2022 // Silver Star

Lawrence D. Sadler

For Gallantry: in action on 3 April 1968, while serving as a Fire Direction Officer/Forward Observer assigned to Battery C, 2nd Battalion, 17th Artillery Regiment, at a firebase near Tuy Phuoc, Binh Dinh Province, in the Republic of South Vietnam.  Despite being wounded during the initial phase of a determined sapper attack, Second Lieutenant Sadler single-handedly held off repeated attacks on his fire direction center, killing several enemy soldiers at close range.  With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy small arms fire to cover his men and allow them to move more critically wounded Soldiers to safety.  He then crossed exposed ground to rally another howitzer position.  After firing illumination rounds to reveal another enemy assault, he again exposed himself to enemy fire to aim and fire the howitzer at the enemy units that were overrunning the battery.  This fusillade destroyed an enemy position in the battery’s overrun observation post as well as an enemy machine gun nest.  Still ignoring his wounds, Second Lieutenant Sadler continued to distribute ammunition, encourage his fellow Soldiers, and engage and kill enemy sappers throughout the night until a relief force arrived the next morning.  Second Lieutenant Sadler’s gallantry and devotion to duty are in keeping with the finest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the 17th Artillery Regiment, and the United States Army.