Medal of Honor: Russell A. Steindam – Vietnam War – Vietnam – February 1970
When sudden violence erupted in the darkness, he chose his men over himself. In a single, selfless act, he turned certain death into survival for others.
February 3, 2026
Name: Russell A. Steindam
Rank: First Lieutenant
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Troop B, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division
Place: Tay Ninh Province
Entered Service At: Austin, Texas
Born: 27 August 1946, Austin, Texas
Summary of Action
On the night of 1 February 1970, First Lieutenant Russell A. Steindam was leading his platoon on a night ambush operation in Tay Ninh Province, Republic of Vietnam. While moving toward the ambush site, suspected enemy movement was detected on one flank, and the platoon’s temporary position was suddenly struck by intense small-arms and automatic-weapons fire, followed by a barrage of hand and rocket-propelled grenades.
After the initial attack, Lieutenant Steindam immediately directed return fire against the enemy and ordered the wounded to be moved into a shallow bomb crater for protection. From an exposed position, he continued to control the defense and direct fire when a fragmentation grenade landed directly among his command group.
Instantly recognizing the danger to his men, Lieutenant Steindam shouted a warning. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own life, he deliberately threw himself onto the grenade, absorbing the full force of the explosion. His action saved the lives of the nearby soldiers at the cost of his own.
Lieutenant Steindam’s selfless courage and ultimate sacrifice stand as a powerful example of leadership, devotion to duty, and the highest ideals of the United States Army.
Medal of Honor Citation
