Medal of Honor to 24 Army veterans: Vietnam War hero Sergeant Santiago J. Erevia
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| Specialist Four Santiago J. Erevia |
Specialist Four Santiago J. Erevia
will receive the Medal of Honor
for his courageous actions while serving as radio telephone operator in
Company C, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne
Division (Airmobile) during search and clear mission near Tam Ky,
Republic of Vietnam.
Sgt. Santiago Erevia was born in Nordheim, Texas, in 1946.
Citation:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of
Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished
Service Cross to Specialist Fourth Class Santiago Jesus Erevia, United
States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military
operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the
Republic of Vietnam. Specialist Fourth Class Erevia distinguished
himself on 21 May 1969 while serving as a radio-telephone operator with
Company C, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne
Division (Airmobile), during a search and clear mission near Tam Ky City
in the Republic of Vietnam. After his platoon had penetrated an enemy
defensive perimeter, Specialist Erevia was delegated to remain behind
and care for the wounded while the rest of the platoon pushed on against
the adversary. As Specialist Erevia began administering first aid to
the battle casualties, their position came under heavy fire from a line
of enemy bunkers to his left front. Without hesitation, Specialist
Erevia crawled from one wounded man to another gathering weapons and
ammunition. Armed with two M-16 rifles and several hand grenades, he
then rose to his feet and charged directly into the fire of the hostile
gun emplacement, discharging suppressive fire on the enemy as he ran.
Once near the first bunker, Specialist Erevia edged his way up to the
emplacement under intense fire from the other bunkers and unleashed a
grenade on its defender. He then maneuvered to the second and third
bunkers employing the same tactics and destroyed both fortifications and
their occupants with well-placed grenades. His supply of hand grenades
now exhausted, Specialist Erevia fought his way to the final bunker,
running and firing both M-16 rifles simultaneously, and killed the
fortification’s defender with point-blank fire. Having single-handedly
destroyed four enemy bunkers and their occupants, Specialist Fourth
Class Erevia then returned to the soldiers charged to his care and
resumed treating their injuries. Specialist Fourth Class Erevia’s
extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the
highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon
himself, his unit and the United States Army.
In addition to the
Medal of Honor, Erevia received the Distinguished Service Cross (this
award will be upgraded to the Medal of Honor on Mar. 18), Bronze Star
Medal, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National
Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with five Bronze Service
Stars, Combat Infantryman Badge, Sharpshooter Marksmanship Badge with
Auto Rifle Bar, Marksman Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Bar, Republic of
Vietnam Campaign Medal with “60” Device, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry
Cross with Gold Star Device and Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor
Medal, First Class.
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