Every Friday afternoon at theCHIVE HQ, theCHIVE opens its doors to America’s service men and women. Both Active Duty and Veterans are the only people who need no appointment to pass through the front door. They’ll find a bar stool and a cold beer waiting for them. It’s a tradition we started back in Venice Beach that’s still going strong today.
Last Friday, there was a rather distinguished looking gentleman at theCHIVE’s Copper Bar drinking a beer and having a laugh with a couple Marines. I wrapped up my work to join them and introduced myself. He smiled and said his name was Michael.
Admittedly, the day hadn’t gone great for me to that point. If you’ve ever broken your leg, you know there’s good days and bad days. I was on the tail end of a rather bad day. But at least I was off my medication so I could have a drink. Small mercies.
Michael said he was from Greenville, South Carolina. It’s one of my favorite places, so we chatted for a while about how Greenville had evolved over the years. I asked if he served? Michael said he had been in Vietnam but really didn’t elaborate. I don’t pry with that generation; if they want to talk about their experience, awesome, but I respect that many don’t. What Michael did want to talk about was going down the slide.
“That’s why I came here, see if my old legs could still stick the landing.”
Michael stuck the landing.
With the happy hour winding to a close, Michael found me in my office and thanked me for the beer. Michael went to shake my hand and palmed me his challenge coin. I’ve held a lot of challenge coins but this one had some heft.
I did a double take when I noticed the Medal of Honor etched on the coin. The Medal of Honor is the highest and most prestigious personal military decoration that may be awarded to recognize a U.S. military service member.
The man in my office was Navy SEAL, Michael Thornton. Founding member of DEVGRU Task Force Blue, aka Navy SEAL Team 6.
Like I said, I don’t usually pry, but I was compelled. I had heard bits and pieces of Thornton’s story – mostly that Thornton’s rescue of his friend Lieutenant Tom Norris in North Vietnam, was one of the most heroic rescues ever.
On October 31st, 1972, three South Vietnamese soldiers along with Navy SEALs Lieutenant Tom Norris, and Michael Thornton (pictured) were on an intelligence gathering mission in the Quang Tri Province of North Vietnam. On their way back to their rubber boat on the river, they were forced to sneak past a number of enemy encampments. Only 500 yards short of their boat, they encountered 50 North Vietnamese soldiers.
A five-hour firefight ensued. At one point, the enemy closed to only 5 yards. Thornton was wounded in the back but continued fighting. The team fell back to a sand dune and became separated. Eventually, a South Vietnamese soldier found Thornton and told him that Norris had been shot and killed.
According to the record of the Medal of Honor, “Thornton refused to believe Norris had been killed. He charged the enemy back over five hundred yards in open terrain to Norris. When he got there, he found two enemy soldiers standing over Norris’ body, and killed them.”
Thornton lifted Norris, barely alive with a shattered skull, and began running back toward the beach, enemy fire kicking up all around him. An incoming round blew both men into the air. Once again, Thornton picked up his friend, ran three hundred yards to the beach.
Thornton lashed his life vest to the unconscious Norris and plunged into the surf carrying him. At one point, the South Vietnamese soldier swimming with them was hit in the hip and no longer able to swim. Thornton, despite his own wounds, grabbed him and swam both men for two hours to the rescue boat. All three wounded men were rescued.
On October 15th 1973, Michael E. Thornton was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Nixon with his friend, Lieutenant Norris, looking on. Three years later, Norris himself also received the Medal of Honor.
Now that, is a real American hero. And I told him so. “Son, 50,000 Americans gave the last measure during the Vietnam War, those are real heroes. Now I’m just a guy who likes a little water in my bourbon.”
Before he left, I thanked Michael for stopping by and told him I hope he enjoyed the slide, “I didn’t really come for the slide. Came here to see you, John. Heard about your accident and thought you could use some encouragement. I know what it’s like to be a little broken. I’ve been there before.” Michael handed me a book on the history of Medal of Honor recipients, “We need to educate our young people about what freedom really means. I fear it’s lost on them more and more each day, thanks to theCHIVE for doing more than your portion.”
Later that night, I opened the book to find Michael had left a note in the foreward. It read,
To The Chive Team,
Thank you for your support to our great country of America and to their families of our warriors, the warriors and our great veterans of America. Let’s keep our country safe and free for our future generations.
God Bless America,
Michael Thornton, US Navy Seal
The Chive Community is about supporting each other. I consider myself just as much a part of the community as anybody else and it’s not lost on some that I could use some help every once in a while, especially somebody with the substance of character that is Michael Thornton.
I don’t have Michael’s contact info. I hope this article finds him well and suffices for a thank you. You turned my whole day around, sir, thank you.
KCCO,
John
