21 June

SP4 CARMEL B HARVEY JR.
Co B, 1st Bn, 5th Cav
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)
Binh Dinh Province, RVN
21 June 1967

Sp4 Harvey’s platoon was ordered to secure a downed helicopter, so they established a defensive perimeter around the downed aircraft and extracted the survivors, then were attacked from 3 sides by a numerically superior enemy force.

Sp4 Harvey and 2 members of his squad were in a position directly in the path of the enemy attack and their position was the epicenter of the attack.

With both of his comrades wounded, Harvey put heavy suppressing fire on the advancing enemy.

Enemy machine guns concentrated their fire on him an enemy small arms round hit and armed a grenade attached to his belt. He tried to get rid of the grenade but it was still attached to his ammo pouch and he could not get it loose.

Realizing the danger to his comrades, he jumped to his feet, shouted an obscenity at the enemy, and raced toward them.

The grenade on his ammo-pouch exploded….

Sp4. Harvey was mortally wounded but it also wounded the enemy gun crew causing a pause in enemy suppressing fire.  This allowed his unit to evacuate their wounded and take the upper hand forcing the enemy to retreat.