Push Underway To Get Fallen Oklahoma Soldier The Medal Of Honor

An effort is underway to get the Medal of Honor awarded to a fallen Oklahoma soldier. Many say the honor is 41 years overdue. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports on the campaign to honor Sand Springs

Thursday, July 26th 2007, 5:00 pm

By: News On 6

An effort is underway to get the Medal of Honor awarded to a fallen Oklahoma soldier. Many say the honor is 41 years overdue. News On 6 anchor Craig Day reports on the campaign to honor Sand Springs native Billie Hall, and how he sacrificed his own life to save others.

When people talk of Billie Hall, they use words like courage, bravery and sacrifice. It was March of 1966, the early stages of the Vietnam War, when Hall was killed, leaving behind two young daughters and a loving wife.

"Dedicated family man and dedicated to the military and what he was doing. He believed in it," said Hallâ€™s widow Janice Billue.

Hall, 26, was an Army Special Forces Medic, and despite his own injuries during a mortar attack he risked his life to help wounded American soldiers and Vietnamese allies.

"He still would not give up. He still helped people because he was the only medic there," said Billue.

Even when a mortar took his own legs, Hall continued to crawl on the battlefield to help soldiers in need.

"Billie refused morphine because he felt he would pass out and not be of any help," Bob McFarland of the Sand Springs American Legion said.

Four decades later, a renewed effort is underway to honor Hall. In Sand Springs, petitions are located at stores and businesses across town, calling for Hall's Distinguished Service Cross to be upgraded to the Medal of Honor.

"His courage and valor that day was so beyond what was required, and for him to be passed over I think is a shame to the U.S. Military," said McFarland.

It's not clear how long it will take the Pentagon to act on the request, but supporters say they'll keep working for what they say is long overdue.

"We need to wade through the bureaucracy that we've got going on this thing that has held us up for 41 years and see that this is finally done for this man,â€ McFarland said.

Organizers of the campaign want people to call, e-mail or write Oklahoma's Congressional Delegation urging them to support the Medal of Honor for Billie Hall. You can also sign the petition Saturday, July 28th, at the Sand Springs Wal-Mart store located at 220 S. Highway 97.

To contact Oklahomaâ€™s Congressional Delegation about Billie Hall, click here.

Watch the video: Medal Of Honor Push Underway For Oklahoma Soldier