Medal of Honor: Walter J. Marm Jr. – Vietnam War – November 14, 1965

Name: Walter Joseph Marm Jr.
Rank: First Lieutenant (then Second Lieutenant)
Organization: U.S. Army
Unit: Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
Place and Date: Vicinity of the Ia Drang Valley, Republic of Vietnam – 14 November 1965
Entered Service At: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Born: November 20, 1941 – Washington, Pennsylvania
Departed: Living
Accredited to: Pennsylvania

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Summary of Action

In the opening hours of the Battle of Ia Drang, Lieutenant Joe Marm’s platoon found itself pinned down by a regimental-sized North Vietnamese force. Enemy fire raked the clearing from every direction, cutting down soldiers and halting the advance of the 7th Cavalry. The situation was collapsing fast — until Marm made a decision that would define the battle.

As enemy troops moved in to finish the job, Marm charged forward under a storm of automatic weapons fire, killing four attackers at point-blank range. But a hidden machine gun continued to shred his platoon. Determined to silence it, Marm deliberately exposed himself to draw its fire, spotted the bunker, and fired an antitank round. When the gun survived the blast, Marm did the unthinkable.

He rose from cover, ran thirty meters across open ground, and hurled grenades into the enemy position. Severely wounded in the attack and out of grenades, he pressed on with only his rifle, killing the surviving insurgents and destroying the machine gun.

His one-man assault collapsed the enemy’s flank, saved the lives of his pinned-down platoon, and helped stabilize the American line at the most critical point of the battle.

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Medal of Honor Citation

Rank and organization: First Lieutenant (then Second Lieutenant), U.S. Army, Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

Entered service at: Pittsburgh, Pa.

G.O. No.: 7, 15 February 1967.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty. As a platoon leader in the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), 1st Lt. Marm demonstrated indomitable courage during a combat operation. His company was moving through the valley to relieve a friendly unit surrounded by an enemy force of estimated regimental size. 1st Lt. Marm led his platoon through withering fire until they were finally forced to take cover. Realizing that his platoon could not hold very long, and seeing four enemy soldiers moving into his position, he moved quickly under heavy fire and annihilated all four. Then, seeing that his platoon was receiving intense fire from a concealed machine gun, he deliberately exposed himself to draw its fire. Thus locating its position, he attempted to destroy it with an antitank weapon. Although he inflicted casualties, the weapon did not silence the enemy fire. Quickly, disregarding the intense fire directed on him and his platoon, he charged 30 meters across open ground, and hurled grenades into the enemy position, killing some of the eight insurgents manning it. Although severely wounded, when his grenades were expended, armed with only a rifle, he continued the momentum of his assault on the position and killed the remainder of the enemy. 1st Lt. Marm’s selfless actions reduced the fire on his platoon, broke the enemy assault, and rallied his unit to continue toward the accomplishment of their mission. 1st Lt. Marm’s gallantry on the battlefield and his extraordinary intrepidity at the risk of his life are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.