Specialist 5 Dwight W. Birdwell’s, Medal Of Honor citation, read on July 05, 2022:

Attention to Orders:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 03, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal Of Honor, to Specialist 5 Dwight W. Birdwell, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and activity, at the risk of his own life, above and beyond, the call of duty.

Specialist 5 Dwight W. Birdwell, distinguished himself by acts of gallantry in enemy activity above the call of duty, while serving with C-Troop, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division, in the Republic of Vietnam, on 31 January 1968.

On this date, C-Troop was ordered to move south, to help repel and enemy attack, on Tan Son Nhut Air Base.

As the C-Troop column of tanks and armored personnel carriers approached the west gate, of Tan Son Nhut Air Base, it came under intense enemy fire, from a building at it’s right.

Unbeknown to C-Troop, it had driven directly into an enemy force, consisting of three battalions, the column tried to push through the initial attack but the lead tank crippled by rocket propelled grenade explosions, was blocking the way forward.

C-Troop immediately came under heavy enemy fire from both sides of the road.

Specialist 5 Birdwell, upon seeing that his tank commander was wounded by fire, immediately went to his aid, under intense enemy fire he lowered the injured tank commander to the ground and moved him to safety.

Specialist 5 Birdwell then with complete disregard for his own safety mounted the tank and assumed the tank commander’s position.

Standing in the tank commander’s hatch with the upper half of his body exposed to heavy enemy fire, Specialist 5 Birdwell, used the tank’s 50 caliber machine gun and 90 millimeter main gun to suppress the enemy attack, with ammunition for the 90 millimeter main gun exhausted, he continued to fire the 50 caliber machine gun, until it overheated.

At this point Specialist 5 Birdwell, rather than abandoning his position continued to engage the enemy with his M-16 rifle, sometimes exposing his entire body to fire, in order to engage the enemy from a better vantage point.

When a U. S. helicopter crashed nearby, Specialist 5 Birdwell, under withering enemy fire dismounted and moved to the helicopter where he retrieved two M-60 machine guns and ammunition.

After giving one M-60 and ammunition to a fellow soldier, he remounted his tank and used the other M-60 to again engage the enemy.

Specialist 5 Birdwell, continued to engage the enemy with complete disregard for his own safety, until the M-60 he was firing, was hit by enemy fire.

Specialist 5 Birdwell, now wounded in the face, neck, chest and arms dismounted the tank but refused to be medically evacuated.

Instead Specialist 5 Birdwell, under enemy fire rallied fellow soldiers to advance toward the front of the armored column where they set up a defensive position by a large tree.

From this position he and the other soldiers engaged enemy with M-16 fire and grenades.

As the enemy fire lessened, Specialist 5 Birdwell, gathered ammunition from disabled vehicles and helped wounded soldiers move to safer positions.

His leadership and tenacity under fire, inspired the other C-Troop soldiers to continue fighting against the superior enemy force and directly contributed to the enemy’s ultimate defeat.

Specialist 5 Birdwell’s, extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

Signed,

Joseph R. Biden, the President of the United States