Lawrence Joel

Lawrence Joel Lawrence Joel was a United States Army medic awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry during the Vietnam War. Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, he served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade and became the first African American to receive the Medal of Honor during Vietnam. Joel's actions during a 1965 ambush earned him national recognition from figures including President Lyndon B. Johnson and triggered commemorations by institutions such as the United States Congress and military academies.

Early life and education

Born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Joel was the son of residents of Forsyth County, North Carolina and grew up during the era of Jim Crow laws and the legacy of Reconstruction era racial segregation in the American South. He attended local schools in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools before enlisting in the United States Army in 1946. Joel trained at centers including Fort Bragg and received medical training influenced by doctrines from Walter Reed Army Medical Center and procedures stemming from experiences in World War II and the Korean War. His formative years overlapped with national events such as the Great Depression aftermath and the beginnings of the Civil Rights Movement led by figures like Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr..

Military career

Joel's career spanned deployments and training across posts like Fort Benning, Fort Campbell, Fort Lewis, and overseas assignments tied to operations in the Pacific Theater and later in Southeast Asia. He served as a combat medic with the 3rd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, a unit once part of the United States Army Pacific Command and associated with airborne operations similar to those planned at Camp Mackall and studied at institutions including the United States Army Medical Department (AMEDD) schools. His service record included awards such as the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal for actions in field operations that paralleled medevac practices developed after engagements like the Battle of the Bulge and tactical doctrines from the Pentagon-level Medical Corps reviews.

Medal of Honor action

On November 8, 1965, during an ambush along the Qui Nhon area near Pleiku and Bien Hoa, Joel was serving aboard a convoy vehicle providing casualty care when his unit came under heavy fire from Viet Cong and People's Army of Vietnam forces. Despite being wounded by shrapnel and small arms fire, he continued to treat and evacuate wounded soldiers, scholars compare his conduct to earlier valor exemplified at battles like Iwo Jima and Gettysburg for medics of the era. His actions during the engagement demonstrated protocols taught at Army Medical Department Center and School and influenced medevac tactics associated with Bell UH-1 Iroquois evacuation procedures. Joel was moved from field hospitals in South Vietnam to treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., where the severity of his wounds earned him the Medal of Honor, presented by President Lyndon B. Johnson and later acknowledged by members of Congress.

Later life and legacy

After medical retirement and separation from active service in 1972, Joel lived in Washington, D.C. and remained a figure in veteran communities associated with organizations like the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He attended ceremonies at institutions including the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery events, and commemorations hosted by the United States Military Academy and civilian universities. Joel's story has been cited in discussions of African American military history alongside figures like Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Medgar Evers, and Colin Powell; scholars link his recognition to broader civil rights milestones such as the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and cultural commemorations at museums like the Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Joel died in Washington, D.C. in 1984 and was interred with honors reflecting traditions of Arlington National Cemetery ceremonies and United States Army burial protocols.

Honors and memorials

In his honor, facilities and dedications include the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, named by local authorities and celebrated by state officials from North Carolina General Assembly and municipal leaders from Winston-Salem City Council. The United States Postal Service and various veterans' organizations have issued commemorations and plaques; military units and schools including Forsyth County Schools, Wake Forest University, and Quinnipiac University have hosted dedications. Monuments and roadways bearing his name have been established in partnership with local entities such as the Winston-Salem Foundation and state agencies including the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Joel's Medal of Honor is preserved in displays associated with institutions like the U.S. Army Center of Military History and exhibits at the National Archives, and his legacy is taught in curricula at military institutions including Fort Bragg training programs and public history courses at universities such as Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Category:1928 births Category:1984 deaths Category:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients Category:People from Winston-Salem, North Carolina