Specialist Fourth Class Robert D. Law

Specialist Fourth Class Robert D. Law. . Robert D. Law was born on September 15, 1944 in Fort Worth, Texas. Law joined the Army at Dallas, Texas, in 1967 at the age of 23. He served in the Tinh Phuoc Thanh province of the Republic of Vietnam as part of the Company I, 75th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. During the Vietnam War the U.S. Army formed fifteen Ranger companies under the 75th Infantry (Ranger) Regiment. Most of these companies served in South Vietnam. In Vietnam, Rangers, like Law, conducted long range reconnaissance and patrol missions deep into enemy held territory. Rangers fought from the Regiment. Most of these companies served in South Vietnam. In Vietnam, Rangers, like Law, conducted long range reconnaissance and patrol missions deep into enemy held territory. Rangers fought from the Demilitarized Zone near the North Vietnam border to the Mekong Delta. These missions provided valued intelligence and conducted a host of special operations against North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces. These operations included raids, ambushes, disruption of enemy lines of communications and supply, and attempts to capture prisoners. The Army assigned individual Ranger companies to independent brigades, divisions, and other field forces where they provided a unique capability for commanders.

While conducting a long reconnaissance patrol, on 22 February 1969, in the Tinh Phuoc Thanh province, Law’s patrol met the enemy. Under intense attack, Law tried to outflank the enemy and provide suppressing fire against the attackers. Despite running low on ammunition and inspired by Law’s attempted to fight, other members of the patrol counterattacked the heavily armed enemy. Law and the other Rangers face stiff opposition and came under small arms and grenade assaults. A grenade landed near Law’s patrol. Without regard to his own safety, he threw himself onto the grenade to save five other Rangers’ lives. For his extraordinary courage and selfless service, Robert D. Law received the Congressional Medal of Honor, posthumously.