MEDAL OF HONOR

61st Medical Battalion

The insignia and unit crest of the 61st Medical Battalion feature a red unicorn rampant on a green mound between two oak trees, with a snake entwined around each tree. Below the shield is a scroll bearing the Latin motto "Inest Clementia Forti.". he Motto (Inest Clementia Forti): Latin for "Mercy Is Inherent In The Brave," reflecting the compassionate nature of medical service paired with military courage.

The 61st Medical Battalion was constituted on Aug. 7, 1942, as the 61st Medical Battalion, Motorized, and activated at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, on Sept. 25, 1942. The unit arrived in England on Nov. 3, 1943, and was assigned to the 5th Engineer Special Brigade, First United States Army, 10 days later.

The 61st Medical Battalion landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, serving as a casualty collection and treatment unit for the initial assault waves from the 1st and 29th Infantry Divisions. The medical battalion continued to operate at various locations in France until it was inactivated after the end of the war on Nov. 12, 1945.

The 61st Medical Battalion was reactivated on March 26, 1963, at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and deployed to the Republic of Vietnam on June 8, 1966. The organization was assigned to the 43rd Medical Group of the 44th Medical Brigade headquartered at Cam Ranh Bay, Khanh Hoa Province, with the mission of providing medical support to the U.S. Army, Vietnam, in the southern half of the South Vietnamese II Corps tactical zone. The headquarters of the 61st Medical Battalion controlled the 568th Medical Company (Clearing), the 418th Medical Company (Ambulance), as well as seven smaller medical detachments. The unit performed its mission at Cam Ranh Bay until it came under the control of the 67th Medical Group on Jan. 15, 1970.

Now assigned to a new headquarters during the midst of the American drawdown in Vietnam, the 61st Medical Battalion moved to Qui Nhon, Binh Dinh Province, in northern II Corps, where it assumed control of all non-divisional ambulance units in the northern half of South Vietnam. With that mission, it became responsible for providing all air and ground transportation to patients and medical personnel attached to non-divisional ambulance units.

The 61st Medical Battalion changed its configuration for this new assignment, organizing itself into six helicopter ambulance detachments, two ground ambulance detachments, one bus ambulance detachment, and an air ambulance company equipped with 61 UH-1H helicopters, 87 3/4-ton ambulance trucks and three ambulance buses. The 61st Medical Battalion performed this mission until it was stood down on June 10, 1971. The unit was formally inactivated at Fort Lewis, Washington, on Feb. 18, 1972.

The unit was reactivated for a second time on Jan. 15, 1993, at Fort Hood, Texas, and deployed to Somalia to support the U.N. peacekeeping mission there. It was reorganized as the Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 61st Medical Battalion (minus its attached companies), under the 1st Medical Brigade at the same post on Oct. 16, 2000. In its new configuration, the unit helped train medical personnel who came to Fort Hood. In June 2005, the unit became the 61st Medical Battalion (Multifunction) and acquired a new set of subordinate elements before deploying to Iraq. The 61st Medical Battalion (Multifunction) currently operates at Fort Hood under the command of the 1st Medical Brigade.

Official Citation

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has posthumously awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to

Specialist Five Dennis M. Fujii

United States Army

Spc. 5 Dennis M. Fujii distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity beyond the call of duty while serving as crew chief aboard a helicopter ambulance during rescue operations in Laos and the Republic of Vietnam from Feb. 18, 1971 to Feb. 22, 1971.

Fujii was serving with the 237th Medical Detachment, 61st Medical Battalion, 67th Medical Group. The team's mission was to evacuate seriously wounded Vietnamese military personnel from the midst of a raging battlefield.

During the second landing attempt, the enemy concentrated a barrage of flak at the air ambulance, which damaged the aircraft and caused it to crash, injuring Fujii.

A second helicopter was able to land and load all of his fellow downed airmen. However, Fujii was not able to board because the enemy directed fire on him. Rather than endanger the lives aboard the second helicopter, Fujii waved it off to leave the combat area. Subsequent attempts to rescue him were aborted due to the violent anti-aircraft fire. Fujii secured a radio and informed the aviators in the area that the landing zone was too hot for further evacuation attempts. Fujii remained as the lone American on the ground, treating the injuries of South Vietnam troops throughout the night and the next day.

On the night of Feb. 19, the allied perimeter came under ruthless assault by a reinforced enemy regiment supported by heavy artillery. Once again obtaining a radio transmitter, Fujii called in American helicopter gunships to assist the small unit in repelling the attack.

For a period of over 17 consecutive hours, Fujii repeatedly exposed himself to hostile fire as he left the security of his entrenchment to better observe enemy troop positions and to direct air strikes against them. At times, the fighting became so vicious that Fujii was forced to interrupt radio transmittal in order to place suppressive rifle fire on the enemy while at close quarters.

Though wounded and severely fatigued by Feb. 20, the specialist bore the responsibility for the protection and defense of the friendly encampment until an American helicopter could land and attempt to airlift him from the area. As his air ambulance left the still blazing battlefield, it received numerous hits and was forced to crash land at another South Vietnamese Ranger base approximately four kilometers from his original location.

The exhausted Fujii remained at the allied camp for two more days until yet another helicopter could return him to Phau Bai for medical assistance on Feb. 22.

Fujii's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.