Clarence sasser biography

Related Stories. If you stood up, you were dead," Sasser said. Growing up Rosharon with his mother, step-father, sister, brother and four step-siblings, he was among the last students to sit in a segregated class at Marshall High School, where he was an excellent student and played football. I never have, and for a long time I had a problem with that," Sasser said.

After helping one man to safety, he was painfully wounded in the left shoulder by fragments of an exploding rocket.

Medal of Honor Monday: Army Spc. 5th Class Clarence …

While there, he began helping out at the dispensary, where he remained until his tour of duty was done. All you could hear was guys moaning, calling for their mama," he remembered. Department of Veterans Affairs. United States Army. Despite his wounds, Sasser continued to crawl through the muddy field, bandaging soldiers and dragging them back to safety.

Refusing medical attention, he ran through a barrage of rocket and automatic weapons fire to aid casualties of the initial attack and, after giving them urgently needed treatment, continued to search for other wounded. External links [ edit ]. You could move better like that.

Clarence sasser biography: Early life and Vietnam

Department of Veterans Affairs. The Vietnam War was a decades-long conflict that saw millions of Americans shipped overseas to fight the Communist forces. There he attended their wounds for 5 hours until they were evacuated. A member of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 60th Infantry Regiment , 9th Infantry Division , Sasser was a private first class attached to the 3rd Battalion's Company A when he earned the medal and was later promoted to specialist five.

Rank and organization: Specialist Fifth Class then Pfc. During the first few minutes, over 30 casualties were sustained. Retrieved June 3, Sp5 Sasser's extraordinary heroism is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U. At the time of his death, Sasser was one of 61 living Medal of Honor recipients and one of just three living Black recipients.

Please contact the DOD Webmaster with any questions. Despite 2 additional wounds immobilizing his legs, he dragged himself through the mud toward another soldier meters away. Repayment of the adulation these guys heaped on you demanded that you go. Some of the information contained within may be outdated and links may not function.

Clarence Sasser was treated at a hospital immediately following the engagement, after which he was sent to Japan to undergo additional treatment. Sasser Specialist Five, U. Sasser received multiple wounds during the January 10 battle when his unit was airlifted to a Mekong River rice paddy on a reconnaissance mission. May 13, aged 76 Sugar Land, Texas , U.

That, to me, was something. Subsequently, he received shell fragments throughout his body, impeding his ability to render aid to wounded soldiers.