Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Soldier’s Medal

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Captain (Corps of Engineers), [then First Lieutenant]

    Batallion:

    82d Engineer Battalion

    Action Date:

    June 12, 1963

    Department of the Army, General Orders No. 3 (January 28, 1964)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Captain (Corps of Engineers), [then First Lieutenant] Freeman I. Howard, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Company A, 82nd Engineer Battalion, United States Forces, on 12 June 1963, near Darmstadt, Germany. While leading the Company in a convoy, Captain Howard witnessed an accident involving a five ton truck which had six men aboard and a trailer containing thousands of pounds of demolitions as it struck a bridge abutment and burst into flames. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he rushed to the burning truck, swiftly extinguished the fire in one man’s hair, pulled a second soldier away from the vehicle, and then put out the flames on a third man fleeing from the scene of the fire. Captain Howard then bravely returned to the flaming wreckage and evacuated a soldier who was trapped in the equipment of the truck. Through his courage and perseverance, he succeeded in extricating the man, and told him to a safe area. Captain Howard’s heroic action in this emergency is in the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon himself in the military service. [This award supersedes award of the Army Commendation Medal for heroism on 12 June 1963, as announced in Journal Orders Number 35, Headquarters, VI I Corps, APO 107, dated 21 August 1963.]