South Milwaukee Medal of Honor recipient honored as part of new War Memorial Center exhibit

South Milwaukee is home to one of Wisconsin’s 64 Medal of Honor recipients. Gary Wetzel and his fellow Medal of Honor recipients were recently honored by the War Memorial Center through the creation of a new Wisconsin Medal of Honor Exhibit.

Wetzel, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, achieved the rank of specialist fourth class as part of the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company, 11th Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade.

He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Lyndon B. Johnson on Nov. 19, 1968.

During the ceremony, Johnson said the Medal of Honor “goes to a very select and special group of men.” He estimated out of the 4½ million people who had made up the defense of the country, military and civilian, about 3,000 had received the Congressional Medal of Honor to that point.

“As long as Americans love their liberty and revere their freedom, they’ll owe a very special debt to you men who wear that blue ribbon,” Johnson said.

Injured body, unrelenting spirit

Wetzel, born in September 1947 in South Milwaukee, served as a helicopter door gunner as part of an insertion force trapped in a landing zone by enemy fire on Jan. 8, 1968, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the audio from the Medal of Honor ceremony.

“Wetzel was going to the aid of his aircraft commander when he was blown into a rice paddy and critically wounded by two enemy rockets that exploded just inches from his location,” according to his biography with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

Wetzel suffered significant injury to his left arm — which later had to be amputated — along with wounds to his right arm, chest and left leg from the explosion. Despite these severe injuries and profuse bleeding, he returned to his original position in the gun-well and continued firing.

“His machine gun was the only weapon placing effective fire on the enemy at that time,” Wetzel’s page said, adding that he remained at his post until he “eliminated the automatic-weapons emplacement that had been inflicting heavy casualties on the American troops and preventing them from moving against this strong enemy force.”

While attempting to return to the aid of his aircraft commander, and refusing aid for himself, Wetzel passed out from loss of blood.

When he regained consciousness, he dragged himself to his crew chief to assist in dragging his wounded aircraft commander to safety (during which he passed out a second time).

Activities and other local honors

This isn't the first time the War Memorial Center has honored Wetzel. In 2015, a street sign and stone marker was unveiled for Gary G. Wetzel Medal of Honor Way — specifically, the section of Mason Street that crosses Lincoln Memorial Drive.

He was also the 2015 Milwaukee County Veteran of the Year and the first recipient of the Milwaukee County Purple Heart Pass.

His hometown honored Wetzel by declaring May 18, 2017, as Gary G. Wetzel Day in South Milwaukee. In the proclamation then-Mayor Erik Brooks recalled the incident and a few other accomplishments by Wetzel, including his advocacy for veterans issues in founding Wisconsin Vietnam Vets, Chapter 1, in 1984.

Wetzel is also the founder of Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Stand Down, served on the Fisher House of Wisconsin Marketing and Fund Development Committee and helped a local child to fundraise, enabling her to attend Camp No Limits, a camp to empower young people with limb loss.

A banner on display at the War Memorial Center says Wetzel has also granted wishes for two children through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helps provide service dogs for veterans and provides educational scholarships.

Wetzel, known for leading many charitable motorcycle rides, was seriously injured while riding six years ago.

"He was on his way to Sturgis, South Dakota, to receive the Freedom Fighter Award and be inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame when he was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in 2016 — injuries he is recovering from with the same determination, grit and courage he displayed as a soldier," the proclamation read.

After months of physical therapy, Wetzel returned to a fully- remodeled home through the Gary Sinise Foundation.

Contact Erik S. Hanley at erik.hanley@jrn.com. Like his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter at @ES_Hanley.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: War Memorial Center honors South Milwaukee Medal of Honor recipient