James H. Monroe

He shielded wounded comrades from a live grenade in Vietnam.

James Howard Monroe received the Medal of Honor for protecting wounded comrades in Vietnam. Born in Aurora, Illinois, on October 17, 1944, he served as a private first class with the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division.

On February 16, 1967, near Bong Son, his platoon’s night ambush position came under a grenade attack. Monroe moved through heavy fire in response to calls for help. Finding the men in one foxhole already dead, he crawled toward other casualties. While treating a wounded radio operator beside the platoon sergeant, he saw a live grenade land nearby. He warned the others, pushed the two men aside and covered the grenade with his body. He was killed, saving their lives.

His posthumous Medal of Honor was presented to his family at the Pentagon on October 17, 1968. Monroe was buried in Wheaton Cemetery in Illinois. His award commemorates lifesaving courage while answering wounded soldiers’ calls for aid.

Official Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. His platoon was deployed in a night ambush when the position was suddenly subjected to an intense and accurate grenade attack, and one foxhole was hit immediately. Responding without hesitation to the calls for help from the wounded men, Pfc. Monroe moved forward through heavy small-arms fire to the foxhole but found that all of the men had expired. He turned immediately and crawled back through the deadly hail of fire toward other calls for aid. He moved to the platoon sergeant's position where he found the radio operator bleeding profusely from fragmentation and bullet wounds. Ignoring the continuing enemy attack, Pfc. Monroe began treating the wounded man when he saw a live grenade fall directly in front of the position. He shouted a warning to all those nearby, pushed the wounded radio operator and the platoon sergeant to one side, and lunged forward to smother the grenade's blast with his body. Through his valorous actions, performed in a flash of inspired selflessness, Pfc. Monroe saved the lives of two of his comrades and prevented the probable injury of several others. His gallantry and intrepidity were in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army, and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.