Gary B. Beikirch
Gary B. Beikirch | |
---|---|
Born | Rochester, New York | August 29, 1947
Died | December 26, 2021 Rochester, New York | (aged 74)
Buried | White Haven Memorial Park, Pittsford, New York |
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Army |
Years of service | 1967–1971 |
Rank | Sergeant |
Unit | 5th Special Forces Group |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards | Medal of Honor Silver Star Bronze Star Medal Purple Heart (2) Cross of Gallantry (Vietnam) |
Gary Burnell Beikirch (August 29, 1947 – December 26, 2021) was a United States Army soldier who received the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions during the Vietnam War. A combat medic, Beikirch was awarded the medal for exposing himself to intense fire in order to rescue and treat the wounded, and for continuing to provide medical care despite his own serious wounds, during a battle at Dak Seang Camp.
Early life
Beikirch was born on August 29, 1947, in Rochester, New York.[1]
Military service
Beikirch joined the
While serving as a
For his actions at Dak Seang, Beikirch was awarded the Medal of Honor. The medal was formally presented to him by President Richard Nixon on October 15, 1973.[3]
Later life and death
After his military service, Beikirch attended White Mountain Seminary in New Hampshire, graduating in 1975. He planned to go back to Vietnam and work in a missionary hospital in Kon Tum Province, where he had served in the army; however, the country fell to North Vietnamese forces before he could return. He instead worked as a pastor and received a master's degree in counseling. Since the mid-1980s he had worked as a school counselor at Greece Arcadia Middle School[4] in his native Rochester, New York.[3]
On September 22, 2012, the Second Battalion of the Fifth Special Forces Group (Airborne) dedicated a new battalion operations complex. The complex, formerly called "The Legion", was named Beikirch Hall in tribute to the former member of the unit.[5]
He died from pancreatic cancer in Rochester, New York, on December 26, 2021, at the age of 74.[6]
In addition to his wife and children, Gary Beikirch is survived by one brother, Larry Scott Beikirch of Hall County, Georgia. [7]
Military awards
Beikirch's military decorations and awards include:[2]
- Medal of Honor
- Distinguished Service Cross (upgraded to the Medal of Honor)
- Silver Star
- Bronze Star Medal
- Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster
- National Defense Service Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
- Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
- Combat Infantryman Badge
- Parachutist Badge
- Special Forces Tab
Medal of Honor citation
Beikirch's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Beikirch, medical aidman, Detachment B-24, Company B, distinguished himself during the defense of Camp Dak Seang. The allied defenders suffered a number of casualties as a result of an intense, devastating attack launched by the enemy from well-concealed positions surrounding the camp. Sgt. Beikirch, with complete disregard for his personal safety, moved unhesitatingly through the withering enemy fire to his fallen comrades, applied first aid to their wounds and assisted them to the medical aid station. When informed that a seriously injured American officer was lying in an exposed position, Sgt. Beikirch ran immediately through the hail of fire. Although he was wounded seriously by fragments from an exploding enemy mortar shell, Sgt. Beikirch carried the officer to a medical aid station. Ignoring his own serious injuries, Sgt. Beikirch left the relative safety of the medical bunker to search for and evacuate other men who had been injured. He was again wounded as he dragged a critically injured Vietnamese soldier to the medical bunker while simultaneously applying mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to sustain his life. Sgt. Beikirch again refused treatment and continued his search for other casualties until he collapsed. Only then did he permit himself to be treated. Sgt. Beikirch's complete devotion to the welfare of his comrades, at the risk of his life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Medal of Honor recipients – Vietnam (A-L)". United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-06-27. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
- ^ a b Beikirch, Gary B. Reference File, Congressional Medal of Honor Society Archives & Library, Mount Pleasant, SC.
- ^ a b c "Army Cadet Henson Wins Medal of Honor Scholarship". Clarkson Integrator. Potsdam, New York: Clarkson University. September 18, 2006. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013.
- ^ "Staff Directory".
- ^ "5th Special Forces Group, 2nd Battalion "The Legion" Dedicates Building in honor of Mr. Gary Beikirch". Clarksville, TN Online. 20 November 2012.
- ^ Society, Congressional Medal of Honor. "Congressional Medal of Honor Society Announces Passing of Gary B. Beikirch". PR Newswire. Retrieved 2021-12-27.
- ^ Information from Larry Beikirch.
External links
- Medal of Honor Recipient Gary Beikirch Interview at the Pritzker Military Museum & Library
- Blaze of Light: The Inspiring True Story of Green Beret Medic Gary Beikirch, Medal of Honor Recipient by Marcus Brotherton (WaterBrook/Penguin Random House, 2020)
- "Congressional Medal of Honor Society". Retrieved September 29, 2010.
- "Gary Beikirch Oral History". Archived from the original on July 17, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2010.