Corpsman, US Navy, Phil Valdez 

On January 29th, 1967 Corman Valdez was on patrol with Bravo Company US Marines in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. Corman Valdez was attached to the First Marines Company B, First Battalion. Upon landing, Corman Valdez was informed that several Marines were, “down.” Unarmed, with nothing more than his white medical armband, he charged out across 75 yards of the battlefield, under constant fire to attend to a fellow Marine, Valdez moved him to safety, then darted out again, to aid another fallen Marine. While attempting to extract the Marine Valdez was shot and killed by a sniper. Vice Admiral B.J. Semmes, chief of Navy personnel, signed the telegraph notifying Mr. and Mrs. Valdez of their loss, “your son died while serving his country.” The USS (FF-1096) Knox Class Frigate was named after Corman Valdez, “she was the first U.S. Navy ship to be named for a Hispanic in US history.” Below is the US Navy Cross Citation. 

Citation: The Navy Cross is awarded to Hospitalman Third Class Phil I Valdez, United States Navy, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action on the morning of 29 January 1967, while serving with Company B, First Battalion, First Marines, in the vicinity of Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam. As corpsman with the third platoon, Petty Officer (then Hospitalman) Valdez participated in a Heli lift with his platoon in support of Company H of the Second Battalion. Immediately upon landing, the platoon came under heavy enemy fire and sustained several wounded while maneuvering forward. Without hesitation, Petty Officer Valdez ran over seventy-five yards of open terrain, under constant enemy fire to aid a fallen Marine. He then moved the wounded man to a safe area and quickly and competently, rendered medical assistance. Again exposing himself to enemy fire, Petty Officer Valdez moved across approximately fifty yards of open ground to another Marine. While treating the second Marine, he positioned himself between the man and the hostile fire. It was at this time that Petty Officer Valdez was mortally wounded by enemy small-arms fire. Through his heroic actions and selfless devotion to duty, he was responsible for saving the lives of two Marines. His inspiring efforts were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.