Rank and organization Corporal, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d Battalion,
502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
Place and date:
Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, 19 August 1970.
Entered
service at: Albany, N.Y.
Born: 14 July 1951, Sharon, Conn.
Citation:
Cpl. Fratellenico distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman
with Company B. Cpl. Fratellenico's squad was pinned down by intensive
fire from 2 well-fortified enemy bunkers. At great personal risk Cpl.
Fratellenico maneuvered forward and, using hand grenades, neutralized
the first bunker which was occupied by a number of enemy soldiers.
While attacking the second bunker, enemy fire struck Cpl.
Fratellenico, causing him to fall to the ground and drop a grenade
which he was preparing to throw. Alert to the imminent danger to his
comrades, Cpl. Fratellenico retrieved the grenade and fell upon it an
instant before it exploded. His heroic actions prevented death or
serious injury to 4 of his comrades nearby and inspired his unit which
subsequently overran the enemy position. Cpl. Fratellenico's
conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism, and intrepidity 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.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 2d
Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
(Airmobile).
Place and Date: Near Phu Bai, Thua Thien province,
Republic of Vietnam, 26 April 1968.
Entered service at: San Antonio,
Tex.
Born: 28 February 1949, Shreveport, La.
Citation:
For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Lee distinguished himself near the city
of Phu Bai in the province of Thua Thien. Pfc. Lee was serving as the
radio telephone operator with the 3d platoon, Company B. As lead
element for the company, the 3d platoon received intense surprise
hostile fire from a force of North Vietnamese Army regulars in
well-concealed bunkers. With 50 percent casualties, the platoon
maneuvered to a position of cover to treat their wounded and
reorganize, while Pfc. Lee moved through the heavy enemy fire giving
lifesaving first aid to his wounded comrades. During the subsequent
assault on the enemy defensive positions, Pfc. Lee continuously kept
close radio contact with the company commander, relaying precise and
understandable orders to his platoon leader. While advancing with the
front rank toward the objective, Pfc. Lee observed 4 North Vietnamese
soldiers with automatic weapons and a rocket launcher Lying in wait
for the lead element of the platoon. As the element moved forward,
unaware of the concealed danger, Pfc. Lee immediately and with utter
disregard for his own personal safety, passed his radio to another
soldier and charged through the murderous fire. Without hesitation he
continued his assault, overrunning the enemy position, killing all
occupants and capturing 4 automatic weapons and a rocket launcher.
Pfc. Lee continued his 1-man assault on the second position through a
heavy barrage of enemy automatic weapons fire. Grievously wounded, he
continued to press the attack, crawling forward into a firing position
and delivering accurate covering fire to enable his platoon to
maneuver and destroy the position. Not until the position was overrun
did Pfc. Lee falter in his steady volume of fire and succumb to his
wounds. Pfc. Lee's heroic actions saved the lives of the lead element
and were instrumental in the destruction of the key position of the
enemy defense. Pfc. Lee's gallantry at the risk of life above and
beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of
the military service and reflect great credit on himself, the 502d
Infantry, and the U.S. Army.
Rank and organization: Specialist Fourth Class, U.S. Army, Company B,
2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
Place and Date: Quang Ngai, Province, Republic of Vietnam, 18 May
1967.
Entered service at: Minneapolis, Minn.
Born: 18 January 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.
Sp4c. 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. Sp4c. 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.
Sp4c. 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.
Sp4c. 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.
The text of the citations for these awards was found at:
http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-a-l.html
http://www.history.army.mil/html/moh/vietnam-m-z.html