James M . Sprayberry James Michael " Mike " Sprayberry ( born April 24 , 1947 ) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in the Vietnam War . Biography . Born in LaGrange , Georgia , on April 24 , 1947 , Sprayberry grew up in Sylacauga , Alabama . He joined the Army from Montgomery in 1967 , and by April 25 , 1968 was serving as a first lieutenant in Company D , 5th Battalion , 7th Cavalry Regiment , 1st Cavalry Division ( Airmobile ) . On that day , in the Republic of Vietnam , he led a patrol which rescued men who had been wounded and cut off from the rest of the company . In the course of the rescue mission , Sprayberry personally destroyed several enemy bunker s and machinegun emplacements . He was subsequently promoted to Captain and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions . Sprayberry reached the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring from the Army in 1988 . He currently lives in Titus , Elmore County , Alabama . Medal of Honor citation . Captain Sprayberry ' 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 . Capt . Sprayberry , Armor , U . S . Army , distinguished himself by exceptional bravery while serving as executive officer of Company D . His company commander and a great number of the men were wounded and separated from the main body of the company . A daylight attempt to rescue them was driven back by the well entrenched enemy ' s heavy fire . Capt . Sprayberry then organized and led a volunteer night patrol to eliminate the intervening enemy bunkers and to relieve the surrounded element . The patrol soon began receiving enemy machinegun fire . Capt . Sprayberry quickly moved the men to protective cover and without regard for his own safety , crawled within close range of the bunker from which the fire was coming . He silenced the machinegun with a hand grenade . Identifying several l - man enemy positions nearby , Capt . Sprayberry immediately attacked them with the rest of his grenades . He crawled back for more grenades and when 2 grenades were thrown at his men from a position to the front , Capt . Sprayberry , without hesitation , again exposed himself and charged the enemy - held bunker killing its occupants with a grenade . Placing 2 men to cover his advance , he crawled forward and neutralized 3 more bunkers with grenades . Immediately thereafter , Capt . Sprayberry was surprised by an enemy soldier who charged from a concealed position . He killed the soldier with his pistol and with continuing disregard for the danger neutralized another enemy emplacement . Capt . Sprayberry then established radio contact with the isolated men , directing them toward his position . When the 2 elements made contact he organized his men into litter parties to evacuate the wounded . As the evacuation was nearing completion , he observed an enemy machinegun position which he silenced with a grenade . Capt . Sprayberry returned to the rescue party , established security , and moved to friendly lines with the wounded . This rescue operation , which lasted approximately 7½ hours , saved the lives of many of his fellow soldiers . Capt . Sprayberry personally killed 12 enemy soldiers , eliminated 2 machineguns , and destroyed numerous enemy bunkers . Capt . Sprayberry ' s indomitable spirit and gallant action at great personal risk to his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself , his unit , and the U . S . Army .