First Medal of Honor Recipient to earn an Amateur Radio License

Press Release
HamCation 2026
Orlando Florida
February 13-15

Since 1863 only 3,511 men and 1 woman have been awarded The Medal of Honor. Today there are only 60 living Medal of Honor Recipients. The average American has a 0.000018% chance of meeting a Medal of Honor Recipient in person.
Everyone who attends HamCation 2026 will have the honor to meet a living Medal of Honor recipient!
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER
A LIVING MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT
WILL BE ATTENDING HAMCATION AND HE
HAS PASSED THE EXAM TO BECOME
A LICENSED AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR AND
WILL MAKE HIS FIRST HAM RADIO
CONTACT AT HAMCATION 2026!
Donna W5SML - Don “Doc” Ballard MoH
COL Don “Doc” Ballard MoH USA RET (HM2 USN in Vietnam where he earned The MoH) and his “Elmer” (Instructor) Sam McGlynn NM5N Lt COL USAF RET along with Donna Snow King W5SML, Former Star of the Hit TV Show “Texas Flip N Move” and author of 3 books. The latest, a Novel about Texas Rodeo Kids solving a mystery with the help of their Ham Radios. Along with her OM (Old Man) Rex W5EAK Lt Cmdr USN RET will be together in their booth. A portion of proceeds from sales go to COL Ballard’s Foundations providing funerals and burials at no cost to indigent Veterans and First Responders.
Donna W5SML - Rex W5EAK

Sam NM5N - Rex W5EAK and Ronan the wonder dog

For further information, I can be reached at: 940-808-8665

Semper Fortis and God Bless Texas,
Rex
E.A. "Rex" King, III
Snow-King Ranch
Non Sibi Sed Patriae
Rex's Page: http://www.qrz.com/db/W5EAK
Donna’s Page: http://www.qrz.com/db/W5SML

Founding Advisory Board Member Hershel W. “Woody” Williams MoH USMC RET Foundation: http://www.WoodyWilliams.org

Ambassador Airpower Foundation http://www.AirPowerFoundation.org

Member Fort Worth Airpower Council http://www.fwapc.org

 

Donald E. Ballard - Wikipedia

Former Marine Corpsman.

 

Correct, Doc was a Navy Hospital Corpsman assigned to the Marines when his heroic actions earned the MoH. After Vietnam he transferred to the National Guard where he retired as a Colonel. de W5EAK

 

3,511 men... and 1 woman.

Impressive nonetheless! Thank you W5SML for whatever it was that you did!

 

Here's his bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_E._Ballard

 

Congratulations on passing your test! Welcome to Ham Radio & THANK YOU for your Service most of all!

 

Wishing Doc the best DX!

 

Look forward to seeing you and meeting Doc at HamCation

73 Randy
KB3IFH

 

Exactly. He was a Navy Corpsman, but attached to the Marines as they have none of their own. He was what is considered "Greenside" or a "Green Corpsman". https://navycrow.com/us-navy-corpsmen-roles-and-history/. They can even wear certain types of Marine uniforms as well.

 

Just to be clear, "Doc" is the traditional nickname used for all Navy Hospital Corpsman who served in the Marines.

 

Thanks for remembering them. Glad made it back.kc0ysh

 

Bravo Zulu, Col. Ballard!

 

Why wait 8 or 9 months for a contact?

 

And by God they are something special.

 

We lost the last, I think, of our WWII code talkers.

But someone could have a code talker or two and a MOH in their log book.

How cool would that be?