Congressional Medal of Honor Society
Stories of Sacrifice
Vietnam War - U.S. Army
Kenneth Edward Stumpf
- Rank: Specialist Fourth Class (rank at time of presentation: Sergeant; highest rank: Sergeant Major)
- Conflict/Era: Vietnam War
- Unit/Command:
3d Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry,
25th Infantry Division - Military Service Branch: U.S. Army
- Medal of Honor Action Date: April 25, 1967
- Medal of Honor Action Place: near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Stumpf distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader of the 3d Platoon, Company C, on a search-and-destroy mission. As S/Sgt. Stumpf's company approached a village, it encountered a North Vietnamese rifle company occupying a well-fortified bunker complex. During the initial contact, three men from his squad fell wounded in front of a hostile machine-gun emplacement. The enemy's heavy volume of fire prevented the unit from moving to the aid of the injured men, but S/Sgt. Stumpf left his secure position in a deep trench and ran through the barrage of incoming rounds to reach his wounded comrades. He picked up one of the men and carried him back to the safety of the trench. Twice more S/Sgt. Stumpf dashed forward while the enemy turned automatic weapons and machine guns upon him, yet he managed to rescue the remaining two wounded squad members. He then organized his squad and led an assault against several enemy bunkers from which continuously heavy fire was being received. He and his squad successfully eliminated two of the bunker positions, but one to the front of the advancing platoon remained a serious threat. Arming himself with extra hand grenades, S/Sgt. Stumpf ran over open ground, through a volley of fire directed at him by a determined enemy, toward the machine-gun position. As he reached the bunker, he threw a hand grenade through the aperture. It was immediately returned by the occupants, forcing S/Sgt. Stumpf to take cover. Undaunted, he pulled the pins on two more grenades, held them for a few seconds after activation, then hurled them into the position, this time successfully destroying the emplacement. With the elimination of this key position, his unit was able to assault and overrun the enemy. S/Sgt. Stumpf's relentless spirit of aggressiveness, intrepidity, and ultimate concern for the lives of his men, are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
- Accredited to: Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
- Awarded Posthumously: No
- Presentation Date & Details: September 19, 1968
The White House, presented by Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson
- Born: September 28, 1944, Neenah, Winnebago County, WI, United States
- Died: April 23, 2022, WI
- Buried: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, US