Richard A . Pittman Master Sergeant Richard Allan Pittman ( born May 26 , 1945 ) is a retired United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on July 24 , 1966 during the Vietnam War . Biography . Richard Allan Pittman was born on May 26 , 1945 in San Joaquin County , Stockton , California . He attended Hazelton Elementary School , Fremont Junior High School , and graduated from Franklin High School , Stockton , California , in June 1964 . After he was turned down by the Army , Navy , and Air Force due to being legally blind in one eye , Pittman enlisted in the U . S . Marine Corps Reserve at Stockton on September 27 , 1965 . He was discharged on October 31 , 1965 to enlist in the regular Marine Corps on November 1 , 1965 . After recruit training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot , San Diego , California in December 1965 , he went on to individual combat training with the 1st Battalion , 2nd Infantry Training Regiment , Camp Pendleton , California , graduating in February 1966 . Upon graduation , he was promoted to private first class . Transferred to the Far East in the Republic of Vietnam , he joined Company I , Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division and served as a rifleman with this unit until May 1966 . He then became a rifleman and squad leader with Company I , 3rd Battalion , 5th Marines , 1st Marine Division , serving in this capacity until February 1967 . He was promoted to Lance Corporal on July 1 , 1966 , and received a meritorious promotion to Corporal on November 12 , 1966 . Corporal Pittman next saw duty as section leader and motor vehicle operator with Transport Company , 7th Motor Transport Battalion , 1st Marine Division ( redesignated Transport Company , 7th Motor Transport Battalion , Force Logistics Command ) . While serving in Vietnam , he participated in numerous combat operations including Operation Deckhouse 1 and Joint Operation Nathan Hale with Army , Navy , and Air Force , at Song Cau District ; Operation Deckhouse 2 and Operation Hastings at Quang Tri Province ; Operation Colorado and Operation Napa at Tam - Ky Province ; Operation DeSoto near Quang Ngai ; and in action against enemy forces at Da Nang . Upon his return to the United States , he served his last tour of duty as a postal clerk with Headquarters Company , Headquarters Battalion , 5th Marine Division , Camp Pendleton , California . While stationed at Camp Pendleton , he was promoted to Sergeant on December 1 , 1967 . He was discharged from active duty on April 5 , 1968 , and received the Medal of Honor from President Lyndon B . Johnson on May 14 , 1968 . In 1970 , he re - enlisted in the Marine Corps and was promoted to a final rank of Master Sergeant during his 21 - year career . He retired in November 1988 and resides in Stockton , California . Awards and decorations . Master Sergeant Pittman ' s awards include : Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to SERGEANT RICHARD A . PITTMAN UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a member of First Platoon , Company I , Third Battalion , Fifth Marines during combat operations near the Demilitarized Zone , Republic of Vietnam . On July 24 , 1966 , while Company I was conducting an operation along the axis of a narrow jungle trail , the leading company elements suffered numerous casualties when they suddenly came under heavy fire from a well concealed and numerically superior enemy force . Hearing the engaged Marines ' calls for more firepower , Sergeant ( then Lance Corporal ) Pittman quickly exchanged his rifle for a machine gun and several belts of ammunition , left the relative safety of his platoon , and unhesitatingly rushed forward to aid his comrades . Taken under intense enemy small - arms fire at point blank range during his advance , he returned the fire , silencing the enemy positions . As Sergeant Pittman continued to forge forward to aid members of the leading platoon , he again came under heavy fire from two automatic weapon s which he promptly destroyed . Learning that there were additional wounded Marines fifty yards further along the trail , he braved a withering hail of enemy mortar and small - arms fire to continue onward . As he reached the position where the leading Marines had fallen , he was suddenly confronted with a bold frontal attack by 30 to 40 enemy . Totally disregarding his own safety , he calmly established a position in the middle of the trail and raked the advancing enemy with devastating machine - gun fire . His weapon rendered ineffective , he picked up a submachine gun and , together with a pistol seized from a fallen comrade , continued his lethal fire until the enemy force had withdrawn . Having exhausted his ammunition except for a grenade which he hurled at the enemy , he then rejoined his own platoon . Sergeant Pittman ' s daring initiative , bold fighting spirit and selfless devotion to duty inflicted many enemy casualties , disrupted the enemy attack and saved the lives of many of his wounded comrades . His personal valor at grave risk to himself reflects the highest credit upon himself , the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service . / S / LYNDON B . JOHNSON