Paul Bucha Paul William Bucha ( born August 1 , 1943 ) is an American Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Medal of Honor . He was a foreign policy adviser to Barack Obama ' s 2008 presidential campaign . Early life . Bucha was born on August 1 , 1943 , in Washington , D . C . He is of Croatian descent ; his paternal grandfather immigrated to the United States from the Croatian town of Našice . An all - American swimmer in high school , Bucha was offered athletic scholarships to several universities but turned them down and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point . After graduation he earned an Master at Stanford University before beginning his military career at Fort Campbell . Vietnam War and Medal of Honor . Bucha was sent to Vietnam in 1967 as a captain and commander of Company D , 3rd Battalion , 187th Infantry Regiment . On March 16 , 1968 , he and his company of 89 men were dropped by helicopter southwest of Phuoc Vinh in Binh Duong Province . The area was believed to be a North Vietnam ese stronghold and Bucha ' s unit was tasked with seeking out and engaging the enemy forces . For two days Company D encountered light resistance as it cleared North Vietnamese positions . On the afternoon of March 18 , the company ' s lead group of about twelve men stumbled upon a full North Vietnamese Army battalion that had stopped to camp for the night . The lead element came under heavy fire and was pinned down . Bucha crawled towards them and destroyed an NVA bunker . He returned to the company perimeter and ordered a withdrawal to a more defensible position . Throughout the night he encouraged his men , distributed ammunition , and directed artillery and helicopter gunship fire . At one point he stood exposed and used flashlights to direct helicopters which were evacuating the wounded and bringing in supplies . The next morning , as the NVA forces withdrew , he led a party to rescue those soldiers who had been cut off from the rest of the company . Once his tour in Vietnam ended in April 1970 , Bucha returned to the United States and taught an accounting class at West Point . It was during this time that he learned he would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the battle near Phuoc Vinh . The medal was presented to him on May 14 , 1970 , by President Richard Nixon . Later life . Bucha left the Army in 1972 . He worked as chief of operations in Iran for Ross Perot ' s company , Electronic Data Systems ( EDS ) . When several EDS employees were detained during the 1979 Iranian Revolution , he was involved in the effort to free them . He then started his own company which found American partners for foreign investors . With a French real estate developer he formed a joint venture which began the development of Port Liberté , New Jersey . He later worked as chairman of the board of Wheeling - Pittsburgh Steel Corporation and was president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society . Bucha is active in political affairs and campaigned for Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election . Bucha ( R ) unsuccessfully ran for US House of Representatives in NY State in 1993 . He currently lives in Ridgefield , Connecticut , with his wife Cynthia . He has four children : Jason , Heather , Lindsay , and Rebecca . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Captain , U . S . Army , Company D , 3d Battalion . 187th Infantry , 3d Brigade , 101st Airborne Division . Place and date : Near Phuoc Vinh , Binh Duong Province , Republic of Vietnam , 16 - March 19 , 1968 . Entered service at : U . S . Military Academy , West Point , N . Y . Born : August 1 , 1943 , Washington , D . C . Citation : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty . Capt . Bucha distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer , Company D , on a reconnaissance - in - force mission against enemy forces near Phuoc Vinh . The company was inserted by helicopter into the suspected enemy stronghold to locate and destroy the enemy . During this period Capt . Bucha aggressively and courageously led his men in the destruction of enemy fortifications and base areas and eliminated scattered resistance impeding the advance of the company . On 18 March while advancing to contact , the lead elements of the company became engaged by the heavy automatic weapon , heavy machine gun , rocket propelled grenade , Claymore mine and small - arms fire of an estimated battalion - size force . Capt . Bucha , with complete disregard for his safety , moved to the threatened area to direct the defense and ordered reinforcements to the aid of the lead element . Seeing that his men were pinned down by heavy machine gun fire from a concealed bunker located some 40 meters to the front of the positions , Capt . Bucha crawled through the hail of fire to single - handedly destroy the bunker with grenades . During this heroic action Capt . Bucha received a painful shrapnel wound . Returning to the perimeter , he observed that his unit could not hold its positions and repel the human wave assault s launched by the determined enemy . Capt . Bucha ordered the withdrawal of the unit elements and covered the withdrawal to positions of a company perimeter from which he could direct fire upon the charging enemy . When 1 friendly element retrieving casualties was ambushed and cut off from the perimeter , Capt . Bucha ordered them to feign death and he directed artillery fire around them . During the night Capt . Bucha moved throughout the position , distributing ammunition , providing encouragement and insuring the integrity of the defense . He directed artillery , helicopter gunship and Air Force gunship fire on the enemy strong points and attacking forces , marking the positions with smoke grenades . Using flashlights in complete view of enemy snipers , he directed the medical evacuation of 3 air - ambulance loads of seriously wounded personnel and the helicopter supply of his company . At daybreak Capt . Bucha led a rescue party to recover the dead and wounded members of the ambushed element . During the period of intensive combat , Capt . Bucha , by his extraordinary heroism , inspirational example , outstanding leadership and professional competence , led his company in the decimation of a superior enemy force which left 156 dead on the battlefield . His bravery and gallantry at the risk of his life are in the highest traditions of the military service , Capt . Bucha has reflected great credit on himself , his unit , and the U . S . Army .