|
Clarence Eugene Sasser
Rank and Organization:
Specialist Fifth Class (then Pfc.), U.S. Army, Headquarters
Company, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division.
Place and Date: Ding Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam, 10 January 1968.
Entered Service At: Houston, Tex.
Born: 12 September 1947, Chenango, Tex.
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. Sp5c. Sasser distinguished himself
while assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
3d Battalion. He was serving as a medical aidman with
Company A, 3d Battalion, on a reconnaissance in force
operation. His 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 3 sides of the landing zone. During the first few minutes,
over 30 casualties were sustained. Without hesitation, Sp5c.
Sasser ran across an open rice paddy through a hail of fire to
assist the wounded. After helping 1 man to safety, 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 2 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, Sp5c. 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 5 hours until they were
evacuated. Sp5c. 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 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.
|
Presentation Ceremony at The White House, March 7, 1969. President Nixon's Remarks
Upon Awarding the Medal of Honor to Three Members of the United States Army. Citation for
Clarence Eugene Sasser read by Secretary of the Army Stanley R. Resor.
 
"Specialist 5th Class Clarence Eugene Sasser."
RootsWeb.com – SASSER-L Archives, (January 1, 1998). Retrieved March 1, 2004 from
the World Wide Web: http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/SASSER/
1998-01/0883670096.
|
|
"What Makes A Hero?"
New York Times, November 7, 1999. P. TV19.
Williams, Rudi. "Cohen Warns Against Discrimination, Abuse." (February 1997).
Retrieved March 2, 2004 from the World Wide Web:
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/
Feb1997/n02211997_9702217.html.
Yardley, Jim. "A Salute to Bravery, and Modesty, as Medal of Honor Heroes Meet."
New York Times, June 7, 1998. P. 1.
|
|
|
