U. S. Army Spc4 Alfred Rascon

MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT
U. S. Army Spc4 Alfred Rascon

Alfred's platoon was sent to Vietnam in May of 1965, part of the first Army combat unit there.

On March the 16th, 1966, they were in Long Khanh Province, helping another platoon that was pinned down by the enemy. In his words, it was "ten minutes of pure hell." In the middle of an intense firefight, Alfred was everywhere. While attending to a fatally wounded machine gunner, he was hit with shrapnel and shot in the hip. The bullet went parallel to his spine, and came out by his shoulder. Ignoring his own wounds, he then brought desperately needed ammo to another machine gunner. Several grenades then landed nearby. One of them ripped his mouth open. When he saw another land near Private Neil Haffey, he covered him with his body, absorbing the brunt of the blast. Yet another grenade landed near Sergeant Ray Compton, and Alfred covered him, too. Then, barely able to walk, bleeding from his ears and nose, he ran to recover a machine gun that the enemy was about to capture. The extra firepower kept the enemy from advancing, and Alfred Rascon saved his platoon