Sgt. Maj. Paul B. Huff, left, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, talks with Sgt. Maj. Walter T. Sabalauski during an operation by the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Div., near Duc Pho.

Huff, 48, came from Fort Campbell, Ky, where he was sergeant major of the 101st, to take over the top NCO job with the "Screaming Eagles" 1st Brigade. He earned the Medal of Honor — the first paratrooper to do so — by singlehandedly wiping out three German machine-gun nests on the beachhead at Anzio, Italy, in 1944.

Sabalauski also proved himself as an outstanding warrior during his long military career, earning the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, eight Bronze Stars and four Purple Hearts.