DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL FORCES REGIMENT

Colonel Mize was born on 28 August 1931 and entered the United States Army on 18 April 1950. After completing Basic Training and Airborne School, he was assigned to the 325th AIR at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
In 1952, then Sergeant Mize, was assigned to the 15th Infantry Regiment, 3d Infantry Division, rising to the rank of First Sergeant.

While assigned to Company K, 15th Infantry Regiment, Sergeant Mize distinguished himself during action against the enemy near Surang-ni, Korea, on 10-11 June 1953. While committed to the defense of “Outpost Harry,” a strategically valuable position, the enemy launched a heavy attack. Sergeant Mize established an effective defense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from enemy assault forces which had penetrated into trenches within the outpost area. Throughout the tenuous fight, Sergeant Mize led his Soldiers from bunker to bunker to clear the enemy forces. After reestablishing the defense, he moved from man to man, distributing ammunition and shouting words of encouragement, despite being blown down by artillery and grenade blasts three times.

On September 7, 1954 he was decorated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower with the Medal of Honor.

In 1956, Colonel Mize received his commission and was initially assigned to Fort Bragg and subsequently to Germany.
After leaving Germany in 1962, then Captain Mize, completed Special Forces training and was assigned to the 7th Special Forces Group. In late 1963, he was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group, where he was deployed to Vietnam as an A-Team Leader. In 1965, he was assigned to the Special Forces Training Group, where he was the Advanced Training Committee chief for SCUBA, HALO, and the SKY HOOK schools. Colonel Mize is credited for being the officer responsible for starting the present day Combat Divers Qualification Course in Key West, FL.

From 1966 to 1967, he was again assigned to Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Group where he was an Operational A, B, and C Detachment Commander and once more in 1969, where he was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group as the Commander of the 3d Mobile Strike Force Command (Cambodian Troops).

In 1975 Colonel Mize was assigned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he was initially the Special Forces School Chief for the Field Training Division and Resistance Division and subsequently the Commander of the Special Forces School.
Colonel Mize’s awards include the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Legion of Merit (with Oak Leaf Cluster), Bronze Star (with four Oak Leaf Clusters), Ranger Tab, Master Parachutist Badge, SCUBA Badge, and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (2nd award).
Colonel Mize retired in 1981and presently lives in Gadsden, AL with his wife, the former Betty Ruth Jackson. He has been a frequent speaker with the Regimental “dining ins,” an event that preceded the Regimental First Formations, where Special Forces candidates receive their berets. He is also active in the Medal of Honor Society and gives talks to school groups not only about the Medal of Honor, but the Army in general.

COLONEL OLA LEE MIZE

Inducted 29 JANUARY 2009