Heroic Actions of Specialist Clarence Sasser

Specialist 5th Class Clarence Sasser distinguished himself as a medical aidman with Company A, 3rd Battalion, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, during a reconnaissance-in-force operation. As his unit made an air assault, they were suddenly struck by heavy fire from well-fortified enemy positions surrounding the landing zone on three sides. In the first moments, more than 30 soldiers were wounded. Without hesitation, Specialist Sasser sprinted across an open rice paddy under intense fire to reach the injured. After helping one soldier to safety, he was wounded in the shoulder by a rocket fragment. Ignoring his own injury, he moved through relentless rocket and machine gun fire to treat casualties from the initial attack and continued searching for more wounded.

Despite receiving two additional wounds that immobilized his legs, Specialist Sasser dragged himself through the mud toward a wounded soldier 100 meters away. Although he was in severe pain and faint from blood loss, he reached the soldier, provided treatment, and then encouraged another group to crawl 200 meters to a safer location. There, he tended to their injuries for five hours until they could be evacuated. For his extraordinary courage and selflessness, Specialist Sasser was awarded the Medal of Honor.