Robert Joseph Modrzejewski (born July 3, 1934) is a retired United States Marine Corps officer who is a recipient of the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for conspicuous gallantry in the Vietnam War.
Modrzejewski completed the 4-57 Basic Course, The Basic School, Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, Virginia, in March 1958, then served as an instructor at The Basic School until the following May.
From June 1958 until September 1959, Modrzejewski was attached to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, and served as a platoon leader of H&S Company, as well as platoon leader and S-2 Officer of Company I and Company M, respectively. He was promoted to first lieutenant in December 1958.
Transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Modrzejewski served, successively, as Equipment Officer with the Landing Support Company, 2nd Service Battalion, 2nd Marine Division until May 1960; Pathfinder Team Leader of the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, until December 1960; Pathfinder Team Leader with Sub Unit One, HMR(L)-262, MAG-26 at Marine Corps Air Facility, New River, North Carolina, until May 1961, and again as Pathfinder Team Leader and Parachute Pathfinder Team Leader with the 2d Force Reconnaissance Company, until May 1962. While serving in the latter capacity, he served aboard the USSSan Marcos with Sub Unit #2. He was promoted to captain in May 1962.
Modrzejewski in 2011
Modrzejewski saw a three-year tour of duty as Assistant Officer in Charge, Marine Corps Recruiting Station, Cincinnati, Ohio. In May 1965, he returned to the Marine Corps Schools in Quantico, Virginia, and served as executive officer, Company E, Officers Candidates Schools, until August 1965, then attended the Amphibious Warfare School, completing the course in February 1966.
In a White House ceremony on March 12, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to two Marines for their actions in Vietnam — Major Modrzejeski and Second Lieutenant John J. McGinty, III.[3]
Modrzejewski later served as Battalion S-3 and Company Commander until December 1966, then became Command Operations Center Watch Officer with Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, until May 1967. He was promoted to major in January 1967.
Upon his return to the United States in June 1967, Modrzejewski was assigned to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, as Commanding Officer of the Marine Barracks. In January 1970, he entered the Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Virginia, and completed the course the following June. He then reported to Marine Corps Air Station, Kaneohe, Hawaii, for duty with Headquarters and Service Company, First Marine Brigade.
MAJOR ROBERT J. MODRZEJEWSKI UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company K, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marines, Third Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam from 15 to July 18, 1966. On July 15, during Operation HASTINGS, Company K was landed in an enemy infested jungle area to establish a blocking position at a major enemy trail network. Shortly after landing, the company encountered a reinforced enemy platoon in a well organized, defensive position. Major (then Captain) Modrzejewski led his men in the successful seizure of the enemy redoubt, which contained large quantities of ammunition and supplies. That evening a numerically superior enemy force counterattacked in an effort to retake the vital supply area, thus setting the pattern of activity for the next two and one-half days. In the first series of attacks, the enemy assaulted repeatedly in overwhelming numbers but each time was repulsed by the gallant Marines. The second night the enemy struck in battalion strength, and Major Modrzejewski was wounded in this intensive action which was fought at close quarters. Although exposed to enemy fire, and despite his painful wounds, he crawled 200 meters to provide critically needed ammunition to an exposed element of his command and was constantly present wherever the fighting was heaviest. Despite numerous casualties, a dwindling supply of ammunition and the knowledge that they were surrounded, he skillfully directed artillery fire to within a few meters of his position and courageously inspired the efforts of his company in repelling the aggressive enemy attack. On July 18, Company K was attacked by a regimental size enemy force. Although his unit was outnumbered and weakened by the previous fighting, Major Modrzejewski reorganized his men and calmly moved among them to encourage and direct their efforts to heroic limits as they fought to overcome the vicious enemy onslaught. Again he called in air and artillery strikes at close range with devastating effect on the enemy, which together with the bold and determined fighting of the men of Company K, repulsed the fanatical attack of the larger North Vietnamese force. His unparalleled personal heroism and indomitable leadership inspired his men to a significant victory over the enemy force and reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
/S/ LYNDON B. JOHNSON
Honors
In 2004, the UWM Alumni Association honored Modrzejewski with a Distinguished Alumnus Award.[5]
In 2005, the State of Oklahoma designated March 26, 2005, as "Colonel Robert J. Modrzejewski Day" and issued a resolution praising the courage of the Medal of Honor recipient.[6]
Wesley Lee Fox was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps colonel with 43 years of service. Fox was a combat veteran – receiving the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War – and is considered one of the Marine Corps' legendary heroes. After retiring from the Marine Corps, he wrote a book about his career: Marine Rifleman: Forty-Three Years in the Corps; and, he served for 8 years as deputy commandant for the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.
Alfredo Cantu "Freddy" Gonzalez was a United States Marine Corps Sergeant who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for service in the Battle of Huế during the Vietnam War.
Allan Jay Kellogg Jr. is a retired sergeant major in the United States Marine Corps. He received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions as a staff sergeant on March 11, 1970, during the Vietnam War.
Harvey Curtiss Barnum Jr. is a retired United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. He was the fourth Marine to receive the medal for actions in Vietnam. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1989 after more than 27 years of service. Barnum served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs from July 23, 2001, to January 20, 2008. He also served as Acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy from January 21 to April 30, 2009.
Major General James Lewis Day was a United States Marine Corps major general who served in World War II, in the Korean War, and in the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions as a corporal on May 14 to 17, 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II.
Captain James Albert Graham was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the highest U.S. military honor – the Medal of Honor for his heroism and sacrifice of life in June 1967, during the Vietnam War.
Ralph Henry Johnson was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in March 1968 during the Vietnam War. When a hand grenade was thrown into his fighting hole, he immediately covered it with his body—absorbing the full impact of the blast—sacrificing his life to save a fellow Marine and preventing the enemy from penetrating his patrol perimeter.
Jimmie Earl Howard was a Marine Corps staff sergeant when he led an eighteen-man reconnaissance patrol in a fierce battle against a battalion of Viet Cong in June 1966. As a result of his heroic actions, Howard became the sixth U.S. Marine to be awarded the nation's highest honor for heroism in combat in Vietnam. The Medal of Honor was presented by President Lyndon B. Johnson in White House ceremonies on August 21, 1967.
Jay R. Vargas is a retired United States Marine Corps colonel who served in the Vietnam War. He received the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" in 1968.
Lieutenant Colonel Howard Vincent Lee was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in August 1966 during the Vietnam War.
Captain John James McGinty III was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the United States militaries' highest decoration — the Medal of Honor — for heroism during July 1966 in the Vietnam War.
Karl Gorman Taylor Sr. was a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant who was killed in action during his second tour of duty in the Vietnam War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military decoration for valor, for his heroic actions on December 8, 1968.
Robert Emmett O'Malley is a United States Marine veteran who was the first Marine Corps recipient of the Medal of Honor in the Vietnam War. He received the medal for his actions as a corporal on August 18, 1965, during Operation Starlite.
William Raymond Prom was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in February 1969 during the Vietnam War.
Master Sergeant Richard Allan Pittman was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on July 24, 1966, during the Vietnam War.
Lawrence David Peters was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on September 4, 1967, during the Vietnam War.
Robert Roland Ingram is a retired United States Navy hospital corpsman third class and a recipient of the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, for heroism during the Vietnam War.
Hispanics in the United States Marine Corps, such as Private France Silva who during the Boxer Rebellion became the first Marine of the thirteen Marines of Latin American descent to be awarded the Medal of Honor, and Private First Class Guy Gabaldon who is credited with capturing over 1,000 enemy soldiers and civilians during World War II, have distinguished themselves in combat. Hispanics have participated as members of the United States Marine Corps in the Boxer Rebellion, World War I, the American intervention in Latin America also known as the Banana Wars, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and most recently in the military campaigns of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Major General Wayne Evan Rollings, USMC, was Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force, III Marine Expeditionary Force and a recipient of the Navy Cross.
James Dale Beans is a retired officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of brigadier general. He is most noted for his service as the assistant chief of staff for Command, Control, Communications, and Computer, Intelligence and Interoperability Department and as director, Intelligence Division, Headquarters Marine Corps. He is the son of Brigadier General Fred D. Beans.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
