Junior Floyd Roniger
Sergeant, U.S. Army

On 20 February 1969, Sergeant Junior Floyd Roniger was serving with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment, 9th Infantry Division, in South Vietnam.

On that day, SGT Roniger was serving as a platoon sergeant during a reconnaissance-in-force mission east of Ben Tre in Kien Hoa Province. While Company B was being inserted into a landing zone, it came under small arms, automatic weapons, and rocket and mortar fire from an estimated Viet Cong battalion occupying fortified bunkers in a nearby woodline. SGT Roniger led an assault until the intensity of the enemy barrage forced him and his men to take cover behind a dike within 100 meters of the woodline. He braved a hail of bullets to maneuver along the dike and direct the fire of his men. As he was exposing himself to the Viet Cong to provide covering fire for a medic that was trying to reach a casualty, he was hit in the shoulder and knocked down. Ignoring his wound, he dragged himself to a better vantage point and continued to fire at the communists. When the medic was temporarily blinded by an exploding enemy rocket, SGT Roniger stood up to engage a machine gun position. While he was firing at the emplacement, he was mortally wounded by the hostile fusillade. SGT Roniger'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
Bronze Star Medal (Merit)
Purple Heart
Air Medal
Army Good Conduct Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Combat Infantryman 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 Sergeant Junior Floyd Roniger (ASN: RA-16870457), 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 B, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. Sergeant Roniger distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 20 February 1969 as a platoon sergeant during a reconnaissance-in-force mission east of Ben Tre in Kien Hoa Province. While his company was being inserted into a landing zone, it came under small arms, automatic weapons, rocket and mortar fire from an estimated Viet Cong battalion occupying fortified bunkers in a nearby woodline. Sergeant Roniger led an assault until the intensity of the enemy barrage forced him and his men to take cover behind a dike within a hundred meters of the woodline. Disregarding his safety, he braved a hail of bullets to maneuver along the dike and direct the fire of his men. As he was exposing himself to the Viet Cong to provide covering fire for a medic who was trying to reach a casualty, he was hit in the shoulder and knocked down. Disregarding his wound, he dragged himself to a better vantage point and continued to fire at the communists. When the medic was temporarily blinded by an exploding enemy rocket, Sergeant Roniger fearlessly stood up to effectively engage a machine gun position. While he was firing at the emplacement, he was mortally wounded by the hostile fusillade. Sergeant Roniger'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. 1534 (April 30, 1969)

Honors

The name Junior F Roniger is located on Panel 32W Line 67 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Sergeant Junior Floyd Roniger is buried at Highland Cemetery in Highland, Madison County, IL.