Gary L. Littrell

Gary Lee Littrell

Gary Lee Littrell was born on October 26, 1944, in Henderson, Kentucky. Raised by his grandparents after the death of his mother, he developed an early ambition to become a paratrooper after watching an airborne demonstration at Fort Campbell. Littrell enlisted in the United States Army on October 27, 1961, one day after his seventeenth birthday. He subsequently served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade on Okinawa and the 82nd Airborne Division during the 1965 intervention in the Dominican Republic. After graduating from Ranger School in 1966, he remained there as an instructor until receiving orders for Vietnam in 1969. U.S. Department of Defense⁠

In Vietnam, Sergeant First Class Littrell served with Advisory Team 21, II Corps Advisory Group, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. As a light-weapons infantry adviser, he was assigned to the 23rd Battalion, 2nd Ranger Group, Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Littrell had studied Vietnamese at the Defense Language Institute, an ability that proved critically important during the fighting that followed.

From April 4 to 8, 1970, the battalion was surrounded near Dak Seang in Kontum Province by a vastly superior North Vietnamese force. An intense mortar bombardment killed the South Vietnamese battalion commander and one American adviser while seriously wounding the other American advisers. Littrell became the only unwounded American adviser capable of continuing the defence.

For four days, Littrell repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire while directing artillery and air support, marking the battalion’s position for aircraft, redistributing ammunition, treating casualties and strengthening threatened sections of the perimeter. Moving among the South Vietnamese Rangers and encouraging them in their own language, he helped maintain their resistance through repeated enemy assaults. During the eventual withdrawal, he directed air strikes to within approximately 50 metres of the battalion to break up ambushes and prevent the withdrawal from collapsing into disorder.

President Richard Nixon presented Littrell with the Medal of Honor at the White House on October 15, 1973. Littrell continued serving in the Army and retired in 1985 with the rank of command sergeant major. He was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 1993 and has devoted much of his later life to veterans’ causes and teaching young people about courage, integrity, sacrifice and responsible citizenship. Congressional Medal of Honor Society⁠

Medal of Honor Citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant First Class, United States Army, Advisory Team 21, II Corps Advisory Group, United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Place and date: Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam, April 4–8, 1970 Entered service at: Los Angeles, California Born: October 26, 1944, Henderson, Kentucky

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Littrell, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Advisory Team 21, distinguished himself while serving as a Light Weapons Infantry adviser with the 23d Battalion, 2d Ranger Group, Republic of Vietnam Army, near Dak Seang. After establishing a defensive perimeter on a hill on 4 April, the battalion was subjected to an intense enemy mortar attack which killed the Vietnamese commander, one adviser, and seriously wounded all the advisers except Sfc. Littrell. During the ensuing four days, Sfc. Littrell exhibited near superhuman endurance as he singlehandedly bolstered the besieged battalion. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he directed artillery and air support by day and marked the unit’s location by night, despite the heavy, concentrated enemy fire. His dauntless will instilled in the men of the 23d Battalion a deep desire to resist. Assault after assault was repulsed as the battalion responded to the extraordinary leadership and personal example exhibited by Sfc. Littrell as he continuously moved to those points most seriously threatened by the enemy, redistributed ammunition, strengthened faltering defenses, cared for the wounded, and shouted encouragement to the Vietnamese in their own language. When the beleaguered battalion was finally ordered to withdraw, numerous ambushes were encountered. Sfc. Littrell repeatedly prevented widespread disorder by directing air strikes to within 50 meters of their position. Through his indomitable courage and complete disregard for his safety, he averted excessive loss of life and injury to the members of the battalion. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Sfc. Littrell over an extended period of time were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him and the U.S. Army.

Official citation: United States Army Medal of Honor citations⁠