Memorial honors Vietnam War hero

FLORENCE - Spc. Don Leslie Michael, the region's only recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor who saved his squad from enemy attack during the Vietnam War, will have a memorial dedicated to his memory and sacrifice Saturday, 41 years after his death.

Michael died in Vietnam combat near the Cambodian border April 8, 1967. He was 19 years old.

During a search and destroy mission in the Vietnam jungle, enemies trapped Michael and his squad with heavy gunfire. Alone, Michael ran into the line of fire - within 60 feet of the enemy - to throw two grenades into the enemy bunker. They failed to detonate. Michael returned with two more grenades that destroyed the gunners. He then ran farther into the jungle in pursuit of the surviving enemy soldiers.

When other squad members caught up with Michael, he had been mortally wounded.

Michael became one of 141 U.S. servicemen during the Vietnam War who received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for bravery.

Don Wallace, a World War II veteran, spearheaded the effort to get a memorial for Michael, an effort that took more than 30 years.

Henry Erwin, another Congressional Medal honoree from Alabama, suggested to Wallace, who ran the American Legion Post 11 in Florence for 14 years, that a memorial be erected for Michael.

After several years of little interest from officials, Wallace said he finally convinced the city of Florence and Lauderdale County to donate $7,000 each for the memorial, which will be dedicated Saturday.

The bronze bust of Michael in uniform sits atop a limestone pedestal in front of the Veterans Memorial in Veterans Park.

Congressional Medal honorees also include Pvt. Wilson Douglas Watson, a veteran of World War II who was born in Tuscumbia but enlisted in Earle, Ark.

Wallace said that two other Alabama honorees, 1st Lt. Cecil Bolton, of Huntsville, and World War I veteran, David Hayden, also lived in the Shoals at one time.

Michael was born in Florence on July 31, 1947. He was raised in Lexington, the eldest of five children.

Sharon Goens, one of his four sisters, was 9 years old when her brother died.

"He was everything you ever wanted in a big brother," she said. "The memorial is a great way for him to be remembered and for it to be in Veterans Park is perfect."

Michael joined the Army less than three months after graduating from Lexington High School, where he was a three-sport player in basketball, football and baseball.

In the Army, Michael departed Fort Campbell, Ky., and became a member of the elite 173rd Airborne Brigade, where he ranked specialist fourth class.

Many of Michael's fellow soldiers in Vietnam fondly remember him.

Chuck Huller, a medic, was part of a five-member squad that included Michael during an attack from the North Vietnamese Army that had them pinned down. After a moment of silence, Michael walked over, grasped the North Vietnamese Army sergeant by the neck, and pulled him out of his hiding hole.

Huller said he walked over to Michael and asked, "How did you know that guy ran out of bullets?"

Michael replied, "Well, I guess if he stopped shooting, I figured he was out of bullets."

Henry Churchwell met Michael at Ft. Campbell, Ky., before the two were deployed to Vietnam. The two became best friends while in the service. Churchwell helped carry the injured Michael about 300 meters under fire after the attack.

"Don will always be part of my life," Churchwell said.

Trevor Stokes can be reached at 740-5728 or trevor.stokes@TimesDaily.com.