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Glenn H. English, Jr. (April 23, 1940–September 7, 1970) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.
Biography
English joined the Army from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and by September 7, 1970 was serving as a Staff Sergeant in Company E, 3d Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. On that day, in Phu My District, Republic of Vietnam, he attempted to save a man trapped inside a burning armored personnel carrier, despite warnings the vehicle could explode at any moment. The personnel carrier did explode, and both English and the man he was trying to rescue were killed. English, aged 30 at his death, was buried at the Fort Bragg Main Post Cemetery in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
Presentation: To His Family At Blair House, Washington, DC, by Vice President Gerald R. Ford - Aug 8, 1974. He is buried at Fort Bragg Post Cemetery - Fort Bragg, NC
Medal of Honor citation
Staff Sergeant English's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
S/Sgt. English was riding in the lead armored personnel carrier in a 4-vehicle column when an enemy mine exploded in front of his vehicle. As the vehicle swerved from the road, a concealed enemy force waiting in ambush opened fire with automatic weapons and anti-tank grenades, striking the vehicle several times and setting it on fire. S/Sgt. English escaped from the disabled vehicle and, without pausing to extinguish the flames on his clothing, rallied his stunned unit. He then led it in a vigorous assault, in the face of heavy enemy automatic weapons fire, on the entrenched enemy position. This prompt and courageous action routed the enemy and saved his unit from destruction. Following the assault, S/Sgt. English heard the cries of 3 men still trapped inside the vehicle. Paying no heed to warnings that the ammunition and fuel in the burning personnel carrier might explode at any moment, S/Sgt. English raced to the vehicle and climbed inside to rescue his wounded comrades. As he was lifting 1 of the men to safety, the vehicle exploded, mortally wounding him and the man he was attempting to save. By his extraordinary devotion to duty, indomitable courage, and utter disregard for his own safety, S/Sgt. English saved his unit from destruction and selflessly sacrificed his life in a brave attempt to save 3 comrades. S/Sgt. English's conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the cost of his life were an inspiration to his comrades and are in the highest traditions of the U.S. Army.
Glenn had prior service in Germany with a LRRP unit in the early 60s. He got out of the Army and then joined up again and ended up in HQ Company, 4/503d in the S-3 Section. Glenn extended his tour with the 173d after most of the original 4/503d left RVN in June '67.
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