Leonard B . Keller Leonard B . " Len " Keller ( February 25 , 1947 – October 18 , 2009 ) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in the Vietnam War . Biography . A native of Rockford , Illinois , Keller was drafted into the U . S . Army from Chicago in the spring of 1966 . He attended basic training at Fort Campbell , Kentucky , and advanced infantry training at Fort Polk , Louisiana . Sent to Vietnam that summer with the 60th Infantry Regiment , 9th Infantry Division , Keller and his unit performed reconnaissance missions in the Mekong Delta . By May 2 , 1967 , Keller was serving as a sergeant in Company A , 3rd Battalion , 60th Infantry Regiment , 9th Infantry Division . On that day , in the Ap Bac Zone , Republic of Vietnam , Keller and fellow soldier Specialist Four Raymond R . Wright stormed a series of enemy bunker s which were firing on their unit . For their actions , both Keller and Wright were awarded the Medal of Honor . The medal was formally presented to him on September 19 , 1968 , by President Lyndon B . Johnson during a ceremony at the White House . After being discharged from the military in August 1968 , Keller married a United States Navy veteran and eventually moved to Milton , Florida . For more than 20 years , he was supervisor of the supply department at Naval Air Station Whiting Field , a primary flight training base northeast of Naval Air Station Pensacola . Death . Keller died on October 18 , 2009 at age 62 after a motorcycle accident in Milton . He was leaving a Fleet Reserve Association veterans ' club when he lost control of his three - wheeled Harley - Davidson . The vehicle rolled several times and landed on top of him . He was taken to Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola , where he died . On November 30 , 2009 , Keller was buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Medal of Honor citation . Sergeant Keller ' 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 . Sweeping through an area where an enemy ambush had occurred earlier , Sgt . Keller ' s unit suddenly came under intense automatic weapons and small - arms fire from a number of enemy bunkers and numerous sniper s in nearby trees . Sgt . Keller quickly moved to a position where he could fire at a bunker from which automatic fire was received , killing 1 Viet Cong who attempted to escape . Leaping to the top of a dike , he and a comrade charged the enemy bunkers , dangerously exposing themselves to the enemy fire . Armed with a light machine gun , Sgt . Keller and his comrade began a systematic assault on the enemy bunkers . While Sgt . Keller neutralized the fire from the first bunker with his machine gun , the other soldier threw in a hand grenade killing its occupant . Then he and the other soldier charged a second bunker , killing its occupant . A third bunker contained an automatic rifleman who had pinned down much of the friendly platoon . Again , with utter disregard for the fire directed to them , the 2 men charged , killing the enemy within . Continuing their attack , Sgt . Keller and his comrade assaulted 4 more bunkers , killing the enemy within . During their furious assault , Sgt . Keller and his comrade had been almost continuously exposed to intense sniper fire as the enemy desperately sought to stop their attack . The ferocity of their assault had carried the soldiers beyond the line of bunkers into the treeline , forcing snipers to flee . The 2 men gave immediate chase , driving the enemy away from the friendly unit . When his ammunition was exhausted , Sgt . Keller returned to the platoon to assist in the evacuation of the wounded . The 2 - man assault had driven an enemy platoon from a well prepared position , accounted for numerous enemy dead , and prevented further friendly casualties . Sgt . Keller ' s selfless heroism and indomitable fighting spirit saved the lives of many of his comrades and inflicted serious damage on the enemy . His acts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U . S . Army .