John Andrew Barnes III

Barnes was dispatched to Vietnam as part of the 173rd Airborne Brigade on May 31, 1966, during the Vietnam War. Serving in Company C of the 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry, Barnes was assigned as a grenadier.[1][8] Soldiers of the brigade became involved in Operation Attleboro in fall of 1966, an operation that started out as a small search and destroy mission north of Saigon but eventually involved 22,000 troops from 21 battalions.[9] After serving a single tour Barnes was sent home, but volunteered to return to Vietnam and was sent back in the fall of 1967.[1][10] According to Barnes' sister, his mother was very upset that he had volunteered to go back.[3]

On November 12, 1967, while patrolling in Dak To District of Kon Tum Province during the Battle of Dak To, Barnes' unit was attacked by a North Vietnamese battalion. During the battle, Barnes manned a machine gun that had lost its crew to enemy fire and was credited with nine enemy kills.[5] While retrieving more ammunition, Barnes dived on top of a grenade that had landed among American wounded in order to use his body to protect them from the blast.[4][5] The grenade exploded, killing Barnes.[4][5]

Two years later, Barnes was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.[1][4][5][10] His parents accepted the award on his behalf from Spiro Agnew in the Vice President's executive office in Washington, D.C.[4][5] Carson and her husband, James Fleming, and the oldest four of their seven children also attended.[3][4] The ceremony also honored Fr. Charles J. Watters and Robert F. Stryker.[4]

Barnes was also awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and several other medals.[4][10]

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 503d Infantry 173d Airborne Brigade. Place and date: Dak To, Republic of Vietnam, November 12, 1967. Entered service at: Boston, Mass. Born: April 16, 1945, Boston, Mass.

Medal of Honor Official Citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Barnes distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while engaged in combat against hostile forces. Pfc. Barnes was serving as a grenadier when his unit was attacked by a North Vietnamese force, estimated to be a battalion. Upon seeing the crew of a machine gun team killed, Pfc. Barnes, without hesitation, dashed through the bullet swept area, manned the machine gun, and killed 9 enemy soldiers as they assaulted his position. While pausing just long enough to retrieve more ammunition, Pfc. Barnes observed an enemy grenade thrown into the midst of some severely wounded personnel close to his position. Realizing that the grenade could further injure or kill the majority of the wounded personnel, he sacrificed his life by throwing himself directly onto the hand grenade as it exploded. Through his indomitable courage, complete disregard for his own safety, and profound concern for his fellow soldiers, he averted a probable loss of life and injury to the wounded members of his unit. Pfc. Barnes' extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity at the cost of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, are in the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.[11]