Melvin Morris

Melvin Morris is a highly decorated United States Army veteran of the Vietnam War and a distinguished Special Forces soldier. Born in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, Morris entered the Army in 1959 and later volunteered for the Special Forces, becoming one of the first soldiers to wear the green beret. During his service in the Vietnam War, he displayed extraordinary heroism while serving as a Strike Force Commander with Company D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces.

On September 17, 1969, near Chi Lăng, Vietnam, then-Staff Sergeant Morris led an allied strike force on a mission when they came under intense enemy fire. Upon learning that a fellow team leader had been killed near an enemy bunker, Morris reorganized his men and personally charged the enemy positions to recover the fallen soldier. Despite being wounded multiple times, he destroyed several enemy bunkers with hand grenades and successfully retrieved the body of his comrade.

For his conspicuous gallantry, Morris was originally awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Following a comprehensive Department of Defense review of valor awards, his decoration was upgraded to the Medal of Honor, which was presented to him by President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony on March 18, 2014. Morris retired from the U.S. Army at the rank of Sergeant First Class after decades of honorable service.