Finnis D . McCleery Finnis Dawson McCleery ( December 25 , 1927 – July 11 , 2002 ) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions in the Vietnam War . Biography . McCleery joined the Army from San Angelo , Texas , and by May 14 , 1968 was serving as a platoon sergeant in Company A , 1st Battalion , 6th Infantry Regiment . During an assault on that day , in Quang Tin Province , Republic of Vietnam , McCleery single - handedly attacked and destroyed several enemy bunker s despite being wounded twice . McCleery left the Army while still a platoon sergeant . He died at age 74 and was buried in Belvedere Memorial Cemetery , San Angelo , Texas . McCleery was married to Lena Mae McCleery and had seven children , Jack Hollis , Roger McCleery , Curtis McCleery , Lisa Power , Donna St . Clair , Deena Moore , and Darla Piper . He was a grandfather and great grandfather at the time of his death . Medal of Honor citation . Platoon Sergeant McCleery ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty . P / Sgt . McCleery , U . S . Army , distinguished himself while serving as platoon leader of the 1st platoon of Company A . A combined force was assigned the mission of assaulting a reinforced company of North Vietnamese Army regulars , well entrenched on Hill 352 , 17 miles west of Tam Ky . As P / Sgt . McCleery led his men up the hill and across an open area to close with the enemy , his platoon and other friendly elements were pinned down by tremendously heavy fire coming from the fortified enemy positions . Realizing the severe damage that the enemy could inflict on the combined force in the event that their attack was completely halted , P / Sgt . McCleery rose from his sheltered position and began a 1 - man assault on the bunker complex . With extraordinary courage , he moved across 60 meters of open ground as bullets struck all around him and rockets and grenades literally exploded at his feet . As he came within 30 meters of the key enemy bunker , P / Sgt . McCleery began firing furiously from the hip and throwing hand grenades . At this point in his assault , he was painfully wounded by shrapnel , but , with complete disregard for his wound , he continued his advance on the key bunker and killed all of its occupants . Having successfully and single - handedly breached the enemy perimeter , he climbed to the top of the bunker he had just captured and , in full view of the enemy , shouted encouragement to his men to follow his assault . As the friendly forces moved forward , P / Sgt . McCleery began a lateral assault on the enemy bunker line . He continued to expose himself to the intense enemy fire as he moved from bunker to bunker , destroying each in turn . He was wounded a second time by shrapnel as he destroyed and routed the enemy from the hill . P / Sgt . McCleery is personally credited with eliminating several key enemy positions and inspiring the assault that resulted in gaining control of Hill 352 . His extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life , above and beyond the call of duty , was in keeping with the highest standards of the military service , and reflects great credit on him , the Americal Division , and the U . S . Army .