Feb 22, 2011

by R. Norman Moody

Harry Pope had the paperwork, but not the medal.

But 43 years after his act of “heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam,” Pope, 64, of Melbourne, has finally received an Army Commendation Medal with “V” Device with the help of U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge.

Pope knew he was recommended for the medal with “V” Device for valor he never received, yet never bothered pressing for it after returning home from the long-ago war. It was a time when there was indifference and even hostility toward returning Vietnam veterans.

And, he says, after such a brutal war some simply wanted to forget it all.

“When we came back from Vietnam we weren’t recognized anyway,” Pope said. “We were just glad to get home. There were things we did to survive, and that’s what we did.”

Pope was a fresh-faced 20-year-old who had left school to work in a cabinet shop in Melbourne to help his family economically when he was drafted. He served with the A Company, 1st Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment of the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam from February 1967 to February 1968.

About a month before he was to leave Vietnam, Pope was sent to his company’s Quan Loi Base Camp. It was kind of a transition area, calmer than missions in the jungle, for soldiers before they were sent home. But that wasn’t the scenario when the camp came under a heavy mortar attack.

“I was in supply,” Pope said. “It got where we thought they were going to overrun the base.”

The base was subjected to intense enemy mortar and rocket attack. It was clear that the U.S. soldiers at the front were in need of additional ammunition.

According to orders for the commendation medal award, Pope drove his truck to the base ammunition storage but was refused entry because of the danger. The site had been hit and several fires were raging. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he ignored the danger and entered the area.

“We had fires and incoming rounds,” he said. “I was just concerned for everybody.”

Pope located ammunition, loaded his vehicle and delivered it to units along the frontlines. “His courage and initiative were instrumental in maintaining the defense of the base,” the citation says.

Pope’s tour of duty in Vietnam ended about 15 days later. He returned home and went back to work in the cabinet shop, putting aside some of the memories of war. He went about his life, never again thinking about the medal he had earned until his wife, Joyce Pope, contacted Posey’s office.

“I got to looking through his paperwork,” Joyce Pope said. “I kept asking him. There are some (medals) that you don’t have.”

She discovered that the Commendation Medal with “V” Device was not awarded. “The paperwork was signed in June of ‘68,” she said, “but it just never caught up with him.”

In less than two months, they received word that the medal had been released. Posey presented Pope with his medal earlier this month, more than four decades after the Feb. 5, 1968, incident in Vietnam.

“It’s truly an honor to meet Sgt. Pope and have the opportunity to present him with this medal after all these years,” Posey said. “The story of Sgt. Pope’s bravery is an example of why we owe a debt of gratitude to the men and women serving in our armed forces. It’s because of actions taken by soldiers like Sgt. Pope that our nation and our liberties have been able to survive for 235 years.”

Pope said he’s proud to receive the medal, but he rarely talks about the war because “you don’t want to bring back too many memories.” He’s blocked out memories that also resulted in other medals, including a Bronze Medal.

At Calvary Baptist Church, where Pope has worshiped for decades, many were unaware about his service to country or his awards.

“It was quite interesting that it took this long for him to get it,” said Sergio Reyes, senior pastor at Calvary Baptist. “He was very humble about the whole thing.”

Contact Moody at 321-242-3651 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

This article originally appeared on www.FloridaToday.com .