William Port Medal Of Honor

William D. Port was born in Petersburg, in Huntingdon County.

On January 12, 1968, he was a private first class serving as a rifleman with Company C, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, in the Que Son Valley of Vietnam. His platoon came under heavy fire and was forced to withdraw. Although wounded in the hand, Port ran through the fire to help a wounded comrade back to the platoon perimeter. As the enemy assaulted the perimeter, Port and three comrades were behind an embankment when an enemy grenade landed in their midst. The Medal of Honor citation says Port shouted the warning, "Grenade," and hurled himself toward it to shield his comrades.

He survived the blast but was seriously wounded and captured, and he died a prisoner of war on November 27, 1968. He was buried in a common grave with other prisoners. His remains were recovered in 1985, and he is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Checked 2026-10-30 · County histories and primary sources, read in full

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