|
Medal Of Honor Recipient
The only one that I know of during my tours.
18MAY67 Our eighth day in the mountains west of Duc Pho. We make contact with Charlie at one of their base camps and a fierce firefight takes place for about an hour. They're dug in pretty good and we hit them with what LAWs we have. Finally, a couple of gunships shows up and brings some serious pee on them. During the fight we have a couple WIA and one KIA. The KIA is a buddy, Sp/4 Stan Jamrozy. "Rosie" was from Louisville, KY. He was 20yrs. old. His death was pretty hard to take by alot of us old guys. He got to the company a couple of weeks after I did. He was to DEROS in July. He was the shortest guy that I can remember being killed. He was also the last KIA in the company that I can recall before I DEROSED the end of June. Rest In Peace, Rosie. The rest of the story: During the firefight, the VC tried to flank us to the right. They ran into B company and got in a gunfight with them. B company took some casualties, also. By the time we were able to evacuate our casualties, it was dark. Here's what was going on over with B company. Dale Eugene Wayrynen was awarded the Medal Of Honor [posthumously] Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Place and Date: Quang Ngai, Province, Republic of Vietnam, 18 May 1967. Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: 18 January 1947, Moose Lake, Minn. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Wayrynen distinguished himself with Company B, during combat operations near Duc Pho. His platoon was assisting in the night evacuation of the wounded from an earlier enemy contact when the lead man of the unit met face to face with a Viet Cong soldier. The American's shouted warning also alerted the enemy who immediately swept the area with automatic weapons fire from a strongly built bunker close to the trail and threw hand grenades from another nearby fortified position. Almost immediately, the lead man was wounded and knocked from his feet. Sp4c. Wayrynen, the second man in the formation, leaped beyond his fallen comrade to kill another enemy soldier who appeared on the trail, and he dragged his injured companion back to where the point squad had taken cover. Suddenly, a live enemy grenade landed in the center of the tightly grouped men. Sp4c. Wayrynen, quickly assessing the danger to the entire squad as well as to his platoon leader who was nearby, shouted a warning, pushed one soldier out of the way, and threw himself on the grenade at the moment it exploded. He was mortally wounded. His deep and abiding concern for his fellow soldiers was significantly reflected in his supreme and courageous act that preserved the lives of his comrades. Sp4c. Wayrynen's heroic actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service, and they reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army. That was a scary night. The VC had bunkers and fighting holes all over the place. After dark, we thought they were going to counter attack us at anytime. C company didn't make any contact after dark, but I remember hearing the gunfire and explosions on our right flank after B company jumped these guys. I remember hearing about what Dale did the next day. F..-ckin' amazing. You always heard about guys doing this, and saw it in alot of those war movies we grew up with in the '50s and '60s. Never thought I'd know anybody in a thousand years that would actually do it. Sometimes I wondered if somebody didn't push some of these guys on the grenades. I'm sure that'd be the only way I would do something like that. From all the accounts I heard later though, this wasn't the case with Dale. He was a real Hero. STRIKE FORCE, DALE. REST IN PEACE. |
Tom
There was a guy from the 8th trans group in 70 or 71, [Larry Dahl] who won the MOH for diving on a grenade in the back of a gun truck. He saved the other 3 guys. His name is always mentioned a lot on the gun truck and transportation sites. I saw a post from his son some where, who was then serving in Iraq.
|
When I was at Fort Lewis with the 9th ID, there was a soldier in my unit C 2/47 Inf who came back into the Army after being out 4 years He was a PFC guess he lost rank since he was out so long. He was awarded the MOH when he was with the 1st CAV. I forget his name. He was good man to know. It was something else to see him get saluted by officers and other soldiers higher in rank to him. I recommened he be made an acitng Sgt and get promoted to E-4. In a one year he was a SGT E-5, I left for Korea, and that was the last I saw of him.
|
My Commander in Ft. Polk ,La. (AIT) was a MOH recipient. His name was Captain James M. Sprayberry 1st Cav Div. He was a'hell
of a Man. I looked Him up at the MOH web-site. Interesting. |
Good to see you posting Topp ! I need to ride down and see Danny one of these days
|
Welcome back Topp
Bob K |
Welocme back Topp
|
|
|
Guess what I know Allan Lynch - from the old neighborhood. Man I had heard that he had won it but never really ever tried to confirm it.
LYNCH, ALLEN JAMES Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company D, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). place and date: Near My An (2), Binh Dinh province, Republic of Vietnam, 15 December 1967. Entered service at: Chicago, Ill. Born: 28 October 1945, Chicago, Ill. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Lynch (then Sp4c.) distinguished himself while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company D. While serving in the forward element on an operation near the village of My An, his unit became heavily engaged with a numerically superior enemy force. Quickly and accurately assessing the situation, Sgt. Lynch provided his commander with information which subsequently proved essential to the unit's successful actions. Observing 3 wounded comrades Lying exposed to enemy fire, Sgt. Lynch dashed across 50 meters of open ground through a withering hail of enemy fire to administer aid. Reconnoitering a nearby trench for a covered position to protect the wounded from intense hostile fire, he killed 2 enemy soldiers at point blank range. With the trench cleared, he unhesitatingly returned to the fire-swept area 3 times to carry the wounded men to safety. When his company was forced to withdraw by the superior firepower of the enemy, Sgt. Lynch remained to aid his comrades at the risk of his life rather than abandon them. Alone, he defended his isolated position for 2 hours against the advancing enemy. Using only his rifle and a grenade, he stopped them just short of his trench, killing 5. Again, disregarding his safety in the face of withering hostile fire, he crossed 70 meters of exposed terrain 5 times to carry his wounded comrades to a more secure area. Once he had assured their comfort and safety, Sgt. Lynch located the counterattacking friendly company to assist in directing the attack and evacuating the 3 casualties. His gallantry at the risk of his life is in the highest traditions of the military service, Sgt. Lynch has reflected great credit on himself, the 12th Cavalry, and the U.S. Army. ________________________________________ |
| All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:47 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.