Courage of Corporal Larry E. Smedley

Larry E. Smedley served as a squad leader with Company D, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, during operations in the Republic of Vietnam. On the night of December 20–21, 1967, Corporal Smedley led his six-man squad to an ambush position at the entrance to Happy Valley, near Phouc Ninh in Quang Nam Province. That night, his squad observed an estimated 100 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army troops armed with rocket launchers and mortars moving toward Hill 41. Recognizing that this force posed a serious threat to the vital Danang complex, Corporal Smedley took decisive action.

He quickly radioed for reinforcements and skillfully repositioned his squad for a stronger attack. Leading his men in an assault against the much larger enemy force, they soon came under heavy fire from an enemy machine gun on their left flank, which inflicted several casualties. A nearby rifle grenade explosion then wounded Corporal Smedley in the right foot, knocking him down. Ignoring his injuries, he pulled himself to his feet and rallied his men with words of encouragement. Undeterred, he led a charge against the machine gun position, firing his rifle and throwing grenades until he was again struck by enemy fire.

Severely wounded and weakened by blood loss, Corporal Smedley continued his assault. Rising once more, he launched a determined, one-man attack on the machine gun emplacement. Though gravely injured, his courageous assault ultimately destroyed the machine gun, but he was hit in the chest by enemy fire and fell, mortally wounded. His bravery and sacrifice protected his squad and hindered the enemy's advance.