ROBERT DAVID LAW (1944 ~ 1969). Medal of Honor Recipient Robert D. Law was born on September 14, 1944, in Fort Worth, Texas to Robert M. Law of Leander and Martha Moore of Fort Worth. He graduated from Technical High School (now the Green B. Trimble Technical High School) in Fort Worth. In 1967, he joined the Army at Dallas, Texas.
He served in Vietnam as a Specialist Fourth Class with Ranger Company I, 75th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division. On February 22, 1969, Law was on a long range reconnaissance patrol in the Tinh Phuoc Thanh Province. Law and five other soldiers were attacked by a small but well armed enemy force. Both sides exchanged heavy fire and Law positioned himself along his unit's flank, a dangerous but necessary position to take. Law's squad was low on ammunition and suffered from an unidentified and irritating gas in the air. An enemy grenade landed in between Law and the other soldiers, and instead of leaping to the safety of the creek behind him, Law jumped onto the grenade. By sacrificing himself, Law saved the lives of the other soldiers, and for this action he was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
His Medal of Honor was presented to his parents on August 6, 1970, by President Richard Nixon at the White House. Robert D. Law is buried at the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas.
Bibliography: "Above and Beyond: The Medal of Honor in Texas," Capitol Visitors Center, State Preservation Board of Texas. Handbook of Texas Online, Texas State Historical Association, University of Texas, http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/LL/flaba.html, April 26, 2006.
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