SPECIALIST 5th CLASS CLARENCE EUGENE SASSER 60th U.S. Infantry Clarence Eugene Sasser was born on September 12, 1947, at Chenango, Texas. Sasser wanted to become a doctor and was attending the University of Houston when he was drafted into the Army on June 15, 1967, at Houston, Texas. By 1968, Specialist 5th Class Sasser had been transferred to Viet Nam as part of the Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion, 60th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division. During his military career Specialist 5th Class Sasser earned the Medal of Honor; Purple Heart; Combat Medical Badge; National Service Medal; and Viet Nam Campaign medal (Vietnamese). Specialist Five Sasser earned the Medal of Honor on January 10, 1968, at Ding Tuong Province, Republic of Vietnam. His citation reads as follows: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Specialist Fifth Class Sasser distinguished himself while assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Battalion. He was serving as a medical aidman with Company A, 3d Battalion, on a reconnaissance in force operation. His company was making an air assault when suddenly it was taken under heavy small arms, recoilless rifle, machine-gun and rocket fire from well fortified enemy positions on three sides of the landing zone. During the first few minutes, over 30 casualties were sustained. Without hesitation, Specialist Fifth Class Sasser ran across an open rice paddy through a hail of fire to assist the wounded. After helping one man to safety, was painfully wounded in the left shoulder by fragments of an exploding rocket. 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. Despite two additional wounds immobilizing his legs, he dragged himself through the mud toward another soldier 100 meters away. Although in agonizing pain and faint from loss of blood, Specialist Fifth Class Sasser reached the man, treated him, and proceeded on to encourage another group of soldiers to crawl 200 meters to relative safety. There he attended their wounds for 5 hours until they were evacuated. Specialist Fifth Class 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.S. Army. For his extraordinary courage, President Richard M. Nixon awarded Specialist Fifth Class Sasser the Medal of Honor on March 7, 1969, at a special ceremony at the White House. After the his discharge, Clarence Sasser attended Texas A&M University, where he had been offered a scholarship, he then worked for six years for a chemical company and now works for the Veterans Administration. In 1971, Sasser married his wife, Ethel and he has two sons.