The President of the United States
in the name of The Congress
takes pleasure in presenting the
Medal of Honor
to
*WINDER, DAVID F.
Rank and organization: Private First
Class, U.S. Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 1st Infantry, 11th
Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. Place and Date: Republic of Vietnam, 13 May
1970. Entered service at: Columbus, Ohio. Born: 10 August 1946,
Edinboro, Pa.
Citation:
Pfc. Winder distinguished himself while serving in the Republic of Vietnam as a senior
medical aidman with Company A. After moving through freshly cut rice paddies in search of
a suspected company-size enemy force, the unit started a thorough search of the area.
Suddenly they were engaged with intense automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade
fire by a well entrenched enemy force. Several friendly soldiers fell wounded in the
initial contact and the unit was pinned down. Responding instantly to the cries of his
wounded comrades, Pfc. Winder began maneuvering across approximately 100 meters of open,
bullet-swept terrain toward the nearest casualty. Unarmed and crawling most of the
distance, he was wounded by enemy fire before reaching his comrades. Despite his wounds
and with great effort, Pfc. Winder reached the first casualty and administered medical
aid. As he continued to crawl across the open terrain toward a second wounded soldier he
was forced to stop when wounded a second time. Aroused by the cries of an injured comrade
for aid, Pfc. Winder's great determination and sense of duty impelled him to move forward
once again, despite his wounds, in a courageous attempt to reach and assist the injured
man. After struggling to within 10 meters of the man, Pfc. Winder was mortally wounded.
His dedication and sacrifice inspired his unit to initiate an aggressive counterassault
which led to the defeat of the enemy. Pfc. Winder's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
in action at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the
military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit and the U.S. Army.
|
