Date of Award: March 7, 1969
Conflict: Vietnam War
Branch: U.S. Army
At 20 years old, Clarence Sasser sacrificed his lifelong dream of becoming a doctor, left the University of Houston and joined the Army. The Army found him qualified to be trained as a medical aidman and just one year later sent him to Vietnam to serve with Headquarters Company. His very first heavy firefight on January 10, 1968, turned out to be the one where he would prove his mettle as a true American hero.
During a reconnaissance operation that day, his company took heavy fire from well fortified enemy positions and more than 30 of his fellow soldiers were injured within the first few minutes. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sasser bludgeoned through the hailstorm of bullets to treat his comrades. He sustained wounds to the shoulder and legs, but continued to treat the wounded until they could be safely evacuated. Sasser earned numerous awards for his bravery including the National Service Medal, the Viet Nam Campaign medal, a Combat Medical Badge and the Purple Heart.
Citation: “Despite two additional wounds immobilizing his legs, he dragged himself through the mud toward another soldier 100 meters away. Although in agonizing pain and faint from loss of blood, Sasser reached the man, treated him, and proceeded on to encourage another group of soldiers to crawl 200 meters to relative safety.”