Medal of Honor: Donald P. Sloat – Vietnam War – Quang Tin Province – January 1970

Name: Donald P. Sloat
Rank: Specialist Fourth Class
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: 3rd Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Infantry Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade
Place: Hawk Hill Fire Base, Que Son Valley, Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam
Entered Service: 19 March 1959
Born: 2 February 1949
KIA: 17 January 1970

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Summary of Action

On the morning of 17 January 1970, Specialist Fourth Class Donald P. Sloat was serving as a member of a squad conducting a patrol in the Que Son Valley. The squad was operating as a blocking force in support of tanks and armored personnel carriers from F Troop, moving through dense jungle terrain up a small hill in single-file formation.

As the patrol advanced, the lead Soldier accidentally tripped a concealed tripwire attached to a hand-grenade booby trap emplaced by enemy forces. The grenade was dislodged and rolled down the slope toward Specialist Sloat and other nearby Soldiers.

In that instant, Specialist Sloat faced a split-second decision. He could dive for cover and save himself, or attempt to remove the threat to his comrades. He initially tried to throw the grenade away, but immediately realized that it was about to detonate and that several Soldiers near him would be killed or gravely wounded.

Without hesitation and fully aware of the cost, Specialist Sloat pulled the grenade to his body, absorbing the full force of the explosion. By his conscious and selfless act, he shielded his fellow Soldiers from the blast and saved their lives.

Specialist Fourth Class Donald P. Sloat’s actions represent the purest form of courage—placing the lives of others above one’s own. His sacrifice stands as a timeless example of devotion to comrades and duty under fire.

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Medal of Honor Citation

On the morning of January 17, 1970, Sloat’s squad was conducting a patrol, serving as a blocking element in support of tanks and armored personnel carriers from F Troop in the Que Son Valley. As the squad moved through dense terrain up a small hill in file formation, the lead Soldier tripped a wire attached to a hand grenade booby trap set up by enemy forces. When the grenade rolled down the hill toward Sloat, he had a choice. He could hit the ground and seek cover, or pick up the grenade and throw it away from his fellow Soldiers. After initially attempting to throw the grenade, Sloat realized that detonation was imminent and that two or three men near him would be killed or seriously injured if he could not shield them from the blast. In an instant, Sloat chose to draw the grenade to his body, shielding his squad members from the blast and saving their lives. Specialist Four Donald P. Sloat’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.