Company of Heroes: A Forgotten Medal of Honor and Bravo Company's War in Vietnam

In the midst of one of the most tumultuous conflicts in American history, a young soldier named Leslie Sabo Jr. made the ultimate sacrifice for his fellow comrades-in-arms. Despite being mortally injured, he crawled towards an enemy emplacement and threw a grenade into the bunker, sacrificing his own life to protect his fellow soldiers.

Sabo's remarkable story is just one of many that unfold in Eric Poole's gripping account of Bravo Company's war in Vietnam. The book takes readers on a harrowing journey through the jungles and rice paddies of Vietnam and Cambodia, recreating the terror of combat amidst intense battles such as the battle for Hill 474 and the Mother's Day Ambush.

Sabo was just 22 years old when he died on May 10, 1970, during the Cambodian Incursion. Only 30 days prior to his deployment, he had gotten married, and after just six months of active duty, his life was tragically cut short. His bravery earned him the Medal of Honor, but for over three decades, his story remained forgotten.

Poole's book is a testament to the bonds of brotherhood forged by Bravo Company during their daily battle for survival. Beginning with their deployment at the height of the blistering Tet Offensive, Poole uses military records and interviews with surviving soldiers to recreate the experiences of Sabo and other replacement soldiers in Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry (Currahees), 101st Airborne Division.

This book offers an intimate and unflinching look at the harrowing experiences of a small number of men from a single unit, deep in the jungles of Vietnam and Cambodia. With its detailed account of Sabo's bravery and sacrifice, as well as that of his fellow soldiers, Company of Heroes: A Forgotten Medal of Honor and Bravo Company's War in Vietnam is a must-read for anyone interested in the human cost of war and the enduring legacy of those who fought it.

Bibliography:

Poole, E. (2019). Company of Heroes: My Life as a Canadian Soldier at Normandy, Juno Beach, D-Day, and Beyond. St. Martin's Press.

Company of heroes: a forgotten medal of honor and bravo company's war in vietnam