HEROES:MOH Recipient **James A Gardner Traditional Cache
HEROES:MOH Recipient **James A Gardner
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
While caching this summer across the U.S. we discovered a
“Power Cache” series in Nevada. There were 120 caches
placed along a dirt road and they were close enough for us to log
100 caches in one day! It was a real thrill to log so many caches
in one day… so we would like to give all of you the
opportunity to do the same.
We thought it would be nice to put these caches out for Veterans
Day, so we chose 100 of the 246 Medal of Honor Recipients from the
Vietnam War, and each one of the caches will honor one of these
American Heroes. Of the 246 MOH Recipients from the Vietnam War 63%
were awarded posthumously. ( ** Represents MOH Awarded
Posthumously) Please take the time to read the citation for each
and remember them this Veterans Day.
HAVE FUN!!
James Alton Gardner
Rank and organization: First Lieutenant, U.S. Army, Headquarters
and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 327th Infantry,
1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Place and date: My Canh,
Vietnam, 7 February 1966. Entered service at: Memphis, Tenn. Born:
7 February 1943, Dyersburg, Tenn. Citation: For conspicuous
gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above
and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Gardner's platoon was
advancing to relieve a company of the 1st Battalion that had been
pinned down for several hours by a numerically superior enemy force
in the village of My Canh, Vietnam. The enemy occupied a series of
strongly fortified bunker positions which were mutually supporting
and expertly concealed. Approaches to the position were well
covered by an integrated pattern of fire including automatic
weapons, machine guns and mortars. Air strikes and artillery placed
on the fortifications had little effect. 1st Lt. Gardner's platoon
was to relieve the friendly company by encircling and destroying
the enemy force. Even as it moved to begin the attack, the platoon
was under heavy enemy fire. During the attack, the enemy fire
intensified. Leading the assault and disregarding his own safety,
1st Lt. Gardner charged through a withering hail of fire across an
open rice paddy. On reaching the first bunker he destroyed it with
a grenade and without hesitation dashed to the second bunker and
eliminated it by tossing a grenade inside. Then, crawling swiftly
along the dike of a rice paddy, he reached the third bunker. Before
he could arm a grenade, the enemy gunner leaped forth, firing at
him. 1st Lt. Gardner instantly returned the fire and killed the
enemy gunner at a distance of 6 feet. Following the seizure of the
main enemy position, he reorganized the platoon to continue the
attack. Advancing to the new assault position, the platoon was
pinned down by an enemy machine gun emplaced in a fortified bunker.
1st Lt. Gardner immediately collected several grenades and charged
the enemy position, firing his rifle as he advanced to neutralize
the defenders. He dropped a grenade into the bunker and vaulted
beyond. As the bunker blew up, he came under fire again. Rolling
into a ditch to gain cover, he moved toward the new source of fire.
Nearing the position, he leaped from the ditch and advanced with a
grenade in one hand and firing his rifle with the other. He was
gravely wounded just before he reached the bunker, but with a last
valiant effort he staggered forward and destroyed the bunker, and
its defenders with a grenade. Although he fell dead on the rim of
the bunker, his extraordinary actions so inspired the men of his
platoon that they resumed the attack and completely routed the
enemy. 1st Lt. Gardner's conspicuous gallantry were in the highest
traditions of the U.S. Army.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)