Fernando Q. Herrera
Sergeant, U.S. Army

Fernando Q. Herrera was born on 28 December 1948 in San Antonio, TX, the son of Jesse and Isabel Herrera. His father was an Air Force Sergeant. Fernando was raised in the Eastside of San Antonio and attended Smith Elementary and Edgar Allan Poe Junior High. When his father was transferred to Alaska in 1963, he attended and graduated from West Anchorage High School in May 1966.

Herrera was drafted and inducted into the U.S. Army on 5 January 1968.

On 20 December 1968, then-Specialist Four Fernando Q. Herrera was serving with Troop B, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, in South Vietnam.

On that day, SPC4 Herrera, a radio operator, and his Troop B was moving to assist an infantry unit when it came under intense automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire from well-concealed enemy positions. Unable to communicate with several disabled vehicles, he left his armored personnel carrier (APC) to relay orders from the commander. Seeing one of the tracks become mired on a rice paddy dike, SPC4 Herrera ran 60 meters through hostile fire to help free the vehicle. After going to the carriers on his right flank to ensure that they had sufficient smoke markers to call in air strikes, he then neutralized the enemy rocket-propelled grenade positions with a barrage of machine gun fire that allowed his unit to continue its advance. When the platoon's mortar track received a direct hit, he brought an injured comrade to the protection of a bomb crater and then went to the medic vehicle to get bandages, which he applied to the man's wounds. Although wounded by shrapnel, SPC4 Herrera continued to engage the communists with heavy fire and ran 60 meters to another disabled vehicle, successfully maneuvering it back to safety. Moments later when a tank was hit, he carried a machine gun to a position from which he provided covering fire for the evacuation of the wounded. SPC4 Herrera's courageous actions and extraordinary heroism earned him the U.S. Army's second highest award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.

[Originally awarded the Silver Star Medal for the above action, it was later upgraded to the DSC.]

The DSC was presented to SPC4 Herrera, in country, by General Creighton W. Abrams, Jr., head of the Military Assistance Command in Vietnam (MACV).

Medals, Awards and Badges

Distinguished Service Cross
Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters
Purple Heart
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 takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Fernando Q. Herrera (US54721540), Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam, while serving with Troop B, 3d Squadron, 4th Cavalry, 25th Infantry Division. Specialist Four Herrera distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 20 December 1968 as a radio telephone operator. As Specialist Herrera's troop moved to assist an infantry unit, it came under intense automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire from well-concealed enemy positions. Unable to communicate with several disabled vehicles, he left his armored personnel carrier and braved a hail of bullets to relay orders from the commander. Seeing one of the tracks become mired on a rice paddy dike, Specialist Herrera ran sixty meters through withering hostile fire to help free the vehicle. After going to the carriers on his right flank to ensure that they had sufficient smoke markers to call in air strikes, he then neutralized the enemy rocket-propelled grenade positions with a barrage of machine gun fire, and allowed his unit to continue its advance. When the platoon's mortar track received a direct hit, he brought an injured comrade to the protection of a bomb crater and then went to the medic vehicle to get bandages which he applied to the man's wounds. Although wounded by shrapnel, Specialist Herrera continued to engage the communists with heavy fire and ran sixty meters to another disabled vehicle, successfully maneuvering it back to safety. Moments later when a tank was hit, he carried a machine gun to a position from which he provided covering fire for the evacuation of the wounded. Specialist Four Herrera's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

Headquarters, US Army, Vietnam, General Orders No. 1165 (April 4, 1969)

Honors

In 1986, Herrera Park was dedicated in San Antonio, TX, in Sergeant Herrera's honor.