- SURNAME
Medenski
- FORENAME
Keith R.
- UNIT
6 SF Group (Company B)
- RANK
Sergeant
- NUMBER
- AWARD
Silver Star
- PLACE
North Vietnam 1970 (Son Tay)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
CITATION:
Silver Star : The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Sergeant Keith R. Medenski, United States Army, for gallantry in action on 21 November 1970 as a member of an all-volunteer joint U.S. Army and Air Force raiding force in the Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed heliborne assault mission to rescue United States military personnel held as prisoners of war at Son Tay prison in North Vietnam. This valiant effort was motivated by deep compassion for his imprisoned fellow men-at-arms, and by a strong sense of military duty and national pride. After insertion by helicopter into the enemy military prison compound, Sergeant Medenski immediately came face-to-face with an enemy force armed with automatic weapons. Firing his rifle, he cleared the immediate area of armed enemy in order to secure a landing zone. He then exposed himself to intense enemy automatic fire to clear the enemy soldiers from between himself and another unit in the area. Fighting in a cool and fearless manner, he cleared a route of withdrawal for his comrades and secured a landing zone for extraction. Sergeant Medenski's conscious disregard for his personal safety, extraordinary heroism against an armed hostile force, and extreme devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself and the United States Army.
WEB LINKS:
https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/24552
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