Joe Hooper (soldier)

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Joe Ronnie Hooper
August 8, 1938 - May 6,1979
Joe Ronnie Hooper, Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth	Piedmont, South Carolina
Place of death	Louisville, Kentucky
Allegiance	U.S. Army
Years of service	1955-1961 (U.S. Navy) 1961-1972 (U.S. Army)
Rank	Captain
Unit	2nd Battalion, 501st Airborne Infantry
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor Silver Star (2) Bronze Star (6) Purple Heart (8)

Captain Joe Ronnie Hooper (August 8, 1938-May 6, 1979) was a Vietnam veteran whose combat decorations surpassed those of Lt. Audie Murphy or Sgt. Alvin York. He was the recipient of America's highest military decoration for valor in combat — the Medal of Honor.

During two tours of duty with Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, he earned the Medal of Honor (February 21, 1968 outside of Hue), two Silver Stars for gallantry, 6 Bronze Stars for heroism, 8 Purple Hearts, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.

Due to the nature of the war in Vietnam, there were not as many medals to win as in World War I and World War II — no allied medals, nor any victory medals.

He is credited with 115 enemy kills in ground combat, 22 of which occurred on 21 February 1968.

1 Biography
2 Awards and decorations
3 Medal of Honor citation
4 Notes
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Biography

Joe Ronnie Hooper was born on August 8, 1938 in Piedmont, South Carolina. His family moved when he was a child to Moses Lake, Washington where he attended Moses Lake High School.

At the age of 17, in the summer of 1955, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He served in the Navy until 1961 when he left to enlist in the United States Army. He served in the Army until 1972.

From 1966-67 and 1967-68 he served two tours of duty in the Republic of Vietnam, both with D Company, 2nd Battalion, 501st Airborne Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. On February 21, 1968, near Hue, Vietnam in an armed conflict with the North Vietnamese Army, then-Sergeant Joe Hooper distinguished himself by clearing several bunkers, killing some 20 enemy soldiers.

On March 7, 1969, Staff Sergeant Joe R. Hooper received the Medal of Honor from President Richard M. Nixon in a White House ceremony.

After returning to the U.S. in 1969, he was commissioned an officer, and retired in 1972 as a Captain due to combat wounds.

Rumors persist that he became distressed by the anti-war politics of the time and took to excessive drinking which contributed to his death ^[1]. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage in a Louisville, Kentucky hotel room on May 6, 1979 at the age of 40.

Joe Hooper is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

[edit] Awards and decorations

During the course of his 17 years of military service, Captain Joe Ronnie Hooper (retired) received 37 citations, including the Medal of Honor, the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster (one Silver Star citation began as a recommendation for a second Medal of Honor), the Bronze Star with combat distinguishing device (or "V") and 5 oak leaf clusters, the Purple Heart with 7 oak leaf clusters, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. SSGT Hooper also received the Republic of Vietnam Military Merit Medal, the Gallantry Cross with Palm, Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign medal with "60" device.

[edit] Medal of Honor citation

HOOPER, JOE R.

Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Hue, Republic of Vietnam, 21 February 1968. Entered service at: Los Angeles, Calif. Born: 8 August 1938, Piedmont, S.C.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Staff Sergeant (then Sgt.) Hooper, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving as squad leader with Company D. Company D was assaulting a heavily defended enemy position along a river bank when it encountered a withering hail of fire from rockets, machine guns and automatic weapons. S/Sgt. Hooper rallied several men and stormed across the river, overrunning several bunkers on the opposite shore. Thus inspired, the rest of the company moved to the attack. With utter disregard for his own safety, he moved out under the intense fire again and pulled back the wounded, moving them to safety. During this act S/Sgt. Hooper was seriously wounded, but he refused medical aid and returned to his men. With the relentless enemy fire disrupting the attack, he single-handedly stormed 3 enemy bunkers, destroying them with hand grenade and rifle fire, and shot 2 enemy soldiers who had attacked and wounded the Chaplain. Leading his men forward in a sweep of the area, S/Sgt. Hooper destroyed 3 buildings housing enemy riflemen. At this point he was attacked by a North Vietnamese officer whom he fatally wounded with his bayonet. Finding his men under heavy fire from a house to the front, he proceeded alone to the building, killing its occupants with rifle fire and grenades. By now his initial body wound had been compounded by grenade fragments, yet despite the multiple wounds and loss of blood, he continued to lead his men against the intense enemy fire. As his squad reached the final line of enemy resistance, it received devastating fire from 4 bunkers in line on its left flank. S/Sgt. Hooper gathered several hand grenades and raced down a small trench which ran the length of the bunker line, tossing grenades into each bunker as he passed by, killing all but 2 of the occupants. With these positions destroyed, he concentrated on the last bunkers facing his men, destroying the first with an incendiary grenade and neutralizing 2 more by rifle fire. He then raced across an open field, still under enemy fire, to rescue a wounded man who was trapped in a trench. Upon reaching the man, he was faced by an armed enemy soldier whom he killed with a pistol. Moving his comrade to safety and returning to his men, he neutralized the final pocket of enemy resistance by fatally wounding 3 North Vietnamese officers with rifle fire. S/Sgt. Hooper then established a final line and reorganized his men, not accepting treatment until this was accomplished and not consenting to evacuation until the following morning. His supreme valor, inspiring leadership and heroic self-sacrifice were directly responsible for the company's success and provided a lasting example in personal courage for every man on the field. S/Sgt. Hooper's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.