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ABOVE &
BEYOND
Medal of Honor
Recipients
1LT
Stephen H. Doane
Vietnam War
BASIC INFORMATION
Full Name
Stephen Holden Doane
Date
3/25/1969
Highest Rank
1LT
Awarded Posthumously
YES
Burial Site
Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA
OFFICIAL CITATION
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. 1st Lt. Doane was serving as a platoon leader when his company, engaged in a tactical operation, abruptly contacted an enemy force concealed in protected bunkers and trenches. Three of the leading soldiers were pinned down by enemy crossfire. One was seriously wounded. After efforts of one platoon to rescue these men had failed, it became obvious that only a small group could successfully move close enough to destroy the enemy position and rescue or relieve the trapped soldiers. 1st Lt. Doane, although fully aware of the danger of such an action, crawled to the nearest enemy bunker and silenced it. He was wounded but continued to advance to a second enemy bunker. As he prepared to throw a grenade, he was again wounded. Undaunted, he deliberately pulled the pin on the grenade and lunged with it into the enemy bunker, destroying this final obstacle. 1st Lt. Doane's supreme act enabled his company to rescue the trapped men without further casualties. The extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by this officer were an inspiration to his men and are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army."
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
On March 25, 1969, at 0655 hours, Company C departed the night perimeter for a sweep of Highway 7A from FSB Patton to Highway 1. They were then to provide convoy escort and road security with the Recon Platoon. At 0825 hours, Company B departed their night perimeter to provide security for Rome Plow operations. At 0845 hours, Company B advised that a tank from the 2/34th Armor struck a mine at XT 566263. The mine blew off the rear road wheel and the track. At 0930 hours, Company B received sniper fire at XT 569261. At 0955 hours, Company B reported receiving small arms fire and one RPG round. At 1000 hours, Company B was advised that the battalion would not be using artillery fire so that they could remain in the contact area and the Rome Plows could keep working. At 1007 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for 2 wounded Bobcats. One of the wounded still had to be rescued from the area of contact. At 1105 hours, Company B reported that as the patrol was moving in to get the wounded Bobcat, a VC threw a hand grenade and they now have one possible KIA. At 1112 hours, a helicopter light fire team was requested to assist Company B. Brigade informed the battalion that no helicopter light fire teams were available. At 1118 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for two dead Bobcats and one wounded Bobcat. At 1138 hours, the Dust-off was completed. At 1154 hours, a light fire team arrived at the Company B area of contact. At 1324 hours, Company B received small arms fire from 150 meters away on their right flank. At 1331 hours, Company B requested a Dust-off for two Bobcats wounded by RPG fire. At 1431 hours, Company B received another RPG round. At 1515 hours, Company B received a 10 round 82mm mortar barrage. At 1525 hours, Company A requested a Dust-off for two wounded, same location as Company B. At 1618 hours, Company A requested another Dust-off at the same location for two wounded by RPG shrapnel. In a sweep of the contact area at 1712 hours, the bodies of enemy soldiers with weapons, ammunition and miscellaneous equipment were located and policed up. “While sweeping one area at approximately 0900 hours in the morning, the enemy opened up with AK-47 fire. I was hit in the abdomen and both legs. I fell to the ground and noticed two other men taking cover in a partially destroyed house. The platoons pulled back and attempted to destroy the positions the enemy were in. There were three positions pinning us down, two on one side and one on the other. The platoons attempted several times to get to us but were unable to because of the RPG and AK-47 fire coming from the enemy positions. Soon the enemy started firing AK-47s and RPGs at the house I was next to and the other men were in. Then all our elements started firing on the enemy and I noticed two of the lieutenants low crawling towards the two bunkers which were about 10 meters apart. Lt. Doane, platoon leader of the second platoon, reached the first bunker and threw in several grenades and also fired his M-16 into the bunker. I then saw a grenade thrown from the next bunker and heard the yell “grenade.” I could see that Lt. Doane had been wounded. We yelled at Lt. Doane to go back because he couldn’t make it. But he crawled to the next bunker anyway. When he reached it a burst of AK-47 fire came from the bunker and I could see that it had hit Lt. Doane. He then pulled the pin of a grenade and threw himself into the bunker. Lt. Doane had destroyed the two bunkers on one side of us, and the platoon moved in quickly and pulled the three of us out of the area.” Lt. Stephen H. Doane was later posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions.