Roger Donlon was a U.S. Army veteran who was given the Medal of Honor for his valor in the Vietnam War.
- Died: January 25, 2024 (Who else died on January 25?)
- Details of death: Died in Leavenworth, Kansas, at the age of 89.
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Roger Donlon’s legacy
Donlon originally joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953, but after serving for two years and enrolling at West Point, he discovered that an eye defect would keep him from flight, and he dropped out. In 1958, he reenlisted, this time in the U.S. Army. He went to Officer Candidate School, and in 1963, he joined the Special Forces and became a Green Beret. The following year, he went to Vietnam.
Donlon and his team fought in the Battle of Nam Đông in July 1964. It was there that he earned his Medal of Honor, as he defended his team from a large-scale attack by enemy forces. During the five-hour battle, Donlon directed defense operations and pulled many wounded men to safety, even while receiving multiple serious injuries himself. His bravery was recognized in December 1964 as President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded him the Medal of Honor in a ceremony at the White House.
Donlon remained in the Army until his retirement as colonel in 1988. Later, he served on the board of directors at People-to-People International. He wrote the military memoirs “Outpost of Freedom” and “Beyond Nam Đông.”
Notable quote
“In life, it’s almost impossible to stay on course all the time. So when you’re weakened, or you’re distracted, you have to find the strength or be the strength for somebody else, to get back on course.” —from a 2022 interview for Knights of Columbus
Tributes to Roger Donlon
Full obituary: Stars and Stripes
