Nicholas J. Cutinha

He covered wounded comrades as hostile fire claimed his life

Nicholas Joseph Cutinha was born on 13 January 1945 in Fernandina Beach, Florida. He graduated from Yulee High School and entered the Army in 1967. He trained at Fort Benning before going to Vietnam later that year. He served as a specialist fourth class and machine gunner with Company C, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division.

On 2 March 1968 near Gia Dinh, Vietnam, a larger enemy force attacked his company. Cutinha moved forward to resist the assault and drew fire away from his comrades. Wounded repeatedly, he organized survivors' withdrawal and covered the evacuation of the wounded. After his gun was destroyed, he crawled to another and continued defending the injured until he was mortally wounded. His action saved at least nine members of his unit.

President Richard Nixon presented Cutinha's posthumous Medal of Honor to his family on 7 April 1970. He is buried in Fort Denaud Cemetery in LaBelle, Florida. His medal is held by American Legion Post 130 in LaBelle.

Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. While serving as a machine gunner with Company C, Sp4c. Cutinha accompanied his unit on a combat mission near Gia Dinh. Suddenly his company came under small-arms, automatic-weapons, mortar, and rocket-propelled grenade fire, from a battalion-size enemy unit. During the initial hostile attack, communications with the battalion was lost and the company commander and numerous members of the company became casualties. When Sp4c. Cutinha observed that his company was pinned down and disorganized, he moved to the front with complete disregard for his safety, firing his machine gun at the charging enemy. As he moved forward he drew fire on his own position and was seriously wounded in the leg. As the hostile fire intensified and half of the company was killed or wounded, Sp4c. Cutinha assumed command of all the survivors in his area and initiated a withdrawal while providing cover fire for the evacuation of the wounded. He killed several enemy soldiers but sustained another leg wound when his machine gun was destroyed by incoming rounds. Undaunted, he crawled through a hail of enemy fire to an operable machine gun in order to continue the defense of his injured comrades who were being administered medical treatment. Sp4c. Cutinha maintained this position, refused assistance, and provided defensive fire for his comrades until he fell mortally wounded. He was solely responsible for killing 15 enemy soldiers while saving the lives of at least nine members of his own unit. Sp4c. Cutinha's gallantry and extraordinary heroism were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.