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Ellwood City soldier killed in Vietnam War honored in Harrisburg
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HARRISBURG -- A marker bearing the name of Army Spc. Leslie H. Sabo Jr., an Ellwood City native killed during the Vietnam War, was unveiled during a ceremony here today.
Sabo was posthumously presented with the Medal of Honor in May by President Barack Obama. All Pennsylvanians who receive the prestigious award are recognized with a memorial plaque in the state Capitol's Soldiers' and Sailors' Grove.
In May 1970, the 22-year-old rifleman was killed when his platoon was ambushed in Cambodia. He charged toward the enemy soldiers, killing several, before shielding a wounded American soldier from a grenade blast and hurling another grenade into an enemy bunker.
"Sergeant Leslie Sabo repeatedly distinguished himself through courageous acts on the battlefield and ultimately gave his own life so that other American solders could live," said Rep. Jaret Gibbons, an Ellwood City Democrat who attended the ceremony.
Sabo's widow, Rose Mary Sabo-Brown, and other family members attended the marker ceremony in Harrisburg.
First Published October 1, 2012 2:34 pm
