Jimmy G . Stewart Jimmy Goethel Stewart ( December 25 , 1942 – May 18 , 1966 ) was a United States Army soldier and a posthumous recipient of the U . S . military ' s highest decoration , the Medal of Honor , for his actions in the Vietnam War . Biography . Born on December 25 , 1942 , in West Columbia , West Virginia , Stewart joined the Army from Ashland , Kentucky in 1960 . He served in Vietnam as a staff sergeant with Company B of the 2nd Battalion , 12th Cavalry Regiment , 1st Cavalry Division ( Airmobile ) . On the morning of May 18 , 1966 , Company B was manning a defensive position when they were attacked by a reinforced North Vietnamese company , with the main thrust of the assault pitting Stewart ' s 6 - man squad against a platoon - sized hostile force . Although his five squadmates fell wounded , Stewart ignored an opportunity to withdraw and instead held his position alone for four hours , tossing back enemy - thrown grenades and crawling through heavy fire to retrieve ammunition from the wounded . When a friendly platoon arrived and counterattacked the North Vietnamese , he moved forward and was killed while assisting their effort . For these actions , he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in September 1967 . Stewart , aged 23 at his death , is buried in Middleport , Ohio . His name is listed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial ( " The Wall " ) on panel 07E - Row 084 . Medal of Honor citation . Stewart ' 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 . Early in the morning a reinforced North Vietnamese company attacked Company B , which was manning a defensive perimeter in Vietnam . The surprise onslaught wounded 5 members of a 6 - man squad caught in the direct path of the enemy ' s thrust . S / Sgt . Stewart became a lone defender of vital terrain - - virtually 1 man against a hostile platoon . Refusing to take advantage of a lull in the firing which would have permitted him to withdraw , S / Sgt . Stewart elected to hold his ground to protect his fallen comrades and prevent an enemy penetration of the company perimeter . As the full force of the platoon - sized man attack struck his lone position , he fought like a man possessed ; emptying magazine after magazine at the determined , on - charging enemy . The enemy drove almost to his position and hurled grenades , but S / Sgt . Stewart decimated them by retrieving and throwing the grenades back . Exhausting his ammunition , he crawled under intense fire to his wounded team members and collected ammunition that they were unable to use . Far past the normal point of exhaustion , he held his position for 4 harrowing hours and through 3 assaults , annihilating the enemy as they approached and before they could get a foothold . As a result of his defense , the company position held until the arrival of a reinforcing platoon which counterattacked the enemy , now occupying foxholes to the left of S / Sgt . Stewart ' s position . After the counterattack , his body was found in a shallow enemy hole where he had advanced in order to add his fire to that of the counterattacking platoon . Eight enemy dead were found around his immediate position , with evidence that 15 others had been dragged away . The wounded whom he gave his life to protect , were recovered and evacuated . S / Sgt . Stewart ' s indomitable courage , in the face of overwhelming odds , stands as a tribute to himself and an inspiration to all men of his unit . His actions were in the highest traditions of the U . S . Army and the Armed Forces of his country .