Medal of Honor with Ed Tracy September 13, 2007

To his fellow soldiers, Illinois native Allen Lynch is a hero; to the enemy force that ambushed his battalion in the Central Highlands of Vietnam, he was a nightmare.

The Pritzker Military Library is proud to welcome Medal of Honor recipient Allen J. Lynch for a special interview with host Ed Tracy on Thursday, September 13th, 2007. This program is FREE and open to the public, with a question-and-answer session to follow the interview. The presentation and live web-cast will begin at 6:00 p.m., and a reception for Library members will precede the event at 5:00 p.m.

On December 15th, 1967, Lynch and the rest of his platoon were on their way back for a well-deserved rest when they were called in to support another company that had been outnumbered by an enemy force. Under intense fire, Lynch carried three wounded soldiers to safety, and single-handedly defended them against the advancing enemy force for several hours. His quick-thinking and disregard for his own safety were vital in saving those lives, but his fight on behalf of his fellow soldiers did not end on the battlefield. After leaving active duty, Lynch worked for several years in the Veterans Administration, advocating for increased benefits for disabled veterans, and served most recently as chief of the Veterans Rights Bureau for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Now retired, he continues that commitment as a volunteer with the Vietnam Veterans of America and does ministry work with the Lake County Jail.

Official Website: http://www.pritzkermilitarylibrary.org