James C. McCloughan (born April 30, 1946) is a former
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
soldier and a
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
veteran. For his actions during the war, McCloughan was approved for the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
by President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
and Secretary of the Army
Eric Fanning
Eric Kenneth Fanning (born July 2, 1968) is an American politician who is the current President and CEO of Aerospace Industries Association and served as the 22nd Secretary of the Army, holding office from May 18, 2016 to January 20, 2017. Prior ...
in December 2016. McCloughan was presented the Medal of Honor on 31 July 2017 by President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
, the first such award of Trump's administration.
After being drafted into the United States Army in 1968, McCloughan became a
combat medic
A combat medic, or healthcare specialist, is responsible for providing emergency medical treatment at a point of wounding in a combat or training environment, as well as primary care and health protection and evacuation from a point of injury ...
, and in May 1969 distinguished himself in fighting near
Tam Kỳ
Tam Kỳ () is the capital city of Quảng Nam Province, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam.
History
The town was established in 1906 under the Nguyễn dynasty as an administrative and tax post.Bradley Camp Davis ''States of Banditry: The ...
at Nui Yon Hill, in which he treated the wounded while fighting
North Vietnamese
North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; vi, Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa), was a socialist state supported by the Soviet Union (USSR) and the People's Republic of China (PRC) in Southeast Asia that existed f ...
and
Viet Cong
,
, war = the Vietnam War
, image = FNL Flag.svg
, caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green.
, active ...
forces. McCloughan was wounded multiple times during the battle, but refused evacuation. After his discharge from the army, he returned to his hometown of
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 4,403 at the 2010 census.
Because of its position on Lake Michigan, at the ...
, where he became a high school teacher and athletics coach.
Early life
McCloughan was born in
South Haven, Michigan
South Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city is in Van Buren County, although a small portion extends into Allegan County. The population was 4,403 at the 2010 census.
Because of its position on Lake Michigan, at the ...
, on 30 April 1946. He spent his childhood in nearby
Bangor, Michigan
Bangor is a city in Van Buren County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,885 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the northeast corner of Bangor Township, but is politically independent.
It was first organized as a town ...
, after his parents moved there to manage a family farm. At
Bangor High School
Bangor High School, a member of the Bangor School System, is a high school in Bangor, Maine, United States. It has an enrollment of approximately 1,200 students in grades 9–12.
It is Bangor's only public high school.
Since its 2001–2002 sel ...
, he became a four-sport varsity athlete and continued his education at
Olivet College
Olivet College is a private Christian liberal arts college located in Olivet, Michigan. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It was founded in 1844 by missionaries from Oberlin College, and it followed Oberlin in becom ...
, where he wrestled and played football and baseball. McCloughan graduated in 1968 with a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree in
sociology
Sociology is a social science that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. It uses various methods of Empirical ...
and a
teaching certificate
A certified teacher is an educator who has earned credentials from an authoritative source, such as the government, a higher education institution or a private body or source. This teacher qualification gives a teacher authorization to teach and ...
, and accepted a teaching and football coaching position at
South Haven High School
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz ...
.
He was drafted into the United States Army three months later on 29 August 1968.
Vietnam War
![James C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/27/James_C._McCloughan_Medal_of_Honor_recipient_1969.jpg)
In September 1968, McCloughan began basic training at
Fort Knox
Fort Knox is a United States Army installation in Kentucky, south of Louisville and north of Elizabethtown. It is adjacent to the United States Bullion Depository, which is used to house a large portion of the United States' official gold res ...
, Kentucky. As a result of training in athletics and coaching, he had a basic understanding of sports medicine, and thus was sent to
Fort Sam Houston
Fort Sam Houston is a U.S. Army post in San Antonio, Texas.
"Fort Sam Houston, TX • About Fort Sam Houston" (overview),
US Army, 2007, webpageSH-Army.
Known colloquially as "Fort Sam," it is named for the U.S. Senator from Texas, U.S. Represen ...
after two months of basic training for advanced medical specialist training. He received deployment orders for Vietnam on the last day of training, and was assigned to Company C of the 3rd Battalion,
21st Infantry as a combat medic with the rank of
private first class
Private first class (french: Soldat de 1 classe; es, Soldado de primera) is a military rank held by junior enlisted personnel in a number of armed forces.
French speaking countries
In France and other French speaking countries, the rank (; ) ...
, beginning his yearlong combat tour in March 1969. The battalion was part of the
Americal Division
The Americal Division was an infantry division of the United States Army during World War II and the Vietnam War.
The division was activated 27 May 1942 on the island of New Caledonia. In the immediate emergency following Pearl Harbor, the U ...
's
196th Light Infantry Brigade.
Medal of Honor action
On 13 May, McCloughan's company air assaulted into a landing zone near
Tam Kỳ
Tam Kỳ () is the capital city of Quảng Nam Province, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam.
History
The town was established in 1906 under the Nguyễn dynasty as an administrative and tax post.Bradley Camp Davis ''States of Banditry: The ...
and Nui Yon Hill, coming under small arms and machine gun fire from defending North Vietnamese Army (NVA) forces. Two helicopters were downed over the landing zone, one of which crashed around from Company C's positions. A rescue helicopter was prevented from landing due to fierce enemy fire, and a squad was sent out to rescue the pilot and crew. Upon reaching the crash site, they saw a badly wounded soldier sprawled on the ground, and McCloughan ran to him through an open field, dodging the fire of his unit and a charging NVA platoon. After reaching the wounded soldier, McCloughan carried him over his shoulder and ran back to Company C, thus saving the man from capture or death.
Later that afternoon, the company's 2nd Platoon was ambushed by a large NVA unit, suffering heavy casualties, while conducting reconnaissance near Nui Yon Hill. As airstrikes were attacking nearby NVA, McCloughan entered a trench and saw two unarmed American soldiers huddling near a bush. He handed his gun to another soldier, jumped over the trench's
berm
A berm is a level space, shelf, or raised barrier (usually made of compacted soil) separating areas in a vertical way, especially partway up a long slope. It can serve as a terrace road, track, path, a fortification line, a border/ separation ...
, and ran close to the ground towards the two soldiers, whom he pulled back into the trench despite being hit with
shrapnel
Shrapnel may refer to:
Military
* Shrapnel shell, explosive artillery munitions, generally for anti-personnel use
* Shrapnel (fragment), a hard loose material
Popular culture
* ''Shrapnel'' (Radical Comics)
* ''Shrapnel'', a game by Adam C ...
from the explosion of a
rocket-propelled grenade
A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) is a shoulder-fired missile weapon that launches rockets equipped with an explosive warhead. Most RPGs can be carried by an individual soldier, and are frequently used as anti-tank weapons. These warheads are a ...
(RPG). Ignoring an order to remain in the trench, he rescued wounded soldiers from the
kill zone
In military tactics, the kill zone, also known as killing zone, is an area entirely covered by direct and effective fire, an element of ambush within which an approaching enemy force is trapped and destroyed. The objective of the ambush force i ...
four more times during a NVA assault. Bleeding heavily, McCloughan treated the wounded and prepared them for evacuation, refusing evacuation even though the NVA heavily outnumbered the American troops.
On 14 May, the 1st Platoon was ambushed while advancing on Nui Yon Hill, and its medic
Daniel J. Shea
Daniel John Shea (January 29, 1947 – May 14, 1969) was a soldier in the US Army who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions and sacrifice of life during the Vietnam War for actions occurring in the Quang Tri Province on ...
, was killed in the fighting, which left McCloughan as the company's sole medic. While treating two soldiers in an open rice paddy, he was wounded a second time by small arms fire and RPG shrapnel. In the closing phases of the attack, two NVA companies and 700 VC attacked the company's position from three sides. With complete disregard for his own safety, he braved enemy fire numerous times to bring out wounded soldiers, simultaneously fighting the enemy. After supplies ran low, McCloughan volunteered to hold a blinking light in an exposed position to mark a location for a night resupply drop, remaining steadfast in the enemy fire.
In the predawn darkness of 15 May, McCloughan used a grenade to disable the enemy RPG position, and continued to fight and eliminate enemy soldiers, while treating multiple casualties. During the night, he kept two critically wounded soldiers alive before organizing the dead and wounded for daylight evacuation. McCloughan was credited with saving the lives of ten soldiers from his company during the actions of 13–15 May. He received two
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
s for his two wounds.
For his actions between 13 and 15 May 1969, McCloughan was recommended for the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
, but the award was downgraded to the
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone.
Wh ...
with
"V" device
A "V" device is a metal capital letter "V" with serifs which, when worn on certain decorations awarded by the United States Armed Forces, distinguishes an award for heroism or valor in combat instead of for meritorious service or achievement. ...
,
which he received on 10 February 1970. Shortly afterwards, in March, he left Vietnam after his tour of duty ended. Later that year, he was discharged from the army with the rank of
specialist 5.
Civilian career
After returning from Vietnam, McCloughan was re-accepted to his job at South Haven High School. In 1972, he received a
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree in
counseling
Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes.
This is a list of co ...
and
psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries betwe ...
from
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University (Western Michigan, Western or WMU) is a public research university in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It was initially established as Western State Normal School in 1903 by Governor Aaron T. Bliss for the training of teachers ...
.
He taught psychology at South Haven until his 2008 retirement, which earned him the
Michigan Education Association's 40 years of service award. He coached wrestling for 22 years, and football and baseball for 38 years. McCloughan was awarded the Wolverine Conference Distinguished Service Award for his coaching, and was inducted into the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1993, the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2008. He also spent 25 years as a
Michigan High School Athletic Association
The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) is a service organization for high school sports in Michigan and is headquartered in East Lansing. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
Unlike ma ...
wrestling official.
![Trump presents Medal of Honor to James McCloughan 31 July 2017 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Trump_presents_Medal_of_Honor_to_James_McCloughan_31_July_2017_2.jpg)
In 2009, McCloughan's former platoon leader revived his Distinguished Service Cross nomination with the assistance of United States Senator
Carl Levin
Carl Milton Levin (June 28, 1934 – July 29, 2021) was an American attorney and politician who served as a United States senator from Michigan from 1979 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the chair of the Senate Armed Services C ...
of Michigan. Upon Senator Levin's retirement in 2015, additional assistance was provided by Michigan's United States Senator
Debbie Stabenow
Deborah Ann Stabenow ( ; née Greer, born April 29, 1950) is an American politician serving as the senior United States senator from Michigan, a seat she has held since 2001. A member of the Democratic Party, she became the state's first female ...
. Then-
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter
Ashton Baldwin Carter (September 24, 1954 – October 24, 2022) was an American government official and academic who served as the 25th United States Secretary of Defense from February 2015 to January 2017. He later served as director of the Be ...
recommended that it be upgraded to the
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
, America's highest military honor, in 2016.
On 23 December 2016, then-President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
signed the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 (; NDAA 2017Pub.L. 114-328 is a United States federal law specifying the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) for Fiscal Year 2017.
History
''Nation ...
, which included legislation allowing for a waiver to the five-year time limit on Medal of Honor awards. Then-
Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning
Eric Kenneth Fanning (born July 2, 1968) is an American politician who is the current President and CEO of Aerospace Industries Association and served as the 22nd Secretary of the Army, holding office from May 18, 2016 to January 20, 2017. Prior ...
signed his Medal of Honor certificate on 27 December 2016, and on 13 June 2017, the White House announced that McCloughan would receive his award from President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
on 31 July. He was inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes on 1 August 2017.
McCloughan received his Medal of Honor from President Trump during a White House ceremony on 31 July, which made him the first to receive a Medal of Honor during the Trump administration.
Personal life
McCloughan is married to Chérie and has two sons, Jamie and Matt, a daughter, Kami, and a stepdaughter, Kara.
Awards and decorations
During his service, McCloughan earned many decorations, including:
Medal of Honor citation
McCloughan's Medal of Honor citation reads:
References
External links
C-SPANMedal of Honor Ceremony for James McCloughan
{{DEFAULTSORT:McCloughan, James
1946 births
Living people
United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War
Combat medics
High school baseball coaches in the United States
High school football coaches in Michigan
Military personnel from Michigan
Olivet Comets baseball players
Olivet Comets football players
Olivet Comets wrestlers
People from South Haven, Michigan
United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
United States Army soldiers
Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
Western Michigan University alumni