Medal of Honor: Allan Jay Kellogg Jr. – U.S. Marine Corps – Vietnam War

Name: Allan Jay Kellogg, Jr.
Rank: Gunnery Sergeant (then Staff Sergeant)
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps
Unit: Company G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division
Place: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam
Entered Service At: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Born: 1 October 1943, Bethel, Connecticut

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Summary of Action

On the night of March 11, 1970, Gunnery Sergeant Allan Jay Kellogg, Jr. was leading a small Marine unit from Company G during a mission to evacuate a fallen comrade in the jungles of Quang Nam Province.

As the Marines moved through dense foliage, they were suddenly ambushed by a numerically superior enemy force firing small arms and automatic weapons from concealed positions.

During the intense firefight, an enemy soldier maneuvered close to the Marines and hurled a grenade into their position.

The grenade struck Kellogg in the chest and dropped at his feet.

Reacting instantly, he forced the grenade into the mud beneath him and threw himself over it.

The grenade exploded.

Kellogg absorbed the full force of the blast, preventing the explosion from killing or severely wounding the Marines around him.

Despite suffering serious injuries to his chest, right shoulder, and arm, he refused to stop fighting.

Bleeding and wounded, Kellogg continued directing his Marines under fire until every man was able to withdraw to the safety of the company perimeter.

His decisive actions saved the lives of several Marines.

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Medal of Honor Citation

KELLOGG, ALLAN JAY, JR.

Place and date: Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 11 March 1970.

Born: 1 October 1943, Bethel, Conn.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a platoon sergeant with Company G, in connection with combat operations against the enemy on the night of 11 March 1970. Under the leadership of G/Sgt. Kellogg, a small unit from Company G was evacuating a fallen comrade when the unit came under a heavy volume of small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior enemy force occupying well-concealed emplacements in the surrounding jungle. During the ensuing fierce engagement, an enemy soldier managed to maneuver through the dense foliage to a position near the marines, and hurled a hand grenade into their midst which glanced off the chest of G/Sgt. Kellogg. Quick to act, he forced the grenade into the mud in which he was standing, threw himself over the lethal weapon and absorbed the full effects of its detonation with his body thereby preventing serious injury or possible death to several of his fellow marines. Although suffering multiple injuries to his chest and his right shoulder and arm, G/Sgt. Kellogg resolutely continued to direct the efforts of his men until all were able to maneuver to the relative safety of the company perimeter. By his heroic and decisive action in risking his life to save the lives of his comrades, G/Sgt. Kellogg reflected the highest credit upon himself and upheld the finest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.