Houston’s Clarence E. Sasser spent less than two months
in Vienam, but he could have taken the easy way out altogether. Unlike
other American men his age, he declined his student deferment. Sasser reported
to Vietnam in late 1967 with the “Old Reliables” of the 9th Infantry
Division, a complete division reactivated and designed for action in
Vietnam. The combat medic on Jan. 10, 1968
in Dinh Tuong Province ceaselessly attended to his fellow soldiers as
they were raked by horrific fire and he himself could not longer use his
legs.
Make the most of your day!
–RJL
Citation: The President of the United
States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has
awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to Specialist 5
Clarence E. Sasser United States Army for conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call
of duty.
Specialist 5 Clarence E. Sasser (then Private First Class)
distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity on 10
January 1968 while assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d
Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division in the Republic of
Vietnam. On this date he was serving as a medical aidman with Company A,
3d Battalion, on a reconnaissance in force operation in Ding Tuong
Province. His company was making an air assault when suddenly it was
taken under heavy small arms, recoilless rifle, machine gun and rocket
fire from well fortified enemy positions on three sides of the landing
zone.
During the first few minutes, over thirty casualties were
sustained. Without hesitation, Specialist 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 one hundred meters away. Although in agonizing pain and faint
from loss of blood, Specialist Sasser reached the man, treated him, and
proceeded on to encourage another group of soldiers to crawl two hundred
meters to relative safety.
There he attended their wounds for five
hours until they were evacuated. Specialist Sasser’s conspicuous
gallantry, extraordinary heroism and intrepidity at the risk of his own
life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest
traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army.
