HONORED ON PANEL 5E, LINE 11 OF THE WALL
JAMES ALTON GARDNER
WALL NAME
JAMES A GARDNER
PANEL / LINE
5E/11
DATE OF BIRTH
CASUALTY PROVINCE
DATE OF CASUALTY
HOME OF RECORD
COUNTY OF RECORD
STATE
BRANCH OF SERVICE
RANK
REMEMBRANCES
LEFT FOR JAMES ALTON GARDNER
POSTED ON 11.13.2002
POSTED BY: Doc Shannon
Everyday
Jimmy and I played football at D.H.S. He was older than I and a star while I was a scrub. Every day I remember my redheaded friend and have been inspired by his sacrifice for our country. As Jimmy Bevis might say" he got pugnacious!" Wish we could have him back for a while.
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POSTED ON 3.10.2002
POSTED BY: Dale Hansen
Brother Eagles
POSTED ON 1.8.2002
POSTED BY: Doug Sterner
In Honor of a TRUE American Hero
POSTED ON 3.25.2001
POSTED BY: CLAY MARSTON
IN REMEMBRANCE OF THIS BRAVE YOUNG UNITED STATES ARMY OFFICER WHOSE NAME SHALL LIVE FOREVER MORECONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
1st LEUTENANT
JAMES ALTON GARDNER
served with
HEADQUARTERS COMPANY
1st BATTALION (AIRBORNE)
327th INFANTRY
1st BRIGADE
101st AIRBORNE DIVISION
" THE SCREAMING EAGLES "
and was a posthumous recipient of the
<><><><>CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR<><><><>
who rests in honored glory in
FAIRVIEW CEMETERY
DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE
************************************************************
CITATION
FOR THE AWARD OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
TO
1st LIEUTENANT
JAMES ALTON GARDNER
MY CANH
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
7 FEBRUARY 1966
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lieutenant
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,
Republic of South 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 lttle effect. 1st Lieutenant
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 Lieutenant
Gardner charged through a withering hail of gun fire across
an open rice paddy. Upon reaching the first bunker he
destroyed it with a grenade and without hesitation dashed
to the second bunker and eliminated it by tosing a grenade
inside. Then, crawling swiftly along the dike of the rice paddy,
he reached the third bunker. Before he could arm the grenade,
the enemy gunner leaped forth, firing at him. 1st Lieutenant
Gardner instantly returned the fire and killed the enemy
gunner at a distance of sixty 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 Lieutenant Gardner immediately collected
several grenades and charged the enemy position, firing his
rifle as he advanced to neutralize the defenders. He dropped
the 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 source of the 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 Lieutenant Gardner's conspicuous gallantry was in the
highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect
great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
************************************************************
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
was presented to his family
on 19 October 1970
at
The Pentagon
by the
Secretary of the United States Army
Stanley R. Resor
************************************************************
THE PROUD YOUNG VALOR THAT ROSE ABOVE THE MORTAL
AND THEN, AT LAST, WAS MORTAL AFTER ALL
YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN
NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE
" SADLY MISSED ALONG LIFE'S WAY,
QUIETLY REMEMBERED EVERY DAY,
NO LONGER IN THIS LIFE TO SHARE
BUT IN OUR HEARTS, YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE. "
************************************************************
IN COMMEMORATION OF ALL
SKY SOLDIERS
WHOSE VALOR AND SACRIFICE
IN DEFENSE OF SOUTH VIETNAM
MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
" ALL GAVE SOME --- SOME GAVE ALL "
****************************************************************
A bowling center at
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
home of the
101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault )
is named in his honor
for this hero of the division
JAMES ALTON GARDNER
served with
HEADQUARTERS COMPANY
1st BATTALION (AIRBORNE)
327th INFANTRY
1st BRIGADE
101st AIRBORNE DIVISION
" THE SCREAMING EAGLES "
and was a posthumous recipient of the
<><><><>CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR<><><><>
who rests in honored glory in
FAIRVIEW CEMETERY
DYERSBURG, TENNESSEE
************************************************************
CITATION
FOR THE AWARD OF THE
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
TO
1st LIEUTENANT
JAMES ALTON GARDNER
MY CANH
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM
7 FEBRUARY 1966
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk
of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lieutenant
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,
Republic of South 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 lttle effect. 1st Lieutenant
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 Lieutenant
Gardner charged through a withering hail of gun fire across
an open rice paddy. Upon reaching the first bunker he
destroyed it with a grenade and without hesitation dashed
to the second bunker and eliminated it by tosing a grenade
inside. Then, crawling swiftly along the dike of the rice paddy,
he reached the third bunker. Before he could arm the grenade,
the enemy gunner leaped forth, firing at him. 1st Lieutenant
Gardner instantly returned the fire and killed the enemy
gunner at a distance of sixty 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 Lieutenant Gardner immediately collected
several grenades and charged the enemy position, firing his
rifle as he advanced to neutralize the defenders. He dropped
the 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 source of the 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 Lieutenant Gardner's conspicuous gallantry was in the
highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect
great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.
************************************************************
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR
was presented to his family
on 19 October 1970
at
The Pentagon
by the
Secretary of the United States Army
Stanley R. Resor
************************************************************
THE PROUD YOUNG VALOR THAT ROSE ABOVE THE MORTAL
AND THEN, AT LAST, WAS MORTAL AFTER ALL
YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN
NOR SHALL YOU EVER BE
" SADLY MISSED ALONG LIFE'S WAY,
QUIETLY REMEMBERED EVERY DAY,
NO LONGER IN THIS LIFE TO SHARE
BUT IN OUR HEARTS, YOU'RE ALWAYS THERE. "
************************************************************
IN COMMEMORATION OF ALL
SKY SOLDIERS
WHOSE VALOR AND SACRIFICE
IN DEFENSE OF SOUTH VIETNAM
MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN
" ALL GAVE SOME --- SOME GAVE ALL "
****************************************************************
A bowling center at
Fort Campbell, Kentucky
home of the
101st Airborne Division ( Air Assault )
is named in his honor
for this hero of the division
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POSTED ON 7.13.1999
POSTED BY: Colonel George H. Wilkins III
Medal of Honor
Jim Gardner was an OCS classmate of mine in 1964, Class#4-64, Fort Benning, Ga. For his actions in Vietnam he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He has honored all of us who knew him. God bless Jim Gardner. George Wilkins III, Colonel, Infantry, USA(Ret)
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