| Birth: | Jun. 30, 1944
Albuquerque
Bernalillo County
New Mexico, USA | | Death: | Feb. 18, 1966
Tan An, Vietnam | 
Vietnam War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. He was a US Army Specialist 4th Class in Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Division, serving in the Cu Chi, Hau Nghia Province, Republic of Vietnam. On February 18, 1966, his patrol was ambushed by a Viet Cong rifle company and was driven back before it could evacuate an American soldier who had been wounded in the attack. Fernandez, a Sergeant and two volunteers immediately fought their way through enemy fire to reach the fallen soldier. Upon reaching their fallen comrade, his Sergeant was wounded and Fernandez took charge of the patrol. As he began to assist in the first aid of the fallen men, an enemy grenade landed in the middle of the group. To protect the wounded and other men, he threw himself on the grenade as it exploded, saving the lives of his comrades at the sacrifice of his life. For conspicuous gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on April 26, 1967. He was the first Mexican American to receive the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War. (bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith)
Search Amazon for Daniel Fernandez | | | Burial:
Santa Fe National Cemetery
Santa Fe
Santa Fe County
New Mexico, USA
Plot: Section S Grave 246
GPS (lat/lon): 35.41756, -105.56983 |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Record added: Jun 04, 2000
Find A Grave Memorial# 9783 |
|
|
|
Do you have a photo to add? Click here |
(4.3 after 65 votes)
