The Wall › Panel 21W › Illinois › Michael R Blanchfield
MICHAEL R BLANCHFIELD
Specialist Four · U.S. Army
January 4, 1950 – July 3, 1969
Medal of Honor StoryPortrait: US Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Michael R Blanchfield, of Arlington Heights, Illinois, served as a Specialist Four in the U.S. Army. He died on July 3, 1969, in Binh Dinh Province, South Vietnam, at age 19. His name is inscribed on Panel 21W, Line 50 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
Medal of Honor · awarded posthumously
For conspicuous gallantry
Michael R Blanchfield received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest award for valor, for his actions on July 3, 1969. The official citation reads:
Specialist Blanchfield's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp4c. Blanchfield distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman in Company A on a combat patrol. The patrol surrounded a group of houses to search for suspects. During the search of 1 of the huts, a man suddenly ran out toward a nearby tree line. Sp4c. Blanchfield, who was on guard outside the hut, saw the man, shouted for him to halt, and began firing at him as the man ignored the warning and continued to run. The suspect suddenly threw a grenade toward the hut and its occupants. Although the exploding grenade severely wounded Sp4c. Blanchfield and several others, he regained his feet to continue the pursuit of the enemy. The fleeing enemy threw a second grenade which landed near Sp4c. Blanchfield and several members of his patrol. Instantly realizing the danger, he shouted a warning to his comrades. Sp4c. Blanchfield unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his safety, threw himself on the grenade, absorbing the full and fatal impact of the explosion. By his gallant action and self-sacrifice, he was able to save the lives and prevent injury to 4 members of the patrol and several Vietnamese civilians in the immediate area. Sp4c. Blanchfield's extraordinary courage and gallantry at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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Citation text as reproduced in Wikipedia’s article on Michael R Blanchfield; Medal of Honor citations are official U.S. government records. See also the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and all Medal of Honor recipients on the Wall.
On the Wall
Panel 21W · Line 50
Names are inscribed in the order of loss, starting at Panel 1E at the apex and ending at Panel 1W. At the Memorial, find the panel number at the base and count down from the top line.
Remember
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Service
- Branch
- U.S. Army
- Rank
- Specialist Four (SP4)
- Service
- Regular
- Occupation
- Infantryman (11B)
- Unit (as recorded)
- 173 AIRBORNE BDE
- Born
- January 4, 1950
- Home of record
- Arlington Heights, Illinois (Cook County)
Casualty
- Date of death
- July 3, 1969
- Age
- 19
- Province
- Binh Dinh
- Country
- South Vietnam
- Casualty type
- Hostile
- Category
- Killed in Action
- Circumstance
- Explosive Device
Context · from the records
What was happening
42 names on the Wall carry the date July 3, 1969; two of them were lost in Bình Định Province. In July 1969, 834 Americans whose names are on the Wall died in the war.
The 173rd Airborne Brigade, his unit in the record, lost 26 of its members that month.
Read the history
Also on Panel 21W, Line 50
- ROBERT ALBANESEMaster Sergeant · July 3, 1969
- HENRY JOHN CABALLEROSergeant · July 3, 1969
- DANNIE ARTHUR CARRSpecialist Four · July 3, 1969
- CHARLES BERLIN DEDONStaff Sergeant · July 3, 1969
Same unit, same day
- DUANE RICHARD KEILSergeant · Panel 21W, Line 52
From Arlington Heights
- SAMMY LOWELL HARTZELLPrivate First Class · March 11, 1966
- ROBERT ERLE BARDACHPetty Officer Second Class · October 14, 1967
- DANIEL RICHARD SCHUERENCaptain · February 25, 1968
- HARRY LEE CRAIGLance Corporal · May 18, 1968
- DOUGLAS DEAN VAUGHANLieutenant (junior grade) · May 20, 1969
- WILLIAM CARL DABBERTPrivate First Class · June 28, 1969
- DONALD ALAN CLARBOURSpecialist Four · November 6, 1969
- SCOTT NELSON JACOBSONPrivate · February 27, 1972
Source. U.S. Department of Defense, Defense Casualty Analysis System, Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File (as of April 29, 2008), Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Record Group 330, National Archives (NAID 2240992). Panel and line as recorded in that file. The Medal of Honor citation above is the official account of his actions. See something wrong? Report a correction.