Serving as a sailor in the U.S. Navy, Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Robert Ronald Ingram received the Medal of Honor for his actions on March 28, 1966 in Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. At the time he was serving with Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Ingram was 21 years old.
The medal was presented on July 10, 1998, 32 years after the action — the White House, presented by Pres. William J. Clinton. He later rose to the rank of Petty Officer.
Ingram was born on January 20, 1945 in Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida. Ingram is one of the living Medal of Honor recipients.
Ingram is one of 274 Medal of Honor recipients from the Vietnam War and one of 24 credited to Florida.
Official Medal of Honor citation
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Corpsman with Company C, First Battalion, Seventh Marines against elements of a North Vietnam Aggressor (NVA) battalion in Quang Ngai Province Republic of Vietnam on 28 March 1966. Petty Officer Ingram accompanied the point platoon as it aggressively dispatched an outpost of an NVA battalion. The momentum of the attack rolled off a ridge line down a tree covered slope to a small paddy and a village beyond. Suddenly, the village tree line exploded with an intense hail of automatic rifle fire from approximately 100 North Vietnamese regulars. In mere moments, the platoon ranks were decimated. Oblivious to the danger, Petty Officer Ingram crawled across the bullet spattered terrain to reach a downed Marine. As he administered aid, a bullet went through the palm of his hand. Calls for "CORPSMAN" echoed across the ridge. Bleeding, he edged acrossed the fire swept landscape, collecting ammunition from the dead and administering aid to the wounded. Receiving two more wounds before realizing the third wound was life-threatening, he looked for a way off the face of the ridge, but again he heard the call for corpsman and again, he resolutely answered. Though severely wounded three times, he rendered aid to those incapable until he finally reached the right flank of the platoon. While dressing the head wound of another corpsman, he sustained his fourth bullet wound. From sixteen hundred hours until just prior to sunset, Petty Officer Ingram pushed, pulled, cajoled, and doctored his Marines. Enduring the pain from his many wounds and disregarding the probability of his demise, Petty Officer Ingram's intrepid actions saved many lives that day. By his indomitable fighting spirit, daring initiative, and unfaltering dedications to duty, Petty Officer Ingram reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Wounds and injuries
What the citation records about his wounds:
Receiving two more wounds before realizing the third wound was life-threatening, he looked for a way off the face of the ridge, but again he heard the call for corpsman and again, he resolutely answered.
Though severely wounded three times, he rendered aid to those incapable until he finally reached the right flank of the platoon.
While dressing the head wound of another corpsman, he sustained his fourth bullet wound.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: Vietnam War.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: combat medic
Source: Wikidata.
Places
- Born: Clearwater — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Florida →
Timeline
- January 20, 1945Born in Clearwater, Pinellas County, Florida
- March 28, 1966Act of valor — Quang Ngai Province, Republic of VietnamAge 21. Company C, 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division
- July 10, 1998Medal of Honor presentedThe White House, presented by Pres. William J. Clinton
Biography
Robert Roland Ingram (born January 20, 1945) is a retired United States Navy hospital corpsman third class and a recipient of the Medal of Honor, the United States' highest military decoration, for heroism during the Vietnam War.
From the Wikipedia article “Robert R. Ingram”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
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