,
251
00:19:11,817 --> 00:19:14,195
and instead, remembered that they had
252
00:19:14,278 --> 00:19:16,364
an incredible leader in Sergeant Antolak.
253
00:19:33,714 --> 00:19:37,218
Somehow, he had the ability
to really understand the situation.
254
00:19:37,718 --> 00:19:40,388
And that's something
that really is special in an individual.
255
00:19:47,645 --> 00:19:51,482
He's weaving, trying to be a hard target
for them to hit.
256
00:19:53,317 --> 00:19:55,861
And he's shooting
while he's doing this as well.
257
00:19:56,112 --> 00:19:58,406
He's gotta try to keep
the enemy's head down.
258
00:19:58,489 --> 00:20:00,950
He's at least gotta try to make them
less accurate...
259
00:20:04,078 --> 00:20:06,163
...all while he's allowing his men
260
00:20:06,247 --> 00:20:08,791
to seek cover, to return fire.
261
00:20:20,219 --> 00:20:23,723
Antolak was now attacking
into German heavy machine guns,
262
00:20:23,806 --> 00:20:25,307
the Spandau heavy machine gun,
263
00:20:25,933 --> 00:20:28,978
a machine gun that's firing
600 rounds a minute.
264
00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,107
Sergeant Antolak's got a Thompson
submachine gun, 45-caliber shells.
265
00:20:34,316 --> 00:20:37,027
He's definitely bringing a butter knife
to a gunfight.
266
00:21:03,554 --> 00:21:05,347
This is a massive blow.
267
00:21:05,931 --> 00:21:09,185
I've actually taken a round, an M16 round,
268
00:21:09,643 --> 00:21:13,355
a smaller caliber than the one
that he was hit with multiple times,
269
00:21:13,773 --> 00:21:15,274
right through the chest.
270
00:21:15,816 --> 00:21:19,028
And it is like the biggest blow
to the solar plexus
271
00:21:19,111 --> 00:21:20,696
that you can possibly imagine.
272
00:21:20,946 --> 00:21:23,491
And it sort of explodes
out of the back of your body,
273
00:21:23,574 --> 00:21:25,576
you almost feel as if
you've been hit from behind.
274
00:21:52,978 --> 00:21:53,979
Move!
275
00:22:02,404 --> 00:22:03,447
Let's be honest.
276
00:22:03,531 --> 00:22:07,076
He was scared. He had to be.
I... everybody's scared in combat.
277
00:22:07,159 --> 00:22:09,799
If you're not scared, then there's
something really wrong with you.
278
00:22:14,041 --> 00:22:17,545
That is why fear is actually
one of our biggest allies,
279
00:22:17,628 --> 00:22:19,713
because fear keeps us sane...
280
00:22:23,050 --> 00:22:24,176
keeps us accurate.
281
00:22:24,760 --> 00:22:27,096
It reminds you
that you have to do your job.
282
00:23:10,639 --> 00:23:12,683
Antolak was shot multiple times.
283
00:23:14,018 --> 00:23:15,394
He's losing blood.
284
00:23:18,230 --> 00:23:19,690
His humerus is shattered...
285
00:23:26,530 --> 00:23:30,492
...but there's that drive
to continue moving forward.
286
00:23:32,494 --> 00:23:34,747
Now he's got an arm that doesn't work.
287
00:23:34,830 --> 00:23:38,417
He's gotta tuck that gun underneath
his good arm, under his left arm,
288
00:23:38,709 --> 00:23:40,711
and that's gotta be incredibly painful.
289
00:23:41,170 --> 00:23:44,131
But he still had guys that were in danger.
290
00:23:49,845 --> 00:23:52,681
It's that bond that you have
with your fellow soldier,
291
00:23:53,307 --> 00:23:56,226
to make sure that I'm there for you,
you're there for me.
292
00:23:57,186 --> 00:23:59,438
And, if I can still go, I'm gonna go.
293
00:24:07,279 --> 00:24:10,407
Nothing motivated troops
quite so much as watching
294
00:24:10,491 --> 00:24:12,743
one of their buddies move toward the enemy
295
00:24:12,826 --> 00:24:14,703
and they would feel compelled
to support him.
296
00:24:14,787 --> 00:24:18,874
I mean, this is something that all studies
of units in World War II
297
00:24:19,041 --> 00:24:21,418
and World War I pointed to,
that the allegiance was
298
00:24:21,502 --> 00:24:24,129
not so much to the higher command,
the allegiance was to the unit.
299
00:24:24,213 --> 00:24:26,316
And that these troops
would do anything for each other
300
00:24:26,340 --> 00:24:27,716
because they had bonded so much.
301
00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,720
So, because of Sergeant Antolak's
madcap sprint toward the enemy,
302
00:24:31,804 --> 00:24:33,347
they would come forward in support.
303
00:24:41,897 --> 00:24:44,692
I am a German soldier,
304
00:24:45,901 --> 00:24:48,404
and I just shot this human being
305
00:24:48,487 --> 00:24:49,488
three times.
306
00:24:53,951 --> 00:24:57,246
And three times, he gets back up
and sprints towards me?
307
00:24:59,039 --> 00:25:01,291
I'm thinking, like,
"This guy's possessed."
308
00:25:09,174 --> 00:25:10,426
Drop your weapons!
309
00:25:14,430 --> 00:25:16,640
"Hey, he wants it more than I do today!"
310
00:25:21,311 --> 00:25:22,914
- Get your hands up!
- Please.
311
00:25:24,982 --> 00:25:25,982
What's he saying?
312
00:25:27,651 --> 00:25:29,278
They're asking us for food.
313
00:25:30,404 --> 00:25:32,406
The German Army
endured five years of war,
314
00:25:32,489 --> 00:25:34,700
five years of intense privations.
315
00:25:35,034 --> 00:25:36,660
You know, short rations,
316
00:25:36,744 --> 00:25:39,872
you know, insufficient fuel,
ammunition, everything else.
317
00:25:40,456 --> 00:25:42,767
There's a feeling in the German Army
that you're just gonna
318
00:25:42,791 --> 00:25:44,031
keep going until you're killed.
319
00:25:51,550 --> 00:25:54,094
Hey watch him.
Keep an eye on them.
320
00:25:57,306 --> 00:25:59,986
We'll get a medic out here.
321
00:26:00,809 --> 00:26:02,978
- We'll patch you up.
- Just give me a cigarette.
322
00:26:03,604 --> 00:26:05,689
I found something.
Check this out.
323
00:26:06,690 --> 00:26:08,317
Keep your hands up.
324
00:26:09,151 --> 00:26:10,360
They're so stunned
325
00:26:10,819 --> 00:26:14,156
by Antolak's apparition in their midst.
326
00:26:14,239 --> 00:26:16,533
I mean this guy crosses
200 yards of ground,
327
00:26:16,617 --> 00:26:18,869
swept by fire, survives,
328
00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:20,913
gets to the lip of their trench,
329
00:26:21,246 --> 00:26:23,540
you know, with a Tommy gun
under his left arm.
330
00:26:23,999 --> 00:26:26,210
I mean, game over!
331
00:26:44,561 --> 00:26:46,480
Down! Down! Down! Now!
332
00:27:01,203 --> 00:27:03,497
Sarge! Sarge! Sarge!
333
00:27:04,164 --> 00:27:05,164
Sarge!
334
00:27:21,140 --> 00:27:24,560
One thing that you're
gonna learn in combat, which is ironic,
335
00:27:25,060 --> 00:27:27,146
you learn a lot about love.
336
00:27:27,229 --> 00:27:29,857
When you're willing to put yourself
in front of that bullet,
337
00:27:29,940 --> 00:27:32,484
in front of that suicide bomber,
in front of that mortar,
338
00:27:32,568 --> 00:27:34,987
in front of anything that is
gonna pretty much kill you,
339
00:27:35,195 --> 00:27:36,780
for your men, that's love.
340
00:27:38,782 --> 00:27:42,035
Sylvester is one of the few
that's been able to go out there
341
00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:45,080
and really, truly showcase
his love for his brothers.
342
00:27:46,540 --> 00:27:49,459
And by that, he did the impossible.
343
00:27:53,505 --> 00:27:55,090
Let's go!
344
00:28:27,789 --> 00:28:30,042
One man against a machine gun nest
345
00:28:30,125 --> 00:28:31,793
that blocked the road to Rome,
346
00:28:32,127 --> 00:28:35,130
and three times he was cut down by fire,
347
00:28:35,797 --> 00:28:37,466
three times he got back up,
348
00:28:37,966 --> 00:28:40,135
tucking his gun under his shattered arm,
349
00:28:40,510 --> 00:28:42,763
and by the time he disabled the gunners,
350
00:28:43,055 --> 00:28:45,599
ten enemy soldiers surrendered to this man
351
00:28:45,891 --> 00:28:47,935
whom their bullets could not stop.
352
00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:52,856
Twelve days later,
353
00:28:52,940 --> 00:28:55,567
the Allies would liberate
the Italian capital.
354
00:28:56,026 --> 00:28:58,153
One man's extraordinary act,
355
00:28:58,237 --> 00:29:01,406
a prism for an entire
fighting force's heroism,
356
00:29:01,740 --> 00:29:03,784
and the critical victory it secured.
357
00:29:05,369 --> 00:29:07,037
Rome falls.
358
00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:08,664
Past the ancient Colosseum,
359
00:29:08,747 --> 00:29:11,792
the first American armored column
enters the eternal city.
360
00:29:11,959 --> 00:29:15,879
The infantry passes through
on the heels of the fleeing Nazis.
361
00:29:16,088 --> 00:29:18,590
The first Axis capital to fall.
362
00:29:19,549 --> 00:29:22,761
It gives you a sense
of how a small unit is part
363
00:29:22,844 --> 00:29:25,097
of a much larger unit action,
364
00:29:25,430 --> 00:29:27,349
which is larger and larger,
365
00:29:27,641 --> 00:29:30,894
and that's what it takes,
this individual initiative,
366
00:29:31,228 --> 00:29:33,146
individual courage,
367
00:29:33,730 --> 00:29:36,358
and in some cases, individual sacrifice.
368
00:29:36,858 --> 00:29:38,902
This is the ultimate commitment.
369
00:29:48,495 --> 00:29:51,123
Sergeant Sylvester Antolak rests here
370
00:29:51,206 --> 00:29:55,168
beneath the pines of Nettuno
with nearly 8,000 other soldiers.
371
00:29:56,169 --> 00:29:59,172
But only Antolak's gravestone
and one other,
372
00:29:59,256 --> 00:30:01,675
bear the designation
of the Medal of Honor,
373
00:30:03,552 --> 00:30:06,471
the U.S. Military's
highest commendation for valor,
374
00:30:07,222 --> 00:30:09,516
reserved for an act of personal bravery
375
00:30:10,058 --> 00:30:13,812
involving risk of life
above and beyond the call of duty.
376
00:30:20,861 --> 00:30:23,488
Though his grave lies
thousands of miles away,
377
00:30:23,697 --> 00:30:27,451
the Antolaks don't have to look far
to be reminded of their family's history
378
00:30:27,993 --> 00:30:32,080
and how it formed a young boy named
Sylvester in the twenties and thirties.
379
00:30:32,664 --> 00:30:35,167
...but it's the one from May of 13,
380
00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:37,294
where he replies
he just got to Italy.
381
00:30:37,377 --> 00:30:38,628
- Right?
- Yeah.
382
00:30:38,712 --> 00:30:41,798
Sylvester, "S." He didn't even spell
his name, just put "S."
383
00:30:41,882 --> 00:30:44,509
And another one to Aunt Anne,
so he wrote home quite a bit.
384
00:30:44,593 --> 00:30:46,928
I guess they were real close,
weren't they?
385
00:30:47,012 --> 00:30:49,973
My uncle was 25 years old
when he went in the military,
386
00:30:50,057 --> 00:30:51,725
and he was still on the farm.
387
00:30:51,808 --> 00:30:53,894
And he was the second to the youngest.
388
00:30:56,229 --> 00:30:57,689
He wanted to be a farmer.
389
00:31:00,067 --> 00:31:02,067
Help his family
when he come back from the service.
390
00:31:07,157 --> 00:31:10,619
The farm you see behind us
is the Antolak family farm,
391
00:31:10,702 --> 00:31:15,040
where Sylvester grew up.
That's been in our family since 1923.
392
00:31:15,749 --> 00:31:19,294
Our parents all grew up
on the farm the same way. Life was...
393
00:31:19,503 --> 00:31:21,671
Life was hard. It was tough.
394
00:31:22,631 --> 00:31:24,341
And this is depression-era time.
395
00:31:24,508 --> 00:31:29,721
So, my uncle and my father,
they worked very hard just to survive.
396
00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:34,184
My Uncle Sylvester was,
I believe, nine of eleven.
397
00:31:35,143 --> 00:31:36,186
It's a big family.
398
00:31:38,146 --> 00:31:41,108
My grandmother,
with two young children, you know...
399
00:31:42,484 --> 00:31:43,860
setting off for a new life,
400
00:31:43,944 --> 00:31:46,655
not knowing what she's going to encounter
when she gets here.
401
00:31:46,738 --> 00:31:51,493
If that's not an example of courage
and determination, then nothing is.
402
00:31:53,453 --> 00:31:56,706
We're very proud of the Polish heritage
that we're a part of,
403
00:31:56,790 --> 00:31:59,835
and I'm sure that,
you know, Sylvester was as well.
404
00:32:00,043 --> 00:32:06,174
When the army officer showed up
to notify of my great-uncle's death,
405
00:32:07,926 --> 00:32:09,928
his mother didn't speak English at all.
406
00:32:11,304 --> 00:32:13,765
She had to go out into the field
to bring in the boys
407
00:32:14,057 --> 00:32:16,977
to be able to communicate
with the officers that showed up.
408
00:32:18,478 --> 00:32:21,606
The Antolaks would hear
of Sylvester's unfathomable bravery,
409
00:32:22,399 --> 00:32:24,860
and later learned
that the Secretary of Defense
410
00:32:25,110 --> 00:32:27,946
deemed it worthy
of the military's highest award.
411
00:32:29,114 --> 00:32:32,868
The military vehicle
picked up my grandmother at the farm
412
00:32:32,951 --> 00:32:36,997
and my Aunt Anne and my Uncle Alec
also accompanied her.
413
00:32:37,664 --> 00:32:40,417
And she went to Fort Hayes in Columbus.
414
00:32:41,042 --> 00:32:44,337
Major General James Collins
placed the Medal of Honor
415
00:32:44,421 --> 00:32:47,966
around the neck
of Sylvester's grieving mother, Mary.
416
00:32:49,009 --> 00:32:50,927
She didn't speak about it.
417
00:32:51,303 --> 00:32:54,222
It was just, you know,
it was her son that had died.
418
00:32:55,765 --> 00:32:59,728
The Medal of Honor
is such a fabulous, you know, honor
419
00:32:59,811 --> 00:33:01,563
to be bestowed upon any family.
420
00:33:01,688 --> 00:33:04,774
And here in Ohio, our children
learn about this in Ohio history.
421
00:33:05,066 --> 00:33:08,028
And when you're an "Antolak,"
with the last name of Antolak,
422
00:33:08,111 --> 00:33:09,196
you're very proud.
423
00:33:14,075 --> 00:33:17,662
Sergeant Antolak's actions
unquestionably
424
00:33:17,746 --> 00:33:19,956
merited the Medal of Honor.
425
00:33:20,916 --> 00:33:24,669
The Medal of Honor
is the ultimate form of recognition
426
00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:28,381
for courage on the battlefield.
And, in fact,
427
00:33:28,465 --> 00:33:31,259
in many cases, the individual
who earns the Medal of Honor
428
00:33:31,343 --> 00:33:34,846
is killed in the course of that action.
429
00:33:42,562 --> 00:33:45,023
The Medal of Honor
is held in a kind of awe
430
00:33:45,106 --> 00:33:47,150
because the standards...
431
00:33:47,734 --> 00:33:49,611
are so high to be a recipient.
432
00:33:49,736 --> 00:33:54,241
Anybody who receives it is immediately
hailed as a hero like none other.
433
00:33:54,824 --> 00:33:58,495
It is so rare and so distinguished
that it has to be witnessed
434
00:33:58,578 --> 00:34:02,415
and people have to write reports
about why this person deserves it.
435
00:34:02,499 --> 00:34:04,960
And in this case,
there were lots of witnesses
436
00:34:05,126 --> 00:34:07,504
who probably never forgot this
to their dying day.
437
00:34:08,755 --> 00:34:11,174
The road to recognition
for a Medal of Honor,
438
00:34:11,424 --> 00:34:14,803
long and painstaking,
starts with eyewitness statements,
439
00:34:14,970 --> 00:34:16,805
documents, and maps.
440
00:34:34,781 --> 00:34:36,992
All of it used to build a compelling case,
441
00:34:37,075 --> 00:34:40,620
which is submitted up the entire chain
of command to the Secretary of War.
442
00:34:42,038 --> 00:34:44,541
And finally, the President.
443
00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,171
The medal's design for the Army
is intricate and symbolic.
444
00:34:50,463 --> 00:34:53,883
A five-pointed gold star
inside a cluster of laurel leaves,
445
00:34:54,092 --> 00:34:55,635
symbolizing victory.
446
00:34:55,719 --> 00:34:58,722
Each point topped
with an oak leaf for strength.
447
00:35:02,642 --> 00:35:05,895
Variations of the medal
honor recipients from the Air Force,
448
00:35:06,354 --> 00:35:09,608
Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
449
00:35:13,862 --> 00:35:15,280
You know, as a soldier,
450
00:35:16,156 --> 00:35:18,074
when you see someone wearing that...
451
00:35:19,075 --> 00:35:22,329
blue ribbon with a Medal of Honor on it,
it chokes you up.
452
00:35:27,167 --> 00:35:29,252
You know a lot of 'em didn't survive it.
453
00:35:35,759 --> 00:35:40,221
The ones that did,
they're almost seen as super-human.
454
00:35:42,724 --> 00:35:44,976
You hear the stories
and they're just so amazing.
455
00:35:45,060 --> 00:35:46,519
Everybody looks up to them.
456
00:35:47,562 --> 00:35:49,915
And it leads you to question,
"Could I do that in that situation?
457
00:35:49,939 --> 00:35:52,025
Would I've had the guts to do that?"
458
00:35:53,735 --> 00:35:57,781
What always impresses me, though,
is that they are, almost all of them,
459
00:35:58,740 --> 00:36:00,408
very reluctant to talk about it...
460
00:36:02,410 --> 00:36:03,995
very quiet-spoken.
461
00:36:05,538 --> 00:36:06,998
They don't brag.
462
00:36:09,751 --> 00:36:12,879
It's others
who tell their stories for them.
463
00:36:19,844 --> 00:36:23,431
The Medal of Honor represents
usually the worst day of your life.
464
00:36:25,183 --> 00:36:28,645
And we are recipients of this award.
465
00:36:29,729 --> 00:36:32,899
We represent our nation,
our military service, and...
466
00:36:32,982 --> 00:36:34,984
and really, every single one
of those individuals
467
00:36:35,068 --> 00:36:37,821
that didn't come home and their families
by wearing this medal.
468
00:36:41,991 --> 00:36:44,411
My uncle is buried over in Italy,
469
00:36:44,577 --> 00:36:47,372
so we don't have a gravesite to go to.
470
00:36:48,748 --> 00:36:51,751
A few years ago,
my cousin, Paul, his son, Cole,
471
00:36:52,001 --> 00:36:53,753
for his Eagle Scout project,
472
00:36:53,837 --> 00:36:56,339
put up a memorial at the city park.
473
00:36:58,425 --> 00:37:00,927
I remember growing up
reading about my great-uncle
474
00:37:01,010 --> 00:37:02,846
and being extremely proud.
475
00:37:02,929 --> 00:37:04,013
I wanted to tell everybody.
476
00:37:04,180 --> 00:37:08,101
I would... show my close friends
his citation and have them read it.
477
00:37:08,685 --> 00:37:13,106
And so, I wanted to do something
where I could showcase Sylvester.
478
00:37:15,150 --> 00:37:16,651
In 2016,
479
00:37:17,527 --> 00:37:20,488
more than 70 years
after Sylvester Antolak's death,
480
00:37:21,239 --> 00:37:25,368
an Ohio congressman helped pass a bill
that would name a local highway after him
481
00:37:25,535 --> 00:37:27,078
in special tribute.
482
00:37:33,543 --> 00:37:35,962
Keeping this legacy alive for each other,
483
00:37:36,546 --> 00:37:38,506
and all those who pass through here,
484
00:37:38,923 --> 00:37:41,217
is now a mission of the Antolak clan.
485
00:37:41,718 --> 00:37:43,887
I was very proud of the dedication.
486
00:37:44,637 --> 00:37:47,307
Everybody came.
All the relatives came.
487
00:37:47,390 --> 00:37:49,517
So, Sylvester, we thank you
488
00:37:49,601 --> 00:37:52,437
for your selfless and heroic actions,
489
00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:55,231
your unrelenting devotion to duty,
490
00:37:55,815 --> 00:37:59,277
and for the freedoms
that you helped secure for our nation.
491
00:38:03,406 --> 00:38:05,408
It'll be special every time we...
492
00:38:05,742 --> 00:38:09,370
um, pass the signage on I-70 and...
493
00:38:09,454 --> 00:38:13,208
and know that, you know,
he'll be forever memorialized.
494
00:38:17,837 --> 00:38:20,757
Unfortunately, you know,
all the siblings are gone.
495
00:38:21,257 --> 00:38:22,759
How they would have...
496
00:38:31,434 --> 00:38:34,020
How they would have loved
to have been a part of it.
497
00:38:50,286 --> 00:38:52,914
The Medal of Honor
is more than a certificate,
498
00:38:53,122 --> 00:38:54,707
more than a medal on a ribbon.
499
00:38:54,833 --> 00:38:58,211
It's more even than recognition
for an act of the past.
500
00:38:58,628 --> 00:39:02,090
It's a living testament speaking
across decades and continents
501
00:39:02,257 --> 00:39:04,217
to grit and courage.
502
00:39:04,759 --> 00:39:07,178
A message to all generations
that come after,
503
00:39:07,595 --> 00:39:09,597
saying, "This has been done.
504
00:39:10,223 --> 00:39:11,975
This. is possible."
505
00:40:32,221 --> 00:40:34,474
They haven't won the Medal of Honor.
506
00:40:34,557 --> 00:40:38,269
Uh, this isn't a sweepstakes or a lottery.
507
00:40:38,645 --> 00:40:42,774
Um, they have earned it,
and they have earned it the hard way.
508
00:40:43,107 --> 00:40:47,570
Again, the process by which
the decision ultimately is made
509
00:40:47,862 --> 00:40:52,575
to award the Medal of Honor
is a very rigorous one, as it should be.
510
00:40:53,117 --> 00:40:56,329
Uh, there can be debate about
is this a Medal of Honor
511
00:40:56,412 --> 00:40:57,956
or a Distinguished Service Cross.
512
00:40:58,039 --> 00:41:01,584
Both of these are extraordinary
forms of recognition
513
00:41:01,668 --> 00:41:03,544
for courage on the battlefield.
514
00:41:04,003 --> 00:41:07,590
Uh, it's very difficult to make that call,
515
00:41:08,299 --> 00:41:10,593
although in Sergeant Antolak's case,
516
00:41:10,677 --> 00:41:13,096
there is no doubt, again, in my mind,
517
00:41:13,429 --> 00:41:16,599
uh, that he absolutely earned
the Medal of Honor.
518
00:41:16,683 --> 00:41:19,894
That would've been one
that would've come through the process,
519
00:41:20,103 --> 00:41:24,607
and I just have to believe
that every single leader at every level
520
00:41:24,857 --> 00:41:29,404
would say "strongly recommend approval"
all the way to the final level,
521
00:41:29,487 --> 00:41:31,990
uh, in which it is, indeed, approved.
522
00:41:33,866 --> 00:41:36,202
Today, in the 15th Infantry Regiment,
523
00:41:36,744 --> 00:41:38,621
we have one battalion left of the regiment
524
00:41:38,705 --> 00:41:41,207
on active duty.
It's at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
525
00:41:41,416 --> 00:41:43,209
When you go into
the Battalion Headquarters,
526
00:41:43,292 --> 00:41:45,795
you come up there, on the third floor
of a barracks building,
527
00:41:45,878 --> 00:41:48,965
and you walk out, and the first thing
you see is the Hall of Heroes,
528
00:41:49,048 --> 00:41:51,676
which has the pictures of all regiment,
all twenty
529
00:41:52,051 --> 00:41:55,013
15th Infantry Regiment,
Medal of Honor recipients,
530
00:41:55,722 --> 00:41:57,598
and it's done alphabetically.
531
00:41:58,307 --> 00:42:00,685
And guess who's first. Sergeant Antolak.
532
00:42:01,144 --> 00:42:02,770
So, that's who you see.
533
00:42:03,271 --> 00:42:05,648
He's there in a pantheon of 20 guys,
534
00:42:06,107 --> 00:42:09,652
20 great American soldiers
who our soldiers try to emulate
535
00:42:10,570 --> 00:42:13,156
uh, in their professionalism
and dedication to duty.
536
00:42:13,656 --> 00:42:17,035
Everybody who serves
in the 15th Infantry is fully aware
537
00:42:17,118 --> 00:42:21,622
of this great tradition we have
of heroism and professionalism.
538
00:42:22,498 --> 00:42:24,459
And so I think in that sense,
539
00:42:24,917 --> 00:42:29,047
his legacy continues to live today
as part of that bigger picture,
540
00:42:29,714 --> 00:42:32,383
not just as an individual,
but as an example
541
00:42:32,467 --> 00:42:37,055
of what non-commissioned officers are
expected to do when the time gets tough.
542
00:42:38,973 --> 00:42:41,493
I remember one author one time wrote
that if you wanted to get a sense
543
00:42:41,517 --> 00:42:44,062
of what it was to fight in World War II,
in these situations,
544
00:42:44,145 --> 00:42:47,190
what you needed to do was
dig a trench in your front yard and...
545
00:42:47,940 --> 00:42:51,527
and fill it with all your waste products
for a couple weeks and then sit in it
546
00:42:51,611 --> 00:42:54,947
for a while, just to get a sense
of what the feel
547
00:42:55,031 --> 00:42:57,033
and the smell and the filth was like.
548
00:42:58,034 --> 00:43:02,538
In a place like Anzio, where you really
had very little freedom of movement,
549
00:43:02,622 --> 00:43:04,874
especially in the daytime
when everything could be seen,
550
00:43:05,708 --> 00:43:08,753
uh, people were locked in their foxholes.
551
00:43:08,836 --> 00:43:10,756
They were always trying to keep
their heads down.
552
00:43:10,838 --> 00:43:12,882
You had the smell of death all over.
553
00:43:13,257 --> 00:43:15,426
You had the smell of cordite.
You had the...
554
00:43:15,802 --> 00:43:19,847
uh, incessant smoke. Oftentimes,
the Allies themselves would use smoke
555
00:43:19,931 --> 00:43:22,266
over the beachhead to try to cover it from
556
00:43:22,683 --> 00:43:26,896
German observation and German aircraft,
so you had the smoke of the enemy fire,
557
00:43:26,979 --> 00:43:29,148
you had your own smoke
in the air all the time,
558
00:43:29,232 --> 00:43:32,235
the cries of the wounded,
the smells of the dead.
559
00:43:32,860 --> 00:43:35,988
Uh, oftentimes, in the no man's land
between the two armies,
560
00:43:36,072 --> 00:43:38,324
the dead would sit out there
and all you could do was
561
00:43:38,407 --> 00:43:40,451
run out at night with something like lime
562
00:43:40,535 --> 00:43:42,662
to try to put on the bodies
so they wouldn't smell.
563
00:43:43,412 --> 00:43:46,582
Uh, you're just living with death
all the time.
564
00:43:46,666 --> 00:43:49,168
You're living with the constant threat
of death all the time.
565
00:43:50,628 --> 00:43:53,923
You know, I remember
in the memoirs of a British officer
566
00:43:54,298 --> 00:43:57,343
on the beachhead, he said,
you know, "I don't know what to do.
567
00:43:57,426 --> 00:44:00,388
If I lie on my stomach,
they shoot me in the arse,
568
00:44:00,471 --> 00:44:03,057
and if I lie on my back,
they shoot me in the balls."
569
00:44:03,683 --> 00:44:08,604
Um, so, you know, there was no escape
from the combination of machine guns,
570
00:44:08,688 --> 00:44:10,690
mortars, 88s.
571
00:44:11,149 --> 00:44:16,696
Uh, so, that's another one of Antolak's,
uh, ideas is to get forward, get...
572
00:44:16,779 --> 00:44:20,116
The only way to rescue yourself
from this German defensive fire
573
00:44:20,199 --> 00:44:23,578
was to move forward, disrupt
the German line, and push them back.
574
00:44:24,328 --> 00:44:28,082
So, had his men been pinned down there,
they would have been destroyed.
575
00:44:30,835 --> 00:44:33,004
I need to recognize my mother here today.
576
00:44:33,087 --> 00:44:35,089
She's 94 years old.
577
00:44:43,097 --> 00:44:45,016
She also was part of World War II.
578
00:44:45,099 --> 00:44:47,059
She was one of the Rosie Riveters.
579
00:44:47,310 --> 00:44:50,271
She went to Detroit, worked in a factory,
580
00:44:50,938 --> 00:44:54,692
became an airplane inspector,
inspected airplane parts.
581
00:44:54,775 --> 00:44:58,279
She was the best airplane inspector
in the plant.
582
00:44:58,446 --> 00:44:59,989
If you don't believe me, ask her.
583
00:45:03,701 --> 00:45:06,287
There was also
another eyewitness that day,
584
00:45:06,370 --> 00:45:08,247
a very young sergeant at that time
585
00:45:08,831 --> 00:45:11,918
who witnessed Sergeant Antolak's
bravery and valor that day.
586
00:45:12,418 --> 00:45:16,047
What this young sergeant saw that day
definitely had a profound effect
587
00:45:16,130 --> 00:45:18,758
on him throughout
the rest of his military life.
588
00:45:19,258 --> 00:45:22,428
This young sergeant went on to become
a lieutenant in the Army,
589
00:45:22,511 --> 00:45:26,307
and also the most decorated
combat soldier of World War II.
590
00:45:27,516 --> 00:45:29,769
The man I'm talking about is Audie Murphy.
591
00:45:32,939 --> 00:45:35,691
In his best-selling autobiography
titled To Hell and Back,
592
00:45:35,775 --> 00:45:39,820
he mentions Sergeant Sylvester Antolak's
heroic efforts that day in May.
593
00:45:40,821 --> 00:45:45,826
So, as this sign is erected tomorrow
along Interstate 70 near Exit 216,
594
00:45:45,910 --> 00:45:48,663
our hope is that as Marion Ellis
595
00:45:48,746 --> 00:45:52,959
and Audie Murphy were influenced
by Sergeant Antolak's bravery,
596
00:45:53,334 --> 00:45:54,835
that those who drive by,
597
00:45:55,002 --> 00:45:58,089
his influence will influence their lives
for the better
598
00:45:58,172 --> 00:45:59,548
as he has influenced ours.
599
00:46:01,717 --> 00:46:06,514
It's hard to say where
that courage comes from, uh,
600
00:46:07,056 --> 00:46:12,812
in moments that ultimately result
in award of the Medal of Honor.
601
00:46:13,229 --> 00:46:16,816
Uh, in many cases, the individuals,
602
00:46:17,233 --> 00:46:19,443
uh, are not chest beaters,
603
00:46:19,527 --> 00:46:24,282
they're not, you know, say, "See me."
They're not trash talkers.
604
00:46:24,365 --> 00:46:27,368
They're not... they're just seemingly,
605
00:46:27,785 --> 00:46:32,081
um, good, competent, solid soldiers,
606
00:46:32,707 --> 00:46:35,793
marines, airmen, sailors.
607
00:46:36,377 --> 00:46:39,088
And, something special,
608
00:46:39,380 --> 00:46:44,844
uh, is there on that particular day,
in some cases it's there on many days.
609
00:46:45,428 --> 00:46:47,555
But something happens to them
610
00:46:47,638 --> 00:46:49,765
when the enemy engages them,
611
00:46:50,182 --> 00:46:54,645
when they realize that
their fellow troopers are in harm's way,
612
00:46:55,021 --> 00:46:58,941
and where they decide in an instant,
uh, to take action
613
00:46:59,191 --> 00:47:03,696
that will not only not let down
their fellow soldiers,
614
00:47:04,071 --> 00:47:06,615
uh, but help them survive
615
00:47:06,949 --> 00:47:09,493
by putting one's own life at risk.
616
00:47:11,871 --> 00:47:14,123
I've been blown up.
I haven't been shot.
617
00:47:14,373 --> 00:47:18,711
Um, I've been blown up, literally,
by 50 pounds of homemade explosives,
618
00:47:18,794 --> 00:47:21,881
but I know plenty of individuals
that have been shot.
619
00:47:21,964 --> 00:47:24,258
It depends, though.
It depends what you get shot with.
620
00:47:24,633 --> 00:47:27,011
Some will say that adrenaline kicks in,
621
00:47:27,094 --> 00:47:29,221
which obviously,
in this case, had to kick in.
622
00:47:29,972 --> 00:47:32,725
Sylvester Antolak
is a perfect example of it.
623
00:47:33,684 --> 00:47:36,062
This man... is a good old American.
624
00:47:37,730 --> 00:47:40,900
Just work hard.
And when his country was at war,
625
00:47:42,318 --> 00:47:44,862
he served his country
to the best of his ability.
626
00:47:45,905 --> 00:47:49,367
So much that he put his life on the line
and he died for his country.
627
00:47:51,619 --> 00:47:53,537
He is one of many great examples.
628
00:47:55,331 --> 00:47:57,750
In my life, I have Sergeant Major Griffin,
629
00:47:58,542 --> 00:48:01,462
Major Gray, Major Kennedy,
and I got Ragaei Abdelfattah.
630
00:48:02,546 --> 00:48:05,883
Four men that put their lives on the line
and died on the same day
631
00:48:06,050 --> 00:48:08,177
that I was awarded the Medal of Honor for.
632
00:48:09,845 --> 00:48:12,223
Now, those are the individuals
633
00:48:12,306 --> 00:48:14,767
that the medal represents,
and their families.
634
00:48:14,850 --> 00:48:16,936
They don't represent me. No.
635
00:48:17,311 --> 00:48:20,898
The medal, to me,
is a responsibility as a courier
636
00:48:21,357 --> 00:48:24,235
to remind myself
and everyone around me
637
00:48:24,402 --> 00:48:27,446
of those individuals who are willing
to do everything that they can,
638
00:48:27,530 --> 00:48:29,073
and the reason why they did it.
639
00:48:29,281 --> 00:48:32,076
And that is why it is so important
for us to honor
640
00:48:32,827 --> 00:48:33,827
their memories,
641
00:48:35,913 --> 00:48:37,581
and honor their sacrifices.
642
00:48:39,417 --> 00:48:41,919
It represents us.
It represents who we are as a nation.
643
00:48:49,552 --> 00:48:51,512
A day after Veterans Day,
644
00:48:51,595 --> 00:48:55,433
we honor this American veteran
whose story,
645
00:48:55,516 --> 00:48:58,310
like so many of our vets
and wounded warriors,
646
00:48:58,811 --> 00:49:02,189
speaks not only of gallantry
on the battlefield,
647
00:49:02,273 --> 00:49:04,358
but resilience here at home.
648
00:49:05,860 --> 00:49:09,405
As a teenager,
just up the road in Bethesda,
649
00:49:09,488 --> 00:49:12,283
Flo discovered he had an incredible gift.
650
00:49:13,117 --> 00:49:14,117
He could run.
651
00:49:15,327 --> 00:49:16,327
Fast.
652
00:49:17,121 --> 00:49:21,125
Half-mile, mile, two-mile,
he'd leave his competition in the dust.
653
00:49:22,126 --> 00:49:25,337
He was among the best in the state
and he went on to run
654
00:49:25,421 --> 00:49:29,133
track and cross-country
at the University of Maryland.
655
00:49:29,925 --> 00:49:32,761
Flo's college coach called him
the consummate teammate.
656
00:49:33,846 --> 00:49:38,142
As good as he was in individual events,
somehow he always found
657
00:49:38,225 --> 00:49:41,770
a little extra something when he was
running on a relay with the team.
658
00:49:42,730 --> 00:49:46,775
Distance running is really all about guts,
and as one teammate said,
659
00:49:46,859 --> 00:49:50,696
"Flo could suffer a little more
than everyone else could."
660
00:49:52,323 --> 00:49:53,532
So, day after day,
661
00:49:54,074 --> 00:49:56,660
month after month,
he pushed himself to his limit.
662
00:49:57,703 --> 00:49:59,830
He knew that every long run,
663
00:49:59,914 --> 00:50:05,377
every sprint, every interval, could help
shave a second or two off his times.
664
00:50:06,128 --> 00:50:09,632
And as he'd find out later, a few seconds
can make all the difference.
665
00:50:10,883 --> 00:50:13,052
Training, guts, teamwork.
666
00:50:13,928 --> 00:50:16,889
What made Flo a great runner
also made him a great soldier.
667
00:50:17,848 --> 00:50:20,559
In the Army,
Flo again took his training seriously,
668
00:50:20,851 --> 00:50:22,603
hitting the books in the classroom,
669
00:50:22,728 --> 00:50:25,981
paying attention to every detail
in field exercises,
670
00:50:26,065 --> 00:50:30,069
because he knew that he had to be
prepared for any scenario.
671
00:50:31,403 --> 00:50:33,864
He deployed to Afghanistan twice.
672
00:50:34,782 --> 00:50:36,534
First, as a platoon leader,
673
00:50:36,659 --> 00:50:39,370
and then a couple of years later
when he was handpicked
674
00:50:39,453 --> 00:50:41,622
to head up a security detail.
675
00:50:43,290 --> 00:50:46,085
And so, it was on an August day
three years ago,
676
00:50:47,419 --> 00:50:50,881
that Flo found himself leading a group
of American and Afghan soldiers
677
00:50:50,965 --> 00:50:54,843
as they escorted their commanders
to a meeting with local Afghans.
678
00:50:55,719 --> 00:50:58,973
It was a journey that the team
had done many times before,
679
00:50:59,890 --> 00:51:03,394
a short walk on foot,
including passage over a narrow bridge.
680
00:51:04,645 --> 00:51:06,814
At first they passed pedestrians,
681
00:51:06,897 --> 00:51:10,192
a few cars and bicycles,
even some children,
682
00:51:10,276 --> 00:51:13,279
but then they began to approach the bridge
683
00:51:13,696 --> 00:51:17,449
and a pair of motorcycles
sped toward them from the other side.
684
00:51:18,701 --> 00:51:22,496
The Afghan troops shouted
at the bikers to stop, and they did,
685
00:51:22,580 --> 00:51:25,332
ditching their bikes in the middle
of the bridge and running away.
686
00:51:25,416 --> 00:51:28,294
And that's when
Flo noticed something to his left,
687
00:51:28,961 --> 00:51:33,591
a man dressed in dark clothing walking
backwards, just some ten feet away.
688
00:51:34,883 --> 00:51:36,468
The man spun around
689
00:51:36,552 --> 00:51:40,556
and turned toward them
and that's when Flo sprinted toward him.
690
00:51:41,432 --> 00:51:44,184
He pushed him away from the formation,
and as he did,
691
00:51:44,268 --> 00:51:46,645
he noticed an object
under the man's clothing...
692
00:51:46,895 --> 00:51:47,895
a bomb.
693
00:51:48,314 --> 00:51:50,274
The motorcycles had been a diversion.
694
00:51:51,150 --> 00:51:53,736
And at that moment,
Flo did something extraordinary.
695
00:51:53,819 --> 00:51:57,406
He grabbed the bomber by his vest
and kept pushing him away.
696
00:51:57,990 --> 00:52:01,368
And all those years of training,
on the track, in the classroom,
697
00:52:01,619 --> 00:52:05,247
out in the field, all of it came together
in those few seconds,
698
00:52:05,914 --> 00:52:08,250
and he had the instincts and the courage
699
00:52:09,710 --> 00:52:11,378
to do what was needed.
700
00:52:12,713 --> 00:52:15,924
One of Flo's comrades,
Sergeant Andrew Mahoney,
701
00:52:16,050 --> 00:52:19,678
had joined in, too, and together they
shoved the bomber, again and again,
702
00:52:19,762 --> 00:52:22,973
and they pushed him so hard he fell
to the ground onto his chest,
703
00:52:23,265 --> 00:52:24,683
and then the bomb detonated.
704
00:52:25,434 --> 00:52:29,146
Ball bearings, debris,
dust exploded everywhere.
705
00:52:30,230 --> 00:52:33,609
Flo was thrown some 15 or 20 feet
and was knocked unconscious,
706
00:52:33,692 --> 00:52:36,737
and moments later, he woke up
in the middle of the road in shock.
707
00:52:36,820 --> 00:52:40,783
His eardrum was blown out,
his leg was broken and bleeding badly.
708
00:52:41,742 --> 00:52:44,787
Still, he realized that if
the enemy launched a secondary attack,
709
00:52:45,537 --> 00:52:48,999
he'd be a sitting duck.
And when a comrade found him in the smoke,
710
00:52:49,083 --> 00:52:52,503
Flo had his pistol out,
dragging his wounded body from the road.
711
00:52:53,545 --> 00:52:57,633
That blast by the bridge
claimed four American heroes.
712
00:53:00,219 --> 00:53:02,388
Four heroes Flo wants us
to remember today.
713
00:53:03,514 --> 00:53:06,892
One of his mentors, a 24-year Army vet
714
00:53:07,059 --> 00:53:09,603
who always found time for Flo
715
00:53:09,687 --> 00:53:12,898
and any other soldier who wanted to talk,
716
00:53:13,524 --> 00:53:16,068
Command Sergeant Major Kevin Griffin.
717
00:53:17,528 --> 00:53:18,696
A West Pointer
718
00:53:18,779 --> 00:53:21,824
who loved hockey and became a role model
to cadets and troops because
719
00:53:22,533 --> 00:53:25,285
he always cared more
about other people than himself,
720
00:53:26,036 --> 00:53:27,079
Major Tom Kennedy.
721
00:53:28,414 --> 00:53:32,084
A popular Air Force leader
known for smiling with his whole face,
722
00:53:32,835 --> 00:53:36,588
someone who always seemed to run
into a friend wherever he went,
723
00:53:37,047 --> 00:53:38,465
Major David Gray.
724
00:53:39,633 --> 00:53:43,137
And finally,
a USAID Foreign Service Officer
725
00:53:43,220 --> 00:53:46,640
who had just volunteered
for a second tour in Afghanistan,
726
00:53:46,849 --> 00:53:49,518
a man who moved
to the United States from Egypt
727
00:53:49,601 --> 00:53:52,730
and reveled in everything American,
728
00:53:53,021 --> 00:53:56,775
whether it was Disneyland
or chain restaurants or roadside pie,
729
00:53:57,651 --> 00:53:59,862
Ragaei Abdelfattah.
730
00:54:02,030 --> 00:54:04,742
These four men believed in America.
731
00:54:04,825 --> 00:54:07,077
They dedicated their lives to our country.
732
00:54:07,327 --> 00:54:08,495
They died serving it.
733
00:54:09,413 --> 00:54:12,583
Their families, loving wives and children,
734
00:54:13,500 --> 00:54:17,421
parents and siblings,
bear that sacrifice most of all.
735
00:54:18,338 --> 00:54:21,633
So, while Ragaei's family
could not be with us today,
736
00:54:21,717 --> 00:54:24,303
I'd ask three gold-star families
737
00:54:24,386 --> 00:54:27,347
to please stand and accept
our deepest thanks.
738
00:54:30,392 --> 00:54:32,394
[audience applauds}
64288
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