An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : News
JBSA News
NEWS | Jan. 22, 2016

Army medic earned Medal of Honor during Vietnam

U.S. Army Medical Department Center for History and Heritage

On Jan. 10, 1968, U.S. Army Spec. 5 Clarence E. Sasser earned the Medal of Honor in Vietnam as a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division in Ding Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam.

Sasser’s Medal of Honor citation describes his valorous deeds, when he sought out wounded Soldiers from his unit and provided medical care. After his legs were injured, he continued by crawling to provide aid.

“I’m particularly proud that my Medal of Honor was for being a medic and was for saving lives, rather than taking lives,” he said. “It’s a source of pleasure with me to have received it for that.”

According to his Medal of Honor citation, Sasser’s company was making an air assault when it took heavy small arms, recoilless rifle, machinegun and rocket fire from fortified enemy positions on three sides of the landing zone.

During the first few minutes, more than 30 casualties were sustained. Without hesitation, Sasser ran across an open rice paddy through a hail of fire to assist the wounded. After helping one man to safety, he was 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, Sasser dragged himself through the mud toward another soldier 100 meters away.

Although in pain and faint from loss of blood, Sasser reached the man, treated him and proceeded on to encourage another group of soldiers to crawl 200 meters to safety. He then attended to their wounds for five hours until they were evacuated.