536:, and singly killed eight of the enemy. He then led his squad to the assistance of an adjacent Marine unit which was suffering heavy casualties. Continuing to press forward, he reloaded his weapon and fired with telling effect into the enemy emplacement. He personally assisted in the evacuation of several wounded Marines, and again regrouping the remnants of his squad, he returned to the point of the heaviest fighting. Ordered to an evacuation point by an officer, Corporal O'Malley gathered his besieged and badly wounded squad, and boldly led them under fire to a helicopter for withdrawal. Although three times wounded in this encounter, and facing imminent death from a fanatic and determined enemy, he steadfastly refused evacuation and continued to cover his squad's boarding of the helicopters while, from an exposed position, he delivered fire against the enemy until his wounded men were evacuated. Only then, with his last mission accomplished, did he permit himself to be removed from the battlefield. By his valor, leadership, and courageous efforts in behalf of his comrades, he served as an inspiration to all who observed him, and reflected the highest credit upon the Marine Corps and the
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18 August 1965. While leading his squad in the assault against a strongly entrenched enemy force, his unit came under intense small arms fire. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Corporal O'Malley raced across an open rice paddy to a trench line where the enemy forces were located. Jumping into the trench, he attacked the Viet Cong with his
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fire. During the ensuing firefight, O'Malley single-handedly attacked a Viet Cong trench and helped to evacuate wounded
Marines. Eventually, his squad was ordered to withdraw. As he led his men to the helicopter extraction point, he was hit in the legs, arm, and chest by mortar fragmentation. Despite
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the communist (Viet Cong) forces at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Squad Leader in
Company "I", Third Battalion, Third Marines, Third Marine Division (Reinforced) near An Cu'ong 2, South Vietnam, on
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After the battle, O'Malley received treatment in Japan for his wounds, including surgery to remove fragmentation that had lodged in his lungs. He was promoted to
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at the
Federal Building in Austin. Both the Marine Corps Drill Team and The Marine Corps Band took part in the ceremony at the Texas White House.
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in
December 1965, and returned to Camp Pendleton, where he stayed for the remainder of his service. He left the Marine Corps in April 1966.
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regiment had moved down from the mountains and positioned itself a few miles south of Chu Lai. At dawn on August 18, 1965, as part of
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soon after; all three of his brothers also served in the Marine Corps. Coincidentally, O'Malley grew up with Lance
Corporal
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824:"CPL Robert E. O'Malley, Medal of Honor, 1965, 3/3/3, Vietnam (Medal of Honor citation)"
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The
President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
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Enlisting in the United States Marine Corps on
October 11, 1961, O'Malley completed
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776:"Remarks Upon Awarding the Medal of Honor to Sgt. Robert E. O'Malley, USMC"
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United States Marine non-commissioned officer and Medal of Honor recipient
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upon completing three years of satisfactory service in the Marine Corps.
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in
November. He returned to Camp Pendleton in 1964 as a member of the
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830:. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
629:. History Division, United States Marine Corps. Archived from
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his wounds, he refused to be evacuated and instead provided
656:"Bobby and Tommy: Two Boyhood Friends–Two Medals of Honor"
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in May. Three months later, intelligence indicated that a
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veteran who was the first Marine Corps recipient of the
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United States Marine Corps personnel of the
Vietnam War
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List of Medal of Honor recipients for the
Vietnam War
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United States Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients
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United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers
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for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
320:until all of his Marines had boarded a helicopter.
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858:is available for free viewing and download at the
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693:"Medal of Honor Marine admires WW II Bulge POW"
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177:. He received the medal for his actions as a
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906:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
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19:For other people named Robert O'Malley, see
205:. He was raised and attended school in the
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886:Military personnel from Queens, New York
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260:The following year, O'Malley arrived on
239:Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island
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330:O'Malley was flown on Air Force One to
774:Lyndon B. Johnson (December 6, 1966).
746:"United States Marine Corps – Vietnam"
201:O'Malley was born on June 3, 1943, in
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284:. In October 1964, he was awarded a
623:"Sergeant Robert E. O'Malley, USMC"
828:Marines Awarded the Medal of Honor
752:. HomeofHeroes.com. Archived from
725:Military Order of the Purple Heart
592:from websites or documents of the
272:. While there, he was promoted to
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778:. The American Presidency Project
627:Who's Who in Marine Corps History
750:Living Medal of Honor recipients
588: This article incorporates
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291:As a squad leader in Company I,
243:Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
21:Robert O'Malley (disambiguation)
721:Purple Heart Austin War Stories
464:Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal
691:Mares, Walter (July 1, 2009).
654:Lehrack, Otto J. (July 2008).
471:National Defense Service Medal
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727:, Texas Capital Chapter 1919
350:O'Malley's awards include:
538:United States Naval Service
517:CORPORAL ROBERT E. O'MALLEY
181:on August 18, 1965, during
42:Sergeant Robert E. O'Malley
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594:United States Marine Corps
520:UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
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88:United States Marine Corps
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797:"Medal of Honor citation"
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297:Chu Lai Marine Corps base
293:3rd Battalion 3rd Marines
282:2nd Battalion 1st Marines
266:3rd Battalion 9th Marines
241:. He then transferred to
165:(born June 3, 1943) is a
124:3rd Battalion 3rd Marines
120:2nd Battalion 1st Marines
116:3rd Battalion 9th Marines
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697:Eastern Arizona Courier
662:: 24–26. Archived from
509:Medal of Honor citation
590:public domain material
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500:O'Malley received one
485:Vietnam Campaign Medal
459:Navy Unit Commendation
346:Awards and decorations
276:in March 1963, and to
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163:Robert Emmett O'Malley
30:Robert Emmett O'Malley
476:Vietnam Service Medal
253:. He was promoted to
215:Thomas P. Noonan, Jr.
211:United States Marines
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94:Years of service
717:"Robert E. O'Malley"
660:Leatherneck Magazine
492:"RIFLE EXPERT" Badge
454:Combat Action Ribbon
245:and served with the
167:United States Marine
270:3rd Marine Division
264:as a member of the
255:private first class
251:1st Marine Division
247:5th Marine Regiment
305:Operation Starlite
286:Good Conduct Medal
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183:Operation Starlite
139:Operation Starlite
546:LYNDON B. JOHNSON
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340:Lyndon B. Johnson
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860:Internet Archive
855:For Valor (1966)
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197:O'Malley in 2010
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480:service star
478:w/ 1 bronze
447:Purple Heart
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155:Purple Heart
130:Battles/wars
58:June 3, 1943
876:1943 births
175:Vietnam War
134:Vietnam War
870:Categories
838:2006-07-03
805:2009-07-10
782:2007-02-25
760:2007-02-25
731:2007-02-25
702:2009-07-10
670:2009-07-10
637:2009-07-10
579:References
313:small arms
189:Early life
74:Allegiance
54:1943-06-03
301:Viet Cong
97:1961–1966
551:See also
534:grenades
325:sergeant
278:corporal
179:corporal
106:Sergeant
82:Service/
68:New York
817:General
262:Okinawa
237:at the
219:Vietnam
173:in the
600:Inline
361:
309:mortar
147:Awards
84:branch
800:(PDF)
530:rifle
544:/S/
532:and
311:and
112:Unit
102:Rank
48:Born
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