Santiago J. Erevia

"Jesse"




Santiago J. Erevia



Bio

Medal of Honor nominee Sgt. Santiago Erevia was born in Nordheim, Texas, in
1946.

He volunteered to join the U.S. Army in San Antonio when he was
22-years-old.

Then-Spc. 4 Erevia distinguished himself May 21, 1969, while serving as a
radio-telephone operator during a search-and-clear mission near Tam Ky City,
in the Republic of Vietnam.

In 1970, Erevia left active service with a two year reserve obligation. In
1972 he joined the Texas National Guard and went on to serve 17 years.
Erevia also found employment with the U.S. Postal Service; after 32 years of
public service there, he retired in 2002.

Erevia has four grown children and lives in San Antonio with his wife. These
days he enjoys refurbishing his home and walking to stay fit.

In addition to the Medal of Honor, Erevia received the Distinguished Service
Cross (this award will be upgraded to the Medal of Honor on Mar. 18), Bronze
Star Medal, Purple Heart, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National
Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with five Bronze Service Stars,
Combat Infantryman Badge, Sharpshooter Marksmanship Badge with Auto Rifle
Bar, Marksman Marksmanship Badge with Rifle Bar, Republic of Vietnam
Campaign Medal with `60` Device, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with
Gold Star Device and Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First
Class.

End Bio : Begin Report

Distinguished Service Cross (to be upgraded to M of H March 18th )

Spc. 4 Santiago Jesse Erevia, United States Army, distinguished himself by
conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and beyond the
call of duty while serving as a radio telephone operator in Company C, 1st
Battalion (Airmobile), 501st Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile).
Specialist Erevia`s company was engaged in a search and clear operation near
the city of Tam Ky in Quang Tin Province, 1st Tactical Corps of the Republic
of Vietnam. The mission of Company C on May 21, 1969, was to sweep south
through the valley and foothills from BT175117 toward Company B, thus
forcing any hostile forces toward the perimeter set up by Company B.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., Company C became aware of the enemy contact to
its immediate front. Deploying into a circular perimeter, Company C came
under harassing sniper fire from a tree line across the rice paddy to its
front. It was soon learned that elements of Company B were engaged in
contact with North Vietnamese Army regulars on the adjacent hillside.
Company E (Reconnaissance Platoon) and Company D soon arrived to aid Company
B in the assault. Throughout the day there was light skirmishing between
Company C and elements of the enemy force across the open rice paddy to the
front.

At approximately 4 p.m., the order was given for Company C to attack the
hill from the north. Leaving one platoon behind to secure the company
perimeter, two platoons of Company C and the company command element, after
aligning themselves along a wood line to the front, stepped into the open
and began to assault the enemy positions on the hillside across the open
rice paddy to the front. Issuing forth an intense amount of fire, Company C
pushed across hundred of meters of open rice paddy to the cover of the
hillside and the enemy positions, while only sustaining two casualties.

Arriving at the hillside, the platoon leaders immediately began to maneuver
their platoons against the insurgent positions employing fire and movement
techniques. Heavy contact with the enemy was made immediately and Company C
suffered numerous casualties as a result of the intensity of the battle.
Erevia, second platoon sergeant`s radio operator, had joined his old squad
after his Platoon Sergeant had left the battle with head and back wounds. He
was designated by his Platoon Leader to give aid to four of his wounded
comrades while the rest of the platoon pushed forward against the insurgent.

While administering first aid, Erevia and the four wounded personnel came
under intense automatic weapons and small arms fire from for enemy bunkers
strategically located approximately 50 meters to the left flank.

Although Erevia could have taken cover with the rest of the group, he
realized that action must be taken immediately if they were able to be
relieved from the precarious situation they were now in. With bullets
striking all around him, he proceeded to crawl from wounded to wounded
gathering up weapons and ammunition.

Armed with two M-16 rifles and several hand grenades, Erevia, issuing forth
a heavy volume of fire, moved in on the line of enemy bunkers. Under a hail
of enemy fire, he continued to advance until he reached a location a few
feet short of the first insurgent position. Disregarding the fire directed
at him from the remaining bunkers, he pulled the pin on a hand grenade and
advanced on the bunker, firing his rifles until he dropped the grenade into
the bunker, thus destroying the fortification and killing the enemy soldier
within.

By this time, he was the primary target of the enemy gunners. Without
hesitation, he proceeded to maneuver his way through the intense enemy fire
toward the second bunker. He again leveled a heavy volume of fire at the
well-camouflaged position as he advanced. With enemy rounds impacting all
around him, he completely silenced the second bunker by accurately throwing
a hand grenade at the position. After reloading his rifles, he advanced
toward the third bunker behind the suppressive fire emitted from his
weapons. He also successfully eliminated this position, despite the intense
enemy fire directed at him, by the effective employment of hand grenades.

After silencing the third bunker, Erevia had depleted his supply of hand
grenades. Therefore, employing both M-16 rifles, he charged forward placing
intense suppressive fire on the fourth enemy position. Arriving at the very
edge of the bunker, he shot the North Vietnamese Army soldier positioned
within in the head at point blank range.

Having silenced the four enemy positions threatening the lives of the four
wounded, the company commander, and his fellow comrades in the company
command element, which was also close by, Erevia returned to aid in treating
and evacuating the dead and wounded from his company. In the meantime,
elements of Company C had overrun the insurgents in numerous places and due
to the intensity of the struggle, they had sustained several casualties.
Shortly afterwards, Company C, with darkness approaching rapidly, withdrew
from the hillsides to the safety of the night defensive perimeter set up by
Company B, Company D, and Company E to evacuate their dead and wounded and
take resupply.

Citation represents Soldier`s rank at time of action



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