Clarence Eugene Sasser

CLARENCE EUGENE SASSER (1947 ~ ). Medal of Honor Recipient Clarence Eugene Sasser was born on September 12, 1947, in Chenango, Texas. Though he had the option of college deferment when drafted, Sasser gave up his studies to join the Army in Houston.

Sasser was trained as a Medical Aidman and assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Third Battalion, 60th Infantry, Ninth Infantry Division in Vietnam.

On January 10, 1968, Sasser's unit was attacked while on a reconnaissance operation in the Ding Tuong Province. As his unit landed in helicopters, it was attacked from well fortified positions on three sides of the landing zone with small arms and rocket fire. More than 30 soldiers were killed or wounded during the first few minutes of the attack. Sasser ran through heavy enemy fire across a rice paddy to reach several wounded soldiers. After helping one soldier, Sasser was wounded in the shoulder by fragments from an exploding rocket.

Despite his injuries, he again ran through enemy fire to reach more wounded soldiers. Sasser was wounded two more times and his injuries immobilized both of his legs. He continued searching for wounded soldiers, and despite the loss of blood from his injuries, crawled about 100 meters to reach another wounded soldier. After treating his wounds, Sasser encouraged a group of wounded soldiers to crawl about 200 meters to relative safety. Once there, Sasser treated the wounded for five straight hours before they could be evacuated. For saving the lives of wounded men despite the pain of his own injuries, Sasser was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

The Medal of Honor was presented to him on March 7, 1969, by President Richard M. Nixon at the White House. Sasser returned to school after leaving the Army and earned a degree in Chemistry.

He worked for an oil refinery for five years before he began a career working for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Houston.

Bibliography: "Above and Beyond: The Medal of Honor in Texas," Capitol Visitors Center, State Preservation Board of Texas. "American Valor," PBS, www.pbs.org/weta/americanvalor/stories/sasser.html, April 26, 2006.