Leslie H. Sabo Jr. Dedication, Passion, Honor

Early Life The Sabo family left their native country, Hungary, at the end of World War II to escape the Soviet Army and communism. Leslie was born in 1948 in Austria. His brother, George, was four at the time of his birth. Two years later, the family immigrated to Ellwood City, PA, in the United States. George recalled that Leslie was a well behaved kid that didn’t get into much trouble, but he was also a fun- loving jokester (Collins, Elizabeth).

Early Life “There is absolutely no bitterness or jealousy in George Sabo’s voice when he says his younger brother had a closer relationship with his parents than himself. Leslie was barely a teenager when George graduated from high school in Within two years of graduation, George was getting on with his life – he was married with the first of his three sons. And even before George got out of school, he caused his parents a few sleepless nights, by his own admission. Until Leslie shipped out to Vietnam, they never had that issue with him,” (Poole, Eric).

Rose Mary Sabo Brown “Rose Mary had fallen in love with Leslie the day she met him at a high school football game. She was a senior and he had just graduated…After about a year and a half of college at Youngstown State University in Ohio, Leslie left school, uncertain what he wanted to do in life. Unfortunately, that meant the university was required to send his name to the selective service board. He was drafted less than six months later, almost certainly headed for Vietnam. Rose Mary, then his fiancée, begged him to ignore the draft notice, but Leslie refused. He explained that his family had fled communism and it was his duty to stand against it, to fight for the country that had given them so much,” (Collins, Elizabeth).

Rose Mary Sabo Brown Leslie and Rose’s wedding was set for September 13 th, 1969, but he was drafted in January of that year. Leslie was allowed to return home for the weekend of the wedding, but he had to go back the day after. After he was informed that he was going to Vietnam, Rose and Leslie only had 30 days together before he left in November. After Leslie was killed in action, and Rose was informed, she and the Sabo family mourned. As Rose left for the funeral, a delivery man brought her the last thing Leslie every mailed home, a dozen red roses (Leslie Sabo to Receive Medal of Honor Posthumously – YouTube.com).

A War Hero “Leslie's letters were (Rose’s) lifeline. She would actually sit outside and wait for the mailman. The letters stopped when he left for Cambodia with the rest of Company B, 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. The "Currahees" were attached to the 4th Infantry Division for a secret mission: Stop North Vietnamese units from using Cambodia as a staging point to attack American and South Vietnamese troops. But on May 10, 1970, the unit walked into a devastating ambush near the Se San River in eastern Cambodia,” (Collins, Elizabeth).

A War Hero During the ambush, a grenade landed near Leslie and a wounded solider. Leslie used his own body to shield the solider from the blast. He quickly recovered and charged an enemy bunker, where he was fatally wounded by automatic fire. With his last breaths, he pulled the pin of his grenade and crawled toward the enemy while holding on to the explosive until the very last moment. While he had stopped the enemy fire, saving his comrades, Leslie H. Sabo Jr. was killed in the blast (Leslie Sabo to Receive Medal of Honor Posthumously – YouTube.com).

The Medal of Honor Leslie Sabo posthumously revived the Medal of Honor 42 years after his act of heroism during the ambush. The Medal was presented to Rose and George Sabo by President Obama on May 16, Leslie was nominated for the Medal earlier after the ambush, but the request was lost. Tony Mabb began the campaign to re-nominate Leslie after he came across his file in the National Archives.

The Medal of Honor "Four decades after Leslie's sacrifice, we can set the record straight…Leslie Sabo left behind a wife who adored him, a brother who loved him, parents who cherished him, and family and friends who admired him. But they never knew. For decades, they never knew their Les had died a hero. The fog of war, and paperwork that seemed to get lost in the shuffle, meant this story was almost lost to history,” (Barack Obama qtd. in ABC News). "I know a piece of cloth and a medal won't bring him back, but my heart beats with pride for Leslie,” (Rose Sabo qtd. In ABC News).

What Makes a Hero? To give his life in battle, Leslie Sabo showed not only bravery, but great dedication and passion to the cause. What gave him the power and ability to show these traits and perform so honorably in battle? It was Leslie Sabo’s personal connection to the cause that gave him the courage to fight so honorably.

Escaping Oppression As the Soviet Army advanced, it became apparent to the Sabo family that an oppressive communist regime threatened their way of life in Hungary. So Leslie’s parents and brother traveled westward to reach Austria ahead of the Soviets, which would provide them the opportunity to eventually reach the United States (Poole, Eric). Leslie was born in Kufstein, Austria before the family moved to Ellwood City, PA in the United States (Poole, Eric).

Defending Freedom Leslie was drafted in January of He had to leave his new fiancée, Rose, who begged him to ignore the draft. Leslie refused. He said that he had to join in the fight against the communist forces that had threatened his family, and defend the country that had given his family so much. Leslie was sent to serve in Vietnam (Collins, Elizabeth).

Defending Freedom While in Vietnam, Leslie’s unit was sent to Cambodia on a mission to cut off a supply trail to the enemy. The unit was ambushed to the mission. In the heat of battle, Leslie shielded a wounded solider from a grenade with his own body, charged at the enemy bunker, where he was badly wounded, and then silenced the enemy using a grenade that also took his life (Collins, Elizabeth). Leslie believed so strongly in fighting oppression and defended America that he gave his life.

Dedication, Passion, Honor What gave Leslie the courage to do what most soldiers would not be able to do? Because of his family’s experience, the cause of the fight was more personal for Leslie. He understood its importance.

Dedication, Passion, Honor From the beginning of his life to the end, Leslie Sabo had to fight for his freedom. Whether it was his service in the army, or his family escaping the Soviets, Leslie and his family had fought so hard, that he wasn’t going to let it be so easy to take that away from him.

The Highest Honor Leslie was nominated for the Medal of Honor because of his actions that day. The Medal of Honor is the highest military honor. George and Rose Sabo were presented with Leslie’s Medal by Barack Obama on May 16 th, 2012, 42 years after his death (ABC News). He is truly deserving of the Medal, having demonstrated astounding dedication, passion, and honor.

Works Cited ABC News. "Medal of Honor Given to Vietnam Hero Leslie Sabo - ABC News." ABCNews.com - Breaking News, Latest News & Top Video News - ABC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 June Collins, Elizabeth. "Remembering a hero: Medal of Honor recipient Spc. 4 Leslie H. Sabo Jr. | Article | The United States Army." The Official Home Page of the United States Army | The United States Army. Soilders Magazine, 15 May Web. 6 June Poole, Eric. Forgotten honor: the true story of an American hero / by Eric Poole.. S.l: Xlibris, Print. "Leslie Sabo to Receive Medal of Honor Posthumously - YouTube.com" YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 June