Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient. Born in Brooklyn, New York during World War II, Noonan graduated from Grover Cleveland High School in June 1961, and from Hunter College in Bronx, NY in June 1966, with a BA Degree in Physical Education. With the war in Vietnam and a draft calling up college graduates, Noonan voluntarily enlisted into the Marine Corps in January 1968 to become an infantryman. Completing recruit basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina, in April 1968, he underwent combat training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and was assigned in July 1968 as a mortarman with the 2nd Battalion, 27th Marines, 1st Marine Division in Vietnam. A month later, he was reassigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, as a rifleman and M-79 Grenadier. On January 1, 1969, he was promoted to Lance Corporal. Noonan was killed in action on February 5, 1969, at the age of 25, in Quang Tri Province. His Medal of Honor Citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Fire Team Leader with Company G, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines, Third Marine Division, in operations against the enemy in Quang Tri Province in the Republic of Vietnam. On February 5, 1969, Company G was directed to move from a position, which they had been holding southeast of the Vandergrift Combat Base in the A Shau Valley to an alternate location. As the Marines commenced a slow and difficult descent down the side of the hill, made extremely slippery by the heavy rains, the leading element came under a heavy fire from a North Vietnamese Army unit occupying well-concealed positions in the rocky terrain. Four men were wounded, and repeated attempts to recover them failed because of the intense hostile fire. Lance Corporal Noonan moved from his position of relative security and maneuvering down the treacherous slope to a location near the injured men, took cover behind some rocks. Shouting words of encouragement to the wounded men to restore their confidence, he dashed across the hazardous terrain and commenced dragging the most seriously wounded man away from the fire-swept area. Although wounded and knocked to the ground by an enemy round, Lance Corporal Noonan recovered rapidly and resumed dragging the man toward the marginal security of a rock. He was, however, mortally wounded before he could reach his destination. His heroic actions inspired his fellow Marines to such aggressiveness that they initiated a spirited assault which forced the enemy soldiers to withdraw. Lance Corporal Noonan's indomitable courage inspiring initiative and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country."