First Lieutenant Ruppert Leon Sargent, A Soldier's Story
First Lieutenant Ruppert Leon Sargent, A Soldier's Story
First Lieutenant Ruppert Leon Sargent was born on January 6, 1938, in Hampton, Virginia.
He graduated from Virginia State University before enlisting in the United States Army in January 1959. Determined to lead, he pursued a commission and graduated from Officer Candidate School on October 15, 1965.
By 1967, Lieutenant Sargent had deployed to Vietnam as a platoon leader with the 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. American forces were heavily engaged in counterinsurgency operations, frequently encountering fortified Viet Cong tunnel systems that concealed enemy fighters and weapons caches.
On March 15, 1967, while conducting operations near Ap Dong, his platoon discovered a tunnel complex believed to be occupied by enemy forces. As the soldiers moved to investigate, two Viet Cong soldiers emerged from the tunnel entrance and hurled hand grenades into the center of the platoon.
In a split second, Lieutenant Ruppert Leon Sargent made his decision. Fully aware of the danger, he threw himself onto the grenades, absorbing the full force of the explosions. His actions shielded the soldiers around him and prevented what would almost certainly have been multiple fatalities.
He was twenty-nine years old.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty, First Lieutenant Ruppert Leon Sargent was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He rests at Hampton National Cemetery in Hampton, Virginia, and returned home to the community that shaped him.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
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