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| MEDAL OF
HONOR RECIPIENT |
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| NAME: |
Rodney
J.T. Yano |
| RANK: |
Sergeant
First Class |
| ORGANIZATION: |
U.S.
Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry
Regiment |
| PLACE: |
Republic
of Vietnam |
| DATE: |
1
January 1969 |
| ENTERED
SERVICE AT: |
Honolulu,
Hawaii |
| BORN: |
13
December 1943, Kealakekua Kona, Hawaii |
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| CITATION |
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| SFC
Yano distinguished himself while serving
with the Air Cavalry Troop. SFC Yano was
performing the duties of crew chief
aboard the troop's command-and-control
helicopter during action against enemy
forces entrenched in dense jungle. From
and exposed position in the face of
intense small arms and antiaircraft fire
he delivered suppressive fire upon the
enemy forces and marked their positions
with smoke and white phosphorus grenades,
thus enabling his troop commander to
direct accurate and effective artillery
fire against the hostile emplacements. A
grenade, exploding prematurely, covered
him with burning phosphorus, and left him
severely wounded. Flaming fragments
within the helicopter caused supplies and
ammunition to detonate. Dense white smoke
filled the aircraft, obscuring the
pilot's vision and causing him to lose
control. Although having the use of only
one arm and being partially blinded by
the initial explosion, SFC Yano
completely disregarded his welfare and
began hurling blazing ammunition from the
helicopter. In doing so he inflicted
additional wounds on himself, yet he
persisted until the danger was past. SFC
Yano's indomitable courage and profound
concern for his comrades averted the loss
of life and additional injury to the rest
of the crew. By his conspicuous gallantry
at the cost of his life, in the highest
traditions of the military service, SFC
Yano has reflected great credit on
himself, his unit and the U.S. Army. |
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