From May 13 to 15, 1969, James McCloughan, then a Private First Class and combat medic, distinguished himself in one of the most intense and harrowing battles of the Vietnam War. Serving with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, McCloughan repeatedly risked—and nearly gave—his life to save others.

After air-assaulting into enemy-held territory, his company came under immediate and overwhelming fire. On May 13, McCloughan sprinted across 100 meters of open ground to reach a wounded Soldier and carried him to safety under heavy fire. Later that day, during an enemy ambush, he was wounded by RPG shrapnel—but refused medical evacuation. Instead, he entered the kill zone four separate times to rescue more wounded comrades.

Over the next two days, as McCloughan’s company was surrounded and outnumbered by two North Vietnamese companies and a Viet Cong regiment, he continued to fight while treating over 10 wounded Soldiers. He was wounded a second time on May 14 but still moved through crossfire to recover casualties. That night, he exposed himself in an open field to guide in a resupply drop using a strobe light while enemy fire rained down around him.

In the early morning hours of May 15, he destroyed an RPG position, defended his unit, and kept two critically wounded Soldiers alive through the night. At dawn, he organized the dead and wounded for evacuation—still refusing to leave the battlefield himself.

For his actions, McCloughan was originally awarded the Bronze Star, which was later upgraded to the Medal of Honor in 2017.

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