The official citation makes pretty clear the circumstances which led up to the Distinguished Service Medal award for Sgt. Peace. His team came under fire, two were KIA, others were WIA (including Peace), then Peace ran out under fire to drag back a wounded comrade, then seeing an enemy grenade lobbed close to he and his wounded comrade, Peace jumped on the grenade to save his comrade's life. All that took incredible guts. The thing is though, the grenade didn't explode. Peace survived and went on to live his life for several decades after the war. He lived.tjwest wrote:I am posting this at the request of a Ranger vet's family. I was contacted today by the family of a Vietnam era vet named SGT Thomas S. Pease. They state that Pease served in 75th INF, F Co and was put in for a MOH for a mission that occurred on March 1, 1969. The family has taken exception because he was apparently awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Pease has been diagnosed with inoperable lung and brain cancer and is slipping from this world to the next. They would like to see if something can be done to modify the award before he passes or before the cancer advances so far that he won't be able to understand and appreciate the modification.
The family has been working through their congressional office but has come up against a wall. They need more information about the events of the mission from people who were there in order to advance the issue any further with DOD. If you are aware of any F Co Rangers that might be able to help please pass this message to them. I have already contacted the F Co unit director from 75th RRA. The family can be reached via Anne Summe-Pease at apease52@hotmail.com or 260-799-4966 (Home), 260-249-8573 (Cell).
Please let me know if you have questions or concerns.
TJ
Travis James West, JD
USARA Midwest Regional Director
(608) 561-1779
twest@vaclaimslaw.com
A former L Company Ranger, Frank R. Fratellenico, found himself in identical circumstances. Under intense NVA fire, he jumped on a grenade to save the lives of 3 comrades. The grenade exploded. Fratellenico died. He was 19. Congress awarded him the Medal of Honor. I hope that Sgt. Peace's family might understand the distinction here.