Lawrence Joel (February 22, 1928–February 4, 1984) was a United States Army Sergeant First Class who served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. While serving in Vietnam, as a medic with the rank of Specialist Five assigned to 1st Battalion of the 503rd Infantry Regiment in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, Joel received the Silver Star and the Medal of Honor for his heroism in a battle with the Viet Cong that occurred on November 8, 1965. He was the first medic to earn the Medal of Honor during the Viet Nam conflict and the first living black American to receive this medal since the Spanish-American War in 1898.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery Arlington, Virginia. His grave can be found in section 46, lot 15-1.
Read more about Lawrence Joel: Childhood, Vietnam War, Medal of Honor Citation, Winston-Salem Parade, Retirement, Honors and Awards
Famous quotes containing the words lawrence and/or joel:
“It’s a thing of violence, to whom death would be a merciful release.”
—Edward T. Lowe. Erle C. Kenton. Lawrence Talbot (Lon Chaney)
“They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.”
—Bible: Hebrew Isaiah, 2:4.
The words reappear in Micah 4:3, and the reverse injunction is made in Joel 3:10 (”Beat your plowshares into swords ...”)