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Joseph G. LaPointe Jr.

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Joseph G. LaPointe Jr.
Specialist Four Joseph LaPointe
Birth nameJoseph Guy LaPointe Jr.
Born(1948-07-02)July 2, 1948
Dayton, Ohio
DiedJune 2, 1969(1969-06-02) (aged 20)
Quảng Tín Province, Republic of Vietnam
Place of burial
Riverside Cemetery, West Milton, Ohio
Allegiance United States of America
Service / branch United States Army
Years of service1968–1969
Rank Specialist Four
UnitHHT, B Troop, 2/17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division
Battles / warsVietnam War †
AwardsMedal of Honor
Silver Star
Bronze Star
Purple Heart
Medal of Honor Certificate

Joseph Guy LaPointe Jr. (July 2, 1948 – June 2, 1969) was a combat medic in the United States Army who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Vietnam War.

Biography

LaPointe, known to his family as "Guy", was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. After graduating from Northridge High School in 1966, he moved to nearby Clayton and worked as a mail carrier in Englewood. LaPointe was a nature lover and an avid hiker.[1]

LaPointe was drafted in 1968 and declared himself a conscientious objector. He married Cindy Failor of Dayton, Ohio at the Englewood First Baptist Church in Ohio, during his training at the Army Medical Training Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.[2] He became a combat medic and was sent to Vietnam in November 1968.[1]

By June 2 of the next year, he was a specialist four serving with the 2nd Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. On that day, he participated in a patrol on Hill 376 in Quảng Tín Province during Operation Lamar Plain. When his unit came under heavy fire from entrenched enemy forces and took several casualties, LaPointe ran through the automatic weapons fire to reach two wounded men at the head of the patrol. He treated the soldiers and shielded them with his body, even after being twice wounded, until an enemy grenade killed all three men. For these actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor in January 1972.[3] His other decorations include the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and National Defense Service Medal.[1]

He left a "widow, Cindy LaPointe Dafler, and son Joseph G. LaPointe III, who never met his father."[1]

Medal of Honor citation

LaPointe's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. SPC4. LaPointe, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2d Squadron, distinguished himself while serving as a medical aidman during a combat helicopter assault mission. SPC4. LaPointe's patrol was advancing from the landing zone through an adjoining valley when it suddenly encountered heavy automatic weapons fire from a large enemy force entrenched in well fortified bunker positions. In the initial hail of fire, 2 soldiers in the formation vanguard were seriously wounded. Hearing a call for aid from 1 of the wounded, SPC4. LaPointe ran forward through heavy fire to assist his fallen comrades. To reach the wounded men, he was forced to crawl directly in view of an enemy bunker. As members of his unit attempted to provide covering fire, he administered first aid to 1 man, shielding the other with his body. He was hit by a burst of fire from the bunker while attending the wounded soldier. In spite of his painful wounds, SPC4. LaPointe continued his lifesaving duties until he was again wounded and knocked to the ground. Making strenuous efforts, he moved back again into a shielding position to continue administering first aid. An exploding enemy grenade mortally wounded all 3 men. SPC4. LaPointe's courageous actions at the cost of his life were an inspiration to his comrades. His gallantry and selflessness are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.[3]

Memorial highway named for LaPointe

Legacy

Several structures have been named in LaPointe's honor:

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Huffman, Dale (June 2, 2009). "Flag ceremony recalls medic's sacrifice 40 years ago". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  2. ^ "Joseph Guy LaPointe Jr. Timeline". Harlan Daily Enterprise. Retrieved 5 August 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  3. ^ a b "Medal of Honor recipients – Vietnam (A–L)". United States Army Center of Military History. June 8, 2009. Archived from the original on June 27, 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
  4. ^ "5533.60 Joseph Guy LaPointe, Jr. memorial parkway". Ohio Revised Code. LAW Writer. April 7, 2003. Retrieved September 8, 2017.
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