SGT James Robinson - Battle of Cam My, Vietnam 11APR1966 (C/2-16 IN, 1st ID)

11APR1966: Serving as a rifle team leader, SGT James Robinson and the rest of Charlie Company, 2-16IN were serving as Viet Cong bait during Operation Abilene in Vietnam. The goal was to lure out the crack Viet Cong D800 battalion that was expected to be hiding in the area and when they were attacking Robinson's unit, the rest of the US, New Zealand, and Australian units would pounce.

As Charlie company moved through the rubber plantations, they quickly found themselves face to face with the VC headquarters and fire erupted from all directions. As his men began to fall, Robinson kept his cool. He organized his men into a defensive perimeter and assigned sectors of fire. After knocking out an enemy sniper with his grenade launcher, Robinson noticed two wounded Soldiers cut off from American lines. He ran into the fire, treated the two, and helped them to safety.

Again seeing a wounded Soldier, Robinson ran out into the fire to rescue him but was hit in the shoulder and leg in the process. While patching his own wounds, he identified a nearby machine gun position that was hammering his men. Now out of ammunition, he grabbed two grenades and charged. He was quickly hit in the leg by a tracer round that caught his pants on fire. Robinson ripped off the pants and kept going, being hit twice more in the chest. Before he fell, mortally wounded, Robinson lobbed the two grenades into the enemy position, destroying it. With the machine gun silent, a helicopter lowered an Air Force Pararescueman to help with the wounded, A1C William Pitsenbarger.

Robinson's repeated actions across the battlefield that day saved countless American lives in a fight that would produce 80% US casualties. SGT James Robinson would be awarded, posthumously, the Medal of Honor.