Loren D . Hagen Loren Douglas Hagen ( February 25 , 1946 – August 7 , 1971 ) was a United States Army Special Forces officer and a recipient of the United States military ' s highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for his actions during the Vietnam War as Recon Team ( RT ) leader of a small special reconnaissance unit " RT Kansas " , manned by USASF " Green Berets " and highly trained Montagnard commandos from TF1AE ( Task Force One Advisory Element ) aka " CCN " ( Command & Control North ) , a division of Studies and Observations Group ( MACV - SOG ) in the Vietnam War . Career and Command . Hagen joined the Army from his birth city of Fargo , North Dakota in 1967 , and by August 7 , 1971 was serving as a first lieutenant in command of special Recon Team ( RT ) Kansas , a mixed unit of U . S . Army Special Forces and Montagnard commandos from Task Force One Advisory Element ( TF1AE ) , also known as Command & Control North ( CCN ) with MACV - SOG ( name changed in March 1971 to " TAG " Training Advisory Group , U . S . Army ) . Facing massed NVA forces . Hagan ' s special reconnaissance team had landed and secured their position for the overnight mission almost within sight of the Hanoi High Command ' s most critical new venture of late 1971 , the first six - inch fuel pipeline laid across the Vietnamese DMZ , which was essential a few months in the future when entire tank battalions rolled through the area for the Vietnam War ' s largest offensive . The 304th North Vietnamese Army ( NVA ) Division was already massing there , plus a regiment of the 308th Division , in preparation for the 1972 Easter Offensive . Enemy attack . During an enemy attack on August 7 , in an assembly area of the North Vietnamese Army in the A Shau Valley of the Republic of Vietnam , Hagen led his small recon team ' s defense , and when USASF Sgt . Bruce Allen Berg was hit by a rocket in one of the team ' s bunker s , Hagen crawled towards Berg ' s position through heavy fire in an attempt to assist Berg , returning fire as he proceeded . Mortally wounded in the process , Hagen was later posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions . Berg was never found and he was initially listed as Missing in Action , Body Not Recovered . Berg was 21 at the time of his loss . He was later declared Killed in Action , Body Not Recovered ( KIA / BNR ) . Other members of Recon Team Kansas were : USASF SSG Oran Bingham , USASF SGT William R . " Bill " Queen ( DSC awarded for his actions ) , USASF SGT Bruce Allen Berg , USASF SGT William " Bill " Rimondi , USASF SGT Tony " Fast Eddie " Andersen ( ? ) , and eight Bru Degar ( Montagnard ) Commando s ( no names available ) . Hagen , aged 25 at his death , was buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Arlington County , Virginia . Medal of Honor citation . First Lieutenant Hagen ' s official Medal of Honor citation reads : 1st Lt . Hagen distinguished himself in action while serving as the team leader of a small special reconnaissance team operating deep within enemy - held territory . At approximately 0630 hours on the morning of 7 August 1971 the small team came under a fierce assault by a superior - sized enemy force using heavy small arms , automatic weapons , mortar , and rocket fire . 1st Lt . Hagen immediately began returning small - arms fire upon the attackers and successfully led this team in repelling the first enemy onslaught . He then quickly deployed his men into more strategic defense locations before the enemy struck again in an attempt to overrun and annihilate the beleaguered team ' s members . 1st Lt . Hagen repeatedly exposed himself to the enemy fire directed at him as he constantly moved about the team ' s perimeter , directing fire , rallying the members , and resupplying the team with ammunition , while courageously returning small arms and hand grenade fire in a valorous attempt to repel the advancing enemy force . The courageous actions and expert leadership abilities of 1st Lt . Hagen were a great source of inspiration and instilled confidence in the team members . After observing an enemy rocket make a direct hit on and destroy 1 of the team ' s bunkers , 1st Lt . Hagen moved toward the wrecked bunker in search for team members despite the fact that the enemy force now controlled the bunker area . With total disregard for his own personal safety , he crawled through the enemy fire while returning small - arms fire upon the enemy force . Undaunted by the enemy rockets and grenades impacting all around him , 1st Lt . Hagen desperately advanced upon the destroyed bunker until he was fatally wounded by enemy small arms and automatic weapons fire . With complete disregard for his personal safety , 1st Lt . Hagen ' s courageous gallantry , extraordinary heroism , and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty , at the cost of his own life , were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon him and the U . S . Army .