Ben L. Salomon

Ben L. Salomon was a dentist for the Army in WW2. During the battle for Saipan, he was assigned as a surgeon and was literally working on the wounded when he saw the Japanese killing wounded soldiers waiting for care. Shooting all the Japanese who were attacking wounded, he then rushed out of the operating theatre and grabbed a Browning .30 cal machine gun, killing as many of the 5000 attacking soldiers as possible while the wounded were evacuated.

Later, when American troops returned to the scene they found a heap of dead Japanese soldiers around the fallen dentist: 98 to be precise. Ben L. Salomon was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.

Never underestimate your dentist. Remember that next time you go in for that cleaning.

Although his award was earned, it was a source of some controversy as the medical corps was forbidden in engaging in combat operations and therefore his award was put on hold until it was proven that defensive operations were permitted. His award was given in 2002, 58 years after his death.

Valor cannot be confined to an occupation and this dentist earned his honor.