James A . Gardner James Alton Gardner ( February 7 , 1943 – February 7 , 1966 ) 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 . Gardner was born and raised in Dyersburg , Tennessee , the son of mother Johnnye Patterson . He attended Holice Powell School before graduating from Dyersburg High School . Gardner joined the Army from Memphis , Tennessee in 1963 , and was stationed with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell , Kentucky . He married Joella McManus in June 1965 , a month before being sent to Vietnam . Later that year , after arriving in Vietnam , he helped to form and train Tiger Force , a task force of the division ' s 1st Battalion ( Airborne ) , 327th Infantry Regiment , 1st Brigade , which specialized in the use of guerrilla tactics . On February 7 , 1966 , Gardner , then a first lieutenant in his brigade ' s Headquarters and Headquarters Company , led a platoon in the relief of a company that was pinned down by a strongly entrenched and numerically superior enemy force at the village of My Canh . During the assault on the enemy positions , he single - handedly attacked four bunker s . He was mortally wounded while approaching a fifth bunker , but managed to destroy it before succumbing to his injuries . For these actions , he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . He was killed on his 23rd birthday , one month before his tour in Vietnam was to end . He was buried on February 15 , 1966 , at Fairview Cemetery in his hometown of Dyersburg . In addition to the Medal of Honor , Gardner also received the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm , the Bronze Star , and the Purple Heart . During a ceremony at the Pentagon on October 19 , 1967 , Gardner ' s widow was formally presented with his Medal of Honor by Secretary of the Army Stanley Rogers Resor . The medal passed between Gardner ' s widow , mother , and sister until 2009 , when it was donated to the 101st Airborne Division . On August 14 , 2009 , his sister , Lynda Gardner - Park , gave the Medal of Honor to his former unit to be displayed in the division ' s headquarters at Fort Campbell . The Army National Guard armory in Dyersburg is named in Gardner ' s honor . Medal of Honor citation . First Lieutenant Gardner ' 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 . 1st Lt . Gardner ' s platoon was advancing to relieve a company of the 1st Battalion that had been pinned down for several hours by a numerically superior enemy force in the village of My Canh , Vietnam . The enemy occupied a series of strongly fortified bunker positions which were mutually supporting and expertly concealed . Approaches to the position were well covered by an integrated pattern of fire including automatic weapon s , machine gun s and mortars . Air strikes and artillery placed on the fortifications had little effect . 1st Lt . Gardner ' s platoon was to relieve the friendly company by encircling and destroying the enemy force . Even as it moved to begin the attack , the platoon was under heavy enemy fire . During the attack , the enemy fire intensified . Leading the assault and disregarding his own safety , 1st Lt . Gardner charged through a withering hail of fire across an open rice paddy . On reaching the first bunker he destroyed it with a grenade and without hesitation dashed to the second bunker and eliminated it by tossing a grenade inside . Then , crawling swiftly along the dike of a rice paddy , he reached the third bunker . Before he could arm a grenade , the enemy gunner leaped forth , firing at him . 1st Lt . Gardner instantly returned the fire and killed the enemy gunner at a distance of 6 feet . Following the seizure of the main enemy position , he reorganized the platoon to continue the attack . Advancing to the new assault position , the platoon was pinned down by an enemy machine gun emplaced in a fortified bunker . 1st Lt . Gardner immediately collected several grenades and charged the enemy position , firing his rifle as he advanced to neutralize the defenders . He dropped a grenade into the bunker and vaulted beyond . As the bunker blew up , he came under fire again . Rolling into a ditch to gain cover , he moved toward the new source of fire . Nearing the position , he leaped from the ditch and advanced with a grenade in one hand and firing his rifle with the other . He was gravely wounded just before he reached the bunker , but with a last valiant effort he staggered forward and destroyed the bunker , and its defenders with a grenade . Although he fell dead on the rim of the bunker , his extraordinary actions so inspired the men of his platoon that they resumed the attack and completely routed the enemy . 1st Lt . Gardner ' s conspicuous gallantry were in the highest traditions of the U . S . Army .