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David Hackworth

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David Hackworth
NameDavid Hackworth
Birth dateNovember 11, 1930
Death dateMay 4, 2005
Placeofburial labelPlace of burial
PlaceofburialArlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
BranchUnited States Army
Serviceyears1945–1971
RankColonel
Unit25th Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division, 9th Infantry Division
BattlesKorean War, Vietnam War
AwardsDistinguished Service Cross (2), Silver Star (10), Legion of Merit (4), Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal (8), Purple Heart (8)

David Hackworth. He was a highly decorated United States Army colonel and prominent military journalist, renowned for his combat leadership in the Korean War and Vietnam War. His later career as a critic of the Pentagon and advocate for ground troops made him a controversial yet influential figure in modern American military history. Hackworth's life story, from a teenage World War II enlistee to a famed military correspondent, embodies a complex legacy of battlefield heroism and institutional dissent.

Early life and military beginnings

Born in Ocean Park, California, he ran away from a troubled home to join the United States Merchant Marine at age fourteen. By fifteen, he falsified his age to enlist in the United States Army, receiving an early assignment to the post-World War II occupation forces in Germany. His early military education was forged in the Italian Army's alpine school and through rigorous training with the U.S. Constabulary, developing the intense focus on soldier proficiency that would define his career.

Korean War service

During the Korean War, he served with the 25th Infantry Division and later the 40th Infantry Division, quickly rising to command a company as a young sergeant. He earned his first Silver Star for leading a desperate bayonet charge against Chinese People's Volunteer Army forces near Pork Chop Hill. His repeated acts of valor in critical battles like the Battle of Old Baldy and the Third Battle of Seoul resulted in multiple awards for gallantry and established his reputation as a formidable and charismatic combat leader.

Vietnam War service and controversy

He served multiple tours in Vietnam, initially as an advisor to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and later commanding a battalion of the 101st Airborne Division. His most famous command was of the "Hardcore Recondos," the 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment, part of the 9th Infantry Division, which he molded into an exceptionally effective unit. His growing public criticism of the Pentagon's war strategy, tactics, and the awards system led to a high-profile resignation from the Army in 1971, after which he testified before the Congress.

Post-military career and advocacy

Following his resignation, he lived abroad for years before returning to the United States to become a successful entrepreneur. He later emerged as a influential military correspondent for Newsweek and ABC News, and authored the best-selling autobiography About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior. A relentless advocate for the common soldier, he co-founded the website Soldiers for the Truth and was a frequent, sharp-tongued critic of military leadership during the Gulf War and the Iraq War, often appearing on defense media.

Awards and decorations

His numerous decorations include two Distinguished Service Crosses, ten Silver Stars, eight Bronze Star Medals for valor, and eight Purple Hearts. He also received four awards of the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and numerous service and campaign medals from his service in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Foreign awards included the Vietnam Gallantry Cross and the Korean War Service Medal.

Death and legacy

He died from bladder cancer in Tijuana, Mexico, on May 4, 2005, and was interred at Arlington National Cemetery. His legacy is dual-faceted: he is remembered as one of the United States' most decorated soldiers and also as one of its most vocal and persistent military reformers. His writings and advocacy continue to influence discussions on leadership, counterinsurgency warfare, and the moral responsibility of the officer corps.

Category:United States Army colonels Category:American military writers Category:Korean War recipients of the Silver Star Category:Vietnam War recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross