Rank and
organization: Captain (then 1st Lt.), U.S. Army, Company A, 1st
Battalion, 14th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division.
Place and date:
Republic of Vietnam, 13 November 1966.
Entered service at:
Boston, Mass.
Born: 28 March
1940, Cambridge, Mass.
Citation: For
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life
above and beyond the call of duty. Company A was participating in a
search and destroy operation when the leading platoon made contact with
the enemy and a fierce fire-fight ensued. Capt. Grant was ordered to
disengage the 2 remaining platoons and to maneuver them to envelop and
destroy the enemy. After beginning their movement, the platoons
encountered intense enemy automatic weapons and mortar fire from the
front and flank. Capt. Grant was ordered to deploy the platoons in a
defensive position. As this action was underway, the enemy attacked,
using "human wave'' assaults, in an attempt to literally overwhelm
Capt. Grant's force. In a magnificent display of courage and leadership,
Capt. Grant moved under intense fire along the hastily formed defensive
line repositioning soldiers to fill gaps created by the mounting
casualties and inspiring and directing the efforts of his men to
successfully repel the determined enemy onslaught. Seeing a platoon
leader wounded, Capt. Grant hastened to his aid, in the face of the mass
of fire of the entire enemy force, and moved him to a more secure
position. During this action, Capt. Grant was wounded in the shoulder.
Refusing medical treatment, he returned to the forward part of the
perimeter, where he continued to lead and to inspire his men by his own
indomitable example. While attempting to evacuate a wounded soldier, he
was pinned down by fire from an enemy machine gun. With a supply of hand
grenades, he crawled forward under a withering hail of fire and knocked
out the machine gun, killing the crew, after which he moved the wounded
man to safety. Learning that several other wounded men were pinned down
by enemy fire forward of his position, Capt. Grant disregarded his
painful wound and led 5 men across the fire-swept open ground to effect
a rescue. Following return of the wounded men to the perimeter, a
concentration of mortar fire landed in their midst and Capt. Grant was
killed instantly. His heroic actions saved the lives of a number of his
comrades and enabled the task force to repulse the vicious assaults and
defeat the enemy. Capt. Grant's actions reflect great credit upon
himself and were in keeping with the finest traditions of the U.S. Army.