Last week, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society was sad to lose Clarence Sasser, who was awarded the Medal of Honor on March 7, 1969, for his actions in Ding Tuong Province, Vietnam.  

Sasser was born on Sept. 12, 1947, in Chenango, Texas. He grew up on a farm with his mother, stepfather, and siblings. The family did not have a lot of money: “things were tough … we always had plenty to eat because we were farmers – we raised animals …  maybe not a lot of money, but we … always have plenty of food,” Sasser reflected in an interview with the Veterans History Project. He was in one of the last segregated classes at his high school, where he played football and graduated at the top of his class in 1965. 

 In the fall of that year, Sasser started classes at the University of Houston as a chemistry major, but because of financial hardships, he needed to cut back to part time and take a job to help pay bills. He immediately lost his student deferment, and soon, his draft number was called. In June 1967, he voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Army. Sasser was assigned to Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where he trained as a medical aidman. 

On January 10, 1968, then-Pfc. Clarence Sasser’s unit was sent on an air assault. The unit came under heavy attack and more than 30 men were wounded in just a few minutes. Sasser sprang into motion, running across open rice patties to give aid to the wounded. Despite incurring several painful wounds and loss of blood, including some that immobilized his legs, Sasser continued to drag himself through the mud to render aid and encouragement to his wounded comrades. For this heroic action, he was nominated for the Medal of Honor, which was awarded to him on March 7, 1969, at the White House by President Nixon.  

After leaving the Army, Sasser returned to Texas and was honored as a hero, even receiving a scholarship to Texas A&M, where he took additional courses in chemistry. He worked for an oil refinery and then later went to work for the Veterans Administration. He married Ethel Morant, a nurses’ aide at a local hospital, and had three children. Years later, Sasser said that raising his sons was his greatest accomplishment. 

Clarence Sasser passed away May 13, 2024, at Sugar Land, Texas. 

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society is proud to help perpetuate the legacy and share the story of Clarence Sasser.  

• You can find his full living history video here. 
• Teachers can share his story with students in our Character Development Program Lesson Overcoming Obstacles. 
• Find out more in our blog Clarence Sasser: Combat Medic 

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About the Congressional Medal of Honor Society     

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of the Medal of Honor (the United States’ highest award for military valor in action) and its Recipients, inspiring Americans to live the values the Medal represents, and supporting Recipients as they connect with communities across America. Chartered by Congress in 1958, the Society’s membership consists exclusively of those individuals who have received the Medal of Honor.   

The Society carries out its mission through outreach, education, and preservation programs, including the Medal of Honor Character Development Program, Citizen Honors Awards, and The Medal of Honor Museum. As part of Public Law 106-83, the Medal of the Honor Memorial Act, The Medal of Honor Museum, which is co-located with the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s headquarters on board the U.S.S. Yorktown at Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was designated as one of three national Medal of Honor sites.   

 The Society’s programs and operations are fully funded by generous donors.