Robert Francis Stryker (November 9, 1944 – November 7, 1967) was a

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...

soldier who posthumously received 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 valo ...

for his actions during the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by 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 Vietnam a ...

. Vice President

Spiro Agnew Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second vice president to resign the position, the other being John ...

awarded the medal in a ceremony that also honored

John Andrew Barnes III John Andrew Barnes III (April 16, 1945 – November 12, 1967) was a soldier of the United States Army during the Vietnam War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Dak To. Adopted as a child, Barnes ...

and Fr. Charles J. Watters. The Stryker combat vehicle is named in his and Pfc. Stuart S. Stryker's honor (no relation). Stryker joined the army in 1963. He is buried in Pine Hill Cemetery in Throop, New York.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Specialist Four, U.S. Army, Company C, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Loc Ninh,

Republic of Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of t ...

, November 7, 1967. Entered service at: Throop, New York. Born: November 9, 1944,

Auburn, New York Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States. Located at the north end of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes in Central New York, the city had a population of 26,866 at the 2020 census. It is the largest city of Cayuga County, th ...

. Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Specialist Stryker, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while serving with Company C. Spec. Stryker was serving as a grenadier in a multicompany reconnaissance in force near Loc Ninh. As his unit moved through the dense underbrush, it was suddenly met with a hail of rocket, automatic weapons and small arms fire from enemy forces concealed in fortified bunkers and in the surrounding trees. Reacting quickly, Spec. Stryker fired into the enemy positions with his grenade launcher. During the devastating exchange of fire, Spec. Stryker detected enemy elements attempting to encircle his company and isolate it from the main body of the friendly force. Undaunted by the enemy machinegun and small-arms fire, Spec. Stryker repeatedly fired grenades into the trees, killing enemy snipers and enabling his comrades to sever the attempted encirclement. As the battle continued, Spec. Stryker observed several wounded members of his squad in the killing zone of an enemy claymore mine. With complete disregard for his safety, he threw himself upon the mine as it was detonated. He was mortally wounded as his body absorbed the blast and shielded his comrades from the explosion. His unselfish actions were responsible for saving the lives of at least 6 of his fellow soldiers. Spec. Stryker's great personal bravery was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stryker, Robert F. 1944 births 1967 deaths United States Army Medal of Honor recipients People from Auburn, New York United States Army soldiers American military personnel killed in the Vietnam War Military personnel from New York (state) Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War

Medal of Honor citation

See also

Notes