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Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class,
U.S. Army, Reconnaissance Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st
Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry,173d Airborne Brigade
(Separate) Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 16 March 1966 Born:
1945, Chihuahua, Mexico
Citation... Specialist Four Alfred Rascon,
distinguished himself by a series of extraordinarily courageous acts
on 16 March 1966, while assigned as a medic to the Reconnaissance
Platoon, Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 503rd
Infantry, 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate). While moving to
reinforce its sister battalion under intense enemy attack, the
Reconnaissance Platoon came under heavy fire from a numerically
superior enemy force. The intense enemy fire from crew-served
weapons and grenades severely wounded several point squad soldiers.
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pecialist Rascon, ignoring directions to stay
behind shelter until covering fire could be provided, made his
way forward. He repeatedly tried to reach the severely wounded
point machine-gunner laying on an open enemy trail, but was
driven back each time by the withering fire. Disregarding his
personal safety, he jumped to his feet, ignoring flying bullets
and exploding grenades to reach his comrade. To protect him from
further wounds, he intentionally placed his body between the
soldier and enemy machine guns, sustaining numerous shrapnel
injuries and a serious wound to the hip. Disregarding his
serious wounds he dragged the larger soldier from the fire-raked
trail. Hearing the second machine-gunner yell that he was
running out of ammunition, Specialist Rascon, under heavy enemy
fire crawled back to the wounded machine-gunner stripping him of
his bandoleers of ammunition, giving them to the machine-gunner
who continued his suppressive fire. Specialist Rascon fearing
the abandoned machine gun, its ammunition and spare barrel could
fall into enemy hands made his way to retrieve them. On the way,
he was wounded in the face and torso by grenade fragments, but
disregarded these wounds to recover the abandoned machine gun,
ammunition and spare barrel items, enabling another soldier to
provide added suppressive fire to the pinned-down squad. In
searching for the wounded, he saw the point grenadier being
wounded by small arms fire and grenades being thrown at him.
Disregarding his own life and his numerous wounds, Specialist
Rascon reached and covered him with his body absorbing the
blasts from the exploding grenades, and saving the soldier's
life, but sustaining additional wounds to his body. While making
his way to the wounded point squad leader, grenades were hurled
at the sergeant. Again, in complete disregard for his own life,
he reached and covered the sergeant with his body, absorbing the
full force of the grenade explosions. Once more Specialist
Rascon was critically wounded by shrapnel, but disregarded his
own wounds to continue to search and aid the wounded. Severely
wounded, he remained on the battlefield, inspiring his fellow
soldiers to continue the battle. After the enemy broke contact,
he disregarded aid for himself, instead treating the wounded and
directing their evacuation. Only after being placed on the
evacuation helicopter did he allow aid to be given to him.
Specialist Rascon's extraordinary valor in the face of deadly
enemy fire, his heroism in rescuing the wounded, and his
gallantry by repeatedly risking his own life for his fellow
soldiers are in keeping with the highest traditions of military
service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the
United States Army. | |
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