Robert C. Murray

Infobox Military Person
name=Robert C. Murray
born= birth date|1946|12|10
died= death date and age|1970|6|7|1946|12|10
placeofbirth=Bronx, New York
placeofdeath=near Hiep Duc, Republic of Vietnam
placeofburial=


caption=Army Medal of Honor
nickname=
allegiance=United States of America
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Staff Sergeant
commands=
unit=31st Infantry Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade, 23d Infantry Division
battles=Vietnam War
awards=Medal of Honor Purple Heart
relations=
laterwork=

Robert C. Murray (December 10 1946 – June 7 1970) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.

Biography

Murray joined the Army from New York City and by June 7 1970 was serving as a Staff Sergeant in Company B, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 196th Infantry Brigade, 23d Infantry Division. On that day, near the village of Hiep Duc in the Republic of Vietnam, Murray smothered the blast of a booby trapped grenade with his body, sacrificing his life to protect the soldiers around him.

Murray, aged 23 at his death, was buried in Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven, Hawthorne, New York.

Medal of Honor citation

Staff Sergeant Murray's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

:S/Sgt. Murray distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with Company B. S/Sgt. Murray's squad was searching for an enemy mortar that had been threatening friendly positions when a member of the squad tripped an enemy grenade rigged as a booby trap. Realizing that he had activated the enemy booby trap, the soldier shouted for everybody to take cover. Instantly assessing the danger to the men of his squad, S/Sgt. Murray unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own safety, threw himself on the grenade absorbing the full and fatal impact of the explosion. By his gallant action and self sacrifice, he prevented the death or injury of the other members of his squad. S/Sgt. Murray's extraordinary courage and gallantry, at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

ee also

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

References

*findagrave|6680111 Retrieved on 2007-12-25
*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipients (M-Z)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = October 3 2003
url = http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-m-z.html
accessdate = 2007-06-28

Persondata
NAME= Murray, Robert C.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= United States Army Medal of Honor recipient
DATE OF BIRTH=
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=