Robert Martin Patterson

One soldier's courage in the face of overwhelming enemy fire helped turn a desperate battlefield stalemate into an advance. On 6 May 1968, near La Chu, Vietnam, Specialist Fourth Class Robert Martin Patterson demonstrated extraordinary courage that would earn him the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Born on 16 April 1948 in North Carolina and raised in Fayetteville, Patterson grew up in a hardworking family before joining the United States Army in 1966. He initially served with the 82nd Airborne Division before transferring to the 101st Airborne Division's 17th Cavalry Regiment in August 1967. He deployed to Vietnam in December that year and served as a fire team leader with Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry.

During the battle near La Chu, Patterson's platoon encountered a heavily fortified North Vietnamese Army position. When enemy bunkers pinned down American troops and threatened to halt the advance, Patterson moved forward under intense automatic-weapons and rocket-propelled-grenade fire. After helping destroy two bunkers with his assault team, he continued the attack against additional enemy positions, despite the overwhelming danger. His official Medal of Honor citation records that he single-handedly destroyed five enemy bunkers, killed eight enemy soldiers and captured seven weapons. His actions inspired his platoon to resume its assault and penetrate the enemy defenses.

On 9 October 1969, President Richard Nixon presented Patterson with the Medal of Honor at the White House. His other recorded decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, three Purple Hearts, three Meritorious Service Medals and the Army Achievement Medal.

Patterson continued serving his country long after Vietnam. He later became a drill sergeant at Fort Bliss, served during the Gulf War and rose to the Army's highest enlisted rank, Command Sergeant Major. After approximately 26 years of military service, he retired in 1991. His legacy is not defined solely by the extraordinary bravery that earned him the Medal of Honor, but also by a lifetime devoted to soldiers, leadership and service. Robert Martin Patterson remains an enduring example of courage, determination and selfless commitment to duty.