MERLYN DETHLEFSEN, ROGER DONLON, LEO THORSNESS & JACK TREADWELL
Thanks to UNO being one of the country’s first universities to institute the Bootstrapper program following World War II, UNO counts more than 15,000 military among its graduate ranks. That includes four who earned the country’s highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor: Jack Treadwell (1963 graduate), Roger Donlon (1967), Merlyn Dethlefsen (1965; MA, 1972) and Leo Thorsness (1964).
Treadwell (above, holding plaque), at the time of his retirement believed to be the most decorated man in the Armed Forces, received his Medal of Honor for action during World War II when during a battle in Germany in March 1945 he single-handedly captured six German bunkers. President Truman presented him his Medal of Honor in August that year.
Donlon (above, with President Johnson) was Vietnam’s First Medal of Honor recipient, recognizing his heroic actions during the Battle of Camp Nam Dong in the mountains of Vietnam near Laos. Donlon was shot in the stomach but stuffed a handkerchief into his wound and kept fighting. He was wounded three more times but didn’t stop fighting until the battle was over and more than 200 men lay dead — though just two Americans. President Lyndon Johnson presented Donlon Vietnam’s first Medal of Honor on Dec. 5, 1964.
Dethlefsen (above, in uniform), a pilot, received his Medal of Honor in recognition of his role fending off MiG attacks and destroying two surface-to-air missile complexes despite flying a battle-damaged aircraft.
Thorsness (with President Nixon), one of the most highly decorated American airmen of the Vietnam War, received his Medal of Honor for heroism displayed on a mission that took place 11 days before he was shot down and taken prisoner. He had passed up a chance for aerial refueling, instead directing a tanker plane to replenish another fighter whose pilot had become lost in the skies amid the chaos of a fight. He was a POW and cellmate of John McCain in the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” until his release in 1973.