Donald Russell Long
Rank and Organization:
Sergeant, U.S. Army, Troop C, 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 1st
Infantry Division.
Place and Date: Republic of Vietnam, 30 June 1966.
Entered Service At: Ashland, Ky.
Born: 27 August 1939, Blackfork, Ohio. G.O. No.: 13, 4 April 1968.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his
life above and beyond the call of duty. Troops B and C, while
conducting a reconnaissance mission along a road were
suddenly attacked by a Viet Cong regiment, supported by
mortars, recoilless rifles and machineguns, from concealed
positions astride the road. Sgt. Long abandoned the relative
safety of his armored personnel carrier and braved a withering
hail of enemy fire to carry wounded men to evacuation
helicopters. As the platoon fought its way forward to resupply
advanced elements, Sgt. Long repeatedly exposed himself to
enemy fire at point blank range to provide the needed supplies.
While assaulting the Viet Cong position, Sgt. Long inspired his
comrades by fearlessly standing unprotected to repel the enemy
with rifle fire and grenades as they attempted to mount his
carrier. When the enemy threatened to overrun a disabled
carrier nearby, Sgt. Long again disregarded his own safety to
help the severely wounded crew to safety. As he was handing
arms to the less seriously wounded and reorganizing them to
press the attack, an enemy grenade was hurled onto the carrier
deck. Immediately recognizing the imminent danger, he
instinctively shouted a warning to the crew and pushed to safety
one man who had not heard his warning over the roar of battle.
Realizing that these actions would not fully protect the exposed
crewmen from the deadly explosion, he threw himself over the
grenade to absorb the blast and thereby saved the lives of 8 of
his comrades at the expense of his life. Throughout the battle,
Sgt. Long's extraordinary heroism, courage and supreme
devotion to his men were in the finest tradition of the military
service, and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S.
Army.
Source: Department
of Defense.
Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy.
Black Americans in Defense of Our Nation.
Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1985.
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