What Happens When a Soldier Loses an Arm—and Refuses to Leave the Fight?

January 8, 1968 — Mekong Delta, Vietnam. A UH-1D Huey is hit by an RPG as it touches down in a hot landing zone. The door gunner is blown into a rice paddy. His left arm is nearly torn away. Instead of bleeding out, he crawls back toward the wrecked helicopter and reenters the fight — under heavy fire, surrounded, and running out of blood. What follows is one of the most extreme acts of battlefield endurance in U.S. military history. This is the true story of Medal of Honor recipient Gary G. Wetzel. Watch the full story. 🔗 SOURCES & REFERENCES • U.S. Department of Defense – Medal of Honor Monday: Gary Wetzel https://www.war.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/3630403/medal-of-honor-monday-army-spc-4th-class-gary-wetzel/ • Official Medal of Honor citation (January 8, 1968) https://www.cmohs.org/recipients/gary-g-wetzel • Library of Congress Veterans History Project – Gary Wetzel interview https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.89821/ • Milwaukee County War Memorial Center – Gary G. Wetzel biography https://warmemorialcenter.org/gary-g-wetzel-medal-of-honor-way-and-marker/ (Direct links included in description) 📺 CHAPTERS 00:00 – 01:30 The One Arm Bandit 01:31 – 03:23 Wisconsin Roots 03:24 – 06:33 Volunteering for Vietnam 06:34 – 09:51 Ap Dong An 09:52 – 11:24 Ten to Twelve Hours 11:25 – 13:10 Recovery 13:11 – 13:58 The Medal 13:59 – 16:00 Coming Home @AmericanMilitaryNetwork