Ronald Eric Ray

Shielded two comrades and led his men through enemy gunfire.

Ronald Eric Ray served as an Army infantry officer in Vietnam. On 19 June 1966, while a First Lieutenant with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division, he learned that an ambush patrol had been attacked by a reinforced Viet Cong company. He organised a relief force and led it through two kilometres of mountainous jungle, then broke through the enemy lines to reach the patrol.

Ray destroyed a position pinning down three soldiers with a grenade and rifle fire. When enemy fire threatened medics moving a wounded man, he silenced another position with a grenade. Seeing an enemy grenade near two of his men, he placed himself between them and the explosion. Wounded in the feet and legs, and then struck again by machine-gun fire, he nevertheless destroyed that emplacement with another grenade. He continued directing the defence and led his men out of their surrounded position, accepting evacuation only after they were safe.

Ray received the Medal of Honor on 14 May 1970. He continued his Army career and attained Lieutenant Colonel. In civilian public service, he served as an Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 1989 to 1993.

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. Capt. Ray distinguished himself while serving as a platoon leader with Company A. When 1 of his ambush patrols was attacked by an estimated reinforced Viet Cong company, Capt. Ray organized a reaction force and quickly moved through 2 kilometers of mountainous jungle terrain to the contact area. After breaking through the hostile lines to reach the beleaguered patrol, Capt. Ray began directing the reinforcement of the site. When an enemy position pinned down 3 of his men with a heavy volume of automatic weapons fire, he silenced the emplacement with a grenade and killed 4 Viet Cong with his rifle fire. As medics were moving a casualty toward a sheltered position, they began receiving intense hostile fire. While directing suppressive fire on the enemy position, Capt. Ray moved close enough to silence the enemy with a grenade. A few moments later Capt. Ray saw an enemy grenade land, unnoticed, near 2 of his men. Without hesitation or regard for his safety he dove between the grenade and the men, thus shielding them from the explosion while receiving wounds in his exposed feet and legs. He immediately sustained additional wounds in his legs from an enemy machinegun, but nevertheless he silenced the emplacement with another grenade. Although suffering great pain from his wounds, Capt. Ray continued to direct his men, providing the outstanding courage and leadership they vitally needed, and prevented their annihilation by successfully leading them from their surrounded position. Only after assuring that his platoon was no longer in immediate danger did he allow himself to be evacuated for medical treatment. By his gallantry at the risk of his life in the highest traditions of the military service, Capt. Ray has reflected great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.