Lee Roy Herron

1st Lieutenant, U. S. Marine Corps

Navy Cross

GENERAL ORDERS:
Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to First Lieutenant Lee Roy Herron (MCSN: 0-102874), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Executive Officer, Company A, First Battalion, Ninth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 22 February 1969. While patrolling north of the A Shau Valley in Quang Tri Province, the lead elements of Company A came under intense fire and were pinned down by a large North Vietnamese Army force. First Lieutenant Herron maneuvered one of his platoons forward to reinforce the lead elements. When the second platoon commander was seriously wounded, he immediately assumed command and quickly organized the men into an assault force. Skillfully deploying his men, he led them in an aggressive attack until halted and pinned down by an extremely heavy volume of cross-fire from several enemy machine guns augmented by mortar, rocket-propelled grenade, small arms, and automatic weapons fire from the North Vietnamese emplacements, as well as numerous sniper positions in trees in the dense jungle canopy. Undaunted by the hostile rounds impacting around him, First Lieutenant Herron repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire as he moved among his men to encourage them and urged them to inch forward to positions from which they could deliver more effective return fire. Aware that the fire from two mutually supporting hostile machine guns was holding his Marines in place and preventing the removal of the casualties, he completely disregarded his own safety as he exposed himself to North Vietnamese fire to direct a light antitank assault round which scored a direct hit on one of the machine gun bunkers. Boldly leaping to his feet, he fearlessly charged across the fire-swept terrain to hurl hand grenades and fire his weapon against the enemy emplacement, killing nine North Vietnamese soldiers who were in the bunker. While directing his men in the assault on the remaining bunker, First Lieutenant Herron was mortally wounded by enemy sniper fire. His heroic actions inspired his men to such aggressive action in a coordinated company attack that 105 North Vietnamese soldiers were killed and the large bunker complex destroyed. By his courage, bold initiative and unwavering devotion to duty, First Lieutenant Herron upheld the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.