Triple Combat Medic Award. The rarest of the rare?

2015-09-05T11:54:49-04:00

I believe that the Triple CMB is the most rare of the Army awards. There are exactly two recipients of this award and I have excerpted their stories from the Army's official page (link at bottom). I hope you enjoy the read.
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July 31st 1943, Technician Fifth Grade Henry Jenkins leaped to his feet and ran to within 25 yards of the Japanese positions.
With the help of the two other Soldiers, they retrieved a wounded Soldier, returned back across the open terrain and moved him to a place of relative safety.
Henry then started treating the Soldier's wounds.
He would remain with the Soldier throughout the night until he could be safely evacuated the following morning.

On 1 May 1945 Private First Class Wayne Slagel voluntarily moved forward under heavy Japanese machine gun and mortar fire to administer aid to the wounded men and moved them to safety.
Again and again he moved about exposed to the heavy concentration of fire and his actions undoubtedly saved many lives.

For their actions, Technician Fifth Grade Henry Jenkins earned the Silver Star and PFC Wayne Slagel would earn the Bronze Star for valor.
Both Soldiers would receive the newly authorized Combat Medical Badge.

On 2 November 1950 near Pungwan, Korea,Sergeant Jenkins' courage and supreme devotion to duty was displayed time after time, as he refused to be evacuated in spite of his painful wound and continued to administer to the wounded, not only of his platoon, but of those in the second platoon as well.
Seven hours after he was wounded, Sergeant Jenkins was found suffering from loss of blood.
Only after he was so ordered would he allow himself to be evacuated to the battalion aid station where he was further evacuated to the rear.

SGT Wayne Slagel was assigned to the 27th Infantry Regiment (Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division in Korea. He joined them on Heartbreak Ridge.
One particularly frigid morning mortars fired by the Koreans and their Chinese counterparts started pounding the Wolfhounds.
The cry for medic could be heard up and down the line as havoc prevailed.
With his oversized medical aid bag, SGT Slagel started treating his wounded comrades as the punishing rounds exploded all around him.
He would move from casualty to casualty with complete disregard for his own safety.
Slagel later stated that this day was not much different than many others during his time in Korea.

For their actions in Korea, SGT Jenkins would receive his second Silver Star and SGT Slagel would earn his third Bronze Star.
Both men would earn their second Combat Medical Badges for their roles in Korea.

Late 1965 found Sergeant First Class Jenkins landing in Vietnam with the 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
The unit moved to Phuoc Vinh, Vietnam and started carving out their future base camp.
On more than one occasion, mortar fire crashed into the base camp destroying portions of the infrastructure, killing and wounding many.
Henry rushed to treat all the wounded along with the other medics.
Henry reported that these attacks were regular, but were not attempts to overrun the base, but instead to harass its occupants.

In Vietnam, SFC Slagel was assigned to his old unit, the Wolfhounds, and was the NCOIC of the 2nd Brigade dispensary.
On 1 Feb 1968, mortar rounds started landing all over the camp.
Then the rockets started.
In the chaos that ensued, the cry of “Medic!” was heard throughout the camp.
The TET Offensive had begun in earnest. Luckily for many, SFC Slagel still had his oversized medical bag and he treated as many wounded as he could.
He had been wounded in the hand, leg and knee by an exploding mortar shell, but continued treating the wounded ignoring his own wounds.
He made his way to the battalion aid station and continued to treat the wounded.
When he had provided all of the medical aid that he could, he allowed himself to be treated.

The CMB was reintroduced on 2 March 1961 and both Slagel and Jenkins received their third award of the Combat Medical Badge for service in Vietnam.

http://ameddregiment.amedd.army.mil/heraldic/triple.html

Army Medical Department Regiment

ACCESS TO CARE (TRICARE Link) ABOUT THE AMEDD REGIMENT AMEDD HERALDIC ITEMS ARMY AWARDS FOR VALOR AND THEIR CRITERIA AMEDD MEDAL OF HONOR CERTIFICATE OF MERIT AMEDD DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS AMEDD SILVER STAR AMEDD NCO/ENLISTED HISTORY COMMAND SERGEANTS MAJOR OF HSC/MEDCOM AMEDD REGIMENTAL MUSIC COMBAT MEDIC PRAYER AMEDD POSTERS ORDER OF MILITARY MEDICAL MERIT (02M3)

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Sep 5 at 2015 11:58 AM

2015-09-05T11:58:39-04:00

Awesome story of heroics.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 5 at 2015 12:04 PM

2015-09-05T12:04:11-04:00

great post thanks for sharing

Response by SGT Scott Bell made Sep 5 at 2015 12:09 PM

2015-09-05T12:09:07-04:00

cool

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 5 at 2015 12:25 PM

2015-09-05T12:25:54-04:00

Amazing stories, thank you for sharing!

Response by LTC Jason Mackay made Sep 5 at 2015 1:35 PM

2015-09-05T13:35:03-04:00

Glad to see this documented and published. Soldiers need to see examples like this.

Response by CSM Carl Cunningham made Sep 5 at 2015 8:24 PM

2015-09-05T20:24:48-04:00

Amazing. There should be some club to competition named for them.

Response by SPC Dave St.Andrew made Sep 10 at 2015 1:25 AM

2015-09-10T01:25:23-04:00

Sadly, if my Grandpa would've joined the Army instead of the Navy, he would quite possible be on this list, he was a Corpsmen in WWII, Korea,and Vietnam, and treated casualties in all 3 wars.

Response by SSG Warren Swan made Sep 10 at 2015 9:25 AM

2015-09-10T09:25:32-04:00

Great Stuff! Duty First!!!!

Response by SSG Lonny Self made Sep 10 at 2015 9:27 AM

2015-09-10T09:27:01-04:00

supper cool stuff

Response by SPC William Weedman made Aug 18 at 2017 2:31 AM

2017-08-18T02:31:16-04:00

When these men retired AMEDD should have ask them to speak on a regular basis to future medics and medical professionals on their experiences and learnings from what they did. A mentor of mine earned the triple CIB, but one was removed when it was discovered he was only 16. Thrown out of WWII and told to come back when he was 17.

Response by SGT Michael Jenkins made Feb 19 at 2018 4:03 PM

2018-02-19T16:03:22-05:00

My father is MSG. Henry L. Jenkins (pictured). One of only two to be recognized and documented as triple CMB soldiers. I am going to Camp Humphreys, South Korea for the dedication of a medical building in his name in March of 2018. I believe the triple CMB is the rarest army award. He served with the 25th Infantry Division in WWII, the 7th Infantry Division in the Korean war and the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam. Truly, an American hero.

Response by SPC Ed Logan made Feb 11 at 2022 11:45 PM

2022-02-11T23:45:54-05:00

I learned in AIT at Ft. Sam that more Medics received the Congressional Medal of Honor than any other MOS, although the majority were postumously awarded.

Response by SP5 James Gibson made Feb 13 at 2022 12:10 PM

2022-02-13T12:10:37-05:00

Very cool. SFC Slagel was my great uncle. Very proud of him.