Medal of Honor: James C. McCloughan – Vietnam War – May 13–15, 1969

Name: James C. McCloughan
Rank: Private First Class (Highest Rank: Specialist Fifth Class)
Branch: U.S. Army
War: Vietnam War
Unit: Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division
Date of Action: May 13–15, 1969
Location: Near Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill, Republic of Vietnam

Summary of Action

Between May 13 and May 15, 1969, Private First Class James C. McCloughan served as a combat medic with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment during one of the most desperate engagements fought by the Americal Division in Vietnam.

After air assaulting into an area near Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill, Company C immediately came under intense enemy fire.

On May 13, McCloughan sprinted more than one hundred meters across an open field swept by enemy fire to rescue a seriously wounded soldier who was unable to move, carrying him to safety. Later that same day, the company's 2nd Platoon was ambushed by a large North Vietnamese Army force and suffered devastating casualties.

Despite being wounded by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade while leading two wounded Americans to the safety of a trench, McCloughan refused to stop.

Ignoring a direct order to remain under cover, he repeatedly entered the enemy's kill zone—four separate times—to rescue wounded comrades. Bleeding heavily from multiple shrapnel wounds to his head and body, he treated casualties, coordinated medical evacuations, and refused evacuation himself in order to remain beside his fellow soldiers.

The following day, Company C once again moved toward Nui Yon Hill and immediately encountered fierce resistance.

While rendering aid to two wounded soldiers lying exposed in a rice paddy, McCloughan was wounded for a second time by small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenade fragments.

As the battle intensified, two companies of North Vietnamese regulars, reinforced by approximately 700 Viet Cong soldiers, launched coordinated attacks against Company C from three directions.

Throughout the brutal fighting, McCloughan repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to recover wounded soldiers while simultaneously engaging enemy troops threatening their positions.

His courage became a rallying point for the exhausted and heavily outnumbered defenders.

That night, when desperately needed ammunition and medical supplies were to be delivered by air, McCloughan volunteered for one of the most dangerous tasks imaginable. Armed only with a blinking strobe light, he positioned himself in an open field to guide the nighttime resupply drop.

As enemy bullets struck the ground around him and rocket-propelled grenades flew overhead, he remained exposed and unwavering until the mission was complete.

During the early morning hours of May 15, McCloughan destroyed an enemy rocket-propelled grenade position with a hand grenade, engaged and killed enemy soldiers attacking his position, treated numerous wounded men, and personally kept two critically wounded soldiers alive throughout the night.

Before daylight, he organized both the dead and wounded for evacuation.

By the end of three days of nearly continuous combat, James McCloughan had repeatedly risked—and nearly lost—his own life to save others.

His extraordinary heroism saved countless soldiers and stands as one of the most remarkable examples of battlefield medicine and personal courage in the Vietnam War.

Medal of Honor Citation

JAMES C. McCLOUGHAN

Rank and organization: Private First Class (Highest Rank: Specialist Fifth Class), United States Army.

Unit: Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division.

Place and date: Near Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill, Republic of Vietnam, May 13–15, 1969.

Citation:

Private First Class James C. McCloughan distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty from May 13–15, 1969, while serving as a combat medic with Company C, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division.

The company air assaulted into an area near Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill. On May 13th, with complete disregard for his life, he ran 100 meters in an open field through heavy fire to rescue a comrade too injured to move and carried him to safety.

That same day, 2nd Platoon was ordered to search the area near Nui Yon Hill when the platoon was ambushed by a large North Vietnamese Army force and sustained heavy casualties.

With complete disregard for his life and personal safety, Private First Class McCloughan led two Americans into the safety of a trench while being wounded by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade.

He ignored a direct order to stay back and braved an enemy assault while moving into the kill zone on four more occasions to extract wounded comrades.

He treated the injured, prepared the evacuation, and though bleeding heavily from shrapnel wounds on his head and body, refused evacuation to safety in order to remain at the battle site with his fellow soldiers who were heavily outnumbered by North Vietnamese Army forces.

On May 14th, the platoon was again ordered to move out toward Nui Yon Hill. Private First Class McCloughan was wounded a second time by small-arms fire and shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade while rendering aid to two soldiers in an open rice paddy.

In the final phases of the attack, two companies from the 2nd North Vietnamese Army Division and an element of 700 soldiers from a Viet Cong regiment descended upon Company C's position on three sides.

Private First Class McCloughan, again with complete disregard for his life, went into the crossfire numerous times throughout the battle to extract wounded soldiers while also fighting the enemy. His relentless and courageous actions inspired and motivated his comrades to fight for their survival.

When supplies ran low, Private First Class McCloughan volunteered to hold a blinking strobe light in an open area as a marker for a nighttime resupply drop. He remained steadfast while bullets landed all around him and rocket-propelled grenades flew over his prone, exposed body.

During the morning darkness of May 15th, Private First Class McCloughan knocked out a rocket-propelled grenade position with a grenade, fought and eliminated enemy soldiers, treated numerous casualties, kept two critically wounded soldiers alive during the night, and organized the dead and wounded for evacuation at daylight.

His timely and courageous actions were instrumental in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers.

Private First Class McCloughan's personal heroism, professional competence, and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.