Dale Eugene Wayrynen

Dale Eugene Wayrynen
Army Medal of Honor
Born	January 18, 1947(1947-01-18) Moose Lake, Minnesota
Died	May 18, 1967(1967-05-18) (aged 20) Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam
Place of burial	Rice River Lutheran Cemetery McGregor, Minnesota
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Specialist Four
Unit	Company B, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War
Awards	Medal of Honor

Dale Eugene Wayrynen (January 18, 1947 – May 18, 1967) was a United States Army enlisted soldier and a recipient of America's highest military decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in the Vietnam War.

Biography

On May 18, 1967, Wayrynen was in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam when the unit came under attack. During the fight, Wayrynen threw himself on an enemy-thrown grenade that was tossed into his company, undoubtedly saving many lives at the cost of his own.

He is buried in Rice River Lutheran Cemetery McGregor, Minnesota.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Specialist Four, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: Quang Ngai, Province, Republic of Vietnam, May 18, 1967. Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn. Born: January 18, 1947, Moose Lake, Minn.

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4 Wayrynen distinguished himself with Company B, during combat operations near Duc Pho. His platoon was assisting in the night evacuation of the wounded from an earlier enemy contact when the lead man of the unit met face to face with a Viet Cong soldier. The American's shouted warning also alerted the enemy who immediately swept the area with automatic weapons fire from a strongly built bunker close to the trail and threw hand grenades from another nearby fortified position. Almost immediately, the lead man was wounded and knocked from his feet. Sp4 Wayrynen, the second man in the formation, leaped beyond his fallen comrade to kill another enemy soldier who appeared on the trail, and he dragged his injured companion back to where the point squad had taken cover. Suddenly, a live enemy grenade landed in the center of the tightly grouped men. Sp4 Wayrynen, quickly assessing the danger to the entire squad as well as to his platoon leader who was nearby, shouted a warning, pushed one soldier out of the way, and threw himself on the grenade at the moment it exploded. He was mortally wounded. His deep and abiding concern for his fellow soldiers was significantly reflected in his supreme and courageous act that preserved the lives of his comrades. Sp4 Wayrynen's heroic actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service, and they reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

See also

	Biography portal
	United States Army portal

• List of Medal of Honor recipients
• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War

References

• "Dale Eugene Wayrynen". Claim to Fame: Medal of Honor recipients. Find a Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7861233. Retrieved 2008-12-29. 
• "Medal of Honor recipients". Medal of Honor citations. United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/Vietnam-m-z.html. Retrieved July 1, 2010. 

Persondata
Name	Wayrynen, Dale Eugene
Alternative names
Short description	United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
Date of birth	January 18, 1947
Place of birth	Moose Lake, Minnesota
Date of death	May 18, 1967
Place of death	Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam