Terrence C . Graves Second Lieutenant Terrence Collinson Graves ( 6 July 1945 – 16 February 1968 ) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for " outstanding courage , superb leadership and indomitable fighting spirit " in Vietnam on 16 February 1968 . He was killed in action at the end of this day of intense fighting . Early years . Terrence Graves was born on 6 July 1945 , in Corpus Christi , Texas , and grew up in Groton , New York . He graduated from Edmeston Central High School , Edmeston , New York , in 1963 , and from Miami University , Oxford , Ohio , with a B . A . degree on 19 April 1967 . During his school years , he was a senior patrol leader of the Boy Scouts of America and President of the Methodist Youth Fellowship . Graves was battalion commander of his NROTC unit and a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity while attending Miami University . Marine Corps service . In 1967 , Graves was commissioned a Marine Corps second lieutenant upon graduation from Miami University . He completed The Basic School , Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , Virginia , in November 1967 . In December 1967 , he arrived in the Republic of Vietnam , where he was assigned duty as a platoon commander of " Team Box Score " , 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company , 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion , 3rd Marine Division . While on patrol at Quang Tri Province on 16 February 1968 , his recon patrol were met by enemy soldiers . At the end of a fierce fight with the enemy , he was killed in action when the helicopter he had boarded crashed after being hit by enemy fire . Awards . Second Lieutenant Terrence Collinson Graves decorations include : Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States in the name of United States Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to SECOND LIEUTENANT TERRENCE C . GRAVES UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following " For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a platoon commander with the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company . While on a long - range reconnaissance mission , 2d Lt . Graves ' 8 - man patrol observed 7 enemy soldiers approaching their position . Reacting instantly , he deployed his men and directed their fire on the approaching enemy . After the fire had ceased , he and 2 patrol members commenced a search of the area , and suddenly came under a heavy volume of hostile small arms and automatic weapons fire from a numerically superior enemy force . When 1 of his men was hit by the enemy fire , 2d Lt . Graves moved through the fire - swept area to his radio and , while directing suppressive fire from his men , requested air support and adjusted a heavy volume of artillery and helicopter gunship fire upon the enemy . After attending the wounded , 2d Lt . Graves , accompanied by another Marine , moved from his relatively safe position to confirm the results of the earlier engagement . Observing that several of the enemy were still alive , he launched a determined assault , eliminating the remaining enemy troops . He then began moving the patrol to a landing zone for extraction , when the unit again came under intense fire which wounded 2 more Marines and 2d Lt . Graves . Refusing medical attention , he once more adjusted air strikes and artillery fire upon the enemy while directing the fire of his men . He led his men to a new landing site into which he skillfully guided the incoming aircraft and boarded his men while remaining exposed to the hostile fire . Realizing that 1 of the wounded had not embarked , he directed the aircraft to depart and , along with another Marine , moved to the side of the casualty . Confronted with a shortage of ammunition , 2d Lt . Graves utilized supporting arms and directed fire until a second helicopter arrived . At this point , the volume of enemy fire intensified , hitting the helicopter and causing it to crash shortly after liftoff . All aboard were killed . 2d Lt . Graves ' outstanding courage , superb leadership and indomitable fighting spirit throughout the day were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Navy . He gallantly gave his life for his country . " RICHARD M . NIXON / s / Richard M . Nixon PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA