VIETNAM WAR
MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS
(S-T)
*N.B. An asterisk in the
citation indicates that the award was given posthumously.
*SANTIAGO-COLON, HECTOR
Rank and organization: Specialist
Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry,
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date: Quang Tri
Province, Republic of Vietnam, 28 June 1968. Entered service at:
New York, N.Y. Born: 20 December 1942, Salinas, Puerto Rico.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c.
Santiago-Colon distinguished himself at the cost of his life
while serving as a gunner in the mortar platoon of Company B.
While serving as a perimeter sentry, Sp4c. Santiago-Colon heard
distinct movement in the heavily wooded area to his front and
flanks. Immediately he alerted his fellow sentries in the area
to move to their foxholes and remain alert for any enemy probing
forces. From the wooded area around his position heavy enemy
automatic weapons and small-arms fire suddenly broke out, but
extreme darkness rendered difficult the precise location and
identification of the hostile force. Only the muzzle flashes
from enemy weapons indicated their position. Sp4c.
Santiago-Colon and the other members of his position immediately
began to repel the attackers, utilizing hand grenades,
antipersonnel mines and small-arms fire. Due to the heavy volume
of enemy fire and exploding grenades around them, a North
Vietnamese soldier was able to crawl, undetected, to their
position. Suddenly, the enemy soldier lobbed a hand grenade into
Sp4c. Santiago-Colon's foxhole. Realizing that there was no time
to throw the grenade out of his position, Sp4c. Santiago-Colon
retrieved the grenade, tucked it in to his stomach and, turning
away from his comrades, absorbed the full impact of the blast.
His heroic self-sacrifice saved the lives of those who occupied
the foxhole with him, and provided them with the inspiration to
continue fighting until they had forced the enemy to retreat
from the perimeter. By his gallantry at the cost of his life and
in the highest traditions of the military service, Sp4c.
Santiago-Colon has reflected great credit upon himself, his
unit, and the U.S. Army.
*SARGENT, RUPPERT L.
Rank and organization: First
Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry,
25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Hau Nghia Province,
Republic of Vietnam, 15 March 1967. Entered service at:
Richmond, Va. Born: 6 January 1938, Hampton, Va. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of
his life above and beyond the call of duty. While leading a
platoon of Company B, 1st Lt. Sargent was investigating a
reported Viet Cong meeting house and weapons cache. A tunnel
entrance which 1st Lt. Sargent observed was booby trapped. He
tried to destroy the booby trap and blow the cover from the
tunnel using hand grenades, but this attempt was not successful.
He and his demolition man moved in to destroy the booby trap and
cover which flushed a Viet Cong soldier from the tunnel, who was
immediately killed by the nearby platoon sergeant. 1st Lt.
Sargent, the platoon sergeant, and a forward observer moved
toward the tunnel entrance. As they approached, another Viet
Cong emerged and threw 2 hand grenades that landed in the midst
of the group. 1st Lt. Sargent fired 3 shots at the enemy then
turned and unhesitatingly threw himself over the 2 grenades. He
was mortally wounded, and his 2 companions were lightly wounded
when the grenades exploded. By his courageous and selfless act
of exceptional heroism, he saved the lives of the platoon
sergeant and forward observer and prevented the injury or death
of several other nearby comrades. 1st Lt. Sargent's actions were
in keeping with the highest traditions of the military services
and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
SASSER, CLARENCE EUGENE
Rank and organization: Specialist
Fifth Class (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, 3d
Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date:
Ding Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 10 January 1968.
Entered service at: Houston, Tex. Born: 12 September 1947,
Chenango, Tex. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty. Sp5c. Sasser distinguished himself while
assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion.
He was serving as a medical aidman with Company A, 3d Battalion,
on a reconnaissance in force operation. His company was making
an air assault when suddenly it was taken under heavy small
arms, recoilless rifle, machinegun and rocket fire from well
fortified enemy positions on 3 sides of the landing zone. During
the first few minutes, over 30 casualties were sustained.
Without hesitation, Sp5c. Sasser ran across an open rice paddy
through a hail of fire to assist the wounded. After helping 1
man to safety, was painfully wounded in the left shoulder by
fragments of an exploding rocket. Refusing medical attention, he
ran through a barrage of rocket and automatic weapons fire to
aid casualties of the initial attack and, after giving them
urgently needed treatment, continued to search for other
wounded. Despite 2 additional wounds immobilizing his legs, he
dragged himself through the mud toward another soldier 100
meters away. Although in agonizing pain and faint from loss of
blood, Sp5c. Sasser reached the man, treated him, and proceeded
on to encourage another group of soldiers to crawl 200 meters to
relative safety. There he attended their wounds for 5 hours
until they were evacuated. Sp5c. Sasser's extraordinary heroism
is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military
service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and
the U.S. Army.
*SEAY, WILLIAM W.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S.
Army, 62d Transportation Company (Medium Truck), 7th
Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group. Place and
date: Near Ap Nhi, Republic of Vietnam 25 August 1968. Entered
service at: Montgomery, Ala. Born: 24 October 1948, Brewton,
Ala. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in
action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of
duty. Sgt. Seay distinguished himself while serving as a driver
with the 62d Transportation Company, on a resupply mission. The
convoy with which he was traveling, carrying critically needed
ammunition and supplies from Long Binh to Tay Ninh, was ambushed
by a reinforced battalion of the North Vietnamese Army. As the
main elements of the convoy entered the ambush killing zone,
they were struck by intense rocket, machinegun and automatic
weapon fire from the well concealed and entrenched enemy force.
When his convoy was forced to stop, Sgt. Seay immediately
dismounted and took a defensive position behind the wheels of a
vehicle loaded with high-explosive ammunition. As the violent
North Vietnamese assault approached to within 10 meters of the
road, Sgt. Seay opened fire, killing 2 of the enemy. He then
spotted a sniper in a tree approximately 75 meters to his front
and killed him. When an enemy grenade was thrown under an
ammunition trailer near his position, without regard for his own
safety he left his protective cover, exposing himself to intense
enemy fire, picked up the grenade, and threw it back to the
North Vietnamese position, killing 4 more of the enemy and
saving the lives of the men around him. Another enemy grenade
landed approximately 3 meters from Sgt. Seay's position. Again
Sgt. Seay left his covered position and threw the armed grenade
back upon the assaulting enemy. After returning to his position
he was painfully wounded in the right wrist; however, Sgt. Seay
continued to give encouragement and direction to his fellow
soldiers. After moving to the relative cover of a shallow ditch,
he detected 3 enemy soldiers who had penetrated the position and
were preparing to fire on his comrades. Although weak from loss
of blood and with his right hand immobilized, Sgt. Seay stood up
and fired his rifle with his left hand, killing all 3 and saving
the lives of the other men in his location. As a result of his
heroic action, Sgt. Seay was mortally wounded by a sniper's
bullet. Sgt. Seay, by his gallantry in action at the cost of his
life, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the
U.S. Army.
*SHEA, DANIEL JOHN
Rank and organization: Private First
Class, U.S. Army, Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 21st
Infantry, 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. Place and
date: Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 14 May 1969.
Entered service at: New Haven, Conn. Born: 29 January 1947,
Norwalk, Conn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty. Pfc. Shea, Headquarters and Headquarters
Company, 3d Battalion, distinguished himself while serving as a
medical aidman with Company C, 3d Battalion, during a combat
patrol mission. As the lead platoon of the company was crossing
a rice paddy, a large enemy force in ambush positions opened
fire with mortars, grenades and automatic weapons. Under heavy
crossfire from 3 sides, the platoon withdrew to a small island
in the paddy to establish a defensive perimeter. Pfc. Shea,
seeing that a number of his comrades had fallen in the initial
hail of fire, dashed from the defensive position to assist the
wounded. With complete disregard for his safety and braving the
intense hostile fire sweeping the open rice paddy, Pfc. Shea
made 4 trips to tend wounded soldiers and to carry them to the
safety of the platoon position. Seeing a fifth wounded comrade
directly in front of one of the enemy strong points, Pfc. Shea
ran to his assistance. As he reached the wounded man, Pfc. Shea
was grievously wounded. Disregarding his welfare, Pfc. Shea
tended his wounded comrade and began to move him back to the
safety of the defensive perimeter. As he neared the platoon
position, Pfc. Shea was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy
fire. By his heroic actions Pfc. Shea saved the lives of several
of his fellow soldiers. Pfc. Shea's gallantry in action at the
cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of
the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his
unit, and the U.S. Army.
*SHIELDS, MARVIN G.
Rank and organization: Construction
Mechanic Third Class, U.S. Navy, Seabee Team 1104. Place and
date: Dong Xoai, Republic of Vietnam, 10 June 1965. Entered
service at: Seattle, Wash. Born: 30 December 1939, Port
Townsend, Wash. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of
duty. Although wounded when the compound of Detachment A342, 5th
Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, came under
intense fire from an estimated reinforced Viet Cong regiment
employing machineguns, heavy weapons and small arms, Shields
continued to resupply his fellow Americans who needed ammunition
and to return the enemy fire for a period of approximately 3
hours, at which time the Viet Cong launched a massive attack at
close range with flame-throwers, hand grenades and small-arms
fire. Wounded a second time during this attack, Shields
nevertheless assisted in carrying a more critically wounded man
to safety, and then resumed firing at the enemy for 4 more
hours. When the commander asked for a volunteer to accompany him
in an attempt to knock out an enemy machinegun emplacement which
was endangering the lives of all personnel in the compound
because of the accuracy of its fire, Shields unhesitatingly
volunteered for this extremely hazardous mission. Proceeding
toward their objective with a 3.5-inch rocket launcher, they
succeeded in destroying the enemy machinegun emplacement, thus
undoubtedly saving the lives of many of their fellow servicemen
in the compound. Shields was mortally wounded by hostile fire
while returning to his defensive position. His heroic initiative
and great personal valor in the face of intense enemy fire
sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval
Service.
*SIJAN, LANCE P.
Rank and organization: Captain, U.S.
Air Force, 4th Allied POW Wing, Pilot of an F-4C aircraft. Place
and date: North Vietnam, 9 November 1967. Entered service at:
Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 13 April 1942, Milwaukee, Wis. Citation:
While on a flight over North Vietnam, Capt. Sijan ejected from
his disabled aircraft and successfully evaded capture for more
than 6 weeks. During this time, he was seriously injured and
suffered from shock and extreme weight loss due to lack of food.
After being captured by North Vietnamese soldiers, Capt. Sijan
was taken to a holding point for subsequent transfer to a
prisoner of war camp. In his emaciated and crippled condition,
he overpowered 1 of his guards and crawled into the jungle, only
to be recaptured after several hours. He was then transferred to
another prison camp where he was kept in solitary confinement
and interrogated at length. During interrogation, he was
severely tortured; however, he did not divulge any information
to his captors. Capt. Sijan lapsed into delirium and was placed
in the care of another prisoner. During his intermittent periods
of consciousness until his death, he never complained of his
physical condition and, on several occasions, spoke of future
escape attempts. Capt. Sijan's extraordinary heroism and
intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty at the cost of his
life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air
Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Armed
Forces.
*SIMS, CLIFFORD CHESTER
Rank and organization: Staff
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 2d Battalion (Airborne), 501st
Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: Near Hue,
Republic of Vietnam, 21 February 1968. Entered service at:
Jacksonville, Fla. Born: 18 June 1942, Port St. Joe, Fla.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt.
Sims distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with
Company D. Company D was assaulting a heavily fortified enemy
position concealed within a dense wooded area when it
encountered strong enemy defensive fire. Once within the
woodline, S/Sgt. Sims led his squad in a furious attack against
an enemy force which had pinned down the 1st Platoon and
threatened to overrun it. His skillful leadership provided the
platoon with freedom of movement and enabled it to regain the
initiative. S/Sgt. Sims was then ordered to move his squad to a
position where he could provide covering fire for the company
command group and to link up with the 3d Platoon, which was
under heavy enemy pressure. After moving no more than 30 meters
S/Sgt. Sims noticed that a brick structure in which ammunition
was stocked was on fire. Realizing the danger, S/Sgt. Sims took
immediate action to move his squad from this position. Though in
the process of leaving the area 2 members of his squad were
injured by the subsequent explosion of the ammunition, S/Sgt.
Sims' prompt actions undoubtedly prevented more serious
casualties from occurring. While continuing through the dense
woods amidst heavy enemy fire, S/Sgt. Sims and his squad were
approaching a bunker when they heard the unmistakable noise of a
concealed booby trap being triggered immediately to their front.
S/Sgt. Sims warned his comrades of the danger and unhesitatingly
hurled himself upon the device as it exploded, taking the full
impact of the blast. In so protecting his fellow soldiers, he
willingly sacrificed his life. S/Sgt. Sims' extraordinary
heroism at the cost of his life is in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflects great credit
upon himself and the U.S. Army.
*SINGLETON, WALTER K.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S.
Marine Corps, Company A, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3d Marine
Division. Place and date: Gio Linh District, Quang Tri Province,
Republic of Vietnam, 24 March 1967. Entered service at: Memphis,
Tenn. Born: 7 December 1944, Memphis, Tenn. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Singleton's company was
conducting combat operations when the lead platoon received
intense small arms, automatic weapons, rocket, and mortar fire
from a well entrenched enemy force. As the company fought its
way forward, the extremely heavy enemy fire caused numerous
friendly casualties. Sensing the need for early treatment of the
wounded, Sgt. Singleton quickly moved from his relatively safe
position in the rear of the foremost point of the advance and
made numerous trips through the enemy killing zone to move the
injured men out of the danger area. Noting that a large part of
the enemy fire was coming from a hedgerow, he seized a
machinegun and assaulted the key enemy location, delivering
devastating fire as he advanced. He forced his way through the
hedgerow directly into the enemy strong point. Although he was
mortally wounded, his fearless attack killed 8 of the enemy and
drove the remainder from the hedgerow. Sgt. Singleton's bold
actions completely disorganized the enemy defense and saved the
lives of many of his comrades. His daring initiative selfless
devotion to duty and indomitable fighting spirit reflected great
credit upon himself and the Marine Corps, and his performance
upheld the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
*SISLER, GEORGE K.
Rank and organization: First
Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces. Place
and date: Republic of Vietnam. 7 February 1967. Entered service
at: Dexter, Mo. Born: 19 September 1937, Dexter, Mo. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his
life and above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Sisler was
the platoon leader/adviser to a Special United States/Vietnam
exploitation force. While on patrol deep within enemy dominated
territory, 1st Lt. Sisler's platoon was attacked from 3 sides by
a company sized enemy force. 1st Lt. Sisler quickly rallied his
men, deployed them to a better defensive position, called for
air strikes, and moved among his men to encourage and direct
their efforts. Learning that 2 men had been wounded and were
unable to pull back to the perimeter, 1st Lt. Sisler charged
from the position through intense enemy fire to assist them. He
reached the men and began carrying 1 of them back to the
perimeter, when he was taken under more intensive weapons fire
by the enemy. Laying down his wounded comrade, he killed 3
onrushing enemy soldiers by firing his rifle and silenced the
enemy machinegun with a grenade. As he returned the wounded man
to the perimeter, the left flank of the position came under
extremely heavy attack by the superior enemy force and several
additional men of his platoon were quickly wounded. Realizing
the need for instant action to prevent his position from being
overrun, 1st Lt. Sisler picked up some grenades and charged
single-handedly into the enemy onslaught, firing his weapon and
throwing grenades. This singularly heroic action broke up the
vicious assault and forced the enemy to begin withdrawing.
Despite the continuing enemy fire, 1st Lt. Sisler was moving
about the battlefield directing force and several additional men
of his platoon were quickly wounded. His extraordinary
leadership, infinite courage, and selfless concern for his men
saved the lives of a number of his comrades. His actions reflect
great credit upon himself and uphold the highest traditions of
the military service.
*SKIDGEL, DONALD SIDNEY
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S.
Army, Troop D, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.
Place and date: Near Song Be, Republic of Vietnam, 14 September
1969. Entered service at: Bangor, Maine. Born: 13 October 1948,
Caribou, Maine. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty. Sgt. Skidgel distinguished himself while
serving as a reconnaissance section leader in Troop D. On a road
near Song Be in Binh Long Province, Sgt. Skidgel and his section
with other elements of his troop were acting as a convoy
security and screening force when contact occurred with an
estimated enemy battalion concealed in tall grass and in bunkers
bordering the road. Sgt.Skidgel maneuvered off the road and
began placing effective machinegun fire on the enemy automatic
weapons and rocket-propelled grenade positions. After silencing
at least 1 position, he ran with his machinegun across 60 meters
of bullet-swept ground to another location from which he
continued to rake the enemy positions. Running low on
ammunition, he returned to his vehicle over the same terrain.
Moments later he was alerted that the command element was
receiving intense automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade
and mortar fire. Although he knew the road was saturated with
enemy fire, Sgt. Skidgel calmly mounted his vehicle and with his
driver advanced toward the command group in an effort to draw
the enemy fire onto himself. Despite the hostile fire
concentrated on him, he succeeded in silencing several enemy
positions with his machinegun. Moments later Sgt. Skidgel was
knocked down onto the rear fender by the explosion of an enemy
rocket-propelled grenade. Ignoring his extremely painful wounds,
he staggered back to his feet and placed effective fire on
several other enemy positions until he was mortally wounded by
hostile small arms fire. His selfless actions enabled the
command group to withdraw to a better position without
casualties and inspired the rest of his fellow soldiers to gain
fire superiority and defeat the enemy. Sgt. Skidgel's gallantry
at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*SMEDLEY, LARRY E.
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S.
Marine Corps, Company D, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine
Division. Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of
Vietnam, 21 December 1967. Entered service at: Orlando, Fla.
Born: 4 March 1949, Front Royal, Va. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty while serving as a squad leader with
company D, in connection with operations against the enemy. On
the evenings of 20-21 December 1967, Cpl. Smedley led his 6-man
squad to an ambush site at the mouth of Happy Valley, near Phouc
Ninh (2) in Quang Nam Province. Later that night an estimated
100 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army regulars, carrying 122mm
rocket launchers and mortars, were observed moving toward Hill
41. Realizing this was a significant enemy move to launch an
attack on the vital Danang complex, Cpl. Smedley immediately
took sound and courageous action to stop the enemy threat. After
he radioed for a reaction force, he skillfully maneuvered his
men to a more advantageous position and led an attack on the
numerically superior enemy force. A heavy volume of fire from an
enemy machinegun positioned on the left flank of the squad
inflicted several casualties on Cpl. Smedley's unit.
Simultaneously, an enemy rifle grenade exploded nearby, wounding
him in the right foot and knocking him to the ground. Cpl.
Smedley disregarded this serious injury and valiantly struggled
to his feet, shouting words of encouragement to his men. He
fearlessly led a charge against the enemy machinegun
emplacement, firing his rifle and throwing grenades, until he
was again struck by enemy fire and knocked to the ground.
Gravely wounded and weak from loss of blood, he rose and
commenced a l-man assault against the enemy position. Although
his aggressive and singlehanded attack resulted in the
destruction of the machinegun, he was struck in the chest by
enemy fire and fell mortally wounded. Cpl. Smedley's inspiring
and courageous actions, bold initiative, and selfless devotion
to duty in the face of certain death were in keeping with the
highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval
Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
*SMITH, ELMELINDO R.
Rank and organization: Platoon
Sergeant (then S/Sgt.), U.S. Army, 1st Platoon, Company C, 2d
Battalion, 8th Infantry, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date:
Republic of Vietnam, 16 February 1967. Entered service at:
Honolulu, Hawaii. Born: 27 July 1935, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty. During a
reconnaissance patrol. his platoon was suddenly engaged by
intense machinegun fire hemming in the platoon on 3 sides. A
defensive perimeter was hastily established, but the enemy added
mortar and rocket fire to the deadly fusillade and assaulted the
position from several directions. With complete disregard for
his safety, P/Sgt. Smith moved through the deadly fire along the
defensive line, positioning soldiers, distributing ammunition
and encouraging his men to repeal the enemy attack. Struck to
the ground by enemy fire which caused a severe shoulder wound,
he regained his feet, killed the enemy soldier and continued to
move about the perimeter. He was again wounded in the shoulder
and stomach but continued moving on his knees to assist in the
defense. Noting the enemy massing at a weakened point on the
perimeter, he crawled into the open and poured deadly fire into
the enemy ranks. As he crawled on, he was struck by a rocket.
Moments later, he regained consciousness, and drawing on his
fast dwindling strength, continued to crawl from man to man.
When he could move no farther, he chose to remain in the open
where he could alert the perimeter to the approaching enemy.
P/Sgt. Smith perished, never relenting in his determined effort
against the enemy. The valorous acts and heroic leadership of
this outstanding soldier inspired those remaining members of his
platoon to beat back the enemy assaults. P/Sgt. Smith's gallant
actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S.
Army and they reflect great credit upon him and the Armed Forces
of his country .
SPRAYBERRY, JAMES M .
Rank and organization: Captain (then
1st Lt.), U.S. Army, Company D, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry , 1st
Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date: Republic of
Vietnam, 25 April 1968. Entered service at: Montgomery, Ala.
Born: 24 April 1947, LaGrange, Ga. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. Capt. Sprayberry, Armor, U.S.
Army, distinguished himself by exceptional bravery while serving
as executive officer of Company D. His company commander and a
great number of the men were wounded and separated from the main
body of the company. A daylight attempt to rescue them was
driven back by the well entrenched enemy's heavy fire. Capt.
Sprayberry then organized and led a volunteer night patrol to
eliminate the intervening enemy bunkers and to relieve the
surrounded element. The patrol soon began receiving enemy
machinegun fire. Capt. Sprayberry quickly moved the men to
protective cover and without regard for his own safety, crawled
within close range of the bunker from which the fire was coming.
He silenced the machinegun with a hand grenade. Identifying
several l-man enemy positions nearby, Capt. Sprayberry
immediately attacked them with the rest of his grenades. He
crawled back for more grenades and when 2 grenades were thrown
at his men from a position to the front, Capt. Sprayberry,
without hesitation, again exposed himself and charged the
enemy-held bunker killing its occupants with a grenade. Placing
2 men to cover his advance, he crawled forward and neutralized 3
more bunkers with grenades. Immediately thereafter, Capt.
Sprayberry was surprised by an enemy soldier who charged from a
concealed position. He killed the soldier with his pistol and
with continuing disregard for the danger neutralized another
enemy emplacement. Capt. Sprayberry then established radio
contact with the isolated men, directing them toward his
position. When the 2 elements made contact he organized his men
into litter parties to evacuate the wounded. As the evacuation
was nearing completion, he observed an enemy machinegun position
which he silenced with a grenade. Capt. Sprayberry returned to
the rescue party, established security, and moved to friendly
lines with the wounded. This rescue operation, which lasted
approximately 71/2 hours, saved the lives of many of his fellow
soldiers. Capt. Sprayberry personally killed 12 enemy soldiers,
eliminated 2 machineguns, and destroyed numerous enemy bunkers.
Capt. Sprayberry's indomitable spirit and gallant action at
great personal risk to his life are in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*STEINDAM, RUSSELL A.
Rank and organization: First
Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Troop B, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th
Infantry, Division. Place and date: Tay Ninh Province, Republic
of Vietnam, 1 February 1970. Entered service at: Austin, Tex.
Born: 27 August 1946, Austin, Tex. Citation: for conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Steindam, Troop B,
while serving as a platoon leader, led members of his platoon on
a night ambush operation. On the way to the ambush site,
suspected enemy movement was detected on 1 flank and the
platoon's temporary position was subjected to intense small arms
and automatic weapons fire as well as a fusillade of hand and
rocket-propelled grenades. After the initial barrage, 1st Lt.
Steindam ordered fire placed on the enemy position and the
wounded men to be moved to a shallow bomb crater. As he directed
the return fire against the enemy from his exposed position, a
fragmentation grenade was thrown into the site occupied by his
command group. Instantly realizing the extreme gravity of the
situation, 1st Lt. Steindam shouted a warning to alert his
fellow soldiers in the immediate vicinity. Then, unhesitatingly
and with complete disregard for his safety, 1st Lt. Steindam
deliberately threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full
and fatal force of the explosion as it detonated. By his gallant
action and self-sacrifice, he was able to save the lives of the
nearby members of his command group. The extraordinary courage
and selflessness displayed by 1st Lt. Steindam were an
inspiration to his comrades and are in the highest traditions of
the U.S. Army.
*STEWART, JIMMY G.
Rank and organization: Staff
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion, 12th Cavalry, 1st
Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Place and date: Republic of
Vietnam, 18 May 1966. Entered service at: Ashland, Ky. Born: 25
December 1942, West Columbia, W. Va. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. Early in the morning a
reinforced North Vietnamese company attacked Company B, which
was manning a defensive perimeter in Vietnam. The surprise
onslaught wounded 5 members of a 6-man squad caught in the
direct path of the enemy's thrust. S/Sgt. Stewart became a lone
defender of vital terrain--virtually 1 man against a hostile
platoon. Refusing to take advantage of a lull in the firing
which would have permitted him to withdraw, S/Sgt. Stewart
elected to hold his ground to protect his fallen comrades and
prevent an enemy penetration of the company perimeter. As the
full force of the platoon-sized man attack struck his lone
position, he fought like a man possessed; emptying magazine
after magazine at the determined, on-charging enemy. The enemy
drove almost to his position and hurled grenades, but S/Sgt.
Stewart decimated them by retrieving and throwing the grenades
back. Exhausting his ammunition, he crawled under intense fire
to his wounded team members and collected ammunition that they
were unable to use. Far past the normal point of exhaustion, he
held his position for 4 harrowing hours and through 3 assaults,
annihilating the enemy as they approached and before they could
get a foothold. As a result of his defense, the company position
held until the arrival of a reinforcing platoon which
counterattacked the enemy, now occupying foxholes to the left of
S/Sgt. Stewart's position. After the counterattack, his body was
found in a shallow enemy hole where he had advanced in order to
add his fire to that of the counterattacking platoon. Eight
enemy dead were found around his immediate position, with
evidence that 15 others had been dragged away. The wounded whom
he gave his life to protect, were recovered and evacuated.
S/Sgt. Stewart's indomitable courage, in the face of
overwhelming odds, stands as a tribute to himself and an
inspiration to all men of his unit. His actions were in the
highest traditions of the U.S. Army and the Armed Forces of his
country.
STOCKDALE, JAMES B.
Rank and organization: Rear Admiral
(then Captain), U.S. Navy. Place and date: Hoa Lo prison, Hanoi,
North Vietnam, 4 September 1969. Entered service at: Abingdon,
Ill. Born: 23 December 1923, Abingdon, Ill.. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty while senior naval officer in
the Prisoner of War camps of North Vietnam. Recognized by his
captors as the leader in the Prisoners' of War resistance to
interrogation and in their refusal to participate in propaganda
exploitation, Rear Adm. Stockdale was singled out for
interrogation and attendant torture after he was detected in a
covert communications attempt. Sensing the start of another
purge, and aware that his earlier efforts at self-disfiguration
to dissuade his captors from exploiting him for propaganda
purposes had resulted in cruel and agonizing punishment, Rear
Adm. Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of resistance
regardless of personal sacrifice. He deliberately inflicted a
near-mortal wound to his person in order to convince his captors
of his willingness to give up his life rather than capitulate.
He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North
Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in
their employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all
of the Prisoners of War. By his heroic action, at great peril to
himself, he earned the everlasting gratitude of his fellow
prisoners and of his country. Rear Adm. Stockdale's valiant
leadership and extraordinary courage in a hostile environment
sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval
Service.
*STONE, LESTER R., JR.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S.
Army, 1st Platoon, Company B, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry, 11th
Infantry Brigade, 23d Infantry Division (Americal). Place and
date: West of Landing Zone Liz, Republic of Vietnam, 3 March
1969. Entered service at: Syracuse N.Y. Born: 4 June 1947,
Binghamton, N.Y. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty. Sgt. Stone, distinguished himself while
serving as squad leader of the 1st Platoon. The 1st Platoon was
on a combat patrol mission just west of Landing Zone Liz when it
came under intense automatic weapons and grenade fire from a
well concealed company-size force of North Vietnamese regulars.
Observing the platoon machinegunner fall critically wounded,
Sgt. Stone remained in the exposed area to provide cover fire
for the wounded soldier who was being pulled to safety by
another member of the platoon. With enemy fire impacting all
around him, Sgt. Stone had a malfunction in the machinegun,
preventing him from firing the weapon automatically. Displaying
extraordinary courage under the most adverse conditions, Sgt.
Stone repaired the weapon and continued to place on the enemy
positions effective suppressive fire which enabled the rescue to
be completed. In a desperate attempt to overrun his position, an
enemy force left its cover and charged Sgt. Stone. Disregarding
the danger involved, Sgt. Stone rose to his knees and began
placing intense fire on the enemy at pointblank range, killing 6
of the enemy before falling mortally wounded. His actions of
unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire
unit, and he was responsible for saving the lives of a number of
his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the
highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great
credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
*STOUT, MITCHELL W.
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S.
Army, Battery C, 1st Battalion, 44th Artillery. Place and date:
Khe Gio Bridge, Republic of Vietnam, 12 March 1970. Entered
service at: Raleigh, N.C. Born: 24 February 1950, Knoxville,
Tenn. Citation: Sgt. Stout distinguished himself during an
attack by a North Vietnamese Army Sapper company on his unit's
firing position at Khe Gio Bridge. Sgt. Stout was in a bunker
with members of a searchlight crew when the position came under
heavy enemy mortar fire and ground attack. When the intensity of
the mortar attack subsided, an enemy grenade was thrown into the
bunker. Displaying great courage, Sgt. Stout ran to the grenade,
picked it up, and started out of the bunker. As he reached the
door, the grenade exploded. By holding the grenade close to his
body and shielding its blast, he protected his fellow soldiers
in the bunker from further injury or death. Sgt. Stout's
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action, at the cost of
his own life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the
military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit and
the U.S. Army.
*STRYKER, ROBERT F.
Rank and organization: Specialist
Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th
Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Loc Ninh,
Republic of Vietnam, 7 November 1967. Entered service at:
Throop, N.Y. Born: 9 November 1944, Auburn, N.Y. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Stryker, U.S. Army,
distinguished himself while serving with Company C. Sp4c.
Stryker was serving as a grenadier in a multicompany
reconnaissance in force near Loc Ninh. As his unit moved through
the dense underbrush, it was suddenly met with a hail of rocket,
automatic weapons and small arms fire from enemy forces
concealed in fortified bunkers and in the surrounding trees.
Reacting quickly, Sp4c. Stryker fired into the enemy positions
with his grenade launcher. During the devastating exchange of
fire, Sp4c. Stryker detected enemy elements attempting to
encircle his company and isolate it from the main body of the
friendly force. Undaunted by the enemy machinegun and small-arms
fire, Sp4c. Stryker repeatedly fired grenades into the trees,
killing enemy snipers and enabling his comrades to sever the
attempted encirclement. As the battle continued, Sp4c. Stryker
observed several wounded members of his squad in the killing
zone of an enemy claymore mine. With complete disregard for his
safety, he threw himself upon the mine as it was detonated. He
was mortally wounded as his body absorbed the blast and shielded
his comrades from the explosion. His unselfish actions were
responsible for saving the lives of at least 6 of his fellow
soldiers. Sp4c. Stryker's great personal bravery was in keeping
with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects
great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
STUMPF, KENNETH E.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant
(then Sp4c.), U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 35th
Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Duc Pho,
Republic of Vietnam, 25 April 1967. Entered service at:
Milwaukee, Wis. Born: 28 September 1944, Neenah, Wis. Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Stumpf
distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader of the 3d
Platoon, Company C, on a search and destroy mission. As S/Sgt.
Stumpf's company approached a village, it encountered a North
Vietnamese rifle company occupying a well fortified bunker
complex. During the initial contact, 3 men from his squad fell
wounded in front of a hostile machinegun emplacement. The
enemy's heavy volume of fire prevented the unit from moving to
the aid of the injured men, but S/Sgt. Stumpf left his secure
position in a deep trench and ran through the barrage of
incoming rounds to reach his wounded comrades. He picked up 1 of
the men and carried him back to the safety of the trench. Twice
more S/Sgt. Stumpf dashed forward while the enemy turned
automatic weapons and machineguns upon him, yet he managed to
rescue the remaining 2 wounded squad members. He then organized
his squad and led an assault against several enemy bunkers from
which continuously heavy fire was being received He and his
squad successfully eliminated 2 of the bunker positions, but one
to the front of the advancing platoon remained a serious threat.
Arming himself with extra hand grenades, S/Sgt. Stumpf ran over
open ground, through a volley of fire directed at him by a
determined enemy, toward the machinegun position. As he reached
the bunker, he threw a hand grenade through the aperture. It was
immediately returned by the occupants, forcing S/Sgt. Stumpf to
take cover. Undaunted, he pulled the pins on 2 more grenades,
held them for a few seconds after activation, then hurled them
into the position, this time successfully destroying the
emplacement. With the elimination of this key position, his unit
was able to assault and overrun the enemy. S/Sgt. Stumpf's
relentless spirit of aggressiveness, intrepidity, and ultimate
concern for the lives of his men, are in the highest traditions
of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself
and the U.S. Army.
TAYLOR, JAMES ALLEN
Rank and organization: Captain (then
1st Lt.), U.S. Army, Troop B, 1st Cavalry, Americal Division.
Place and date: West of Que Son, Republic of Vietnam, 9 November
1967. Entered service at: San Francisco, Calif. Born: 31
December 1937, Arcata, Calif. Citation: Capt. Taylor, Armor, was
serving as executive officer of Troop B, 1st Squadron. His troop
was engaged in an attack on a fortified position west of Que Son
when it came under intense enemy recoilless rifle, mortar, and
automatic weapons fire from an enemy strong point located
immediately to its front. One armored cavalry assault vehicle
was hit immediately by recoilless rifle fire and all 5
crewmembers were wounded. Aware that the stricken vehicle was in
grave danger of exploding, Capt. Taylor rushed forward and
personally extracted the wounded to safety despite the hail of
enemy fire and exploding ammunition. Within minutes a second
armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit by multiple recoilless
rifle rounds. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire, Capt.
Taylor moved forward on foot to rescue the wounded men from the
burning vehicle and personally removed all the crewmen to the
safety of a nearby dike. Moments later the vehicle exploded. As
he was returning to his vehicle, a bursting mortar round
painfully wounded Capt. Taylor, yet he valiantly returned to his
vehicle to relocate the medical evacuation landing zone to an
area closer to the front lines. As he was moving his vehicle, it
came under machinegun fire from an enemy position not 50 yards
away. Capt. Taylor engaged the position with his machinegun,
killing the 3-man crew. Upon arrival at the new evacuation site,
still another vehicle was struck. Once again Capt. Taylor rushed
forward and pulled the wounded from the vehicle, loaded them
aboard his vehicle, and returned them safely to the evacuation
site. His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of
inspiration to his entire troop, contributed significantly to
the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and
were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of
his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the
highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great
credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army
*TAYLOR, KARL G., SR.
Rank and organization: Staff
Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps, Company 1, 3d Battalion, 26th
Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division (Rein), FMF. Place and date:
Republic of Vietnam, 8 December 1968. Entered service at:
Baltimore, Md. Born: 14 July 1939, Laurel, Md. Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty while serving at night as a
company gunnery sergeant during Operation MEADE RIVER. Informed
that the commander of the lead platoon had been mortally wounded
when his unit was pinned down by a heavy volume of enemy fire,
S/Sgt. Taylor along with another marine, crawled forward to the
beleaguered unit through a hail of hostile fire, shouted
encouragement and instructions to the men, and deployed them to
covered positions. With his companion, he then repeatedly
maneuvered across an open area to rescue those marines who were
too seriously wounded to move by themselves. Upon learning that
there were still other seriously wounded men Lying in another
open area, in proximity to an enemy machinegun position, S/Sgt.
Taylor, accompanied by 4 comrades, led his men forward across
the fire-swept terrain in an attempt to rescue the marines. When
his group was halted by devastating fire, he directed his
companions to return to the company command post; whereupon he
took his grenade launcher and in full view of the enemy, charged
across the open rice paddy toward the machinegun position,
firing his weapon as he ran. Although wounded several times, he
succeeded in reaching the machinegun bunker and silencing the
fire from that sector, moments before he was mortally wounded.
Directly instrumental in saving the lives of several of his
fellow marines, S/Sgt. Taylor, by his indomitable courage,
inspiring leadership, and selfless dedication, upheld the
highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval
Service.
THACKER, BRIAN MILES
Rank and organization: First
Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Battery A, 1st Battalion, 92d Artillery.
Place and date: Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam, 31 March
1971. Entered service at: Salt Lake City, Utah. Born: 25 April
1945, Columbus, Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty. 1st Lt. Thacker, Field Artillery, Battery A,
distinguished himself while serving as the team leader of an
Integrated Observation System collocated with elements of 2 Army
of the Republic of Vietnam units at Fire Base 6. A numerically
superior North Vietnamese Army force launched a well-planned,
dawn attack on the small, isolated, hilltop fire base. Employing
rockets, grenades, flame-throwers, and automatic weapons, the
enemy forces penetrated the perimeter defenses and engaged the
defenders in hand-to-hand combat. Throughout the morning and
early afternoon, 1st Lt. Thacker rallied and encouraged the U.S.
and Republic of Vietnam soldiers in heroic efforts to repulse
the enemy. He occupied a dangerously exposed observation
position for a period of 4 hours while directing friendly air
strikes and artillery fire against the assaulting enemy forces.
His personal bravery and inspired leadership enabled the
outnumbered friendly forces to inflict a maximum of casualties
on the attacking enemy forces and prevented the base from being
overrun. By late afternoon, the situation had become untenable.
1st Lt. Thacker organized and directed the withdrawal of the
remaining friendly forces. With complete disregard for his
personal safety, he remained inside the perimeter alone to
provide covering fire with his M-16 rifle until all other
friendly forces had escaped from the besieged fire base. Then,
in an act of supreme courage, he called for friendly artillery
fire on his own position to allow his comrades more time to
withdraw safely from the area and, at the same time, inflict
even greater casualties on the enemy forces. Although wounded
and unable to escape from the area himself, he successfully
eluded the enemy forces for 8 days until friendly forces
regained control of the fire base. The extraordinary courage and
selflessness displayed by 1st Lt. Thacker were an inspiration to
his comrades and are in the highest traditions of the military
service .
THORNTON, MICHAEL EDWIN
Rank and organization: Petty Officer,
U.S. Navy, Navy Advisory Group. Place and date: Republic of
Vietnam, 31 October 1972. Entered service at: Spartanburg, S.C.
Born: 23 March 1949, Greenville, S.C. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty while participating in a daring
operation against enemy forces. PO Thornton, as Assistant U.S.
Navy Advisor, along with a U.S. Navy lieutenant serving as
Senior Advisor, accompanied a 3-man Vietnamese Navy SEAL patrol
on an intelligence gathering and prisoner capture operation
against an enemy-occupied naval river base. Launched from a
Vietnamese Navy junk in a rubber boat, the patrol reached land
and was continuing on foot toward its objective when it suddenly
came under heavy fire from a numerically superior force. The
patrol called in naval gunfire support and then engaged the
enemy in a fierce firefight, accounting for many enemy
casualties before moving back to the waterline to prevent
encirclement. Upon learning that the Senior Advisor had been hit
by enemy fire and was believed to be dead, PO Thornton returned
through a hail of fire to the lieutenant's last position;
quickly disposed of 2 enemy soldiers about to overrun the
position, and succeeded in removing the seriously wounded and
unconscious Senior Naval Advisor to the water's edge. He then
inflated the lieutenant's lifejacket and towed him seaward for
approximately 2 hours until picked up by support craft. By his
extraordinary courage and perseverance, PO Thornton was directly
responsible for saving the life of his superior officer and
enabling the safe extraction of all patrol members, thereby
upholding the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.
THORSNESS, LEO K.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant
Colonel (then Maj.), U.S. Air Force, 357th Tactical Fighter
Squadron. Place and date: Over North Vietnam, 19 April 1967.
Entered service at: Walnut Grove, Minn. Born: 14 February 1932,
Walnut Grove, Minn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond
the call of duty. As pilot of an F- 105 aircraft, Lt. Col.
Thorsness was on a surface-to-air missile suppression mission
over North Vietnam. Lt. Col. Thorsness and his wingman attacked
and silenced a surface-to-air missile site with air-to-ground
missiles, and then destroyed a second surface-to-air missile
site with bombs. In tile attack on the second missile site, Lt.
Col. Thorsness' wingman was shot down by intensive antiaircraft
fire, and the 2 crewmembers abandoned their aircraft. Lt. Col.
Thorsness circled the descending parachutes to keep the
crewmembers in sight and relay their position to the Search and
Rescue Center. During this maneuver, a MIG-17 was sighted in the
area. Lt. Col. Thorsness immediately initiated an attack and
destroyed the MIG. Because his aircraft was low on fuel, he was
forced to depart the area in search of a tanker. Upon being
advised that 2 helicopters were orbiting over the downed crew's
position and that there were hostile MlGs in the area posing a
serious threat to the helicopters, Lt. Col. Thorsness, despite
his low fuel condition, decided to return alone through a
hostile environment of surface-to-air missile and antiaircraft
defenses to the downed crew's position. As he approached the
area, he spotted 4 MIG-17 aircraft and immediately initiated an
attack on the MlGs, damaging 1 and driving the others away from
the rescue scene. When it became apparent that an aircraft in
the area was critically low on fuel and the crew would have to
abandon the aircraft unless they could reach a tanker, Lt. Col.
Thorsness, although critically short on fuel himself, helped to
avert further possible loss of life and a friendly aircraft by
recovering at a forward operating base, thus allowing the
aircraft in emergency fuel condition to refuel safely. Lt. Col.
Thorsness' extraordinary heroism, self-sacrifice, and personal
bravery involving conspicuous risk of life were in the highest
traditions of the military service, and have reflected great
credit upon himself and the U.S. Air Force.
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