On March 16, 1966, Alfred V. Rascon, a medic assigned to a Recon platoon of the 173rd Airborne, was tasked with reinforcing a pinned down battalion in the jungles of Vietnam.
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With casualties mounting, he repeatedly tried to reach a severely wounded machine-gunner who was laying on an open enemy trail. Disregarding his personal safety, he jumped to his feet, ignoring flying bullets and exploding grenades to reach his comrade. To protect him from further wounds, he intentionally placed his body between the soldier and enemy machine guns. Despite being shot in the hip, he dragged his wounded brother away from the kill zone.
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Fearing the abandoned machine gun, its ammo and spare barrel could fall into enemy hands, he made his way back to retrieve them. He was wounded in the face and torso by a hand grenade and despite these wounds, he managed to secure them
He then saw another soldier wounded by small arms fire. Disregarding his own life once again, Rascon reached and covered him with his body absorbing the blasts from the exploding grenades, and saving the soldier's life, but sustaining additional wounds to his body.
He then made his way towards a wounded squad leader, covering him with his body, absorbing the full force of more grenade explosions. Once more, Rascon was critically wounded by shrapnel.
After the enemy broke contact, he disregarded aid for himself, instead treating the wounded and directing their evacuation. Only after being placed on the evacuation helicopter did he allow aid to be given to him.
Rascon is pictured here in the center during the evacuation after being wounded 4 separate times. He was so badly wounded, that he was given his last rites.
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He survived his wounds and went back to Vietnam after graduating OCS in 1970.
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He was nominated for the Medal of Honor in 1966, but it was not awarded until 2000 due to the paper work being lost. The men of his Recon platoon made the award possible after the Pentagon had refused to reopen the case because so much time had lapsed. When someone asked why Rascon should receive it, one the Recon members responded: "We don't want to change history, we just want to correct it" #stayzero