Richard Morgan Rees
Captain, U.S. Army

Richard Morgan Rees entered the U.S. Army on 28 December 1965 at Cleveland, OH.

On 11 April 1968, Captain Richard Morgan Rees was serving with Detachment A-302, Company A, 5th Special Forces Group, in South Vietnam.

On that day, CPT Rees was part of a 2-company task force that engaged a well-entrenched enemy force at about 1300 hours, while the Special forces unit was performing a search and destroy mission. During the ensuing action, CPT Rees exposed himself to enemy fire while extricating his seriously wounded Task Force Commander and an enlisted member of the unit. He then took command of the American force, successfully overran the enemy positions and ensured the evacuation of all friendly casualties. CPT Rees' courageous actions and leadership in the combat action inspired his troops and helped assure their victory. CPT Rees' heroism earned him the U.S. Army's third highest award for valor, the Silver Star Medal.

On 15 December 1973, CPT Rees was serving with Field Team 6, Control Team B, Headquarters, Joint Casualty Resolution Center. CPT Rees was probing the crash of a U.S. helicopter 6 years earlier. As he disembarked from the unarmed helicopter, the ship came under attack by a Communist force. As CPT Rees stood with his arms raised and hands in the air, he was gunned down by the Communist troops. A South Vietnamese crewman was also killed and four other Americans were wounded. The United States asked the Vietnam cease-fire commission to investigate the attack. CPT Rees was posthumously awarded the U.S. Army's second highest medal for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

Medals, Awards, Badges and Tabs

Distinguished Service Cross
Silver Star Medal
Purple Heart
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Parachutist Badge
Special Forces Tab

Distinguished Service Cross Citation (Synopsis)

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 Captain (Infantry) Richard Morgan Rees, 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 Field Team 6, Control Team B, Headquarters, Joint Casualty Resolution Center. Captain Rees distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 15 December 1973. His 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: Department of the Army, General Orders No. 24 (December 2, 1975)

Honors

The name Richard M Rees is located on Panel 1W Line 120 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Captain Richard Morgan Rees' burial location is unknown.

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