Anthony Herbert (US soldier)
| Anthony B. Herbert | |
|---|---|
| Born | 7 April 1930 Herminie, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | 7 June 2014 (aged 84) Canon City, Colorado, U.S. |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1947–1952, 1956–1972 |
| Rank |
 Lieutenant Colonel
|
| Unit |
 173rd Airborne Brigade
|
| Commands held |
 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry
|
| Battles/wars |
Korean War Vietnam War Dominican Republic Incursion |
| Awards |
Silver Star (5) Legion of Merit Soldier's Medal Bronze Star (4) Purple Heart (4) Air Medal (2) Army Commendation Medal (4) |
Anthony B. Herbert (7 April 1930 – 7 June 2014) was a United States Army officer, who served in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He is best known for his claims that he witnessed war crimes in Vietnam, which his commanding officer refused to investigate. He reached the rank of lieutenant colonel and was the author of several books about his experiences, including Soldier and Making of A Soldier.
Herbert enlisted in the United States Army in May 1947 to be a paratrooper. He completed Basic Combat Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Basic Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. After a few months of service in the peacetime Army at Fort Lewis, Washington, he accepted a discharge in 1948, returned home and graduated from high school. He then re-enlisted in the Army in February 1950 and became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division.
Herbert deployed for Korea in October on the troopship Walker. It was here, in the Korean War, that he first built his reputation as a fighter, and was rapidly promoted to become one of the youngest Master Sergeants in the Army, and one of the most decorated.
Herbert was selected by General Matthew Ridgway in 1951 to represent the American Soldier in Korea and returned to the U.S., going to the White House to meet President Harry Truman, and traveling the country to promote the war.
It was during this time that Herbert met former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and was persuaded by her to go to college and gain an education, for whatever he would do with the rest of his life. Herbert left the U.S. Army once again in 1952 to enter the University of Pittsburgh in order to complete a Bachelor of Arts degree, graduating in 1956 and re-entering the Army as a Second Lieutenant in the Pennsylvania National Guard.
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