Jimmie E . Howard Jimmie Earl Howard ( July 27 , 1929 – November 12 , 1993 ) was a Marine Corps Staff Sergeant when he led an eighteen - man reconnaissance patrol in a fierce battle against a battalion of Viet Cong in June 1966 . As a result of his heroic actions , Howard became the sixth U . S . Marine to be awarded the Nation ’ s highest honor for heroism in combat in Vietnam . The Medal of Honor was presented by President Lyndon B . Johnson in White House ceremonies on August 21 , 1967 . Biography . Jimmie Earl Howard was born July 27 , 1929 , in Burlington , Iowa , and graduated from high school there in 1949 . He attended the University of Iowa for one year prior to enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on July 12 , 1950 . He received recruit training with the 1st Recruit Training Battalion , Marine Corps Recruit Depot , San Diego , California . He was promoted to Private First Class upon graduation from recruit training in January 1951 , then remained at the Recruit Depot as a drill instructor until December 1951 . Korean War . After completing advanced infantry training in February 1952 , he was ordered to Korea where he was assigned duty as a forward observer with the 4 . 2 ” Mortar Company , 1st Marines , 1st Marine Division . For his service in Korea , he was awarded the Silver Star , the Purple Heart with Gold Star in lieu of a second Purple Heart , and the Navy Unit Commendation . He was a promoted to Corporal in March 1952 . Inter - war service . Upon his return to the United States in April 1953 , Cpl Howard served as Tactics Instructor , Headquarters and Service Company , 2nd Infantry Training Regiment , Marine Corps Base , Camp Pendleton , California . While stationed at Camp Pendleton , he was promoted to Sergeant in June 1953 . In March 1954 , Sgt Howard joined the Marine Detachment on board the , as a squad leader . The following January , he returned to Camp Pendleton and served as a squad leader , 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company . The 1st Amphibious Reconnaissance Company was redesignated 1st Force Reconnaissance Company , and Sgt Howard remained with this unit until September 1957 . He was promoted to Staff Sergeant ( SSgt ) in May 1956 . From September 1957 until April 1960 , he served as Special Services Chief and a military police man with Headquarters Battalion , 1st Marine Division , Camp Pendleton . Transferred to San Francisco , California , SSgt Howard was assigned to the 3rd Marine Division . He served as Special Services Noncommissioned Officer , Headquarters and Service Company , 2nd Battalion , 9th Marines and later , as a platoon guide and platoon sergeant with Company H , 2nd Battalion , 9th Marines . Reassigned to the Recruit Depot , San Diego , in August 1961 , he joined Guard Company , Headquarters and Service Battalion and served as Guard Noncommissioned Officer , Company First Sergeant and administrative man , respectively . He later became Depot Special Service Assistant , Headquarters Company , Headquarters and Service Battalion there , and served in the latter capacity until October 1964 . The following month , he returned to Camp Pendleton , and was assigned to the 1st Marine Division . He saw duty as Regimental Special Services Noncommissioned Officer with Headquarters Battery , 11th Marine Regiment and in January 1965 , became an instructor , Counterguerrilla Warfare Course , Division Schools Center , Subunit # 1 , with Headquarters Battalion until March 1966 . From April until June 1966 , SSgt Howard served as a platoon leader , with Company C , 1st Reconnaissance Battalion , 1st Marine Division . Vietnam War ; Medal of Honor actions . On the evening of June 13 , 1966 , SSgt Howard along with his platoon of 15 Marines and 2 Navy corpsmen were dropped behind enemy lines atop Hill 488 . The mission of this recon unit was to observe enemy troop movements in the valley and call in air and artillery strikes . Within days , the enemy descended on them in force ; on the night of June 15 , 1966 , a full battalion of Viet Cong ( over 300 men ) were engaging the squad of 18 . After receiving severe wounds from an enemy grenade , Howard distributed ammunition to his men and directed air strikes on the enemy . By dawn , his beleaguered platoon still held their position . During the 12 hours of attack , 200 enemy troops were killed with the loss of 6 American lives . In addition to being received the Medal of Honor for his actions on Hill 488 , for wounds received in action against insurgent Communist forces in Vietnam on June 16 , 1966 , Howard received a gold star in lieu of a third Purple Heart . Members of Howard ' s platoon were honored for their actions in this fight — four Navy Cross es and thirteen Silver Star s . Post - Vietnam War ; Retirement . Upon his return to the United States , he was assigned duty as Battalion Training Noncommissioned Officer , Service Company , Headquarters and Service Battalion , Marine Corps Recruit Depot , San Diego , California . Howard retired from the Marine Corps on March 31 , 1977 at the rank of first sergeant . Following his retirement , Howard lived in San Diego , California and worked for the local Veterans Affairs office . Howard became involved in coaching / volunteering for Point Loma High School . He was a coach for the Point Loma High School football team that went undefeated in 1987 and won the San Diego Section CIF championship . He was also a coach for Point Loma High School football team that won the CIF championship again in 1991 . When asked why he liked coaching , Coach Howard stated the men he lost in combat were relatively the same age as the high school football players and it reminded him of them . Jimmie E . Howard died on November 12 , 1993 at his home in San Diego , California . He was buried in the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego . Military honors . A list of his medals and decorations includes : the Medal of Honor , the Silver Star Medal , the Purple Heart with two Gold Stars in lieu of second and third awards , the Navy Unit Commendation , the Good Conduct Medal with three bronze stars , the National Defense Service Medal with one bronze star , the Korean Service Medal with four bronze stars , the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star , the United Nations Service Medal , the Korean Presidential Unit Citation , and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal . Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States in the name of The Congress takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to GUNNERY SERGEANT JIMMIE E . HOWARD UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION : / S / LYNDON B . JOHNSON Namesake . The Arleigh Burke class guide missile destroyer , named in honor of Jimmie E . Howard , was christened on November 20 , 1999 by 1stSgt Howard ' s widow , Theresa M . Howard .