A 22-year-old soldier crawled through jungle fire to rescue the men beside him and never m

A 22-year-old soldier crawled through jungle fire to rescue the men beside him and never made it out. On August 12, 1969, Specialist Four Leonard L. Alvarado navigated the jungle in Phuoc Long Province, Vietnam, attempting to reach a trapped platoon. He opened fire on enemy movements as his unit became pinned down. Alvarado advanced alone through machine gun fire. A grenade detonated near him, causing injuries. He eliminated the enemy soldier who threw it. Another burst of fire struck him again. He crawled through the chaos to rescue injured comrades. Then he ventured out alone once more, repeatedly thrown down by exploding satchel charges, yet he continued advancing, still firing, taking out enemy positions including a machine gun nest. When the enemy retreated, his fellow soldiers found him. He had succumbed to his wounds, still fighting for them. He left behind a wife and a young daughter. In 2014, his daughter Lenora received his Medal of Honor on his behalf from President Obama at the White House. A 22-year-old who sacrificed everything so his brothers could survive.

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