Medal Of Honor Marvin Glenn Shields

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with United States Navy Seabee Team 1104 at Dong Xoai, Republic of Vietnam, on 10 June 1965. Although wounded when the compound of Detachment A-342, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, came under intense fire from an estimated reinforced Viet Cong regiment employing machine gun, heavy weapons and small arms, Shields continued to resupply his fellow Americans with needed ammunition and to return the enemy fire for a period of approximately three hours, at which time the Viet Cong launched a massive attack at close range with flame throwers, hand grenades and small-arms fire. Wounded a second time during this attack, Shields nevertheless assisted in carrying a more critically wounded man to safety, and then resumed firing at the enemy for four more hours. When the Commander asked for a volunteer to accompany him in an attempt to knock out an enemy machine gun emplacement which was endangering the lives of all personnel in the compound because of the accuracy of its fire, Shields unhesitatingly volunteered for this extremely hazardous mission. Proceeding toward their objective with a 3.5- inch rocket launcher, they succeeded in destroying the enemy machine gun emplacement, thus undoubtedly saving the lives of many of their fellow servicemen in the compound. Shields was mortally wounded by hostile fire while returning to his defensive position. His heroic initiative and great personal valor in the face of intense enemy fire sustain and enhance the finest tradition of the United States Naval Service.



Although Dong Xoai was left charred ruins, the American position was held. Marvin Shields was posthumously awarded the Vietnamese Order of Gallantry with Palm and the military Merit Medal. President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded him with the Medal of Honor posthumously in a ceremony at the White House on 13 September 1966.

"While they were primarily builders and instructors, Seabee Team members were sometimes directly involved in battle. Perhaps the most famous such battle occurred in June 1965 at Dong Xoai, 55 miles northeast of Saigon. When Viet Cong troops overran a Special Forces Camp containing 400 South Vietnamese and allied Asian troops, 11 men of a U.S. Army Special Forces team and nine men of Seabee Team 1104, seven of the Seabees were wounded and two killed. One of the dead was Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Marvin G. Shields, USN, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry in carrying a critically wounded man to safety and in destroying a Viet Cong machine gun emplacement at the cost of his life. Not only was Marvin Shields the first Seabee to win the nation's highest award, but he was also the first Navy man to be so decorated for action in Vietnam."

From the Naval Historical Center's Seabee History: Southeast Asia


USS Marvin Shields FF 1066 was named after him.

I liked the first post the best but non the less great read. RIP.

This man was mentioned by sarge , so thank him for bringing Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Marvin G. Shields U.S. Navy to our attention.

The thing about Marvin that's not told is that he refused to get on the dustoff and get his wounds attended to. He bled out and died on the chopper on his way to the nearest MASH unit.
Sarge

Hello Sarge.
I'm an old Seabee and also an artist. I'm doing some research on Marvin Glenn Shields to do a commemorative painting honoring his service and sacrifice. I've met with Bill Hildebrand, director of the Seabee historical center in Gulfport, MS., who has given me alot of info. However, if possible it would be great to communicate with anyone who might have actually been there and knew Marvin. If you can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.