THE WALL OF FACES

James William Robinson

Medal of Honor
AWARDED FOR ACTIONS
DURING Vietnam War
Service: Army
Battalion: 2d Battalion
Division: 1st Infantry Division
GENERAL ORDERS:
Department of the Army, General Orders No. 35 (September 13, 1967)
CITATION:
The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pride in presenting the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) to Sergeant James William Robinson, Jr. (ASN: 16780221), United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, in action against enemy aggressor forces at Republic of Vietnam, on 11 April 1966. Company C was engaged in fierce combat with a Viet Cong battalion. Despite the heavy fire, Sergeant Robinson moved among the men of his fire team, instructing and inspiring them, and placing them in advantageous positions. Enemy snipers located in nearby trees were inflicting heavy casualties on forward elements of Sergeant Robinson's unit. Upon locating the enemy sniper whose fire was taking the heaviest toll, he took a grenade launcher and eliminated the sniper. Seeing a medic hit while administering aid to a wounded sergeant in front of his position and aware that now the two wounded men were at the mercy of the enemy, he charged through a withering hail of fire and dragged his comrades to safety, where he rendered first aid and saved their lives. As the battle continued and casualties mounted, Sergeant Robinson moved about under intense fire to collect from the wounded their weapons and ammunition and redistribute them to able-bodied soldiers. Adding his fire to that of his men, he assisted in eliminating a major enemy threat. Seeing another wounded comrade in front of his position, Sergeant Robinson again defied the enemy's fire to effect a rescue. In so doing he was himself wounded in the shoulder and leg. Despite his painful wounds, he dragged the soldier to shelter and saved his life by administering first aid. While patching his own wounds, he spotted an enemy machinegun which had inflicted a number of casualties on the American force. His rifle ammunition expended, he seized two grenades and, in an act of unsurpassed heroism, charged toward the entrenched enemy weapon. Hit again in the leg, this time with a tracer round which set fire to his clothing, Sergeant Robinson ripped the burning clothing from his body and staggered indomitably through the enemy fire, now concentrated solely on him, to within grenade range of the enemy machinegun position. Sustaining two additional chest wounds, he marshaled his fleeting physical strength and hurled the two grenades, thus destroying the enemy gun position, as he fell dead upon the battlefield. His magnificent display of leadership and bravery saved several lives and inspired his soldiers to defeat the numerically superior enemy force. Sergeant Robinson's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity, at the cost of his life, are in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Army and reflect great credit upon the 1st Infantry Division and the United States Armed Forces.

The Battle of Xa Cam My was fought over two days during April 11–12, 1966, 10 miles south of the village of Cam My in Phuoc Tuy Province, RVN. Originally planned as a U.S. search and destroy mission intended to lure out the "crack" Viet Cong D800 Battalion, Charlie Company, U.S. 2/16th Infantry Battalion soon found itself fighting for survival in the rubber plantations of Cam My village, approximately 42 miles east of Saigon. During this battle, 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division, were ambushed by the Viet Cong and 80 percent became casualties. Major General William E. DePuy, as commander of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, planned to lure out the Viet Cong by using Charlie Company as a bait. As Charlie Company moved through the Courtenay Rubber Plantation, they encountered sporadic fire with Viet Cong snipers attempting to knock the Americans off one by one. The sporadic fire allowed the Viet Cong to maneuver around the outnumbered Americans. By 2:00 PM, VC officers were spotted around the positions of Charlie Company, directing the encirclement of U.S. positions. By that time it had become clear that the Viet Cong had taken the bait. However, DePuy's gamble on other rifle companies arriving to assist was thwarted by the thick jungle. To minimize casualties and break the ambush, Charlie Company formed a circular perimeter with interlocking fire. The situation deteriorated as Charlie Company found itself increasingly isolated with only a distant hope of reinforcement. This was made worse when misdirected artillery fired upon Charlie Company instead of the aggressive VC forces. The fighting continued well into the night, with the desperate Charlie Company throwing all it had at the determined Viet Cong using tear gas grenades. However, their efforts were not enough to stop the Viet Cong from breaking through their lines. Through the night, small units from the Viet Cong D800 Battalion breached the American perimeter, retrieving their own casualties and killing American wounded. After five hours of brutal fighting, what was left of Charlie Company formed a tight perimeter, protected by a barrage of artillery fire which came down at a rate of five or six rounds per minute. By 7:00 AM on April 12th, the Viet Cong had disengaged from the battle before other U.S. units could arrive. American losses numbered 37 killed and 70 wounded, while the Viet Cong left 41 dead on the field, more than 80 killed and wounded removed. Two posthumous Medals of Honor were awarded in connection with this battle, SGT James W. Robinson Jr. and A1C William H. Pitsenbarger, the latter awarded in December 2000. The other lost Americans included PFC Marion F. Acton, SP4 Howard C. Blevins, PFC Carl D. Buckley, PFC Andrew J. Campbell, SGT William H. Causey, SSGT Ralph Coleman, PFC John A. Davis, SP4 Donald E. Dermont Jr., PFC Dennis A. Desco, PFC Philyaw Fee, SP4 Eugene Garrett Jr., PFC Edward L. George, SSGT Bozy Gerald, PFC David A. Hammett, PFC Charles E. Harvey, PFC Norman L. Hawkins, PFC Robert A. Johnson, SSGT Philip A. Jones, PSGT Everett E. Langston, SGT Richard J. Manley, PVT Emmitt Mays Jr., SP4 Charles D. Oglesby, SP4 Randall B. Prinz, PFC Edward W. Reilly, SGT Ronald J. Seasholtz, SP4 Henry A. Shiver, PFC J.C. L. Short, PFC Joseph F. Smith, PFC Thomas D. Steele, CPT George C. Steinberg, PFC Deane S. Van Dyke Jr., PFC Daniel E. Walden, PFC George H. Ward, PFC John W. Watkins, and SGT Irving M. Wilson Jr. [Taken from coffeltdatabase.org and wikipedia.org]

Dear SGT James William Robinson Jr, sir

As an American, I would like to thank you for your service and for your sacrifice made on behalf of our wonderful country. The youth of today could gain much by learning of heroes such as yourself, men and women whose courage and heart can never be questioned.

May God allow you to read this, and may He allow me to someday shake your hand when I get to Heaven to personally thank you. May he also allow my father to find you and shake your hand now to say thank you; for America, and for those who love you.

With respect, and the best salute a civilian can muster for you, Sir

Curt Carter

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James is buried at Clarendon Hills Cemetery, Darien, DuPage County,IL. MOH PH