John Paul Bobo

He held his ground despite wounds and covered those Marines.

John Paul Bobo was born on February 14, 1943, in Niagara Falls, New York. He served as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps Reserve with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.

On March 30, 1967, in Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, a reinforced enemy company attacked his command group while it was establishing night ambush positions. Bobo organized a defense, encouraged his outnumbered Marines and directed a newly formed rocket-launcher team against enemy machine guns.

Severely wounded by a mortar round, he refused evacuation and asked to be placed where he could cover the command group's movement to safer ground. He continued firing until he was mortally wounded. His stand allowed the group to reach a protected position and repel the attack.

His posthumous Medal of Honor was presented to his family at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., on August 27, 1968. He is buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Lewiston, New York. His award commemorates leadership and courage in protecting his Marines.

Official Medal of Honor citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Company I was establishing night ambush sites when the command group was attacked by a reinforced North Vietnamese company supported by heavy automatic-weapons and mortar fire. 2d Lt. Bobo immediately organized a hasty defense and moved from position to position encouraging the outnumbered marines despite the murderous enemy fire.

Recovering a rocket launcher from among the friendly casualties, he organized a new launcher team and directed its fire into the enemy machine-gun positions. When an exploding enemy mortar round severed 2d Lt. Bobo's right leg below the knee, he refused to be evacuated and insisted upon being placed in a firing position to cover the movement of the command group to a better location.

With a web belt around his leg serving as a tourniquet and with his leg jammed into the dirt to contain the bleeding he remained in this position and delivered devastating fire into the ranks of the enemy attempting to overrun the marines. 2d Lt. Bobo was mortally wounded while firing his weapon into the mainpoint of the enemy attack but his valiant spirit inspired his men to heroic efforts, and his tenacious stand enabled the command group to gain a protective position where it repulsed the enemy onslaught. 2d Lt. Bobo's superb leadership, dauntless courage, and bold initiative reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.