Medal of Honor: Donald Sidney Skidgel, Vietnam War ,September 14, 1969

Donald Sidney Skidgel
Vietnam War
September 14, 1969 – Near Song Be, Republic of Vietnam

In the blazing heat of Binh Long Province, a convoy rolled down a treacherous road near Song Be. Concealed in the tall grass and hidden bunkers, an enemy battalion waited in silence. When the ambush came, it erupted with a storm of gunfire, rockets, and mortars. At the center of the storm was Sergeant Donald Sidney Skidgel, a reconnaissance section leader of Troop D, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry. With instinctive courage, he turned his machinegun into the fire and charged into the fight, determined to shield his comrades from destruction.

Skidgel silenced one position, then sprinted across sixty meters of bullet-swept ground with his weapon to hammer another. Running out of ammunition, he returned under fire to resupply. When the command group itself came under withering attack, Skidgel made a fateful decision—he climbed onto his vehicle and deliberately drew enemy fire upon himself to save others. Even after being struck by a rocket-propelled grenade and gravely wounded, he pulled himself back to his feet and continued firing, silencing more enemy guns before small-arms fire finally cut him down.

Through his sacrifice, the command element was able to withdraw without casualties, and his fellow soldiers rallied to seize fire superiority and defeat the ambush. His courage saved lives, his spirit inspired victory, and his legacy endures as an eternal reminder of the cost of freedom.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Skidgel distinguished himself while serving as a reconnaissance section leader in Troop D. On a road near Song Be in Binh Long Province, Sgt. Skidgel and his section with other elements of his troop were acting as a convoy security and screening force when contact occurred with an estimated enemy battalion concealed in tall grass and in bunkers bordering the road. Sgt.Skidgel maneuvered off the road and began placing effective machinegun fire on the enemy automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade positions. After silencing at least 1 position, he ran with his machinegun across 60 meters of bullet-swept ground to another location from which he continued to rake the enemy positions. Running low on ammunition, he returned to his vehicle over the same terrain. Moments later he was alerted that the command element was receiving intense automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire. Although he knew the road was saturated with enemy fire, Sgt. Skidgel calmly mounted his vehicle and with his driver advanced toward the command group in an effort to draw the enemy fire onto himself. Despite the hostile fire concentrated on him, he succeeded in silencing several enemy positions with his machinegun. Moments later Sgt. Skidgel was knocked down onto the rear fender by the explosion of an enemy rocket-propelled grenade. Ignoring his extremely painful wounds, he staggered back to his feet and placed effective fire on several other enemy positions until he was mortally wounded by hostile small arms fire. His selfless actions enabled the command group to withdraw to a better position without casualties and inspired the rest of his fellow soldiers to gain fire superiority and defeat the enemy. Sgt. Skidgel’s gallantry at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.