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on the enemy positions and ordered his men to fall back. As the platoon was moving back, an enemy grenade was thrown amid S/Sgt. Bowen and 3 of his men. Sensing the danger to his comrades, S/Sgt. Bowen shouted a warning to his men and hurled himself on the grenade, absorbing the explosion with his
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body while saving the lives of his fellow soldiers. S/Sgt. Bowen's extraordinary courage and concern for his men at the cost of his life served as an inspiration to his comrades and are in the highest traditions of the military service and the U.S. Army.
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Hammett Bowen's Medal of Honor and other memorabilia about his life are on display in the lobby of the
Hammett Bowen Operations Center for the Marion County Sheriff's Office. Ocala Florida.
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S/Sgt. Bowen distinguished himself while serving as a platoon sergeant during combat operations in Binh Duong
Province, Republic of Vietnam. S/Sgt. Bowen's platoon was advancing on a
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mission into enemy controlled terrain when it came under the withering crossfire of small arms and grenades from an enemy ambush force. S/Sgt. Bowen placed heavy
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soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the
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Hammett Bowen Jr. Elementary School in Ocala, Florida, is named in his honor.
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with his body, sacrificing himself to protect those around him.
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Staff
Sergeant Bowen's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
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United States Army personnel killed in the
Vietnam War
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List of Medal of Honor recipients for the
Vietnam War
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399:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
389:United States Army non-commissioned officers
384:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
339:"Medal of Honor recipients – Vietnam (A-L)"
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187:(November 30, 1947 – June 27, 1969) was a
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345:. August 3, 2009. Archived from
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394:People from LaGrange, Georgia
227:in Company C, 2d Battalion,
207:Bowen joined the Army from
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245:Operation Toan Thang III
195:—for his actions in the
82:Restlawn Memory Gardens
32:Medal of Honor Recipient
255:Medal of Honor citation
404:Deaths by hand grenade
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233:25th Infantry Division
229:14th Infantry Regiment
219:. He then was sent to
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141:14th Infantry Regiment
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221:Fort Benning, Georgia
209:Jacksonville, Florida
185:Hammett Lee Bowen Jr.
111:Years of service
20:Hammett Lee Bowen Jr.
237:Bình Dương Province
72:Republic of Vietnam
68:Bình Dương Province
235:. On that day, in
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48:November 30, 1947
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63:(1969-06-27)
379:1969 deaths
374:1947 births
197:Vietnam War
155:Vietnam War
368:Categories
353:2009-09-21
311:References
91:Allegiance
44:1947-11-30
243:, during
203:Biography
133:Company C
114:1965–1969
283:See also
217:Kentucky
99:Service/
161:†
169:Awards
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119:Rank
58:Died
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