The Smallest Man to Serve in the U.S. Army (Strange Stories)

this episode is sponsored by magellan tv check out their documentary streaming service to learn even more about history they have the largest collection out there their platform has many high-profile videos and documentaries we highly recommend that you check out combat machines this is the ultimate show for military vehicles and weapons buffs in this episode on the vietnam war witness how the americans use their firepower in the form of jet fighters helicopters and river patrol boats to try and stop the north vietnamese stream of supplies and fighters coming down the ho chi minh trail magellan tv is a unique streaming platform focused entirely on bringing historical content not found anywhere else on the web with over three thousand documentaries movies and series some available in 4k high def there is something for every history lover from early wars to space exploration they add new content weekly so you'll never run out of stuff to watch simple history viewers will get 30 off an annual membership and a two-week free trial to make sure you love it first this is also available to returning members so if you've let your membership lapse you can still claim this offer the savings are huge and with 30 off it means that the monthly cost is only three dollars and fifty cents for over three thousand plus documentaries worth it even if you only watch one documentary a month click on the link in the description to try magellan tv now you'll be glad you did [Music] richard flaherty the smallest man to serve in the u s army in the modern history of the united states armed forces captain richard j flaherty was remembered not only for his undisputed bravery and determination but also for his distinctive stature the giant killer has his comrades in arms called him was the smallest man to serve in the military of the united states with a height of only four feet nine inches and weighing just 97 pounds he wasn't even supposed to enter the force the army was his life's dream though and he was determined to make it happen and contrary to other people's opinions flaherty's short stature marked his entire life starting from early childhood he was lucky to be born at all his mother's blood problems caused a hormonal disbalance and it almost cost richard his life as a baby this problem ultimately resulted in his stunted growth when flaherty became a teenager the issue became an enormous burden for him he had to put up with constant staring in school and was often mistaken as a freshman when he was a senior flaherty was aware of his height and did everything in his power to overcome it by becoming stronger engaged in practicing martial arts he would often spend time breaking wooden boards or hitting bricks with his bare hands it was as if even at that point in his life he knew his destiny was to be a fearsome warrior upon finishing high school the opportunity came for his wish to come true to join the u.s army he desperately wanted to do his patriotic duty and serve in the vietnam war that was raging in asia at the time the problem was that the army's minimum height requirement was five feet flaherty was three inches short but big on confidence and determination to get in after reaching out to his congressman who passed his wish onto an unknown three-star general flaherty was allowed to enter the initial entry training at fort jackson north carolina problems regarding his stature followed flaherty in the army as well upon showing up on the first day of his course on the inspection line he was welcomed by the drill sergeant with the words what the heck is this flaherty already knew he would have to work twice as hard as anyone else to break everyone's prejudices it was to the amazement of the drill sergeants and other recruits that flaherty aka private mighty mouse always ended up in the top five position on all the courses when he was supposed to climb over the wooden wall obstacle he would do it with the help of a sharpened screwdriver with the same swiftness as the other soldiers besides the various obstacles flaherty also had to fight with the disdain of other recruits who found him unworthy to be a soldier only after he showed his teeth in a fight against a recruit twice as large who always picked on him did he earn the respect he fully deserved from his peers it was only thanks to his powerful will that flaherty finished the basic and advanced infantry course and earned an offer to enter the officer candidate school at fort benning georgia after graduating from ocs including the jump school flaherty was sent to fort campbell kentucky home to one of the most legendary units of the us army the 101st airborne division from there in december 1967 just prior to the tet offensive flaherty went to vietnam deployed at the bien hua air base in vietnam flaherty was engaged as a platoon leader on search and destroy missions it was a remarkably tough job with days spent in the deep jungle setting up ambushes and hunting down the enemy flaherty and the men from his platoon like the rest of the 101st airborne were always in the center of the action in accordance with his personality flaherty was always there to lead at one point he was even wounded from gunfire and grenade shrapnel but recovered and went back into the action fighting like there was no tomorrow like everything else in his life flaherty even fought a war his own way he did all he could do to overcome his lack of height to drive an old ambulance truck he fitted the pedals with wooden blocks so he could reach them he could barely see over the wheel but that didn't stop him from doing his duty for his gallantry shown in combat flaherty earned his highest decoration the silver star medal on early april 19 1968 second lieutenant flaherty third platoon leader along with the officers of company c first battalion 501st infantry regiment was presented with operation delaware flaherty's unit was tasked with blocking the enemy's supply routes to the oshawa valley where primary operations were conducted flaherty had already seen some fierce combat by this time but this operation was especially intense company c faced a determined enemy the nva were fighting on mass and flaherty and his men were pushing them back only thanks to the support of artillery flaherty was determined not to give in and he encouraged his men to fight it was april 20th the second day of the operation several soldiers from the company were lost behind enemy lines from the previous day it seemed like they were lost for good but not to flaherty he wanted to show that no man was to be left behind a pure example of leadership he ordered his men to bring over the body of a dead nva soldier the smallest one they could find flaherty stripped the uniform from the dead enemy and put it on along with a helmet to cover his face as a disguise grabbed an ak-47 and crawled over towards the lost men under the cover of night he passed by enemy nva and gathered the lost american soldiers for once his height was of great use only thanks to flaherty being short and brave were five soldiers saved from certain death later that day company c continued attacking the enemy positions the nba threw everything they had at them at one point the company got pinned down by automatic fire from an enemy bunker any further progress would have been impossible until it was eliminated flaherty maneuvered his men to outflank the enemy after exposing himself to enemy fire several times he reached a position that gave him a clear view of the emplacement he then called for a 90 millimeter recoilless rifle team to his position flaherty directed the fire towards the bunker and destroyed it therefore relieving pressure on his unit company c then continued with its attack and accomplished its mission from that point on there was absolutely no doubt that richard flaherty was among one of the best the 101st airborne had he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and recommended for the silver star medal which he later received flaherty's wishes were however connected to another unit the green berets after he finished his tour of duty flaherty decided to do what seemed to be impossible and attempt to join the u.s elite special forces the green berets but first he had to get yet another height waiver before being allowed to apply but his determination paid off he got through the punishing selection process with flying colors the following year he was back in vietnam engaged in special operations behind enemy lines this period of his service was shrouded in mystery but what is known is that he received a rank of captain two bronze medals and two purple hearts for combat wounds in the early 1970s the armed forces of the united states were struck by a notorious reduction in force the first to be ousted were the captains and lieutenants and flaherty was one of them in 1971 he became jobless richard returned home to new york where he was welcomed by family and friends as a hero it was a moment of joy but also the beginning of flaherty's downfall he tried to start a life as a civilian by getting a job and even went to study at the university of miami this whole new life was however too tough for him it all went downhill in 1975 when his fiancee died flaherty returned to doing what he knew best but his later life is mainly shrouded in mystery but there are people who witnessed his engagements in africa working for private contractors and as an agent working for the cia and dea somehow in the early 1990s flaherty ended up in aventura homeless shelter in florida in the early hours of the morning of may 9th 2015 flaherty was killed in miami by a hit-and-run driver captain richard flaherty was a hero cut from the army to which he gave everything he had and more despite his short height he had left a mark on the military as one of the best the 101st airborne had he was the giant killer you

Channel: Simple History

Views: 984,697

Rating: 4.9527068 out of 5

Keywords: simple history, animated history, educational, education, Richard Flaherty, Smallest Green Beret, Smallest Man, United States, hormonal disbalance, Vietnam war, Officer Candidate School, Fort Benning, Georgia, Bien Hoa Air Base, Tet Offensive, 101st Airborne, 501st Infantry Regiment, A Shau Valley, NVA soldier, mystery, strange stories, hero, valor, Purple Hearts, Reduction in Force, Miami, Yuzuk, David

Id: idSJTxXJm6Y

Length: 11min 13sec (673 seconds)

Published: Wed Mar 24 2021