A Note from The Virtual Wall
On 06 March 1969 D Company, 2/35th Infantry, lost three men:
- SGT Daniel M. Noeldner, South Shore, SD (Medic w/ D/2/35) (Dist Svc Cross)
- SP4 Frank D. Joynes, Newark, NJ
- PVT Clayton E. Fraley, Gaithersburg, MD
Department of the Army
Washington, DC
15 December 1969
GENERAL ORDERS
NUMBER 85
AWARD OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS
1. TC 320. The following AWARD is announced posthumously.
Daniel M. Noeldner Sergeant
HQ and HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry
| Awarded: |
Distinguished Service Cross |
| Date action: |
6 March 1969 |
| Theater: |
Republic of Vietnam |
| Reason: |
Sergeant Daniel M. Noeldner, United States Army, who distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism while serving as a senior medical aidman assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2d Battalion, 35th infantry, near Pleiku, Republic of Vietnam, on 6 March 1969. On that day Sergeant Noeldner was serving with Company D, 2d Battalion, when it was ambushed by a force of the North Vietnamese Army. Several men in the point element were hit by the initial volley of fire and the cry for "Medic" was heard. Completely disregarding the intensity of the enemy attack and his own safety, Sergeant Noeldner rushed forward to the side of his wounded comrades. While treating the first man that he reached, he was wounded in the thigh. Refusing medical treatment for himself, he continued to assist the wounded while repeatedly exposing himself to the fire of the enemy forces. Shortly thereafter he was again hit by enemy rounds while assisting his fellow soldiers. While attempting to bandage himself to stop the profuse bleeding another medic came to his aid, but Sergeant Noeldner directed him to check the other injured men. Although the crippling effect of his wounds prevented him from continuing his gallant mission, Sergeant Noeldner had significantly contributed to saving the lives of two men ant the sacrifice of his own. His extraordinary heroism at the cost of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflects great credit upon him and the Armed Forces of his country.
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| Authority: |
By direction of the President under the provisions of the Act of Congress, approved 9 July 1918. |
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They are remembered by their fellow soldiers of the
35th Infantry - the Cacti Regiment
Photo courtesy of the 35th Infantry Assn
Visit John Dennison's
Medics on the Wall
memorial which honors the
Army Medics and Navy Corpsmen who died in Vietnam.
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