List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War facts for kids
The Medal of Honor is the highest award a member of the United States military can receive. It was created during the American Civil War. To earn this medal, a person must show incredible bravery and risk their own life in a fight against an enemy of the United States. Because of how special this medal is, it's often given to people after they have passed away.
The Vietnam War was a big conflict that happened from 1955 to 1975. It's also known as the Second Indochina War or the American War in Vietnam. The main groups fighting were North Vietnam, which was supported by Communist countries, and South Vietnam, which was supported by the United States. The U.S. started with a small number of military advisors in 1955. By 1965, the U.S. was directly involved in a ground war. American combat troops left in early 1973 after the Paris Peace Accords. However, the war continued until the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
During the Vietnam War and in the year that followed, 235 Medals of Honor were given out. Since 1978, another 33 medals have been awarded. In total, 268 Medals of Honor were presented for actions in the Vietnam War. The U.S. Army received 179 of these, the U.S. Marine Corps received 58, the U.S. Air Force received 14, and the U.S. Navy received 15. These numbers do not include the medal given to the Vietnam Unknown Soldier.
The very first Medal of Honor for the Vietnam War went to Captain Roger Donlon. He earned it for his actions on July 6, 1964. He was the commanding officer of a U.S. Army Special Forces team. They were defending Camp Nam Dong from an attack by the Viet Cong. The last actions in this war to earn a Medal of Honor were those of Bud Day. He was a prisoner of war from August 26, 1967, to March 14, 1973. President Ford presented Day and three other service members with their Medals of Honor on March 4, 1976. They were the last of the 235 medals given during the war and the year after.
Many different heroes received the Medal of Honor. Milton L. Olive III was the first African American to receive the medal during the war. He saved others by falling on a grenade to protect them. Riley L. Pitts was killed after bravely attacking enemy forces. He was the first African American officer in the war to get the medal. Thomas Bennett and Joseph LaPointe were conscientious objectors. This means they chose not to fight in combat because of their beliefs. They both received the medal for their heroic actions as medics. Three chaplains also received the medal, including Vincent R. Capodanno. He served with the Marine Corps and was known as the "Grunt Padre" because he helped Marines on the front lines.
Medal of Honor Recipients from the Vietnam War
Grey background and † means the Medal of Honor was given after the person died in action.
All locations are in South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) unless stated otherwise.
Image | Name | Service | Rank | Place of action | Date of action | Notes |
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William E. Adams † | Army | Major | Kon Tum Province | May 25, 1971 | Died while flying his helicopter on a rescue mission. |
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Bennie Adkins | Army | Sergeant First Class | A Shau Valley, South Vietnam | March 9, 1966 | Showed great bravery during 38 hours of close-up fighting against Viet Cong forces. |
Lewis Albanese † | Army | Private First Class | South Vietnam | December 1, 1966 | Died in hand-to-hand combat after helping defeat an enemy attack. | |
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Leonard L. Alvarado † | Army | Specialist Four | Phước Long Province | August 12, 1969 | Stopped an enemy raid and saved the lives of several friends. |
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James Anderson, Jr. † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Near Cam Lộ | February 28, 1967 | Covered an enemy grenade with his body to protect other Marines. |
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Richard A. Anderson † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Quảng Trị Province | August 24, 1969 | Covered an enemy grenade with his body to protect other Marines on a mission. |
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Webster Anderson | Army | Staff Sergeant | Tam Kỳ | October 15, 1967 | Fought even after being wounded many times and refused medical help until the enemy attack ended. |
Eugene Ashley, Jr. † | Army | Sergeant First Class | near Lang Vei | February 6, 1968 – February 7, 1968 | Risked his life trying to save trapped friends and his commanding officer. | |
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Oscar P. Austin † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Da Nang | west ofFebruary 23, 1969 | Threw himself between enemy fire and an injured fellow Marine. |
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John P. Baca | Army | Specialist Four | Phước Long Province | February 10, 1970 | Covered a grenade with his helmet and body, saving eight men. |
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Nicky D. Bacon | Army | Staff Sergeant | west of Tam Kỳ | August 26, 1968 | Risked his life by leading groups of men to fight back an enemy attack many times. |
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John F. Baker, Jr. | Army | Private First Class | South Vietnam | November 5, 1966 | Saved the lives of several friends and caused serious damage to the enemy. |
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Donald E. Ballard | Navy | Hospital Corpsman Second Class | Quảng Trị Province | May 16, 1968 | Risked his life by covering a grenade with his own body. |
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Jedh C. Barker † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | near Con Thien | September 21, 1967 | Threw himself on a grenade to save other Marines. |
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John A. Barnes, III † | Army | Private First Class | Đắk Tô | November 12, 1967 | Gave his life by throwing himself directly onto an exploding hand grenade. |
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Harvey C. Barnum, Jr. | Marine Corps | First Lieutenant | Ky Phu, Quảng Tín Province | December 18, 1965 | Took command of a rifle company after the commander died in an ambush and led the counterattack. |
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Gary B. Beikirch | Army | Sergeant | Kon Tum Province | April 1, 1970 | Suffered enemy gunfire and serious injuries to save several wounded soldiers. |
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Ted Belcher † | Army | Sergeant | Plei Djerang | November 19, 1966 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Leslie A. Bellrichard † | Army | Private First Class | Kon Tum Province | May 20, 1967 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Roy P. Benavidez | Army | Staff Sergeant | west of Lộc Ninh | May 2, 1968 | Performed many brave and daring actions despite being severely wounded. |
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Steven L. Bennett † | Air Force | Captain | Quảng Trị | June 29, 1972 | Gave his life to save his passenger. |
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Thomas W. Bennett † | Army | Corporal | Chu Pa Region, Pleiku Province | February 9, 1969 – February 11, 1969 | Saved many lives as a medic during several fierce gunfights. He was the second conscientious objector to receive the Medal of Honor. |
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Dwight W. Birdwell | Army | Specialist Five | Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Saigon | January 31, 1968 | Awarded for his brave actions during the Tet offensive attack on Tan Son Nhut Air Base. |
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Michael R. Blanchfield † | Army | Specialist Four | Bình Định Province | July 3, 1969 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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John P. Bobo † | Marine Corps | Second Lieutenant | Quảng Trị Province | March 30, 1967 | Held his position during an enemy ambush even after his lower leg was blown off. This allowed his outnumbered unit to move to safety. |
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James L. Bondsteel | Army | Staff Sergeant | An Lộc, Bình Phước Province | May 24, 1969 | Destroyed 10 enemy bunkers and caused many enemy deaths, including two important enemy commanders. |
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Hammett L. Bowen, Jr. † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Bình Dương Province | June 27, 1969 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Patrick H. Brady | Army | Major | near Chu Lai | January 6, 1968 | Flew many missions under heavy fire to rescue 51 wounded men. |
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Daniel D. Bruce † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Fire Support Base Tomahawk, Quảng Nam Province | March 1, 1969 | Carried an explosive device away from three other Marines. |
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William M. Bryant † | Army | Sergeant First Class | Long Khánh District | March 24, 1969 | Showed amazing leadership while organizing his unit's defense during a 34-hour enemy attack. |
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Paul W. Bucha | Army | Captain | Bình Dương Province | near Phuoc Vinh,March 16, 1968 – March 19, 1968 | Led his company in defeating a much larger enemy force, leaving 156 enemy dead. |
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Brian L. Buker † | Army | Sergeant | Châu Đốc Province | April 5, 1970 | Gave his life to lead his men against the enemy and personally destroyed two enemy bunkers with hand grenades. |
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Robert C. Burke † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | southern Quảng Nam Province | May 17, 1968 | After his unit was ambushed, he attacked the enemy, allowing the rest of his unit to rescue wounded soldiers and keep moving forward. |
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John Canley | Marine Corps | Gunnery sergeant | Huế | January 31, 1968 –
February 6, 1968 |
Awarded for his actions in the Battle of Huế. His Navy Cross was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2018. |
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Vincent R. Capodanno † | Navy | Lieutenant | Quảng Tín Province | September 4, 1967 | A Chaplain who died while trying to rescue a wounded corpsman. |
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Wayne M. Caron † | Navy | Hospital Corpsman Third Class | Quảng Nam Province | July 28, 1968 | Died while giving medical help to several wounded Marines. |
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Bruce W. Carter † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Quảng Trị Province | August 7, 1969 | Gave his life to save several Marines by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Jon R. Cavaiani | Army | Staff Sergeant | South Vietnam | June 4, 1971 – June 5, 1971 | Risked his life by attacking a wave of enemy forces alone to let his platoon escape. |
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Raymond M. Clausen, Jr. | Marine Corps | Private First Class | South Vietnam | January 31, 1970 | Risked his life to rescue several Marines and corpsmen from a minefield. |
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Ronald L. Coker † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Quảng Trị Province | March 24, 1969 | Attacked an enemy position and helped a fallen Marine despite being severely wounded. |
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Felix M. Conde-Falcon † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Ap Tan Hoa | April 4, 1969 | Died while attacking heavily protected enemy bunkers. |
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Peter S. Connor † | Marine Corps | Staff Sergeant | Quảng Nam Province | February 25, 1966 | Absorbed the blast of a faulty grenade to protect his fellow Marines. |
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Donald G. Cook † | Marine Corps | Captain | South Vietnam | December 31, 1964 – December 8, 1967 | Helped other prisoners while he was a prisoner of war. |
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Ardie R. Copas † | Army | Specialist Four | Ph Romeas Hek, Cambodia | May 12, 1970 | Died while holding off an enemy ambush, even though he was wounded, so his friends could be rescued. |
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Bruce P. Crandall | Army | Major | Battle of Ia Drang | November 14, 1965 | Flew into a landing zone many times under heavy enemy fire to rescue and resupply ground troops. |
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Thomas E. Creek † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | near Cam Lộ | February 13, 1969 | Gave his life to save five Marines by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Michael J. Crescenz † | Army | Corporal | Hiệp Đức Valley area | November 20, 1968 | Single-handedly destroyed two bunkers while under fire from a third machine gun during an ambush. |
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Nicholas J. Cutinha † | Army | Specialist Four | near Gia Định | March 2, 1968 | Held his position, refused help, and provided defensive fire for his friends until he was fatally wounded. He killed 15 enemy soldiers and saved at least nine of his own unit. |
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Larry G. Dahl † | Army | Specialist Four | An Khê, Bình Định Province | February 23, 1971 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Paris Davis | Army | Captain | Bồng Sơn, Bình Định Province | July 18, 1965 | Rescued several of his men, even though he was wounded, and defended their position until help arrived. |
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Rodney M. Davis † | Marine Corps | Sergeant | Quảng Nam Province | September 6, 1967 | Gave his life to save several fellow Marines by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Sammy L. Davis | Army | Private First Class | West of Cai Lậy | November 18, 1967 | Defended his 42-man unit from hundreds of attacking Viet Cong. |
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George E. Day | Air Force | Major | North Vietnam | August 26, 1967 | For his actions as a prisoner of war from August 26, 1967, to March 4, 1973. |
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Emilio A. De La Garza, Jr. † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Da Nang | nearApril 11, 1970 | Gave his life and saved several Marines by blocking them from a grenade blast. |
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Merlyn H. Dethlefsen | Air Force | Captain | North Vietnam | overMarch 10, 1967 | Flew repeated close-range attacks to silence enemy defenses, ignoring heavy firepower and damage to his own aircraft. |
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Edward A. DeVore, Jr. † | Army | Specialist Four | Saigon | nearMarch 17, 1968 | Gave his life to draw enemy fire onto himself, allowing a trapped squad to rejoin their platoon. |
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Ralph E. Dias † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Quế Sơn Mountains | November 12, 1969 | Even though he was severely wounded many times, he kept throwing grenades at an enemy bunker until it was destroyed. He was then killed by enemy gunfire. |
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Douglas E. Dickey † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | South Vietnam | March 26, 1967 | Gave his life to save several fellow Marines by diving on a grenade and absorbing the explosion with his body. |
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Drew D. Dix | Army | Staff Sergeant | Châu Đốc Province | January 31, 1968 – February 1, 1968 | His actions led to 14 confirmed enemy deaths, 20 prisoners captured, 15 weapons seized, and the rescue of 14 civilians. |
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Stephen H. Doane † | Army | First Lieutenant | Hậu Nghĩa Province | March 25, 1969 | Even though he was already wounded, he gave his life to save other soldiers who were pinned down. He silenced two enemy gun positions and dove into a third with a grenade. |
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David C. Dolby | Army | Specialist Four | South Vietnam | May 21, 1966 | Silenced three enemy positions and rescued several wounded friends. |
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Roger H. C. Donlon | Army | Captain | near Nam Đông | July 6, 1964 | Rescued and gave first aid to several wounded soldiers. He led a group to defeat an enemy force, causing them to retreat and leave behind 54 dead, many weapons, and grenades. |
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John J. Duffy | Army | Major | Firebase Charlie, Kon Tum province | April 14, 1972 – April 15, 1972 | Awarded for his role in leading the defense of Firebase Charlie during the Battle of Kontum. |
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Kern W. Dunagan | Army | Captain | Quảng Tín Province | May 13, 1969 | Even though he was wounded, he directed fire onto enemy positions and rescued several wounded soldiers. |
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Jesus S. Duran † | Army | Sergeant | Ph Romeas Hek, Cambodia | April 10, 1969 | Saved wounded Americans during a search and clear operation. |
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Harold Bascom Durham, Jr. † | Army | Second Lieutenant | Ong Thanh, South Vietnam | October 17, 1967 | Even though he was wounded, he directed fire on enemy positions and kept fighting until he died from his injuries. |
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Glenn H. English, Jr. † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Phù Mỹ District | September 7, 1970 | Died while trying to rescue a wounded soldier from a personnel carrier. |
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Santiago J. Erevia | Army | Specialist Four | near Tam Kỳ | May 21, 1969 | For his brave actions as a radio telephone operator during a search and clear mission. |
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Michael J. Estocin † | Navy | Lieutenant Commander | Hai Phong, North Vietnam | April 20, 1967 and April 26, 1967 | Risked his life by attacking an enemy SAM site and other targets many times. |
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Richard Etchberger † | Air Force | Chief Master Sergeant | Lima Site 85, Laos | March 11, 1968 | Exposed himself to enemy fire to place his three wounded friends into rescue slings, allowing them to be airlifted to safety. |
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Donald W. Evans, Jr. † | Army | Specialist Four | Tam Tri | January 27, 1967 | A medic who died while treating and rescuing members of his unit. |
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Rodney J. Evans † | Army | Sergeant | Tây Ninh Province | July 18, 1969 | Died protecting others during an ambush. |
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Frederick E. Ferguson | Army | Chief Warrant Officer | Huế | January 31, 1968 | Risked his life by flying his helicopter into heavy enemy fire to evacuate several wounded passengers and aircrew from a downed helicopter. |
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Daniel Fernandez † | Army | Specialist Four | Củ Chi, Hậu Nghĩa Province | February 18, 1966 | Threw himself on an enemy grenade as it exploded, saving the lives of four friends by giving his own. |
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Bernard F. Fisher | Air Force | Major | Biên Hòa and Pleiku, South Vietnam | March 10, 1966 | Rescued a downed airman despite heavy fire. |
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Michael J. Fitzmaurice | Army | Specialist Four | Khe Sanh | March 23, 1971 | Absorbed an explosive charge and continued to fight with weapons and hand-to-hand combat before successfully defending a bunker. |
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Charles C. Fleek † | Army | Sergeant | Bình Dương Province | May 27, 1969 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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James P. Fleming | Air Force | First Lieutenant | near Đức Cơ | November 26, 1968 | Rescued a six-man special forces unit. |
Robert F. Foley | Army | Captain | near Dầu Tiếng | November 5, 1966 | Despite painful wounds, he refused medical help and bravely led the attack on the enemy. He single-handedly destroyed three enemy gun positions. | |
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Michael F. Folland † | Army | Corporal | Long Khánh Province | July 3, 1969 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Paul H. Foster † | Marine Corps | Sergeant | near Con Thien | October 14, 1967 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Douglas B. Fournet † | Army | First Lieutenant | A Shau Valley | May 4, 1968 | Gave his life trying to disarm a claymore mine. |
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James W. Fous † | Army | Private First Class | Kien Hoa Province | May 14, 1968 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Wesley L. Fox | Marine Corps | First Lieutenant | Quảng Trị Province | February 22, 1969 | Even though he was wounded, he directed fire on the enemy and led his platoon to push the enemy back. |
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Frank R. Fratellenico † | Army | Corporal | Quảng Trị Province | August 19, 1970 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Ed Freeman | Army | Captain | Ia Drang Valley | November 14, 1965 | Showed great courage as a UH–1 Huey pilot at LZ X–Ray. |
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Harold A. Fritz | Army | First Lieutenant | Bình Long Province | January 11, 1969 | Despite his wounds, he went back to his position, helped his men, and refused medical attention until all his wounded friends were treated and evacuated. |
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Dennis Fujii | Army | Specialist Four | Firebase Ranger North, Savannakhet province, Laos | February 18, 1971 – February 22, 1971 | Awarded for his role in defending Firebase Ranger North during Operation Lam Son 719. |
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Candelario Garcia † | Army | Sergeant | Lai Khê | December 8, 1968 | Destroyed two enemy machine gun nests while saving wounded friends. |
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James A. Gardner † | Army | First Lieutenant | My Canh, South Vietnam | February 7, 1966 | Gave his life by single-handedly destroying several enemy gun positions until he was killed. |
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John G. Gertsch † | Army | Staff Sergeant | A Shau Valley | July 15, 1969 – July 19, 1969 | Provided covering fire for a medic working on a wounded soldier. |
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Alfredo C. Gonzalez † | Marine Corps | Sergeant | Huế | February 4, 1968 | Even though he was seriously wounded, he destroyed an enemy bunker and fought back an enemy attack until he was killed. |
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James A. Graham † | Marine Corps | Captain | Que Son Valley | June 2, 1967 | After fighting off the enemy, he gave his life by allowing the rest of his company to return to safety. He stayed alone with an injured soldier who could not be moved. |
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Bruce A. Grandstaff † | Army | Platoon Sergeant | Pleiku Province | May 18, 1967 | Fought off an enemy attack until killed by an enemy rocket. |
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Joseph X. Grant † | Army | First Lieutenant | South Vietnam | November 13, 1966 | Killed by enemy mortar fire while trying to rescue several injured Marines. |
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Terrence C. Graves † | Marine Corps | Second Lieutenant | Quảng Trị Province | February 16, 1968 | For brave leadership on an eight-man Marine reconnaissance patrol. |
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Peter M. Guenette † | Army | Specialist Four | Tân Uyên, Bình Dương | May 18, 1968 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Charles C. Hagemeister | Army | Specialist Four | Bình Định Province | March 20, 1967 | Risked his life to give medical aid to several injured soldiers and protected them until they could be rescued. |
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Loren D. Hagen † | Army | First Lieutenant | A Shau Valley | August 7, 1971 | Tried to help a critically wounded special reconnaissance team member during a massive enemy attack. |
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Robert W. Hartsock † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Hậu Nghĩa Province | February 23, 1969 | Covered an explosion with his body to protect those around him. |
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Carmel B. Harvey, Jr. † | Army | Specialist Four | Bình Định Province | June 21, 1967 | Gave his life and attacked a group of enemy soldiers so that several injured members of his squad could escape. |
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Frank A. Herda | Army | Private First Class | near Đắk Tô | June 29, 1968 | Risked his life to protect several wounded soldiers by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Robert J. Hibbs † | Army | Second Lieutenant | Don Dien Lo Ke, South Vietnam | March 5, 1966 | Gave his life to defeat two enemy companies, rescue a fellow soldier, and destroy his rifle's night vision scope to prevent the enemy from using it. |
John N. Holcomb † | Army | Sergeant | near Quần Lợi, South Vietnam | December 3, 1968 | Risked his life to lead his men to fight back an attacking enemy force three times. | |
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Joe R. Hooper | Army | Sergeant | Huế | nearFebruary 21, 1968 | Repeatedly risked his life to rescue wounded soldiers and attack groups of enemy soldiers, clearing many bunkers and houses, sometimes alone. He refused medical treatment or evacuation until his men were safe. |
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Charles E. Hosking, Jr. † | Army | Sergeant First Class | Phước Long Province | March 21, 1967 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Jimmie E. Howard | Marine Corps | Staff Sergeant | South Vietnam | June 16, 1966 | Repeatedly pushed back enemy attacks. Even though he was severely wounded, he kept control of his unit until help arrived. |
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Robert L. Howard | Army | Sergeant First Class | South Vietnam | December 30, 1968 | For actions during a rescue mission in enemy territory. |
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James D. Howe † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | South Vietnam | May 6, 1970 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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George A. Ingalls † | Army | Specialist Four | near Đức Phổ | April 16, 1967 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Robert R. Ingram | Navy | Hospital Corpsman Third Class | Quảng Ngãi Province | March 28, 1966 | Even though he was badly wounded, he kept helping and treating the injuries of Marines around him who were hurt in combat. |
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Joe M. Jackson | Air Force | Lieutenant Colonel | Kham Duc | May 12, 1968 | For a daring airborne rescue of American special forces troops. |
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Jack H. Jacobs | Army | First Lieutenant | Kien Phong Province | March 9, 1968 | Drove off enemy squads three times who were looking for wounded allies and weapons. He killed three and wounded several others. |
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Don J. Jenkins | Army | Private First Class | Kien Phong Province | January 6, 1969 | Repeatedly attacked the enemy. Even though he was severely wounded, he risked his life to rescue several wounded soldiers. |
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Robert H. Jenkins, Jr. † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Firebase Argonne, South Vietnam | March 5, 1969 | Used his body to shield a fellow Marine from a grenade blast. |
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Delbert O. Jennings | Army | Staff Sergeant | Kim Son Valley, South Vietnam | December 27, 1966 | Repeatedly attacked and defended his unit from enemy fire. He also helped 8 wounded men who were trapped behind enemy lines. |
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Jose F. Jimenez † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Quảng Nam Province | August 28, 1969 | Died while attacking a group of enemy soldiers. |
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Lawrence Joel | Army | Specialist Five | South Vietnam | November 8, 1965 | Provided medical treatment to fellow soldiers under heavy fire, even though he was wounded twice, during Operation Hump. |
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Dwight H. Johnson | Army | Specialist Five | near Đắk Tô, Kon Tum Province | January 15, 1968 | Repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to use different machine-guns until the enemy was pushed back. |
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Ralph H. Johnson † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | near the Quan Duc Valley, South Vietnam | March 5, 1968 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Donald R. Johnston † | Army | Specialist Four | Tây Ninh Province | March 21, 1969 | Covered explosive blasts with his body to protect those around him. |
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William A. Jones, III † | Air Force | Colonel | Đồng Hới, North Vietnam | nearSeptember 1, 1968 | Risked his life to fly his heavily damaged plane back to base to share the location of a downed pilot. |
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Edward N. Kaneshiro † | Army | Staff sergeant | Kim Son Valley, Bình Định province | December 1, 1966 | Awarded for his role in pushing forward an attack. |
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Stephen E. Karopczyc † | Army | First Lieutenant | Kon Tum Province | March 12, 1967 | Gave his life to save other soldiers by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Terry T. Kawamura † | Army | Corporal | Camp Radcliff, South Vietnam | March 20, 1969 | Covered an explosive blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Kenneth M. Kays | Army | Private | Thừa Thiên Province | May 7, 1970 | Risked his life to help several fallen friends. Even though he was injured, he was able to give himself and others first aid and help them to safety. |
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John J. Kedenburg † | Army | Specialist Five | South Vietnam | June 13, 1968 | Let a Vietnamese soldier take his spot in a helicopter rescue. He stayed behind to try and hold off advancing enemy forces, where he was killed. |
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Miguel Keith † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Quảng Ngãi Province | May 8, 1970 | Gave his life to single-handedly defeat a group of enemy soldiers. |
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Leonard B. Keller | Army | Sergeant | Ap Bac Zone, South Vietnam | May 2, 1967 | Attacked an enemy platoon with another soldier, preventing more casualties. |
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Thomas G. Kelley | Navy | Lieutenant | Ong Muong Canal, Kien Hoa Province, South Vietnam | June 15, 1969 | Successfully relayed commands through one of his men until an enemy attack was stopped and the boats he was leading could move to safety. |
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Allan J. Kellogg | Marine Corps | Staff Sergeant | Quảng Nam Province | March 11, 1970 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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J. Robert Kerrey | Navy | Lieutenant, Junior Grade | Nha Trang Bay,South Vietnam | nearMarch 14, 1969 | Led his SEAL team on a mission to capture important enemy members. Even though he was seriously injured, they defeated an enemy force and took several prisoners. He later became a U.S. Senator for Nebraska and was governor from 1983 to 1987. |
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Charles Kettles | Army | Major | near Đức Phổ, South Vietnam | May 15, 1967 | As a helicopter pilot, he brought in reinforcements and then evacuated a unit under heavy enemy fire. |
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Thomas J. Kinsman | Army | Private First Class | near Vĩnh Long | February 6, 1968 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Paul R. Lambers | Army | Sergeant | Tây Ninh Province | August 20, 1968 | Took command of his platoon and exposed himself to enemy fire to get communications working again, tend to wounded men, and keep fighting. |
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George C. Lang | Army | Specialist Four | Kien Hoa Province, South Vietnam | February 22, 1969 | Destroyed three enemy bunkers with grenades and rifle fire, helped secure enemy supplies, and directed his men after being seriously wounded. |
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Garfield M. Langhorn † | Army | Private First Class | Pleiku Province, South Vietnam | January 15, 1969 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Joseph G. LaPointe, Jr. † | Army | Specialist Four | Quảng Tín Province | June 2, 1969 | Gave his life by using his own body as a shield to try and save a wounded soldier. |
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Clyde E. Lassen | Navy | Lieutenant, Junior Grade | North Vietnam | June 19, 1968 | Rescued two downed naval aviators. |
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Billy L. Lauffer † | Army | Private First Class | near Bong Son, Bình Định Province | September 21, 1966 | Rushed an enemy machine gun to distract the enemy so his wounded friends could be moved to safety. |
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Robert D. Law † | Army | Specialist Four | Phước Thành Province | February 22, 1969 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Howard V. Lee | Marine Corps | Captain | near Cam Lộ | August 8, 1966 – August 9, 1966 | Volunteered to reinforce a squad of Marines under heavy fire. He took command and directed their defense. Even though he was wounded by a grenade, he kept directing them, saving many lives. |
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Milton A. Lee † | Army | Private First Class | near Phu Bai, Thừa Thiên Province | April 26, 1968 | Exposed himself to enemy fire and overran an enemy squad. He kept providing cover fire until the lead element overran a second enemy squad, and then he was fatally wounded. |
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Robert R. Leisy † | Army | Second Lieutenant | Phước Long Province | December 2, 1969 | Gave his life to shield another soldier from a rocket blast, taking the full blast with his body. He continued to direct his men and refused treatment until his men were safe. |
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Peter C. Lemon | Army | Specialist Four | Firebase Illingworth, Tây Ninh Province | April 1, 1970 | The only Canadian recipient since World War II. He received it for exposing himself to enemy gunfire many times. While wounded, he got a machine gun and fired on the enemy, refusing to be evacuated until his injured friends were taken. |
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Matthew Leonard † | Army | Platoon Sergeant | near Suoi Da, South Vietnam | February 28, 1967 | After being shot in the hand by a sniper, he exposed himself to enemy gunfire and charged a machine gun, killing the enemy there. He was shot many times and propped himself against a tree, continuing to fire until he died from his injuries. |
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John L. Levitow | Air Force | Airman First Class | Long Binh Army post, South Vietnam | February 24, 1969 | Dove on top of a flare to throw it out of an aircraft, saving the aircraft and the entire crew. |
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Angelo J. Liteky | Army | Captain | near Phuoc-Lac, Biên Hòa Province | December 6, 1967 | A Chaplain who carried 20 wounded men from the battlefield under heavy fire. He later gave up his Medal of Honor. |
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Gary L. Littrell | Army | Sergeant First Class | Kon Tum Province | April 4, 1970 – April 8, 1970 | Risked his life to direct artillery and air support by day and marked the unit's location by night. Despite enemy fire, he led his men against the enemy until help arrived. |
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James E. Livingston | Marine Corps | Captain | Dai Do, South Vietnam | May 2, 1968 | Even though he was wounded twice by grenade fragments, he refused medical treatment and bravely led his men in destroying over 100 enemy bunkers. He drove the remaining enemy away and relieved pressure on a stranded Marine company. While wounded and in the open, he kept giving orders to his troops to fight back the enemy. He refused to be evacuated until his men were safe. |
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Donald R. Long † | Army | Sergeant | South Vietnam | June 30, 1966 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
Carlos J. Lozada † | Army | Private First Class | Đắk Tô | November 20, 1967 | Provided covering fire at the cost of his own life during a withdrawal. | |
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Andre C. Lucas † | Army | Lieutenant Colonel | Fire Support Base Ripcord | July 1, 1970 – July 23, 1970 | For extraordinary heroism while serving as the commanding officer of the 2d Battalion. |
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Allen J. Lynch | Army | Specialist Four | near Mỹ An (2), Bình Định Province | December 15, 1967 | Provided critical aid to wounded friends under heavy fire. |
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Walter J. Marm, Jr. | Army | Second Lieutenant | near Ia Drang Valley | November 14, 1965 | For actions in Ia Drang, where he led a successful one-man attack on an enemy hill. |
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Gary W. Martini † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Bình Sơn | April 21, 1967 | Gave his life to move a wounded friend to safety. |
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Larry L. Maxam † | Marine Corps | Corporal | Cam Lộ District, Quảng Trị Province | February 2, 1968 | Gave his life to single-handedly push back a large enemy force from attacking a weak part of the perimeter for over 1½ hours. |
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Finnis D. McCleery | Army | Platoon Sergeant | Quảng Tín Province | May 14, 1968 | Even though he was wounded in an attack on enemy bunkers, he kept attacking until wounded a second time by shrapnel, clearing the enemy from the hill. |
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James C. McCloughan | Army | Private First Class | Quảng Nam Province | May 13, 1969–May 15, 1969 | Continued to treat wounded soldiers and help fight off enemy attacks, even though he was wounded himself. |
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Phill G. McDonald † | Army | Private First Class | near Kon Tum City | June 7, 1968 | Died after attacking the enemy many times with grenades and rifle fire. |
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John J. McGinty III | Marine Corps | Staff Sergeant | Quảng Trị Province | July 18, 1966 | Found a separated unit of twenty wounded men, reloaded their weapons, and directed their fire at the enemy until they tried a counter-attack. He then directed fire at the enemy. Even though he was wounded, he adjusted artillery and air strikes within fifty yards of his position until the enemy was pushed back. |
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Ray McKibben † | Army | Sergeant | near Song Mao, South Vietnam | December 8, 1968 | Single-handedly destroyed an enemy bunker, rescued a wounded friend under heavy fire, and attacked and destroyed two more bunkers by himself before being fatally wounded while attacking a fourth bunker. |
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Thomas J. McMahon † | Army | Specialist Four | Quảng Tín Province | March 19, 1969 | While trying to rescue three wounded soldiers despite heavy enemy fire, he carried two men to safety but was killed trying to rescue the third. |
David H. McNerney | Army | First Sergeant | Polei Doc, South Vietnam | March 22, 1967 | Even though he was wounded after his unit was attacked, he took command when the company commander was killed. He organized the defense and helped arrange a helicopter evacuation of the wounded. He refused his own medical evacuation and stayed with the company until a new commander arrived. | |
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Edgar L. McWethy, Jr. † | Army | Specialist Five | Bình Định Province | June 21, 1967 | Repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to treat his wounded friends. Even though he was wounded three times himself, he kept helping his fellow soldiers until he suffered a fourth and fatal wound. |
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Don L. Michael † | Army | Specialist Four | South Vietnam | April 8, 1967 | Single-handedly destroyed a Viet Cong bunker and was then killed while chasing the retreating enemy soldiers. |
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Franklin D. Miller | Army | Staff Sergeant | Kon Tum Province | January 5, 1970 | He single-handedly held off an enemy attack, arranged for a helicopter to pick up his unit, and again fought off the enemy alone until help arrived, even though he was wounded himself. |
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Gary L. Miller † | Army | First Lieutenant | Bình Dương Province | February 16, 1969 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Robert J. Modrzejewski | Marine Corps | Captain | South Vietnam | July 15, 1966 – July 18, 1966 | Led his men in taking enemy ammunition and supplies. He continued to counterattack the enemy using artillery fire and air support. |
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Ferenc Zoltán Molnár † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Kon Tum Province | May 20, 1967 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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James H. Monroe † | Army | Private First Class | Bồng Sơn, Hoài Nhơn District | February 16, 1967 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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William D. Morgan † | Marine Corps | Corporal | Quảng Trị Province | February 25, 1969 | Created a diversion at the cost of his own life, giving his squad time to evacuate two wounded soldiers. |
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Charles B. Morris | Army | Sergeant | South Vietnam | June 29, 1966 | Continued to lead his squad, fight the enemy, and help the wounded, even though he was wounded four separate times. |
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Melvin Morris | Army | Staff Sergeant | near Chi Lăng | September 17, 1969 | For his brave actions as Commander of a Strike Force during combat operations against an armed enemy. |
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Robert C. Murray † | Army | Staff Sergeant | near Hiệp Đức | June 7, 1970 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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David P. Nash † | Army | Private First Class | Giao Duc District, Dinh Tuong Province | December 29, 1968 | Covered a grenade with his body to protect those around him. |
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Melvin E. Newlin † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Quảng Nam Province | July 4, 1967 | Died while single-handedly attacking an enemy force, breaking up and disorganizing the enemy. |
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Thomas P. Noonan, Jr. † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | near Vandegrift Combat Base, Quảng Trị Province | February 5, 1969 | Died while trying to rescue a wounded man. |
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Thomas R. Norris | Navy | Lieutenant | Quảng Trị Province | April 10, 1972 – April 13, 1972 | Rescued two downed pilots deep within heavily controlled enemy territory. |
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Michael J. Novosel | Army | Chief Warrant Officer | Kien Tuong Province | October 2, 1969 | Rescued 29 American and South Vietnamese soldiers from a heavily fortified enemy training area without any cover or gunship support. |
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Milton L. Olive, III † | Army | Private First Class | Phu Cuong | October 22, 1965 | Covered a grenade blast with his body. He was the first African American Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War. |
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Kenneth L. Olson † | Army | Specialist Four | Long An | May 13, 1968 | Covered a grenade blast with his body. |
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Robert E. O'Malley | Marine Corps | Corporal | near An Cu'ong 2, South Vietnam | August 18, 1965 | Risked his life and led his men to repeatedly attack the enemy, help another Marine unit that had suffered many casualties, and led his unit to a helicopter for evacuation. |
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David G. Ouellet † | Navy | Seaman | Mekong River | March 6, 1967 | Placed himself between an enemy grenade and his shipmates, absorbing most of the blast to protect them from injury and death. |
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Robert M. Patterson | Army | Specialist Four | near La Chu, Thừa Thiên Province | May 6, 1968 | During a firefight, he single-handedly destroyed a series of enemy bunkers. |
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Joe C. Paul † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | near Chu Lai | August 18, 1965 | Died while defending his wounded friends from the enemy. He provided effective covering fire to allow the casualties to be evacuated. |
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Richard A. Penry | Army | Sergeant | Bình Tuy Province | January 31, 1970 | Helped organize defenses and repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to get supplies and return fire. He voluntarily left the perimeter, set up a guiding beacon, decided the order for evacuation, and carried 18 wounded men to the rescue site. After all wounded were evacuated, he joined another platoon and helped chase the enemy. |
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William T. Perkins, Jr. † | Marine Corps | Corporal | Quảng Trị Province | October 12, 1967 | Gave his life by covering an enemy grenade with his body to save the lives of three fellow Marines. He is the only combat photographer to have received the Medal of Honor. |
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Lawrence D. Peters † | Marine Corps | Sergeant | Quảng Tín Province | September 4, 1967 | After being hit by enemy mortar, machine gun, and small arms fire, he continuously fought and led his men against the enemy until dying from his wounds. |
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Danny J. Petersen † | Army | Specialist Four | Tây Ninh Province | January 9, 1970 | Repeatedly exposed himself and his armored vehicle to enemy fire to protect other soldiers. After his vehicle was disabled, he stayed behind and was killed while providing covering fire so others could retreat. |
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Jimmy W. Phipps † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | near An Hoa Combat Base | May 27, 1969 | Gave his life to save others by covering an enemy grenade with his body. |
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Larry S. Pierce † | Army | Sergeant | near Bến Cát | September 20, 1965 | Gave his life to save others by covering an enemy grenade with his body. |
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William H. Pitsenbarger † | Air Force | Airman First Class | near Cẩm Mỹ | April 11, 1966 | Refused to be evacuated while tending to wounded soldiers and defending the unit's position. Originally awarded the Air Force Cross, his medal was upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2000 after a review of his actions. |
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Richard A. Pittman | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | near the Demilitarized Zone | July 24, 1966 | Risked his life to help a group of Marines who had been attacked by a larger enemy force. |
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Riley L. Pitts † | Army | Captain | Ap Dong | October 31, 1967 | Died after attacking an enemy force with rifle fire and grenades. He was the first African American commissioned officer to be awarded the Medal of Honor. |
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Stephen W. Pless | Marine Corps | Captain | near Quảng Ngãi | August 19, 1967 | Rescued a group of surrounded American troops with his helicopter. |
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William D. Port † | Army | Private First Class | Que Son Valley, Quảng Tín Province | January 12, 1968 | Rescued a wounded friend and then covered the blast of an enemy-thrown grenade with his body to protect other soldiers. He survived the blast but was seriously wounded and captured by the enemy, dying as a prisoner of war ten months later. |
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Robert L. Poxon † | Army | First Lieutenant | Tây Ninh Province | June 2, 1969 | Was wounded when trying to rescue a wounded soldier. Despite his injuries, he led his platoon and successfully destroyed an enemy bunker before being killed. |
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William R. Prom † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | near An Hoa Combat Base | February 9, 1969 | Gave his life to direct fire at the enemy at very close range. |
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Robert J. Pruden † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Quảng Ngãi Province | November 29, 1969 | Gave his life to make sure rescue helicopters could pick up his team. |
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Laszlo Rabel † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Bình Định Province | November 13, 1968 | Fell on a grenade to save his friends. |
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Alfred V. Rascon | Army | Specialist Four | South Vietnam | March 16, 1966 | Specialist Rascon showed amazing bravery under deadly enemy fire. He was heroic in rescuing the wounded and gallantly risked his own life many times for his fellow soldiers. |
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David R. Ray † | Navy | Hospital Corpsman Second Class | Quảng Nam Province | March 19, 1969 | For courage and fearlessness in defending his position and helping wounded Marines. |
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Ronald E. Ray | Army | First Lieutenant | Ia Drang Valley | June 19, 1966 | Eliminated enemy fire with available weapons and shielded his men from an enemy grenade. |
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Frank S. Reasoner † | Marine Corps | First Lieutenant | Da Nang | nearJuly 12, 1965 | Tried to rescue one of his wounded men on a Marine reconnaissance patrol. |
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Anund C. Roark † | Army | Sergeant | Kon Tum Province | May 16, 1968 | Gave his life to save his fellow soldiers by covering a grenade with his body. |
Gordon R. Roberts | Army | Specialist Four | Thừa Thiên Province | July 11, 1969 | For his efforts in retrieving wounded personnel and defending his platoon. | |
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James W. Robinson, Jr. † | Army | Sergeant | South Vietnam | April 11, 1966 | Gave his life to destroy an enemy bunker and protect several of his fellow soldiers. |
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Louis R. Rocco | Army | Sergeant First Class | northeast of Katum | May 24, 1970 | Showed great bravery when he volunteered to go with a medical evacuation team on an urgent mission to evacuate eight critically wounded Army of the Republic of Vietnam personnel. |
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Jose Rodela | Army | Sergeant First Class | Phuoc Long Province | September 1, 1969 | Repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to help the fallen and destroy an enemy rocket position. |
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Charles C. Rogers | Army | Lieutenant Colonel | Fishhook, near Cambodian border | November 1, 1968 | Risked his life to push back the enemy and protect his soldiers during an enemy attack on his firebase. |
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Gary M. Rose | Army | Captain | Chavan, Laos | September 11, 1970 – September 14, 1970 | Risked his life to treat 60–70 personnel, even though he was wounded many times during Operation Tailwind. |
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Eurípides Rubio † | Army | Captain | Tây Ninh Province | November 8, 1966 | For his efforts in directing an air strike on enemy forces. |
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Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. † | Army | Specialist Four | Near Se San Village, Cambodia | May 10, 1970 | For heroic action when his platoon was ambushed by North Vietnamese forces. |
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Héctor Santiago-Colón † | Army | Specialist Four | Quảng Trị Province | June 28, 1968 | Fell on a grenade to save his friends. He is one of five Puerto Ricans to receive the Medal of Honor after death. |
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Ruppert L. Sargent † | Army | First Lieutenant | Hậu Nghĩa Province | March 15, 1967 | On that day, while in Hậu Nghĩa Province, Sargent threw himself on two enemy hand grenades, giving his life but saving the lives of two men nearby. |
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Clarence E. Sasser | Army | Private First Class | Dinh Tuong Province | January 10, 1968 | Risked his life to save several wounded soldiers. Even though he was severely wounded himself, he kept treating their wounds for five hours until they were rescued. |
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William W. Seay † | Army | Sergeant | near Ap Nhi | August 25, 1968 | When his convoy was attacked, Seay twice left his safe spot to throw enemy grenades back at the North Vietnamese forces. Even though he was wounded in the wrist, he again exposed himself to enemy fire and was fatally shot. |
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Daniel J. Shea † | Army | Private First Class | Quảng Trị Province | May 14, 1969 | Killed by enemy gunfire after helping to defeat an attacking enemy force. |
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Marvin G. Shields † | Navy | Construction Mechanic Third Class | Đồng Xoài | June 10, 1965 | Died after rescuing several wounded, helping to destroy an enemy gun position, and resupplying ammunition to his unit. |
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Lance P. Sijan † | Air Force | Captain | North Vietnam | November 9, 1967 | For actions as a prisoner of war from November 9, 1967, to January 22, 1968. |
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Clifford C. Sims † | Army | Staff Sergeant | Huế | nearFebruary 21, 1968 | Sims threw himself onto a triggered booby-trap device. He died in the explosion but successfully protected the members of his squad. |
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Walter K. Singleton † | Marine Corps | Sergeant | Gio Linh District, Quảng Trị Province | March 24, 1967 | Died in an attack where he killed eight of the enemy and drove the rest away. |
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George K. Sisler † | Army | First Lieutenant | South Vietnam | February 7, 1967 | Organized the defense, rescued a wounded soldier, and single-handedly attacked an enemy position before being killed. |
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Donald S. Skidgel † | Army | Sergeant | near Sông Bé | September 14, 1969 | Died trying to draw enemy fire away from his convoy after manning a machine gun in his vehicle. |
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Donald P. Sloat † | Army | Specialist Four | Quảng Tín Province | January 17, 1970 | Died using his body to shield friends from a grenade blast. |
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Larry E. Smedley † | Marine Corps | Corporal | Quảng Nam Province | December 21, 1967 | Attacked the enemy with grenades and rifle fire until dying from his wounds. |
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Elmelindo R. Smith † | Army | Staff Sergeant | South Vietnam | February 16, 1967 | Even though he was wounded by a rocket, he led his platoon on a patrol when enemy forces attacked with machine guns, mortars, and rockets. |
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James M. Sprayberry | Army | First Lieutenant | South Vietnam | April 25, 1968 | Led a patrol that rescued men who were wounded and cut off from the rest of the company. In the process, he destroyed several enemy bunkers and machine gun positions. |
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Russell A. Steindam † | Army | First Lieutenant | Tây Ninh Province | February 1, 1970 | Defended his company from an enemy grenade. |
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Jimmy G. Stewart † | Army | Staff Sergeant | South Vietnam | May 18, 1966 | Gave his life to hold his company's position against the enemy, allowing others to come to his aid and push back the enemy force. |
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James B. Stockdale | Navy | Captain | Hỏa Lò Prison, Hanoi, North Vietnam | September 4, 1969 | For action as a prisoner of war. |
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Lester R. Stone, Jr. † | Army | Sergeant | west of Landing Zone Liz | March 3, 1969 | Gave his life by manning a machine gun in an exposed position during an enemy attack, allowing others to rescue a wounded friend. |
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Mitchell W. Stout † | Army | Sergeant | Khe Gio Bridge | March 12, 1970 | Gave his life to save others by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Robert F. Stryker † | Army | Specialist Four | near Lộc Ninh | November 7, 1967 | Gave his life to save several fellow soldiers by covering a claymore mine with his body. |
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Kenneth E. Stumpf | Army | Specialist Four | near Đức Phổ | April 25, 1967 | Risked his life by rescuing three injured squad members and then led his squad to attack and destroy a heavily fortified enemy bunker complex. |
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Jon E. Swanson † | Army | Captain | Cambodia | February 26, 1971 | Gave his life by flying his aircraft dangerously slow and low to destroy enemy machine gun positions until his aircraft was shot down. |
James A. Taylor | Army | First Lieutenant | west of Quế Sơn | November 9, 1967 | Risked his life to save the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. | |
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Karl G. Taylor, Sr. † | Marine Corps | Staff Sergeant | Dodge City, Quảng Nam Province | December 8, 1968 | Gave his life to save the lives of several Marines by taking out an enemy bunker. |
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Larry Taylor | Army | First Lieutenant | Bình Dương province | June 12, 1969 | AH-1 Cobra pilot who rescued four soldiers under enemy fire. |
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Brian M. Thacker | Army | First Lieutenant | Kon Tum Province | March 31, 1971 | Risked his own life to allow his unit to escape. |
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Michael E. Thornton | Navy | Engineman Second Class | Quảng Trị Province | October 31, 1972 | Saved the life of his superior officer and allowed the other members of his patrol to escape. |
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Leo K. Thorsness | Air Force | Major | over North Vietnam | April 19, 1967 | Risked his life to help rescue three downed aviators. |
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Jay R. Vargas | Marine Corps | Captain | Dai Do | April 30, 1968 – May 2, 1968 | Vargas asked that his mother's name, M. Sando Vargas, Jr., be engraved on the medal and added to the rolls. |
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Humbert R. Versace † | Army | Captain | Cà Mau | October 29, 1963 – September 26, 1965 | Was executed by the Viet Cong while a prisoner of war after repeated escape attempts, torture, and mistreatment. |
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John E. Warren, Jr. † | Army | First Lieutenant | Tây Ninh Province | January 14, 1969 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Charles J. Watters † | Army | Major | Battle of Dak To | November 19, 1967 | A chaplain who gave his life to rescue several wounded men. |
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Dale E. Wayrynen † | Army | Specialist Four | Quảng Ngãi Province | May 18, 1967 | Covered a grenade blast with his body to protect those around him. |
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Lester W. Weber † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Quảng Nam Province | February 23, 1969 | After fighting back four enemy soldiers and causing 11 others to retreat, he was killed by a fifth enemy soldier. |
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Gary G. Wetzel | Army | Private First Class | near Ap Dong An | January 8, 1968 | Even though he lost his arm and repeatedly lost consciousness from blood loss after his helicopter was shot down, he fought back an enemy gun position and helped rescue a fallen officer. |
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Roy M. Wheat † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Dien Ban District, Quảng Nam Province | August 11, 1967 | Gave his life by covering a mine with his body. |
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Jerry W. Wickam † | Army | Corporal | near Lộc Ninh | January 6, 1968 | Died after repeatedly attacking and defeating the enemy. |
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Hilliard A. Wilbanks † | Air Force | Captain | Da Lat | nearFebruary 24, 1967 | Showed great bravery by realizing that Army Rangers were walking into an ambush. With no air support nearby and no radio communication with the Rangers, he gave his life to warn them of the danger. |
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Louis E. Willett † | Army | Private First Class | Kon Tum Province | February 15, 1967 | Provided covering fire twice for his squad's retreat despite heavy enemy fire. |
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Charles Q. Williams | Army | Second Lieutenant | Đồng Xoài | June 9, 1965 – June 10, 1965 | After a group of enemy insurgents attacked, he organized a defense and pushed back the enemy throughout the night. |
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Dewayne T. Williams † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Quảng Nam Province | September 18, 1968 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
James E. Williams | Navy | Boatswain's Mate First Class | Mekong River | October 31, 1966 | Against huge odds, Williams led his PBRs (Patrol Boats, River) several times against groups of enemy boats. As a result of the three-hour battle, the American naval force killed many enemy fighters, destroyed over fifty vessels, and stopped a major enemy supply operation. | |
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Alfred M. Wilson † | Marine Corps | Private First Class | Quảng Trị Province | March 3, 1969 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
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David F. Winder † | Army | Private First Class | South Vietnam | May 13, 1970 | Gave his life trying to help a wounded soldier. |
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Kenneth L. Worley † | Marine Corps | Lance Corporal | Bo Ban, Quảng Nam Province | August 12, 1968 | Gave his life by covering a grenade with his body. |
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Raymond R. Wright | Army | Specialist Four | Ap Bac Zone | May 2, 1967 | Along with another soldier, he attacked and defeated many enemy bunkers. |
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Maximo Yabes † | Army | First Sergeant | near Phu Hoa Dong | February 26, 1967 | Used his body as a shield to protect others in a bunker, moved two wounded men to a safer position for medical treatment, and destroyed an enemy machine gun position before being killed. |
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Rodney J. T. Yano † | Army | Sergeant First Class | near Biên Hòa | January 1, 1969 | Gave his life to save the other members of his aircrew. |
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Gordon D. Yntema † | Army | Sergeant | near Thăng Bình | January 16, 1968 – January 18, 1968 | Defended several fallen friends and forced the Vietnamese to kill him rather than capture him. |
Gerald O. Young | Air Force | Captain | Khe Sanh | November 9, 1967 | Showed great bravery while serving as a helicopter rescue crew commander. | |
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Marvin R. Young † | Army | Staff Sergeant | near Bến Củi | August 21, 1968 | Gave his life so his unit could escape. |
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Fred W. Zabitosky | Army | Staff Sergeant | February 19, 1968 | Zabitosky directed the defense until rescue helicopters arrived. When the helicopter meant to pick him up crashed, he ignored his own injuries to save the downed pilot. |
The Unknown Soldier
The unknown soldier from the Vietnam War was buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns. He was given a Medal of Honor. In 1998, he was identified as 1st Lieutenant Michael Blassie, from the U.S. Air Force. After DNA tests confirmed who he was, his remains were moved from the tomb and returned to his family. However, the Medal of Honor did not go with him. It remains awarded to "the unknown soldier" to honor all war dead who have not yet been identified. The Blassie family asked for the Medal of Honor to be given to him, but the Department of Defense said no.