Walter Timothy Bahl
Specialist Four, U.S. Army

On 3 December 1968, Specialist Four Walter Timothy Bahl was serving with Company D, 2d Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), South Vietnam.

On that day, SPC4 Bahl was a medic on a reconnaissance-in-force mission northeast of Quan Loi. Company D made contact with an estimated battalion-size North Vietnamese Army force located in well concealed positions and armed with automatic and semi-automatic weapons, rockets and mortars. SPC4 Bahl went to the aid of his comrades and, after evacuating all of the injured to a medical evacuation site, rushed to the platoon that was engaged in treating and carrying them to the evacuation point. The waist-high grass in which several of the casualties lay was ignited by the constant enemy barrage. Working feverishly, he rescued the men and then used his shirt to beat out the fire before he was forced back by the spreading flames. Suffering burns and near exhaustion, SPC4 Bahl, hearing a cry for a medic, again risked the hostile fire to reach the stricken soldier. As he started to render medical aid, he was wounded by an enemy grenade, but began to pull the man to safety. Wounded a second time, he continued his attempt to remove his comrade until he was struck a third time and mortally wounded. SPC4 Bahl's extraordinary heroism, at the cost of his life, earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Medical Badge

Distinguished Service Cross Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pride in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross (Posthumously) to Specialist Fourth Class Walter Timothy Bahl (ASN: RA-16918048), United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion (Airmobile), 7th Cavalry, 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Specialist Four distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 3 December 1968 as a medic on a reconnaissance-in-force mission northeast of Quan Loi. His company made contact with an estimated battalion-size North Vietnamese Army force located in well concealed positions and armed with automatic and semi-automatic weapons, rockets and mortars. Specialist Bahl immediately went to the aid of his comrades and, after evacuating all of the injured members of his element to a medical evacuation site, rushed to the platoon which was engaged in treating and carrying them to the evacuation point, the waist-high grass in which several of the casualties lay was ignited by the constant enemy barrage. Working feverishly, he rescued the men and then used his shirt to beat out the fire before he was forced back by the spreading flames, suffering burns and near exhaustion. Hearing a cry for a medic, he again risked the weathering hostile fire to reach the stricken soldier. He was painfully wounded by an enemy grenade as he started to render medical aid, but fearlessly began to pull the man to safety. Although wounded a second time, he still continued his attempt to remove his comrade until he was struck a third time by the hostile fusillade and was mortally wounded. Specialist Four Bahl's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty, at the cost of his life, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

General Orders: Headquarters, U.S. Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 1140 (April 2, 1969)

Honors

The name Walter T Bahl is located on Panel W37 Line 27 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Specialist Four Walter Timothy Bahl is buried at the Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Denver County, CO, in Section P, Site 2436.