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July 11, 2008
United States Medal of Honor Citations - U.S. Navy Petty Officer Michael Edwin Thornton
Petty Officer Michael Thornton was born on 23 March 1949 in Greenville, S.C. He entered the U.S. Naval service at: Spartanburg, S.C. and was attached to the Navy's Advisory Group.
Michael Edwin Thornton is a Medal of Honor recipient for actions as a United States Navy SEAL Engineman Second Class during the Vietnam War. At the time of his Medal of Honor action Thornton was a member of the Strategic Technical Directorate Assistance Team 158 (STDAT-158), which had previously been known as the Studies and Observations Group.
On October 31, 1972, Petty Officer Thornton, as Assistant U.S. Navy Advisor, along with a U.S. Navy lieutenant serving as Senior Advisor, accompanied a 3-man Vietnamese Navy SEAL patrol on an intelligence gathering and prisoner capture operation against an enemy-occupied naval river base.
Launched from a Vietnamese Navy junk in a rubber boat, the patrol reached land and was continuing on foot toward its objective when it suddenly came under heavy fire from a numerically superior force. The patrol called in naval gunfire support and then engaged the enemy in a fierce firefight, accounting for many enemy casualties before moving back to the waterline to prevent encirclement.
Upon learning that the Senior Advisor had been hit by enemy fire and was believed to be dead, PO Thornton returned through a hail of fire to the lieutenant's last position; quickly disposed of 2 enemy soldiers about to overrun the position, and succeeded in removing the seriously wounded and unconscious Senior Naval Advisor to the water's edge.
He then inflated the lieutenant's lifejacket and towed him seaward for approximately 2 hours until picked up by support craft. By his extraordinary courage and perseverance, PO Thornton was directly responsible for saving the life of his superior officer and enabling the safe extraction of all patrol members, thereby upholding the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while participating in a daring operation against enemy forces, Petty Officer Michael Edwin Thornton was awarded the Medal Of Honor.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Thornton was also awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star with Combat "V" and two stars, Meritorious Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon with Gold Star, and the Vietnamese Service Medal with one Silver Star and two Bronze Stars.
FSM salutes the memorable achievements of all of our great American military. Visit the Hall of Heroes for additional information about our magnificent American Medal Of Honor recipients.
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