Robert D. Law

Infobox Military Person
name=Robert D. Law
born= birth date|1944|9|15
died= death date and age|1968|2|22|1944|9|15
placeofbirth=Fort Worth, Texas
placeofdeath=Tinh Phuoc Thanh Province, Republic of Vietnam
placeofburial=


caption=Army Medal of Honor
nickname=
allegiance= flag|United States
branch=United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=Specialist Four
commands=
unit=75th Ranger Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 1st Infantry Division
battles=Vietnam War
awards=Medal of Honor Bronze Star Purple Heart
relations=
laterwork=

Robert D. Law (September 15 1944 – February 22 1969) 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

Law joined the Army from Dallas, Texas, and by February 22 1969 was serving as a specialist four in Company 1 (Ranger), 75th Ranger Infantry Regiment (Airborne), 1st Infantry Division. During a firefight on that day, in Tinh Phuoc Thanh Province, Republic of Vietnam, Law smothered the blast of an enemy grenade with his body, sacrificing his life to protect those around him.

Law, aged 23 at his death, was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in his birth city of Fort Worth, Texas.

Medal of Honor citation

Specialist Law's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

:For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4 Law distinguished himself while serving with Company 1. While on a long-range reconnaissance patrol in Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Sp4 Law and 5 comrades made contact with a small enemy patrol. As the opposing elements exchanged intense fire, he maneuvered to a perilously exposed position flanking his comrades and began placing suppressive fire on the hostile troops. Although his team was hindered by a low supply of ammunition and suffered from an unidentified irritating gas in the air, Sp4 Law's spirited defense and challenging counterassault rallied his fellow soldiers against the well-equipped hostile troops. When an enemy grenade landed in his team's position, Sp4 Law, instead of diving into the safety of a stream behind him, threw himself on the grenade to save the lives of his comrades. Sp4 Law's extraordinary courage and profound concern for his fellow soldiers were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, 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|9615 Retrieved on 2007-07-11
*cite web
publisher = U.S. Army Center of Military History
title = Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipients (A-L)
work = Medal of Honor Citations
date = February 27 2007
url = http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/vietnam-a-l.html
accessdate = 2007-07-11

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