Medal of Honor recipient Carmel Bernon Harvey Jr. (October 6, 1946 – June 21, 1967) was born in Montgomery and grew up in Page, both in Fayette County. His parents were Carmel and Marcella Harvey. When he was 12, his family moved to Chicago, where his father got a job in the steel mills. A former classmate of Harvey’s described him as “a gangly, friendly kid with an infectious smile and a great southern accent—a little odd for Chicago.”

He graduated from Washington High School in 1965 and began his tour of Vietnam in October of the following year, soon serving as a fire team leader with Company B, 1^st Battalion, 5^th Cavalry, 1^st Air Cavalry Division. As the Army’s first airmobile unit, the 1^st Air Cavalry Division specialized in helicopter combat during the Vietnam War. In early 1967, Specialist Fourth Class (Sp4c) Harvey was wounded by a booby trap containing sharpened bamboo stakes, but he recovered.

On June 21, 1967, in Binh Dinh province, his unit was ordered to form a defensive circle to guard a crashed U.S. helicopter. North Vietnam forces had used the helicopter as a trap and soon attacked from three sides. Harvey and two soldiers from his squad were in the direct line of the attack, and a machine gun was firing at their position. Both of his comrades were quickly wounded. Harvey repeatedly fired his rifle to protect them.

A bullet struck a grenade attached to Harvey’s belt, activating it. He tried, but failed, to detach the grenade from his belt. Harvey then shouted at the enemy and ran toward the enemy machine gun position. Shortly before he reached the machine gun crew, the grenade exploded, mortally wounding him. The blast shocked the machine gunners and caused them momentarily to stop firing. During this break in shooting, the wounded soldiers were moved to safety.

On October 16, 1969, President Richard Nixon personally presented Harvey’s parents with his Medal of Honor. He was also given the Chicago Award of Merit from Mayor Richard Daley. A college in that city was named Olive-Harvey College in honor of him and Pfc. Milton Harvey, the Vietnam War’s first Black Medal of honor recipient. In addition, the fitness center at Fort Hood, Texas, and the auditorium at Washington High School are named for him.

Harvey is buried in Chicago’s Cedar Park Cemetery.