24 Feb 2002 It may sound strange, but I do remember the party my family had for my uncle Leslie right before he went to Viet Nam. I was only 5 years old but I still can remember seeing him in that uniform. Although I couldn't understand what was happening, I knew even then that he was somebody special. Now that I'm older and have since learned more about the type of man he was, I couldn't be more proud to be his nephew. He is a hero to me. And although there is nothing I could possibly do to live up to what he has already done, I want him to know that his heroics have not gone unnoticed, and that he will never be forgotten. From his nephew, Mike Sabo MBdmSBO@aol.com

 

01 Feb 2004 It is an honor for me to display his picture. I would love to hear from anyone who knew my husband. Rose Mary Sabo Brown 11 Sep 2004 On Monday Sept. 13, it would have been 35 years that we were married. Happy Anniversary, Leslie, I'm sure they would have been very happy for us. I will love you until the day I die. From your wife, Rose Mary 17 Sep 2004 I am very proud to say that my husband Leslie H Sabo Jr. is up for the Medal of Honor. Thanks to the hard work of George Koziol and all the men of the 3/506th. It is now in the hands of the Senate and we should know by the end of the year. I love you Leslie and I hope and pray you get what you deserve. From his wife, Rose Mary Sabo Brown E-Mail unavailable

 

29 Dec 2004 REMEMBERED From Leslie Sabo's fellow grunt, Richard S. Rios rsrios2002@yahoo.com

 

23 October 2007 To a friend I met in Vietnam and a hero who died in Cambodia on May 10,1970. Les gave his life so the rest of us could live. I was young and just turned 19 the day before but learned what a hero Les was. I've never forgotten what he did on the battlefield we shared. A Currahee and a fellow soldier who was close by when Les died and never forgot Les. From a friend, Rick Brown 17 Mar 2008 From a friend that was with you that day. Soon you will be honored with the Medal of Honor. Rick Brown 15634 West River Road, Columbia Station, Ohio 44028 badpopa2000@yahoo.com

 

21 Feb 2008 Les was the older brother I never had and he treated me just that way. I went to him for advice and guidance because we were like brothers and nothing else. Thank you, Les, for being there for me then and now. Love, Butch Butch Buccelli butch_buccelli@partech.com

 

From the 506th Infantry (Currahees). 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry participated in Operation Binh Tay I in the border area of Cambodia during the period 05 through 18 May 1970. On 10 May Bravo Company engaged the largest enemy force of the Cambodian campaign for the 3-506 in a struggle that lasted nearly two days. The day started for B Company when it discovered a hospital complex with numerous hootches and a multitude of food stuff and 2 tons of rice. At 1113H, YA458540 light contact was made with a unknown size force and negative results for B Company elements. The unit moved forward, aware that the enemy was in the area in strength. The first platoon was left as a reserve force while the second and third platoons with the CP moved cautiously forward. At vic YA458540 1515H an estimated battalion of concealed NVA opened up on the two Bravo platoons. The Bravo units returned fire and maneuvered for cover. Several assaults on enemy fortified positions and numerous acts of individual heroism resulted in establishing a hasty defensive position. From this posture air strikes and gunships were employed along with organic artillery support. By dark the company began to run dangerously short of ammunition, and the first platoon in a courageous assault broke through encircling NVA to bring reinforcements and resupply for their strategically engaged comrades. On 11 May D Company linked up with B Company at YA453540 and secured an LZ for extraction of Bravo to FSB Currahee. The unit had sustained 8 killed and 28 wounded while fighting off the massed attacks of two NVA companies. The eight men who died in the actions on 10 May were SGT Lawrence Neil De Boer, Grand Rapids, Michigan CPL James Edward Debrew, Whitakers, North Carolina SGT Frederick William Harms, Peoria, Illinois SGT Thomas Bruce Merriman, Paulding, Ohio SGT Ernest Lawrence Moore, Spring Lake, Michigan SGT Leslie Halasz Sabo, Ellwood City, Pennsylvania SGT Donald Woodrow Smith, Rantoul, Illinois SGT Leslie Joe Wilbanks, Gila Bend, Arizona SEC. 561. AUTHORIZATION AND REQUEST FOR AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO LESLIE H. SABO, JR., FOR ACTS OF VALOR DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. (a) Authorization- Notwithstanding the time limitations specified in section 3744 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the Armed Forces, the President is authorized and requested to award the Medal of Honor under section 3741 of such title to Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., for the acts of valor during the Vietnam War described in subsection (b). (b) Acts of Valor Described- The acts of valor referred to in subsection (a) are the actions of Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., on May 10, 1970, as a member of the United States Army serving in the grade of Specialist Four in the Republic of Vietnam with Company B of the 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. H.R. 4986: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008 Fallen EC veteran may receive Medal of Honor Eric Poole, Ledger Staff 03/04/2008 WASHINGTON, D.C. - With the award of this nation's highest military decoration Monday to the family of Korean War veteran Woodrow Keeble, an Ellwood City man could be next on the list of war heroes to be honored by President Bush. Sgt. Leslie H. Sabo Jr., who was killed during the Vietnam War on May 10, 1970, was included along with Keeble and three other men in the 2008 fiscal year U.S. Defense Authorization Act, which the president signed into law earlier this year. The authorization act waived a time limitation for awarding the Medal of Honor to Sabo, Keeble, Korean War veteran Henry Svehla, and Civil War soldiers Philip Shadrach and George Wilson. According to eyewitness accounts, Sabo singlehandedly prevented two U.S. Army platoons, about 80 soldiers, from being surrounded by a numerically superior North Vietnamese force. Sabo also reportedly used his body to shield another soldier from a grenade blast and ultimately died while providing covering fire for a helicopter evacuating two injured soldiers. At the time of his death, Sabo's rank was specialist, but he was posthumously promoted two ranks to sergeant. [sic; one rank] Copyright 2008 Ellwood City, PA LEDGER Reproduced under 17 USC §107 NOTE: 23 Apr 2012 President Obama will present the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Sabo's family on 16 May 2012.

 

From www.Army.mil, The Official Home Page of the United States Army May 16, 2012 By President Barack Obama The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the MEDAL OF HONOR to Specialist Four Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. United States Army CITATION: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty: Specialist Four Leslie H. Sabo Jr. distinguished himself by conspicuous acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the cost of his own life while serving as a rifleman in Company B, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division in Se San, Cambodia, on May 10, 1970. On that day, Specialist Four Sabo and his platoon were conducting a reconnaissance patrol when they were ambushed from all sides by a large enemy force. Without hesitation, Specialist Four Sabo charged an enemy position, killing several enemy soldiers. Immediately thereafter, he assaulted an enemy flanking force, successfully drawing their fire away from friendly soldiers and ultimately forcing the enemy to retreat. In order to re-supply ammunition, he sprinted across an open field to a wounded comrade. As he began to reload, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Specialist Four Sabo picked it up, threw it, and shielded his comrade with his own body, thus absorbing the brunt of the blast and saving his comrade's life. Seriously wounded by the blast, Specialist Four Sabo nonetheless retained the initiative and then single-handedly charged an enemy bunker that had inflicted severe damage on the platoon, receiving several serious wounds from automatic weapons fire in the process. Now mortally injured, he crawled towards the enemy emplacement and, when in position, threw a grenade into the bunker. The resulting explosion silenced the enemy fire, but also ended Specialist Four Sabo's life. His indomitable courage and complete disregard for his own safety saved the lives of many of his platoon members. Specialist Four Sabo's extraordinary heroism and selflessness, above and beyond the call of duty, at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company B, 3d Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division, and the United States Army.

 

In 2006, Secretary of the Army Francis J. Harvey recommended that Sabo receive the Medal of Honor. Due to the delay from 1970 in processing the award, however, it had to be approved by an act of Congress, so it was attached as a rider to a 2008 defense authorization bill. After continued delays in the process, however, Sabo's family contacted U.S. Congressman Jason Altmire, Pennsylvania, to push the award through the Defense Department. Secretary of the Army John McHugh recommended the Medal of Honor for Sabo in March 2010 and, on 16 April 2012, it was announced that Sabo's family would receive the medal from U.S. President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony, 42 years after the action. Sabo posthumously received the Medal of Honor at the White House 16 May 2012, which was accepted by his widow. Sabo is interred, along with his mother Elisabeth H Sabo (1912-2008) and father Leslie Halasz Sabo (1906-1977) at Holy Redeemer Cemetery in North Sewickley Township, Pennsylvania and he is honored at a memorial to B Company in Marietta, Ohio, the home of his former commanding officer. - - The Virtual Wall, 7 December 2020