Veteran salute – Maj. Richard E. Lively

Have you noticed the display case in the Truman Memorial Building dedicated to Sgt. Charles R. Long, the only Medal of Honor Recipient from Independence?

Richard (Dick) Lively wrote the commendation for Sgt. Long’s Medal of Honor. Major Lively writes:

“I had only met Sgt. Long a couple of times before the night of 12 Feb. 1951. Sgt. Long had been a replacement for some of Company M’s original soldiers and had been there for a month or two. Because of the difficult terrain and our scattered forces, I recall having seen him only once or twice before Hill 300. Sgt. Long’s job was to be on the defensive perimeter and thus had been sent to the forward position to direct mortar and artillery fire. I, as his captain, had told him NOT to stay if conditions got too dangerous, to leave and come back to our position. I talked to him about an hour later and repeated that he was to come back if conditions were too dangerous. While talking with him, I heard firing and then nothing.  We were under fire at our positions and headquarters had told us that they couldn’t help us, that we were on our own and would have to get out the best way we could. Being under fire, I didn’t have anything to write my commendation on except the cover of an ammunition box. I gave the cover to the pilot of the last helicopter which had come to lift out our wounded. The conditions were so perilous that the helicopter sustained some hits as it was lifting off. All hell had broken loose. Machine guns firing, grenades exploding, mortars exploding, and shells bursting all around us. Sgt. Long remained at his position to exact a heavy toll of enemy casualties to enable his company to withdraw and regain a key strongpoint.”

Major Richard Lively served from 1939 to retirement in 1959. Mr. Lively lives in Arkansas. Sgt. Charles R. Long served from 1943 during WWII, to his death 12 Feb. 1951 in Korea. Charles Long grew up in Independence and attended Mount Washington Elementary School.

Both Richard’s and Charles’ military history can be viewed at the Veterans’ Hall in the Independence Parks and Recreation Truman Memorial Building, 416 W. Maple.



– This is part of a weekly feature on local veterans submitted

by Helen Matson, volunteer program director for the city of Independence .

You can contact her at 816-325-7860.