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Eden Prairie veteran earns presidential citation
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By Chris Olwell - Sun Newspapers
John Sorich of Eden Prairie was with Alpha Troop, or a-troop, in March 1970 when they volunteered to rescue another company that was overwhelmed near the Cambodian border. Seven soldiers were killed and dozens more were wounded fighting more than 400 during the ultimately successful rescue.
Nearly 40 years later, President Barack Obama issued a Presidential Unit Citation to the Alpha Company 1st squadron 11th armored cavalry unit last week in Washington D.C.
"These men might be a little bit older, a little bit grayer," Obama said in his speech, according to published reports. "But make no mistake, these soldiers define the meaning of bravery and heroism."
Capt. John Poindexter, who led the rescue mission, also led the effort to recognize the unit. He compiled and self-published a book called "The Anonymous Battle," about the rescue and lobbied the government and the army for a Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor given to a unit.
"There were so many other units who deserved this that didn't have a John Poindexter, so that's as far as it went," Sorich said.
It was the second time Sorich has been to the White House. The first was in May 1970 when he was assigned to protect it from Vietnam War protestors threatening to attack it.
Sorich was wounded twice in Vietnam in 1969, both times hit with shrapnel from rocket-propelled grenades. His leg took two weeks to heal and his shoulder took six, but he returned to action after each injury.
When he left the service in 1970, Sorich experienced the cold reception at home that many veterans of that war received.
"Not too much you could do about it" he said. "Just lay low and get out of the service and pretend you weren't in it."
The award, the first unit citation awarded under the Obama Administration, is vindicating for Sorich.
"It brings back old feelings of lack of respect, and now 40 years later you're getting it," he said. "So it's kind of like an emotional roller-coaster."
Sorich saw this kind of bravery many times during the two years he was in Vietnam. The award belongs to all the soldiers who deserved recognition but didn't get it, he said.
"I feel like this is an award for a lot of the unsung heroes who were in Vietnam who did this kind of thing on a daily basis," Sorich said. "I think collectively this is something that all the people who served in combat certainly did the same things we did."
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