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Robert Lewis Howard (July 11, 1939 – December 23, 2009) was a highly-decorated United States Army soldier and Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. He was wounded 14 times over 54 months of combat, was awarded the Medal of Honor, 8 Purple Hearts, 1 Distinguished Service Cross, 1 Silver Star, and 4 Bronze Stars. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor three separate times, but you can only be awarded the Medal of Honor once. He did not get either of the first two Medals Of Honor he was nominated for because because those actions were performed in countries where the U.S. was fighting in covertly. The President could not award him the medal for fighting in Cambodia when we were not supposed to be there. However, he is the single most decorated serviceman in American history and retired from the military after 50 years of service as a full Colonel. He died of cancer, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on February 22, 2010. ==Biography== Howard enlisted in the Army at Montgomery, Alabama and retired as Colonel, Army Special Forces. As a staff sergeant of the highly classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG), Howard was recommended for the Medal of Honor on three separate occasions for three individual actions during thirteen months spanning 1967–1968. The first two nominations were downgraded to a Silver Star and the Distinguished Service Cross due to the covert nature of the operations in which Howard participated. As a Sergeant First Class of the same organization, he risked his life during a rescue mission in Cambodia on December 30, 1968, while second in command of a platoon-sized Hatchet Force that was searching for missing American soldier Robert Scherdin, and was finally awarded the Medal of Honor. He learned of the award over a two-way radio while under enemy fire, immediately after being wounded, resulting in one of his eight Purple Hearts. Howard was wounded 14 times during one 54-month period during the Vietnam War. He received two master's degrees during his government career which spanned almost 50 years. Howard retired as a Colonel in 1992.〔Williams, Brian, "Medal of Honor: Robert Howard 1939–2009", ''NBC News'', December 23, 2009.〕 His Army career spanned 1956 to 1992.〔Associated Press, "(Decorated Army colonel, MoH recipient dies )", ''Military Times'', December 24, 2009.〕 According to ''NBC News'', Howard may have been the most highly decorated American soldier of the modern era. His residence was in Texas and he spent much of his free time working with veterans until the time of his death. He also took periodic trips to Iraq to visit active duty troops.〔 Howard died of pancreatic cancer at a hospice in Waco, Texas on December 23, 2009. He was survived by four children and five grandchildren.〔〔(Col. Robert Lewis Howard, believed to be nation's most decorated soldier, dies at 70 ) ''Star-Telegram'', Associated Press story. Retrieved on December 24, 2009.〕 His funeral was in Arlington National Cemetery on February 22, 2010. 〔Horst, Kaitlin, Arlington National Cemetery Public Affairs ("Col. Robert L. Howard laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery" ). Retrieved on October 26, 2014.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Robert L. Howard」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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