Medal of Honor: Terry Patrick Richardson – Vietnam War – September 14, 1968

Name: Terry Patrick Richardson

Rank: Staff Sergeant (Highest Rank: Command Sergeant Major, Michigan Army National Guard)

Branch: United States Army

War: Vietnam War

Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division

Date of Action: September 14, 1968

Location: Hill 222, north of Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam

Summary of Action

The men of Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment—the famed "Black Lions" of the 1st Infantry Division—were assigned the dangerous mission of securing Hill 222 near Loc Ninh in South Vietnam. Located close to the Cambodian border, the area consisted of rolling terrain and dense rubber plantations that offered ideal concealment for enemy forces.

Staff Sergeant Terry Richardson was serving as the leader of Lima Platoon, which had been selected to lead the company's advance.

As the platoon moved toward its objective, Richardson directed one of his squads to take point. The enemy was waiting.

Without warning, heavy machine-gun fire erupted from three well-concealed enemy bunkers. Three American soldiers were immediately severely wounded and pinned down between the interlocking fields of fire.

Most men would have hesitated before attempting a rescue under such conditions. Staff Sergeant Richardson did not.

Three separate times he deliberately moved forward through intense enemy fire to recover his wounded soldiers. Each rescue required him to expose himself to multiple enemy machine guns that had already proven deadly. Despite the extraordinary danger, he successfully brought all three wounded men back to friendly lines.

By the time Richardson returned to his platoon, the tactical situation had deteriorated dramatically. Company A had become completely surrounded by enemy forces.

Recognizing that immediate and accurate air support would mean the difference between survival and annihilation, Staff Sergeant Richardson made another decision that would define the battle.

After instructing his soldiers to provide covering fire, he advanced alone toward the top of Hill 222 under enemy fire in search of a position from which he could direct tactical air strikes.

The exposed hilltop offered superior observation—but also made him an obvious target for enemy snipers and machine gunners.

It was precisely where he needed to be.

Once in position, Staff Sergeant Richardson began directing tactical aircraft onto enemy positions surrounding his company. Enemy forces quickly realized what he was doing and concentrated their fire upon him. During the battle, he was struck and wounded by enemy sniper fire.

Many soldiers would have accepted evacuation at that point.

Staff Sergeant Richardson refused.

For the next seven hours, wounded and under constant enemy threat, he continued directing tactical air strikes onto hostile positions surrounding Hill 222. The ordnance was dropped so close to his position that by the time friendly soldiers finally reached him, he had suffered significant hearing loss from the repeated explosions.

The devastating effectiveness of the air strikes broke the enemy's encirclement and destroyed their ability to continue the attack.

When six soldiers from his platoon finally found him, he was still alive, still directing the fight, and still refusing evacuation.

Despite suffering from his gunshot wound and the physical effects of seven hours spent directing air attacks at close range, he insisted on remaining with his soldiers and continuing to lead them.

His courage and battlefield leadership allowed Company A to seize Hill 222 unopposed after the enemy broke contact.

Military historians later determined that Staff Sergeant Richardson's actions directly saved eighty-five American lives that day—including the three wounded soldiers he personally rescued and eighty-two members of Alpha Company who survived because of the tactical air support he directed.

The Medal of Honor recognizes extraordinary heroism, but Terry Richardson's actions also serve as a reminder of what exceptional combat leadership looks like—a leader who repeatedly placed himself in the most dangerous position on the battlefield because that was where his men needed him to be.

Medal of Honor Citation

TERRY PATRICK RICHARDSON

Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, United States Army.

Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.

Place and date: Hill 222, north of Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam, September 14, 1968.

Citation:

Staff Sergeant Terry P. Richardson distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty on September 14, 1968, while serving as the Lima Platoon Leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division in the vicinity of Loc Ninh, Republic of Vietnam.

On this date, his company was tasked with the mission of securing Hill 222 in hostile enemy territory near the Cambodian border. It was a hilly area covered with rubber trees. Lima Platoon was assigned by the company commander to be on point for the mission.

Staff Sergeant Richardson directed one of his squads to be the point element leading the way. Shortly after the assault began, three of the squad members became severely wounded and pinned down between three enemy machine gun bunkers.

Going back on three separate occasions, Staff Sergeant Richardson advanced forward under heavy enemy fire and recovered his wounded Soldiers between heavy machine gun fire.

By the time he was able to make it back to join his unit, his entire company had been completely surrounded by the enemy.

Staff Sergeant Richardson gave instructions to his soldiers to cover him and then, without regard for his own safety, advanced to the top of Hill 222 under enemy fire for better sight lines to direct the tactical air strikes.

He began to direct the tactical air strikes and shortly thereafter became wounded by an enemy sniper. Staff Sergeant Richardson continued directing the tactical strikes for seven more hours before the enemy broke contact with him and his company.

Six soldiers from his platoon found him, still alive but wounded and unable to hear due to his proximity to the ordnance dropped all around him. Staff Sergeant Richardson declined medical evacuation for his gunshot wound and requested that he be allowed to stay to lead his soldiers.

The damage caused to the enemy by his direction of the tactical air strikes allowed his company to secure Hill 222 unopposed, saving the lives of eighty-two fellow soldiers who remained in Alpha Company.

Altogether, his actions directly resulted in eighty-five lives being spared on that fateful day.

Staff Sergeant Richardson's conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

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