Medal of Honor
September 17, 1969
Chi Lang, Republic of Vietnam
- Rank at action
- Staff Sergeant
- Service
- U.S. Army
- Conflict
- Vietnam War
- Unit or command
- Company D, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces
- Presentation date
- March 18, 2014
The Citation
Sources ↓Melvin Morris is being recognized for his valorous actions on Sept. 17, 1969, while commanding the Third Company, Third Battalion of the IV Mobile Strike Force near Chi Lang. Then-Staff Sgt. Morris led an advance across enemy lines to retrieve a fallen comrade and single-handedly destroyed an enemy force that had pinned his battalion from a series of bunkers. Staff Sgt. Morris was shot three times as he ran back toward friendly lines with the American casualties, but did not stop until he reached safety.
Sources & record notes
General Order comparison: pending. Current-profile review does not mean that the underlying original order has been examined.
- Melvin Morris — Congressional Medal of Honor Society recipient profile ↗Congressional Medal of Honor Society · Checked 2026-09-01
current identity, service, action metadata, and citation comparison
Transcription, metadata & provenance notes
- Award ID
- MOH-AW-003240
- Transcription status
- Legacy full text · current reference profile matched
- Last source check
- 2026-09-01
- Entered service at
- Fort Bragg, NC
- Archive transcription SHA-256
- 0fde4cdacb4a3aa9816deeb74137b694a163f30663c1392024a4fcd0144948eb
Legacy transcription retained without substantive editing; rendered current reference profile comparison is documented in the Phase 10 evidence snapshot.
Staff Sergeant is retained as rank at action, distinct from the later highest rank Sergeant First Class.