Ted Belcher

He shielded his squad from a live grenade with his own body.

Ted Belcher was born on 21 July 1924 in Accoville, West Virginia, to Lee and Roxie Belcher. He grew up in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, attended grammar school and worked as a farmhand. His family lived in Logan County before moving to Wyoming County, where they settled at Lynco and later Cyclone.

Belcher entered the United States Army at Huntington in 1943 and served during the Second World War. After the war he returned to West Virginia and continued serving in the National Guard. In 1949 he married Helen Johnson in Pineville. He later returned to active Army service and deployed to South Vietnam in September 1966. By November he was a sergeant leading a squad in the 2d Platoon of Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division.

On 19 November 1966, near Plei Djerang in Vietnam's Central Highlands, Belcher's unit was conducting a search-and-destroy mission alongside Company B, the battalion reconnaissance platoon and a Special Forces company of Civilian Irregular Defense Group soldiers. As his men approached an enemy bunker complex, concealed snipers opened heavy fire on the reconnaissance platoon a few hundred metres away.

Belcher's platoon advanced to help. His squad soon came under accurate automatic-weapons and sniper fire in the dense jungle. When the advance stalled, he ordered his men to return fire and move forward. A grenade then landed among them. Belcher immediately threw himself over it, absorbing the explosion and saving his comrades from its blast.

He was killed in the action, aged 42. He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Zanesville, Ohio, and received the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division. Place and date: Plei Djerang, Republic of Vietnam, 19 November 1966. Entered service at: Huntington, West Virginia. Born: 21 July 1924, Accoville, West Virginia.

Distinguishing himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life. Sgt. Belcher's unit was engaged in a search and destroy mission with Company B, 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry, the Battalion Reconnaissance Platoon and a special forces company of civilian irregular defense group personnel. As a squad leader of the 2d Platoon of Company C, Sgt. Belcher was leading his men when they encountered a bunker complex. The reconnaissance platoon, located a few hundred meters northwest of Company C, received a heavy volume of fire from well camouflaged snipers. As the 2d Platoon moved forward to assist the unit under attack, Sgt. Belcher and his squad, advancing only a short distance through the dense jungle terrain, met heavy and accurate automatic weapons and sniper fire. Sgt. Belcher and his squad were momentarily stopped by the deadly volume of enemy fire. He quickly gave the order to return fire and resume the advance toward the enemy. As he moved up with his men, a hand grenade landed in the midst of the sergeant's squad. Instantly realizing the immediate danger to his men, Sgt. Belcher, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, lunged forward, covering the grenade with his body. Absorbing the grenade blast at the cost of his life, he saved his comrades from becoming casualties. Sgt. Belcher's profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.