Anthony Herbert (US soldier)

Infobox Military Person
name = Anthony B. Herbert
born = 1931
died =
placeofbirth = Herminie, Pennsylvania]
placeofdeath =


caption =
nickname =
allegiance = flagicon|United States United States of America
serviceyears = 1947 — 1971
rank = O-5/Lieutenant Colonel
branch = United States Army
commands =
unit =
battles = Korean War Vietnam War
awards = Silver Star (1951) Bronze Star (1951) Legion of Merit (1966) Vietnam Service Medal
relations =
laterwork =

Lieutenant Colonel Anthony B. Herbert (United States Army, Retired) (born 1931 in Herminie, Pennsylvania) was an officer in the United States Army, who served in both the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He is best known for his claims that he witnessed war crimes in Vietnam, which his commanding officer refused to investigate. He is the author of a book about his experiences, entitled "Soldier".

In the wake of the controversy surrounding the My Lai Massacre, LTC Herbert claimed to have witnessed a number of war crimes in Vietnam, which he reported to his superiors but which they allegedly refused to curb or discipline. Herbert pressed charges against his commanding officers for their intransigence. Many commentators have opined that Herbert's allegations were exaggerated or unsubstantiated. [Lewy, Guenter. "America in Vietnam", p. 323-5.]

Some years after his retirement from the Army, he was asked in an interview how he felt about leaving about the Army after all that had come to pass. He remarked, "If you stick by your guns, if you stand by the truth, you win. I feel good about my time in Vietnam and my time in the Army. As my friend Sgt. Maj. John Bittorie once said, 'There are two kinds of military reputations. One is official and on paper in Washington DC. The other is the one that goes from bar to bar from the mouths of those who served with you there.' That is the only reputation I ever really cared about."

Later, he was involved in a landmark lawsuit with CBS, for a "60 Minutes" segment that painted him as a liar. [ [http://law.jrank.org/pages/12655/Herbert-v-Lando.html Herbert v. Lando] ] The charge stemmed from an appearance he made on the show, when host Mike Wallace surprised him by bringing one of his Army colleagues into the interview, who proceeded to deny the veracity of much of Herbert's story.Blum, David. "Tick... Tick... Tick...: The Long Life and Turbulent Times of 60 Minutes". 2005, page 64-5.]

Awards and Decorations

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* with numeral "2"
* with V device
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* with bronze service star
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*Korean Service Medal with six service stars
* with four service stars
* (Army) w/10 year device
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*Master Parachutist Badge
*Ranger tab
*Combat Infantryman Badge, second award
*Republic of Turkey Osminieh Order
* Presidential Unit Citation (Korea)
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* w/device
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Notes and references