Riverhead Medal of Honor recipient PFC Garfield Langhorn documentary premieres

A pin-drop could be heard throughout The Suffolk theater last month as hundreds of Pulaski Street School sixth-graders sat riveted by the story of Riverhead’s only Medal of Honor recipient — Army Private First Class Garfield Langhorn.

The Jan. 28 premiere of the never-before-seen documentary about the Vietnam War hero and Riverhead native, “PFC Garfield M. Langhorn,” tells the story of the courageous, 20-year-old soldier who threw himself onto a grenade during a recovery mission on Jan. 15, 1969 — sacrificing his own life to save those of his fellow wounded soldiers.

Pfc. Langhorn was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the most prestigious decoration in the United States Armed Forces, in April 1970 by President Richard Nixon for his heroic actions. He is the only Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient in Suffolk County.

He was also awarded the Purple Heart and inducted into the Army Aviation Hall of Fame in 1998.

Nearly six decades later, his legacy lives on throughout Riverhead Town through multiple tributes: a bronze bust of Pfc. Langhorn at Riverhead Town Hall, a dedicated post office, memorials at the Pulaski Street School library and a Veterans Wall of Honor at Riverhead High School named in his memory.

Riverhead Town designated the second Friday in October as “Pfc. Garfield M. Langhorn Day” in 2022.

“The best thing we can do is keep history alive,” said Riverhead Town Councilman Kenneth Rothwell, who attended the premiere. “He made the ultimate sacrifice and it’s an amazing story — it’s powerful, and it deserves to be retold for generations and generations.”

For the last 22 years, Pulaski Street students have participated in the essay contest every October to honor Pfc. Langhorn’s legacy and reflect on how they can be heroes in everyday life. The hope of the documentary is to further build the connection between the youth and Pfc. Langhorn’s story.

“With the essay contest, that’s one thing, but I think with this [documentary], it became more personal,” said Robert ‘Bubbie’ Brown, who has previously judged the Pfc. Langhorn essay contest. “Every kid probably took something a little different away.”

Created by the PFC Garfield M. Langhorn Memorial Committee and sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of America’s Suffolk County chapter, the film took over two years to produce.

It features interviews with the Pfc. Langhorn’s family, including his sisters Yvonne Reid, Anna Mack and April Armstead, as well as his nephew and namesake Garfield Reid. His childhood sweetheart and fiancée Joan Brown-Smith and former classmate Dennis Beaver also shared memories in the film.

Audience members also heard several authentic recordings in the documentary, including President Nixon’s remarks during April 1970 Medals of Honor presentation to the families of 21 servicemen killed in action. It was considered the largest single ceremony for the Vietnam War at that time.

Producers obtained an audio copy of the original radio transmission from the United States Department of Defense and listened to Pfc. Garfield’s call for help with aircrafts flying overhead.

It has been reported by the Department of Defense and through soldier accounts that Pfc. Langhorn’s last words before throwing himself onto the explosive were: “Someone’s got to care.”

Vietnam veteran Clarence Simpson of Medford, who is also the vice president of the Suffolk County chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, spearheaded the documentary project and narrated portions of the film.

He said it was important to debut the film in Pfc. Langhorn’s hometown, but the goal is to roll out the documentary to other school districts across Long Island.

“I think it’s appropriate that everyone in Suffolk County know there’s one Medal of Honor recipient posthumously from Vietnam, which was one of the most unpopular wars to get drafted or even enlist,” said Mr. Simpson, who mentioned the film was entirely funded by the Suffolk County VVA chapter. “It’s not about the money or whatever — it’s about just letting everyone know about Garfield Langhorn.”