Let’s step back to October 22, 1965 and acknowledge an 18-year old named Milton Lee Olive III. To look at him, you would see a meek, baby-faced, thin black man who wasn’t particularly muscular or possessing any obvious machismo. The one picture I saw of him looked like a little boy playing dress up in their daddy’s clothes. Nothing fit quite right. We might smile and walk on by such a young man, hardly giving him a second glance.
Looks can be deceiving!
Born in Chicago, his family moved to Lexington, Mississippi where he finished high school. After high school, Olive made the decision to join the military. The Vietnam War was at the halfway point (1955-1975) and Olive enlisted in the Army. He never achieved rank above PFC – probably because he was in for such a short time.
“In May 1963, the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade became the first major combat unit to arrive in Vietnam. As the Army’s only action-ready unit in the Pacific at that time, it was only a matter of weeks before the “Sky Soldiers” of the 173rd encountered the enemy firsthand. Again and again, these soldiers struggled to secure and keep the 60-square-mile area known as War Zone D.
“… the men of Company B’s 3rd Platoon considered their Oct. 22, 1965, patrol near Phu Cuong routine. As they moved through jungle brush, they tried to spot Viet Cong operating in the area. At different times, they were under varying degrees of enemy fire, sometimes pinned down temporarily. Olive, by all accounts a good-humored, hard-working soldier, was constantly up front, exposing himself to enemy fire.
“Olive and four others, including his platoon commander, were quietly and steadily pursuing one band of Viet Cong through the tangled growth. Suddenly, one of the enemy turned and threw a hand grenade into the middle of the platoon.
“Olive dashed forward and grabbed the grenade. Yelling “I’ve got it,” he tucked it into his middle and moved away from the others, falling on the grenade and absorbing the full blast.
“It was the most incredible display of selfless bravery I ever witnessed,” the platoon commander later told a journalist. Olive’s sacrifice saved his comrades’ lives.”1
On April 21, 1966, President Lyndon B. Johnson posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to PFC Milton Lee Olive III. As the medal was presented to Olive’s dad and stepmom, the citation for his actions was read.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call
of duty. Pfc. Olive was a member of the 3d Platoon of Company B, as it moved through the jungle to find the Viet Cong operating in the area. Although the platoon was subjected to a heavy volume of enemy gunfire and pinned down temporarily, it retaliated by assaulting the Viet Cong positions, causing the enemy to flee. As the platoon pursued the insurgents, Pfc. Olive and 4 other soldiers were moving through the jungle together when a grenade was thrown into their midst. Pfc. Olive saw the grenade, and then saved the lives of his fellow soldiers at the sacrifice of his own by grabbing the grenade in his hand and falling on it to absorb the blast with his body. Through his bravery, unhesitating actions, and complete disregard for his safety, he prevented additional loss of life or injury to the members of his platoon. Pfc. Olive’s extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty, are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.2
John 15:13 gives us those familiar words that have powerful significance. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” PFC Olive could not have given any more than what he gave. He will always be remember for this selfless act and his love for his fellow man.
Jesus demonstrated the truth of this verse by giving Himself for all of humanity. Jesus said in John 10:15-18, “As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. (16) And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd. (17) Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.”
With great love for us, Jesus laid His life down in sacrifice, considering the cost and determining that it was worth it. Can we say that we are willing to count the cost of serving the Lord and determining that it is worth it?
May it be our prayer that with great sincerity, we could pray the words of Paul found in Philippians 1:20-21. “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (21) For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
1https://www.military.com/history/pfc-milton-lee-olive-iii-profile.html
2https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_L._Olive_III
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