SFC13557
NES Member
From the WSJ. I read about CPT. Salomon's courageous actions in Ian Toll's trilogy on the US Navy in the Pacific in WWII.
Twenty years ago this month President George W. Bush walked into the Rose Garden and honored one of America’s greatest military heroes, whose valor had been largely overlooked for nearly six decades. Even today, how many Americans know the story of U.S. Army Capt. Ben Salomon?
Salomon’s exploits remained obscure for generations—even his own family didn’t know the extent of his actions—because of the unique set of circumstances surrounding his heroism. The story came to national attention essentially by accident. At that 2002 ceremony President Bush posthumously awarded Salomon the Medal of Honor and noted:
What a story it is. Before exploring why it took more than half a century for Salomon to be recognized appropriately—and only then because a fellow alum happened to be doing research in preparation for the 100th anniversary of USC’s dental school—let’s examine the actions of Capt. Salomon on a horrific day long ago in the western Pacific. In a history maintained by the U.S. Army medical department, Col. William T. Bowers (ret.) sets the scene:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Ben L. Salomon was serving at Saipan, in the Marianas Islands on July 7, 1944, as the Surgeon for the 2nd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. The Regiment’s 1st and 2nd Battalions were attacked by an overwhelming force estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese soldiers. It was one of the largest attacks attempted in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although both units fought furiously, the enemy soon penetrated the Battalions’ combined perimeter and inflicted overwhelming casualties. In the first minutes of the attack, approximately 30 wounded soldiers walked, crawled, or were carried into Captain Salomon’s aid station, and the small tent soon filled with wounded men. As the perimeter began to be overrun, it became increasingly difficult for Captain Salomon to work on the wounded. He then saw a Japanese soldier bayoneting one of the wounded soldiers lying near the tent. Firing from a squatting position, Captain Salomon quickly killed the enemy soldier. Then, as he turned his attention back to the wounded, two more Japanese soldiers appeared in the front entrance of the tent. As these enemy soldiers were killed, four more crawled under the the tent walls. Rushing them, Captain Salomon kicked the knife out of the hand of one, shot another, and bayoneted a third. Captain Salomon butted the fourth enemy soldier in the stomach and a wounded comrade then shot and killed the enemy soldier. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Salomon ordered the wounded to make their way as best they could back to the regimental aid station, while he attempted to hold off the enemy until they were clear. Captain Salomon then grabbed a rifle from one of the wounded and rushed out of the tent. After four men were killed while manning a machine gun, Captain Salomon took control of it. When his body was later found, 98 dead enemy soldiers were piled in front of his position. Captain Salomon’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself his unit and the United States Army.
Except for the part where our hero dies, this amazing tale reads like a scene from Captain America. But Captain Salomon was real. How was he not honored in the 1940s? Ellen Sorokin wrote in the Washington Times in 2002:
But this amazing story still leaves one wondering how the regimental dentist was not only able to rise to the occasion to defend his aid station, but to perform in combat on the level of the greatest special operations warriors. Fortunately for the men in his care, Salomon had originally been drafted into the infantry before the United States entered the war. Col. Bowers notes:
James Freeman is the co-author of “The Cost: Trump, China and American Revival.”
Twenty years ago this month President George W. Bush walked into the Rose Garden and honored one of America’s greatest military heroes, whose valor had been largely overlooked for nearly six decades. Even today, how many Americans know the story of U.S. Army Capt. Ben Salomon?
Salomon’s exploits remained obscure for generations—even his own family didn’t know the extent of his actions—because of the unique set of circumstances surrounding his heroism. The story came to national attention essentially by accident. At that 2002 ceremony President Bush posthumously awarded Salomon the Medal of Honor and noted:
What a story it is. Before exploring why it took more than half a century for Salomon to be recognized appropriately—and only then because a fellow alum happened to be doing research in preparation for the 100th anniversary of USC’s dental school—let’s examine the actions of Capt. Salomon on a horrific day long ago in the western Pacific. In a history maintained by the U.S. Army medical department, Col. William T. Bowers (ret.) sets the scene:
Two weeks later, the dentist-turned-surgeon would be saving many lives. The Congressional Medal of Honor Society quotes the official citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Captain Ben L. Salomon was serving at Saipan, in the Marianas Islands on July 7, 1944, as the Surgeon for the 2nd Battalion, 105th Infantry Regiment, 27th Infantry Division. The Regiment’s 1st and 2nd Battalions were attacked by an overwhelming force estimated between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese soldiers. It was one of the largest attacks attempted in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Although both units fought furiously, the enemy soon penetrated the Battalions’ combined perimeter and inflicted overwhelming casualties. In the first minutes of the attack, approximately 30 wounded soldiers walked, crawled, or were carried into Captain Salomon’s aid station, and the small tent soon filled with wounded men. As the perimeter began to be overrun, it became increasingly difficult for Captain Salomon to work on the wounded. He then saw a Japanese soldier bayoneting one of the wounded soldiers lying near the tent. Firing from a squatting position, Captain Salomon quickly killed the enemy soldier. Then, as he turned his attention back to the wounded, two more Japanese soldiers appeared in the front entrance of the tent. As these enemy soldiers were killed, four more crawled under the the tent walls. Rushing them, Captain Salomon kicked the knife out of the hand of one, shot another, and bayoneted a third. Captain Salomon butted the fourth enemy soldier in the stomach and a wounded comrade then shot and killed the enemy soldier. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Salomon ordered the wounded to make their way as best they could back to the regimental aid station, while he attempted to hold off the enemy until they were clear. Captain Salomon then grabbed a rifle from one of the wounded and rushed out of the tent. After four men were killed while manning a machine gun, Captain Salomon took control of it. When his body was later found, 98 dead enemy soldiers were piled in front of his position. Captain Salomon’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself his unit and the United States Army.
Except for the part where our hero dies, this amazing tale reads like a scene from Captain America. But Captain Salomon was real. How was he not honored in the 1940s? Ellen Sorokin wrote in the Washington Times in 2002:
That’s where West, the USC-trained dentist and also a World War II veteran, was able to pick up the trail more than 50 years later. According to Ms. Sorokin:
West spent years writing letters to various government officials and finally succeeded in seeing Salomon honored before his own death in 2012. That’s according to a report in the San Diego Union Tribune.
But this amazing story still leaves one wondering how the regimental dentist was not only able to rise to the occasion to defend his aid station, but to perform in combat on the level of the greatest special operations warriors. Fortunately for the men in his care, Salomon had originally been drafted into the infantry before the United States entered the war. Col. Bowers notes:
As President Bush stated in 2002:
***
James Freeman is the co-author of “The Cost: Trump, China and American Revival.”
![[halfmast]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/040.gif "Half Mast [halfmast]")
