Place and date: Kim Song Valley, Republic
of Vietnam, 27 December 1966.
Entered service at: San Francisco, California.
Born: 23 July 1936, Silver City, New Mexico.
Medal credited to: California
CITATION
Citation for conspicuous gallantry and
intrepidity at the risk of life beyond the call of duty. Part
of Company C was defending an artillery position when attacked
by a North Vietnamese Army regiment supported by mortar, recoilless-rifle,
and machine gun fire. At the out set, Staff Sergeant Jennings
sprang to his bunker, astride the main attack route, and slowed
the on-coming enemy wave with highly effective machine gun fire.
Despite a tenacious defense in which he killed at least twelve
of the enemy, his squad was forced to the rear. After covering
the withdrawal of the squad, he joined his men, destroyed an
enemy demolition crew about to blow up a nearby howitzer, and
killed three enemy soldiers at his initial bunker position. Ordering
his men back into a secondary position, he again covered their
withdrawal, killing one enemy with the butt of his weapon. Observing
that some of defenders were unaware of the enemy at their rear,
he raced through a fire-swept area to warn the men, turn their
fire on the enemy, and lead them to a secondary perimeter. Assisting
in the defense of the new position, he aided the air-landing
of reinforcements by throwing a white phosphorus grenade on the
landing zone despite dangerously silhouetting himself with the
light. After helping repulse the final enemy assaults, he led
a group of volunteers well beyond friendly lines to an area where
eight wounded men lay. Braving enemy sniper fire and ignoring
the presence of booby traps in the area, they recovered the eight
men who would probably have perished without early medical treatment.
Staff Sergeant Jennings’ extraodinary heroism and inspirational
leadership saved the lives of many of his comrades and contributed
greatly to the defeat of a superior enemy force. His actions
stand with the highest traditions of the military profession
and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United
States Army.
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