Aug. 23, 2023

36th IS NCO helps track down last missing Medal of Honor

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — On Feb. 20, 1944, Staff Sgt. Archibald Mathies, from the 510th Bombardment Squadron, 351st Bombardment Group, 8th Air Force, was serving as engineer and ball turret gunner on an aircraft that was attacked by a squadron of enemy fighters with the result of the copilot being killed outright, pilot wounded and unconscious, the radio operator wounded and the plane severely damaged. According to the citation, Mathies and other members of the crew managed to right the plane and fly it back to their home station, where they contacted the control tower and reported the situation.

Feb. 15, 2017

First African-American Medal of Honor recipient

JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. — U.S. Army 1st Lt. Ruppert L. Sargent (1938-1967), is likely one of the most decorated military service members throughout the city of Hampton, Virginia. As a Hampton native, he was the first African-American officer to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroics at Hau Nghia Province, Republic of Vietnam on March 15, 1967. Sargent served as a rifle platoon leader of Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 9th Regiment, and 25th Infantry Division during the Vietnam War.