Medal of Honor Citations: Vietnam War

PT-76 Tank at the site of the Lang Vei Special Forces Camp

My Visit to Vietnam: 5-18 March 2013

I took a 2 week comprehensive tour of Vietnam traveling from Hanoi in the north, down to Can Tho in the Mekong Delta. I saw the site of the Khe Sanh Combat Base, The Rockpile, the site of the Lang Vei Special Forces Camp, the Hanoi Hilton prison, the Vinh Moc Tunnels, Chu Lai, the Cu Chi Tunnels, the War Remnants Museum, the former Presidential Palace plus many other interesting locations. I have posted approximately 275 photographs. Simply click on the above image to view each day's gallery of pictures and maps, or CLICK HERE.

Go here to view photographs on my San Francisco Bay Area Photo-Blog: www.mishalov.net

Nadezhda Popova, World War II 'Night Witch', Dies at 91

Ms. Popova said in 2010. "I can still imagine myself as a young girl, up there in my little bomber. And I ask myself, 'Nadia, how did you do it?'" GO HERE

Stanley R. Resor, Vietnam War Army chief, Dies at 94

When he resigned in May 1971, he said the Vietnam War could prove to be "unwise" if it resulted in a new American isolationism. GO HERE

John F. Baker, Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies at 66

"He wasn't just someone you wanted beside you in combat, he reached out to others all his life." GO HERE

Nick Bacon, Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies at 64

When his platoon leader was shot and fell wounded on open ground, Staff Sgt. Bacon took charge of the platoon and led its assault againt an enemy bunker. GO HERE

Vernon Baker, Belated Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies at 90

Vernon Baker, who was the only living black veteran awarded the Medal of Honor for valor in World War II, receiving it 52 years after he wiped out four German machine-gun nests. GO HERE

John Finn, Medal of Honor Winner, Dies at 100

John W. Finn, the last survivor of the 15 Navy men who received the Medal of Honor for herorism during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. GO HERE

Modesto Cartagena, Hero of Korea, Is Dead at 87

Sergeant Cartagena received the Distinguished Service Cross. GO HERE

Red Army soldier who helped raise Russian flag over Hitler's Reichstag dies at 93

Abdulkhakim Ismailov had fought all the way to Berlin from the Battle of Stalingrad three years earlier. GO HERE

Marek Edelman, Commander in Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, Dies at 90

Marek Edelman, a cardiologist who was the last surviving commander of the 1943 Warsaw ghetto uprising against the Germans. GO HERE

Robert S. McNamara, Architect of a Futile War, Dies at 93

He was a forceful defense secretary who helped lead the nation into the maelstrom of Vietnam and spent the rest of his life wrestling with the war's moral consequences. GO HERE

Sergeant Russell Dunham, Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies at 89

He charged up a snowy hill in the Alsace region of France and single-handedly killed, wounded or captured 18 German soldiers. GO HERE

Lt. Gen. Victor H. Krulak, Marine Behind U.S. Landing Craft, Dies at 95

“The marines,” he wrote, “are an assemblage of warriors, nothing more.” GO HERE

Colonel Donald Blakeslee, Decorated World War II Flying Ace, Dies at 90

In his four years in the European theater, Colonel Blakeslee flew nearly 500 missions and had about 1,000 combat hours to his credit. GO HERE

Robert Rosenthal, Leader in Bombing Raids and Lawyer at Nuremberg, Dies at 89

Robert Rosenthal helped usher in a new kind of warfare, the strategic bombing of Germany. GO HERE

Raymond Murphy, 77, Medal of Honor Recipient During the Korean War, Dies

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for leading his platoon to take a hill, even though he was painfully wounded. GO HERE

Jay Zeamer Jr. a Pilot in WW II, and a Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies at 88

Jay Zeamer Jr., a World War II bomber pilot was awarded the Medal of Honor for fighting off enemy attacks during a photographic mapping mission. GO HERE

Jack P. Smith, Ia Drang Valley Veteran, Dies at 58

Mr. Smith, son of the late broadcaster Howard K. Smith, wrote a first-person article for the Saturday Evening Post on the bloody battle of the Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam. GO HERE

General Jacob E. Smart, Ploesti Raid Strategist, Dies at 97

General Jacob E. Smart, then a colonel, conceived the strategy for the daring World War II bombing raid on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. GO HERE

Guy Gabaldon, 80, Hero of Battle of Saipan, Dies

Guy Gabaldon, a Marine private in World War II used extraordinary grit and a smattering of Japanese phrases to capture more than 1,000 Japanese soldiers single-handedly in the battle for Saipan. GO HERE

Joe Rosenthal,94, Photographer at Iwo Jima, Dies

An American flag is raised atop Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima, on Feb. 23, 1945. Joe Rosenthal took this famous picture on the fifth day of the furious 36-day battle that left 6,621 American dead and 19,217 wounded. GO HERE

Besby Frank Holmes, 88, Ace Who Scored a Big Kill in 1943, Dies

Besby Frank Holmes in front of a P-38 fighter plane in 1943. GO HERE

Donald Rudolph, 85, Medal of Honor Recipient, Dies

Donald Rudolph, received the Medal of Honor for his actions on the island of Luzon, the main Philippine island, on 5 February 1945. GO HERE

After 65 Years a Hero's Medal of Honor Finds a Home

Peter Tomich, Born in Bosnia, received the Medal of Honor for his actions on 7 December 1941. GO HERE

Fred Christensen, 84, U.S. Ace in Europe in World War II, Dies

Fred Christensen, a leading American ace shot down six German transport planes in a single day in 1944. GO HERE

Desmond T. Doss, 87, Heroic War Objector, Dies

Desmond T. Doss, recipient of the Medal of Honor. As a unarmed Army medic he saved the lives of dozens of fellow soldiers under fire on Okinawa in World War II. GO HERE

Military Lab Puts Name on a Long-Lost Airman

The melting snow of the Sierra Nevada fell away from the airman inch by inch. He lay facedown, his hair thick and blond atop a crushed head. GO HERE

Duty and Honor, in 24 Notes

The weather is cold, the mood solemn as Ed Crobie raises his bugle to sound taps. His calling is to ensure that tradition keeps its human touch

Retired Marine Corporal Ed Crobie trudges through the snowdrifts with his bugle. GO HERE

Hugh Thompson, 62, Who Saved Civilians at My Lai Dies

Chief Warrant Office dies on 6 January 2006. GO HERE

Medal of Honor Citations

Vietnam War 1964-1972

A complete and official catalog of the 246 Medal of Honor citations issued for combat actions during the Vietnam War

Listed below are the official military citations for the 246 men who were awarded the Medal of Honor for combat actions during the Vietnam War. The recipients are listed alphabetically without regard to the military branch they served in. An asterisk(*) next to a name indicates that he was killed in combat. Click on a name to view personal data about the recipient and the citation describing the circumstances which caused the award to be issued. Some of the citation pages contain a remembrance of the recipient, and/or a contemporary or recent photograph of the soldier who received the Medal of Honor.

P=Photograph

R=Remembrance

Mark this page as a favorite, or bookmark it, so you can come back and read additional Medal of Honor citations.

Adams, William E.*^P	Albanese, Lewis*^P/R	Anderson, James , Jr.*^P
Anderson,_Richard A*^P	Anderson, Webster^P	Ashley, Eugene , Jr.*^P
Austin, Oscar P.*^P/R	Baca, John P.^P	Bacon, Nicky D.^P
Baker, John F.^P	Ballard, Donald E.^P	Barker, Jedh C.*^P
Barnes, John A. III*^P	Barnum, Harvey C.^P	Beikirch, Gary B.^P
Belcher, Ted* ^P/R	Bellrichard, Leslie A.*^P	Benavidez, Roy P.^P/R
Bennett, Steven L.*^P	Bennett, Thomas W.*^P/R	Blanchfield, Michael R.*^P
Bobo, John P.*^P	Bondsteel, James L.^P/R	Bowen, Hammett L.,Jr.*^P
Brady, Patrick Henry^P	Bruce, Daniel D.*^P	Bryant, William M.*^P/R
Bucha, Paul W.^P	Buker, Brian L.*^P	Burke, Robert C.*^P
Capodanno, Vincent *^P/R	Caron, Wayne M.*^P	Carter, Bruce W.*^P
Cavaiani, Jon R.^P	Clausen, Raymond M.^P	Coker, Ronald L.*^P
Connor, Peter S.*^P	Cook, Donald G.*^P	Crandall, Bruce P.^P
Creek, Thomas E.*^P	Crescenz, Michael J.*^P	Cutinha, Nicholas J.*^P/R
Dahl, Larry G.*^P/R	Davis, Rodney M.*^P	Davis, Sammy L.^P/R
Day, George E.^P	De La Garza, Emilio A.*^P	Dethlefsean, Merlyn H.^P
Devore, Edward A., Jr.*	Dias, Ralph E.*^P/R	Dickey, Douglas E.*^P
Dix, Drew D.^P	Doane, Stephen H.*^P	Dolby, David C.^P
Donlon, Roger Hugh C.^P	Dunagan, Kern W.^P	Durham, Harold B.,Jr.*
English, Glenn H.,Jr.*^P	Estocin, Michael J.*^P/R	Evans, Donald W., Jr.*^P
Evans, Rodney, Jr.*^P/R	Ferguson, Frederick E.^P	Fernandez, Daniel *^P/R
Fisher, Bernard F.^P	Fitz Maurice, Michael J.^P	Fleek, Charles C.*
Fleming, James P.^P	Foley, Robert F.^P	Folland, Michael F.*
Foster, Paul H.*^P	Fournet, Douglas B.*^P/R	Fous, James W.*^P
Fox, Wesley L.^P	Freeman, Ed W.^P/R	Fratellenico, Frank R.*^P
Fritz, Harold A.^P	Gardner, James A.*^P	Gertsch, John G.*^P
Gonzalez, Alfredo*^P/R	Graham, James A.*^R	Grandstaff, Bruce A.*^P/R
Grant, Joseph X.*^P	Graves, Terrence C.*^P/R	Guenette, Peter M.*^P
Hagemeister, Charles C^P	Hagen, Loren D.*^P	Hartsock, Robert W.*^P/R
Harvey, Carmel B., Jr.*^P/R	Herda, Frank A.^P	Hibbs, Robert J.*
Holcomb, John N.*^P	Hooper, Joe R.^P/R	Hosking, Charles E., Jr.*^P
Howard, Jimmie E.^P/R	Howard, Robert L.^P	Howe, James D.*^P
Ingalls, George A.*^P	Ingram, Robert R.^P/R	Jackson, Joe M.^P
Jacobs, Jack H.^P	Jenkins, Don J.^P	Jenkins, Robert H., Jr.*^P/R
Jennings, Delbert O.^P	Jimenez, Jose F.*^P	Joel, Lawrence^P
Johnson, Dwight H.^P/R	Johnson, Ralph H.*^P	Johnston, Donald R.*
Jones, William A., III^P	Karopczyc, Stephen E.*^P	Kawamura, Terry T.*^P
Kays, Kenneth M.^P	Kedenburg, John J.*^P	Keith, Miguel*^P
Keller, Leonard B.^P	Kelley, Thomas G.^P/R	Kellogg, Allan J.,Jr.^P
Kerrey, Joseph R (Bob)^P	Kinsman, Thomas J.^P	Lambers, Paul R.^P
Lang, George C.^P	Langhorn, Garfield M.*^P/R	LaPointe, Joseph G., Jr.*^P/R
Lassen, Clyde E.^P/R	Lauffer, Billy L.*	Law, Robert D.*^P
Lee, Howard V.^P	Lee, Milton A.*^P/R	Leisy, Robert R.*
Lemon, Peter C.^P	Leonard, Matthew*	Levitow, John L.^P/R
Liteky, Charles^P/R	Littrell, Gary L.^P	Livingston, James E.^P
Long, Donald R.*^P	Lozada, Carlos J.*^P	Lucas, Andre C.*^P
Lynch, Allen J.^P	Marm, Walter J., Jr.^P	Martini, Gary W.*^P
Maxam, Larry L.*^P/R	McCleery, Finnis D.^P/R	McDonald, Phill G.*^P
McGinty, John J.,III^P/R	McGonagle, William L.^P/R	McKibben, Ray*
McMahon, Thomas J.*^P	McNerney, David H.^P	McWethy, Edgar Lee *
Michael, Don L.*^P	Miller, Franklin D.^P	Miller, Gary L.*^R
Modrzejewski, Robert ^P/R	Molnar, Frankie Z.*^P	Monroe, James H.*
Morgan, William D.*^P	Morris,Charles B.^P	Murray, Robert C.*^P
Nash, David P.*^R	Newlin, Melvin E.*^P	Noonan, Thomas Jr.*^P/R
Norris, Thomas R.^P/R	Novosel, Michael J.^P	O'Malley, Robert E.^P
Olive, Milton L.III*^P/R	Olson, Kenneth L.*^P/R	Ouellet, David G.*^P
Patterson, Robert M.^P	Paul, Joe C.*^P	Penry, Richard A.^P/R
Perkins, William T. Jr.*^P	Peters, Lawrence D.*^P	Petersen, Danny J.*
Phipps, Jimmy W.*^R	Pierce, Larry S.*^P	Pitsenbarger, William *^P/R
Pittman, Richard A.^P	Pitts, Riley S.*^P	Pless, Stephen W.^P
Port, William D.*^P/R	Poxon, Robert L.*^P	Prom, William R.*^P/R
Pruden, Robert J.*^P	Rabel, Laszlo*^P/R	Rascon, Alfred ^P/R
Ray, David R.*^P/R	Ray, Ronald E.^P	Reasoner, Frank S.*^P/R
Roark, Anund C.*^P	Roberts, Gordon R.^P	Robinson, James W., Jr.*^R
Rocco, Louis R.^P	Rogers, Charles C.^P	Rubio, Euripides*^P/R
Sargent, Ruppert L.*	Sasser, Clarence E.^P	Seay, William W.*^R
Santiago-Colon, Hector*^P	Shea, Daniel J.*^P	Shields, Marvin G.*^P
Sijan, Lance P.*^P/R	Sims, Clifford C.*^P	Singleton, Walter K.*^P
Sisler, George K.*^P/R	Skidgel, Donald S.*^P	Smedley, Larry E.*^P
Smith, Elmelindo R.*^P	Sprayberry, James M.^P	Steindam, Russel A.*^P
Stewart, Jimmy G.*^P	Stockdale, James B.^P	Stone, Lester R., Jr.*^P/R
Stout, Mitchell W.*^P/R	Stryker, Robert F.*	Stumpf, Kenneth E.^P/R
Swanson, Jon E.*^P/R	Taylor, James A.^P	Taylor, Karl G., Sr.*^P/R
Thacker, Brian M.^P	Thornton.html^P/R	Thorsness, Leo K.^P
Vargas, Jay R.^P	Versace, Rocky*^P/R	Warren, John E., Jr.*^P
Watters, Charles J.*^P/R	Wayrynen, Dale E.*^P	Weber, Lester W.*^P
Wetzel, Gary G.^P	Wheat, Roy M.*.^P	Wickam, Jerry W.*
Wilbanks, Hilliard A.*^P	Willett, Louis E.*^P/R	Williams, Charles Q.^P
Williams, Dewayne T.*^P	Williams, James E.^P/R	Wilson, Alfred M.*^P
Winder, David F.*	Worley, Kenneth L.*^P	Wright, Raymond R.^R
Yabes, Maximo*^P	Yano, Rodney J.T.*^P	Yntema, Gordon D.*^P/R
Young, Gerald O.^P	Young, Marvin R.*^P/R	Zabitosky, Fred W.^P

James Montgomery Flagg, 1917

11 September 2001

"Only in winter can you tell which trees are truly green

Only when the winds of adversity blow can you tell whether an individual or a country has steadfastness."

John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States: 1961-1963

Obituaries

Men and woman who performed a significant or heroic role in the military conflicts of our age.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt 63, died on 12 April 1945; 32nd President of the United States. Go Here to read his obituary.

Sir Winston Churchill 90, died on 24 January 1965; Wartime leader of Great Britain. Go Here to read his obituary.

Joseph Stalin 74, died on 5 March 1953; leader of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Go Here to read his obituary.

Adolph Hitler 56, died on 30 April 1945; leader of Nazi Germeny. Go Here to read his obituary.

Ho Chi Minh 79, died on 2 September 1969; leader of North Vietnam. Go Here to read his obituary.

Pham Xuan An 79, died on 20 September 2006; reporter who spied for Hanoi. Go Here to read his obituary.

Hugh Thompson, 62,who saved civilians at My Lai died on 6 January 2006. Go Here to read his obituary.

Bill Mauldin, famed WWII GI cartoonist died on 22 January 2003. Go Here to read his obituary.

Richard Rocco Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient, died 31 October 2002. Go Here to read his obituary.

Arthur Simmons 80; British Tank Commander. Go Here to read his obituary.

Johnnie Johnson 85; British Air Ace. Go Here to read his obituary.

Leo Marks 80; British WWII Code Breaker. Go Here to read his obituary.

Jimmy Yule 84; Colditz Hero. Go Here to read his obituary.

Harry DeWolf 97; Canada War Hero. Go Here to read his obituary.

Lida Baarova 86; Goebbels' Mistress. Go Here to read her obituary.

Bruce Palmer Jr. 87; Led Forces in Vietnam. Go Here to read his obituary.

John Worsley 81; Outfoxed the Nazis. Go Here to read his obituary.

Douglas Bagnall 82; Daring Bomber Attacks.Go Here to read his obituary.

Werner Klemperer 80; Colonel Klink in TV's "Hogan's Heroes." Go Here to read his obituary.

John Levitow 55; Medal of Honor Recipient-Vietnam War. Go Here to read his obituary.

Saburo Sakai 84; Japanese Pilot who Shot Down 64 Allied Aircraft. Go Here to read his obituary.

Pham Van Dong, 94; Voice of Vietnam's Revolt. Go Here to read his obituary.

Go Here to read additional obituaries of a similar nature.

From The Other Side

Ho Chi Minh Trail, Again. Go Here

Cu Chi Tunnels, Americans Welcome. Go Here

Vietnam US Military Ties? Go Here

Saigon Basks in Peace. Go Here

In Village, Vietnam War is Fleeting. Go Here

Vietnam Forgets Those Who Lost. Go Here

John McCain in Vietnam. Go Here

John McCain in Hanoi Hilton. Go Here

Vietnam and U.S. Sign Trade Agreement. Go Here

Vietnam's Widening Economic Gap. Go Here

Vietnam Reunited 25 Years On. Go Here

Vietnam Today: A Different War. Go Here

U.S. Defense Chief Visits Hanoi. Go Here

Ho Chi Minh Trail's Myth Dazzles Road Planners. Go Here

Go Here to read additional accounts about the other side.

11 November: The History of Veterans Day Go Here

Bill Cosby's Address to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education - 17 May 2004 Go Here

Death in the Ia Drang Valley,November 1965. By Jack P. Smith Go Here

Remains of naval air crew coming home after 35 years Go Here

Four new names added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. The total is now 58,235 Go Here

The Lost Father by Karen Spears Zacharias Go Here

New York Times Reporter leaves a Long Trail of Deception. 11 May 2003. Go Here

President Bush Signs Bill Authorizing World War II Memorial. May 28, 2001. Go Here

Stalin's Military Order #227: "Not a Step Back." July 28, 1942. Go Here

Hitler Declares War on the Soviet Union. June 22, 1941. Go Here

Stalin's Address to the People of the Soviet Union. July 3, 1941. Go Here

Molotov's Radio Broadcast to the People of the Soviet Union. June 22, 1941. Go Here

Bush Providing Corporate Look to White House. March 11, 2001. Go Here

George W. Bush's Speech to Congress. February 27, 2001. Go Here

Waco, Texas Pins its Hopes for Image on the G.W. Bush Ranch. February 16, 2001. Go Here

Californians Get Off the Electric Grid. January 24, 2001.Go Here

Bill Clinton's Indefensible Pardon. January 24, 2001.Go Here

George W. Bush Inauguration Address. January 20, 2001.Go Here

Martin Luther King Speech "I Have A Dream" Watch a video of the speech August 28, 1963. Watch a Video of the Speech Here

Kate Smith sings "God Bless America" which was recorded on 21 March 1939. Listen Here

Franklin D. Roosevelt Speech" A Date Which Will Live In Infamy" December 7, 1941. Listen Here RealAudio required

Note that the first 12 minutes of the FDR audio contain radio commentary leading up to the address. If you position the RealAudio slider to 12:25, you will hear the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sam Rayburn, introduce the President.

"Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park," Richmond, California. Go Here

North Korean Military Official meets with the President at the White House. October 10, 2000. Go Here

Nazi Enigma Machine Poses a New Enigma for the British. October 9, 2000. Go Here

Presidential Debate. Bush and Gore do the Expected. October 3, 2000. Go Here

Bush Assails Gore, Calling Ideas 'Tired.' September 17, 2000. Go Here

U.S. Withdrawing from Saigon. April 29,1975. Go Here

Vietcong in Saigon. April30,1975. Go Here

Communists Take Over Saigon. May 1, 1975. Go Here

Fall of Danang. March,1975.Go Here

Vietnam Peace Pact. January,1973. Go Here

Bush Tax Plan: The Debate Takes Shape. Go Here

Bush See Military Decline and Pledges a Turnaround. Go Here

George W. Bush's Acceptance Speech. Go Here

Word for Word: Nixon and Vietnam. Go Here

False Medal of Honor Recipients. Go Here

Captain Ben L. Salomon and Captain Jon E. Swanson posthumously received the Medal of Honor on 1 May 2002. Captain Salomon for actions on 7 July 1944 in the Marianas Islands, and Captain Swanson for actions on 26 February 1971 over Cambodia. Go Here and Go Here

President Theodore Roosevelt received the Medal of Honor. On Tuesday, 16 January 2001, the 26th President of the United States posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions on 1 July 1898 at the Battle of San Juan Hill, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War. Go Here

Go Here to read additional articles of related interest.

S ign the GuestbookView the Guestbook

Go to: History of, and Criteria for, the Medal of Honor

Go to: Living Medal of Honor Recipients

Go to: Photos from Korea and Japan: 1968 and 1969

Go to: My Return to Korea: October 2003

Go to: My Digital Photo Collection

Go to: False Medal of Honor recipient? Here is what you can do.

Go to: Home Page

Web sites of related interest:

• Vietnam-Era Prisoner-of-War / Missing-in-Action Government Database. Go Here

• Three's In: The Vietnam Prisoner of War Home Page, and a resource for additional POW related web sites. Go Here

• New York City Vietnam Memorial Plaza website. Go Here

Number of times this page has been visited:

Thanks to Sergeant First Class David L. Bata, U.S.Army, 101 Airborne Division, and Doug Sterner, homeofheros.com, for sharing many of their photographs of Medal of Honor recipients.

I have incorporated statistical information on the above citation pages for most of the Medal of Honor recipients who were killed in combat. The information has been retrieved from www.noquarter.org. (No longer on the Internet) Thanks to Chris Shepard and Tom Holloway.

neil@mishalov.com