COLUMBUS – Twenty-seven inductees will mark 24 years for the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor as the the hall of fame is set hold its 24th annual induction, May 5, at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium in Columbus.

Among the inductees to be recognized for exceptional valor and decorated heroics during duty is Columbiana County’s Jacob Newbold.

Newbold, who is from Salineville and currently resides in Texas, is a United States Navy Seal, who earned the Bronze Star Medal with “V” for his heroics while as Senior Enlisted Advisor for District Stability Platform Muhammed Agha, Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom on June 8, 2014. The Bronze Star Medal with the “V” device to denote heroism is the fourth highest military decoration for valor.

According to his citation provided by Ted Mosure, President of the Ohio Military Hall of Fame Board of Directors, Newbold distinguished himself through heroic action and decisive leadership during a raid into Burg Village. He led his element to secure a command and control position on an exposed ridgeline to effectively command the combined operation. He repeatedly dismounted from his armored vehicle under heavy enemy fire in order to communicate critical information with the Afghan Ground Force Commander. In order to allow a partner force element pinned by insurgent machine-gun fire to maneuver, he led an element within 20 meters of an enemy machine-gun nest. As his vehicle’s heavy weapon jammed, he dismounted the vehicle and engaged an insurgent with a hand grenade as the insurgent prepared to fire a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) at the vehicle. Newbold’s grenade badly wounded the insurgent and caused the RPG to narrowly miss his vehicle.

Joining Newbold as part of the 2023 class is recent Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam veteran Col. Paris D. Davis. Other inductees have served in the Civil War, both World Wars, Vietnam, the Gulf War and Post 9/11. Eleven will be inducted posthumously.

“These remarkable Ohioans have all gone above and beyond the call of duty and performed heroically in specific combat actions against armed enemies of the United States,” a statement from the Hall of Fame said. “For their actions members of the class have received such commendations as the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Cross, Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with “V” device, the Commendation Medal with a “V” device, and Navy Achievement Medal with “V” device.

The Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor was established in 2000 to recognize members of the U.S. Armed Forces who were decorated in heroism while in combat situations. It is in partnership with the Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) but is separate from the ODVS’s Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

Including the 2023 class, the Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor has recognized 478 heroes from Ohio with 13 Medal of Honor recipients among them.

selverd@mojonews.com