244 Awards Compiled & Edited By C. Douglas Sterner
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Born: 6/14/1950 at Middletown, Ohio Home Town: Cincinnati, Ohio Gordon Roberts is the youngest living recipient of the Medal of Honor. *Robinson, James William Sergeant, U.S. Army Company D, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division Date of Action: April 11, 1966
The Medal of Honor is presented to James William Robinson, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Republic of Vietnam, on 11 April 1966. Company C was engaged in fierce combat with a Viet Cong battalion. Despite the heavy fire, Sergeant Robinson moved among the men of his fire team, instructing and inspiring them, and placing them in advantageous positions. Enemy snipers located in nearby trees were inflicting heavy casualties on forward elements of Sergeant Robinson's unit. Upon locating the enemy sniper whose fire was taking the heaviest toll, he took a grenade launcher and eliminated the sniper. Seeing a medic hit while administering aid to a wounded sergeant in front of his position and aware that now the two wounded men were at the mercy of the enemy, he charged through a withering hail of fire and dragged his comrades to safety, where he rendered first aid and saved their lives. As the battle continued and casualties mounted, Sergeant Robinson moved about under intense fire to collect from the wounded their weapons and ammunition and redistribute them to able-bodied soldiers. Adding his fire to that of his men, he assisted in eliminating a major enemy threat. Seeing another wounded comrade in front of his position, Sergeant Robinson again defied the enemy's fire to effect a rescue. In so doing he was himself wounded in the shoulder and leg. Despite his painful wounds, he dragged the soldier to shelter and saved his life by administering first aid. While patching his own wounds, he spotted an enemy machinegun which had inflicted a number of casualties on the American force. His rifle ammunition expended, he seized two grenades and, in an act of unsurpassed heroism, charged toward the entrenched enemy weapon. Hit again in the leg, this time with a tracer round which set fire to his clothing, Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning clothing from his body and staggered indomitably through the enemy fire, now concentrated solely on him, to within grenade range of the enemy machinegun position. Sustaining two additional chest wounds, he marshaled his fleeting physical strength and hurled the two grenades, thus destroying the enemy gun position, as he fell dead upon the battlefield. His magnificent display of leadership and bravery saved several lives and inspired his soldiers to defeat the numerically superior enemy force. Sergeant Robinson's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon the 1st Infantry Division and the U.S. Armed Forces.
Born: 8/30/1940 at Hinsdale, Illinois H Rocco, Louis Richard Warrant Officer, U.S. Army Advisory Team 162, U.S. Military Assistance Command Date of Action: May 24, 1970 Citation: The Medal of Honor is presented to Louis Richard Rocco, Warrant Officer, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Advisory Team 162, U.S. Military Assistance Command, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Katum, Republic of Vietnam, on 24 May 1970. Warrant Officer Rocco distinguished himself when he volunteered to accompany a medical evacuation team on an urgent mission to evacuate eight critically wounded Army of the Republic of Vietnam personnel. As the helicopter approached the landing zone, it became the target for intense enemy automatic weapons fire. Disregarding his own safety, Warrant Officer Rocco identified and placed accurate suppressive fire on the enemy positions as the aircraft descended toward the landing zone. Sustaining major damage from the enemy fire, the aircraft was forced to crash land, causing Warrant Officer Rocco to sustain a fractured wrist and hip and a severely bruised back. Ignoring his injuries, he extracted the survivors from the burning wreckage, sustaining burns to his own body. Despite intense enemy fire, Warrant Officer Rocco carried each unconscious man across approximately 20 meters of exposed terrain to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam perimeter. On each trip, his severely burned hands and broken wrist caused excruciating pain, but the lives of the unconscious crash survivors were more important than his personal discomfort, and he continued his rescue efforts. Once inside the friendly position, Warrant Officer Rocco helped administer first aid to his wounded comrades until his wounds and burns caused him to collapse and lose consciousness. His bravery under fire and intense devotion to duty were directly responsible for saving three of his fellow soldiers from certain death. His unparalleled bravery in the face of enemy fire, his complete disregard for his own pain and injuries, and his performance were far above and beyond the call of duty and were in keeping with the highest traditions of self-sacrifice and courage of the military service.
Born: 11/19/1938 at Albuquerque, New Mexico Home Town: Los Angeles, California R  ogers, Charles Calvin
Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division Date of Action: November 1, 1968 Citation: The Medal of Honor is presented to Charles Calvin Rogers, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, 5th Artillery, 1st Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces during the defense of a forward fire support base in the Fishhook Region, Republic of Vietnam, on 1 November 1968. In the early morning hours, the fire support base was subjected to a concentrated bombardment of heavy mortar, rocket and rocket propelled grenade fire. Simultaneously the position was struck by a human wave ground assault, led by sappers who breached the defensive barriers with bangalore torpedoes and penetrated the defensive perimeter. Lieutenant Colonel Rogers with complete disregard for his safety moved through the hail of fragments from bursting enemy rounds to the embattled area. He aggressively rallied the dazed artillery crewmen to man their howitzers and he directed their fire on the assaulting enemy. Although knocked to the ground and wounded by an exploding round, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers sprang to his feet and led a small counterattack force against an enemy element that had penetrated the howitzer positions. Although painfully wounded a second time during the assault, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers pressed the attack killing several of the enemy and driving the remainder from the positions. Refusing medical treatment, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers reestablished and reinforced the defensive positions. As a second human wave attack was launched against another sector of the perimeter, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers directed artillery fire on the assaulting enemy and led a second counterattack against the charging forces. His valorous example rallied the beleaguered defenders to repulse and defeat the enemy onslaught. Lieutenant Colonel Rogers moved from position to position through the heavy enemy fire, giving encouragement and direction to his men. At dawn the determined enemy launched a third assault against the fire base in an attempt to overrun the position. Lieutenant Colonel Rogers moved to the threatened area and directed lethal fire on the enemy forces. Seeing a howitzer inoperative due to casualties, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers joined the surviving members of the crew to return the howitzer to action. While directing the position defense, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers was seriously wounded by fragments from a heavy mortar round which exploded on the parapet of the gun position. Although too severely wounded to physically lead the defenders, Lieutenant Colonel Rogers continued to give encouragement and direction to his men in the defeating and repelling of the enemy attack. Lieutenant Colonel Rogers' dauntless courage and heroism inspired the defenders of the fire support base to the heights of valor to defeat a determined and numerically superior enemy force. His relentless spirit of aggressiveness in action are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Born: 9/6/1929 at Claremont, West Virginia Home Town: Institute, West Virginia When he was promoted to Major General in 1980, Charles Rogers became the highest ranking Black Medal of Honor recipient in history. * Captain, U.S. Army Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division Date of Action: November 8, 1966
The Medal of Honor is presented to Euripides Rubio, Captain, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 8 November 1966. Captain Rubio, Infantry, was serving as communications officer, 1st Battalion, when a numerically superior enemy force launched a massive attack against the battalion defense position. Intense enemy machinegun fire raked the area while mortar rounds and rifle grenades exploded within the perimeter. Leaving the relative safety of his post, Captain Rubio received two serious wounds as he braved the withering fire to go to the area of most intense action where he distributed ammunition, re-established positions and rendered aid to the wounded. Disregarding the painful wounds, he unhesitatingly assumed command when a rifle company commander was medically evacuated. Captain Rubio was wounded a third time as he selflessly exposed himself to the devastating enemy fire to move among his men to encourage them to fight with renewed effort. While aiding the evacuation of wounded personnel, he noted that a smoke grenade which was intended to mark the Viet Cong position for air strikes had fallen dangerously close to the friendly lines. Captain Rubio ran to reposition the grenade but was immediately struck to his knees by enemy fire. Despite his several wounds, Captain Rubio scooped up the grenade, ran through the deadly hail of fire to within 20 meters of the enemy position and hurled the already smoking grenade into the midst of the enemy before he fell for the final time. Using the repositioned grenade as a marker, friendly air strikes were directed to destroy the hostile positions. Captain Rubio's singularly heroic act turned the tide of battle, and his extraordinary leadership and valor were a magnificent inspiration to his men. His remarkable bravery and selfless concern for his men are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on Captain Rubio and the United States Army.
Born: 3/1/1938 at Ponce, Puerto Rico Home Town: Fort Buchanan, Puerto Rico *  Santiago-Colon, Hector
Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army Company B, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division Date of Action: June 28, 1968 Citation: The Medal of Honor is presented to Hector Santiago-Colon, Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 28 June 1968. Specialist Fourth Class 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, Specialist Fourth Class 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. Specialist Fourth Class 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 Specialist Fourth Class Santiago-Colon's foxhole. Realizing that there was no time to throw the grenade out of his position, Specialist Fourth Class 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, Specialist Fourth Class Santiago-Colon has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Born: 12/20/1942 at Salinas, Puerto Rico Home Town: New York, New York * First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army Company B, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division Date of Action: March 15, 1967 Citation: The Medal of Honor is presented to Ruppert Leon Sargent, First Lieutenant (Infantry), U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Hau Nghia Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 15 March 1967. While leading a platoon of Company B, First Lieutenant Sargent was investigating a reported Viet Cong meeting house and weapons cache. A tunnel entrance which First Lieutenant 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. First Lieutenant Sargent, the platoon sergeant, and a forward observer moved toward the tunnel entrance. As they approached, another Viet Cong emerged and threw two hand grenades that landed in the midst of the group. First Lieutenant Sargent fired three shots at the enemy then turned and unhesitatingly threw himself over the two grenades. He was mortally wounded, and his two 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. First Lieutenant Sargent's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military services and reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.
Born: 1/6/1938 at Hampton, Virginia Home Town: Richmond, Virginia Rupert Sargent became the first Black Officer in history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. (In 1997, upgrades of DSCs awarded to Black heroes of WWII resulted in awards to three additional Black Officers from that war.) S Specialist Fifth Class, U.S. Army Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division Date of Action: January 10, 1968
The Medal of Honor is presented to Clarence Eugene Sasser, Specialist Fifth Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Medical Aidman with Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces during a reconnaissance in force operation in Ding Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 10 January 1968. Specialist Fifth Class Sasser's 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 three sides of the landing zone. During the first few minutes, over 30 casualties were sustained. Without hesitation, Specialist Fifth Class Sasser ran across an open rice paddy through a hail of fire to assist the wounded. After helping one man to safety, he 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 two 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, Specialist Fifth Class 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 five hours until they were evacuated. Specialist Fifth Class 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 United States Army.
B  orn: 9/12/1947 at Chenango, Texas
Home Town: Houston, Texas *Seay, William Wayne Sergeant, U.S. Army 62d Transportation Co (Medium Truck), 7th Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group, Date of Action: August 25, 1968 Citation: The Medal of Honor is presented to William Wayne Seay, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 62d Transportation Co (Medium Truck), 7th Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group, in action against enemy aggressor forces on a re-supply mission at Ap Nhi, Republic of Vietnam, on 25 August 1968. The convoy with which Sergeant Seay 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, Sergeant 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 ten meters of the road, Sergeant Seay opened fire, killing two 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 four more of the enemy and saving the lives of the men around him. Another enemy grenade landed approximately three meters from Sergeant Seay's position. Again Sergeant 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, Sergeant Seay continued to give encouragement and direction to his fellow soldiers. After moving to the relative cover of a shallow ditch, he detected three 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, Sergeant Seay stood up and fired his rifle with his left hand, killing all three and saving the lives of the other men in his location. As a result of his heroic action, Sergeant Seay was mortally wounded by a sniper's bullet. Sergeant Seay, by his gallantry in action at the cost of his life, has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Born: 10/24/1948 at Brewton, Alabama Home Town: Montgomery, Alabama * Private First Class, U.S. Army Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division Date of Action: May 14, 1969 Citation: The Medal of Honor is presented to Daniel John Shea, Private First Class, U.S. Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Medical Aidman with Headquarters & Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces during a combat patrol mission in Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 14 May 1969. 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 three sides, the platoon withdrew to a small island in the paddy to establish a defensive perimeter. Private First Class 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, Private First Class Shea made four 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, Private First Class Shea ran to his assistance. As he reached the wounded man, Private First Class Shea was grievously wounded. Disregarding his welfare, Private First Class Shea tended his wounded comrade and began to move him back to the safety of the defensive perimeter. As he neared the platoon position, Private First Class Shea was mortally wounded by a burst of enemy fire. By his heroic actions Private First Class Shea saved the lives of several of his fellow soldiers. Private First Class 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 United States Army. |
eneral Order No. 20, March 24, 1971
ome Town: Chicago, Illinois
Rubio, Euripides
Sargent, Ruppert Leon
asser, Clarence Eugene
Shea, Daniel John