National War Memorial Registry, War Memorial Catalog Of United States

PFC. LESLIE ALLEN BELLRICHARD, U.S. ARMY COMPANY C, 1ST BATTALION, 8TH INFANTRY KONTUM PROVINCE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM, 20 MAY 1967. PFC BELLRICHARD WAS WITH 4 FELLOW SOLDIERS IN A FOXHOLE ON THEIR UNITS PERIMETER WHEN THE POSITION CAME UNDER MASSIVE ENEMY ATTACK.PFC. BELLRICHARD WAS THROWING HAND GRENADES AT THE ONRUSHING ATTACKERS. AS HE WAS ABOUT TO HURL A GRENADE, A MORTAR ROUND EXPLODED KNOCKING HIM INTO THE FOXHOLE AND CAUSING HIM TO LOSE HIS GRIP ON THE ALREADY ARMED GRENADE. REALIZING THIS HE THREW HIMSELF UPON THE GRENADE, SHIELDING HIS COMPANIONS FROM THE BLAST THAT FOLLOWED. ALTHOUGH SEVERELY WOUNDED PFC. BELLRICHARD STRUGGLED INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION IN THE FOXHOLE AND FIRED HIS RIFLE AT THE ENEMY UNTIL HE SUCCUMBED TO HIS WOUNDS. FOR THIS ACTION HE WAS AWARDED THE MEDAL OF HONOR. SEE ALSO-JANESVILLE MEDAL OF HONOR VETERANS WALKWAY