V 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 5302 

To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor to Special Forces 

Command Sergeant Major Ramon Rodriguez of the United States Army 

for acts of valor during the Vietnam War. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 30, 2014 

Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California introduced the following bill; which was 

referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To authorize the President to award the Medal of Honor 

to Special Forces Command Sergeant Major Ramon 

Rodriguez of the United States Army for acts of valor 

during the Vietnam War. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL 

4 OF HONOR TO SPECIAL FORCES SERGEANT 

5 RAMON RODRIGUEZ FOR ACTS OF VALOR 

6 DURING THE VIETNAM WAR. 

7 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find8 ings: 


jbell on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 5302 IH

1 (1) At the age of 17, Ramon Rodriguez of Wil2 mington, California, began his military career when 

3 he enlisted in the Army during his junior year at 

4 Banning High School. 

5 (2) While a Staff Sergeant in the Army, Ramon 

6 Rodriguez served in Vietnam for 32 months during 

7 the Vietnam War. 

8 (3) During a mission in 1967 in Phu Bai in 

9 Thua Thien Province, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez was 

10 wounded while leading five soldiers to safety, for 

11 which he received a second award of the Silver Star 

12 in recognition of his ‘‘fearless action while exposed 

13 to intense enemy fire’’. 

14 (4) In all, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez was award15 ed the Silver Star three times within a span of 34 

16 days for his courageous service during the Vietnam 

17 War. 

18 (5) Staff Sergeant Rodriguez was awarded 

19 three Bronze Stars with V and 2 Oak Leaf Cluster 

20 and five Purple Hearts. 

21 (6) Command Sergeant Major Rodriguez re22 ceived a total of 17 combat medals and awards for 

23 his service in Vietnam in recognition of his heroism 

24 and acts of valor against hostile enemy forces. 


jbell on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 5302 IH

1 (7) Staff Sergeant Rodriguez attended the 

2 United States Ranger School and graduated with 

3 distinguished honors. 

4 (8) Staff Sergeant Rodriguez led the Special 

5 Forces scuba team at Ford Gulick, Canal Zone, 

6 Panama, and directed several rescue missions. 

7 (9) In 1981, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez earned 

8 the rank of Command Sergeant Major at the United 

9 States Sergeant Major Academy at Fort Bliss, 

10 Texas. 

11 (10) Command Sergeant Major Rodriguez was 

12 nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor in 

13 1982. 

14 (11) Command Sergeant Major Rodriguez com15 pleted two more assignments before officially retiring 

16 from the Army in 1983. 

17 (12) On June 11, 2008, Command Sergeant 

18 Major Rodriguez was inducted as a member of the 

19 Ranger Hall of Fame. 

20 (13) Command Sergeant Major Rodriguez is 

21 known to be one of the most decorated combat sol22 diers who served in the Vietnam War. 

23 (14) Rodriguez currently serves as the Chair24 man of the Military and Veterans Affairs Commis25 sion for the County of Los Angeles, California. 


jbell on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 5302 IH

1 (b) WAIVER OF TIME LIMITATIONS.—Notwith2 standing the time limitations specified in section 3744 of 

3 title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation 

4 with respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons 

5 who served in the Armed Forces, the President may award 

6 the Medal of Honor under section 3741 of such title to 

7 Command Sergeant Major Ramon Rodriguez of the 

8 United States Army for acts of valor, sacrifice, and cour9 age at the risk of his own life beyond the call of duty dur10 ing the Vietnam War. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK4SPTVN1PROD with BILLS