Brian Edward Tierney
Specialist Four, U.S. Army

Brian Edward Tierney was inducted into the U.S. Army in July 1967 in Connecticut.

On 21 May 1968, Specialist Four Brian Edward Tierney was serving with Company D, 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, in South Vietnam.

On that day, SPC4 Tierney was serving as a radio telephone operator near Quang Tri City. SPC4 Tierney and 2 other soldiers entered a small village to capture a Viet Cong whose position had been spotted from a helicopter. When the point man saw the enemy crouching in a thicket and ordered him to surrender, the communist started to stand up as if to give himself up, but suddenly threw a grenade that he had been concealing. Seeing the grenade land a few feet from himself and his companions, SPC4 Tierney shouted a warning and lunged towards the grenade to shield the others from the blast. He was mortally wounded when the grenade exploded, but his selfless act saved his companions from injury. SPC4 Tierney'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 Commendation 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 Specialist Fourth Class Brian Edward Tierney (ASN: US-52722852), 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, 1st Squadron, 12th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division. Specialist Four Tierney distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 21 May 1968 while serving as a radio telephone operator near Quang Tri City. Specialist Tierney and two other soldiers entered a small village to capture a Viet Cong whose position had been spotted from a helicopter. When the point man saw the enemy crouching in a thicket and ordered him to surrender, the communist started to stand up as if to give himself up, but suddenly threw a grenade that he had been concealing. Seeing the deadly missile land a few feet from himself and his companions, Specialist Tierney shouted a warning and lunged towards the grenade to shield the others from the blast. Specialist Tierney was mortally wounded when the grenade exploded, but by his selfless act he saved his companions from injury. Specialist Four Tierney'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. 728 (March 1, 1969)

Honors

The name Brian E Tierney is located on Panel 65E Line 2 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

Burial

Specialist Four Brian Edward Tierney is buried at Saint Patrick Cemetery in Roxbury, Litchfield County, CT.

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