Charles Q . Williams Charles Quincy Williams ( September 17 , 1933 – October 15 , 1982 ) 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 . Williams joined the Army from Fort Jackson , South Carolina in 1963 , and by June 9 , 1965 was serving as a Second Lieutenant with the 5th Special Forces Group . On that day , in Dong Xoai , Republic of Vietnam , the Special Forces camp where Williams was executive officer was attacked by a large Viet Cong force . As the battle raged through the night and into the next day , Williams coordinated the defense and , eventually , the evacuation of the base . He was subsequently promoted to First Lieutenant and , on July 5 , 1966 , awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle . Williams reached the rank of major before leaving the Army . He died at age 49 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington County , Virginia . Medal of Honor citation . First Lieutenant Williams ' official Medal of Honor citation reads : 1st Lt . Williams distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while defending the Special Forces Camp against a violent attack by hostile forces that lasted for 14 hours . 1st Lt . Williams was serving as executive officer of a Special Forces Detachment when an estimated Vietcong reinforced regiment struck the camp and threatened to overrun it and the adjacent district headquarters . He awoke personnel , organized them , determined the source of the insurgents ' main effort and led the troops to their defensive positions on the south and west walls . Then , after running to the District Headquarters to establish communications , he found that there was no radio operational with which to communicate with his commanding officer in another compound . To reach the other compound , he traveled through darkness but was halted in this effort by a combination of shrapnel in his right leg and the increase of the Vietcong gunfire . Ignoring his wound , he returned to the district headquarters and directed the defense against the first assault . As the insurgents attempted to scale the walls and as some of the Vietnamese defenders began to retreat , he dashed through a barrage of gunfire , succeeded in rallying these defenders , and led them back to their positions . Although wounded in the thigh and left leg during this gallant action , he returned to his position and , upon being told that communications were reestablished and that his commanding officer was seriously wounded , 1st Lt . Williams took charge of actions in both compounds . Then , in an attempt to reach the communications bunker , he sustained wounds in the stomach and right arm from grenade fragments . As the defensive positions on the walls had been held for hours and casualties were mounting , he ordered the consolidation of the American personnel from both compounds to establish a defense in the district building . After radio contact was made with a friendly air controller , he disregarded his wounds and directed the defense from the District building , using descending flare s as reference points to adjust air strike s . By his courage , he inspired his team to hold out against the insurgent force that was closing in on them and throwing grenade s into the windows of the building . As daylight arrived and the Vietcong continued to besiege the stronghold , firing a machinegun directly south of the district building , he was determined to eliminate this menace that threatened the lives of his men . Taking a 3 . 5 rocket launcher and a volunteer to load it , he worked his way across open terrain , reached the berm south of the district headquarters , and took aim at the Vietcong machinegun 150 meters away . Although the sight was faulty , he succeeded in hitting the machinegun . While he and the loader were trying to return to the district headquarters , they were both wounded . With a fourth wound , this time in the right arm and leg , and realizing he was unable to carry his wounded comrade back to the district building , 1st Lt . Williams pulled him to a covered position and then made his way back to the district building where he sought the help of others who went out and evacuated the injured soldier . Although seriously wounded and tired , he continued to direct the air strikes closer to the defensive position . As morning turned to afternoon and the Vietcong pressed their effort with direct recoilless rifle fire into the building , he ordered the evacuation of the seriously wounded to the safety of the communications bunker . When informed that helicopters would attempt to land as the hostile gunfire had abated , he led his team from the building to the artillery position , making certain of the timely evacuation of the wounded from the communications area , and then on to the pickup point . Despite resurgent Vietcong gunfire , he directed the rapid evacuation of all personnel . Throughout the long battle , he was undaunted by the vicious Vietcong assault and inspired the defenders in decimating the determined insurgents . 1st Lt . Williams ' extraordinary heroism , are in the highest traditions of the U . S . Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country .