Peter Badcoe Peter John Badcoe VC ( 11 January 1934 – 7 April 1967 ) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest award for gallantry " in the face of the enemy " that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces . Early life and career . Badcoe was born as Peter John Badcock on 11 January 1934 in the Adelaide suburb of Malvern , South Australia , to Leslie Allen Badcock , a public servant , and his wife Gladys Mary Ann May ( née Overton ) . He was educated at Adelaide Technical High School , before gaining employment as a clerk with the South Australian Public Service . Despite his father ' s opposition to the prospect , Badcock held ambitions to join the Australian Army ; he did so in April 1952 . He was called up for National Service ( 4 / 702401 ) and served for a period of seven weeks with the 16th National Service Training Battalion , prior to receiving acceptance as an officer cadet at the Officer Cadet School , Portsea on 15 June that year . Following six months of training , Badcock graduated nineteenth in his course out of forty - nine cadets on 13 December and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Australian Artillery . In his assessment of Badcock , Portsea ' s commandant noted that he was a " very keen and sound student " and would " make a capable officer " . On 26 May 1956 , he married Denise MacMahon in the Methodist Church , Manly , Sydney , and in 1961 he changed his surname to Badcoe . He also played hockey for South Australia while at school and played a fife in the school band . His first car was a little red MG . He was survived by his wife Denise and three daughters : Carey , Kim and Susanne . He also had a sister , Thelma . His grandchildren include Connor , Nicky , Peter , Josie , Michelle , Lucy and D ' Arcy . Vietnam War . He was 33 years old , and a major in the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam during the Vietnam War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross . On 23 February 1967 , in Hương Trà , Vietnam , Major Badcoe rescued , under heavy fire , a United States Medical Adviser . On 7 March , he led his company in an attack and turned what seemed to be certain defeat into a victory . Again , on 7 April , he attempted to lead his company against more powerful opposition . This final act of bravery resulted in his death . The main hall at Officer Cadet School , Portsea was named in his honour , as is the main lecture theatre in the Military Instruction Block at the Royal Military College , Duntroon . Legacy . For his " three acts of heroism " and " outstanding leadership " between February and April 1967 , Badcoe was posthumously decorated with the Victoria Cross . The full citation for the award appeared in a supplement of the " London Gazette " on 17 October 1967 , reading in part : Badcoe ' s medal group and personal memoirs were offered for sale by auction in Sydney on 20 May 2008 . Estimated at between A $ 400 , 000 – 600 , 000 , the group eventually sold for A $ 488 , 000 to Kerry Stokes in collaboration with the South Australian State Government . Badcoe ' s Victoria Cross and associated medals were displayed at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide , prior to being toured to regional South Australia in 2009 , before being displayed permanently at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra . Honours and awards . For his services in Vietnam , in addition to the Victoria Cross , Peter Badcoe was also decorated by the United States of America with the Silver Star with oak leaf cluster for valor , the Purple Heart after being wounded , and the Air Medal . The South Vietnamese awarded him the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold Star and Silver Star , and the Wound Medal .