Allen J Lynch
Allen was born in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois, on the 28th of October 1945, and he grew up in Indiana. As a child, he was bullied and pushed around so when the opportunity came, Allen decided to enlist in the US Army in 1964, to test himself. In 1966, he volunteered to deploy to the Republic of Vietnam, and it was his actions as a radio operator on the 15th of December 1967, with Company D, 1st Battalion (Airmobile), 12th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), that would later earn him the Medal of Honor. The citation reads:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Lynch (then Sp4c.) distinguished himself while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company D. While serving in the forward element on an operation near the village of My An, his unit became heavily engaged with a numerically superior enemy force. Quickly and accurately assessing the situation, Sgt. Lynch provided his commander with information which subsequently proved essential to the unit's successful actions. Observing three wounded comrades lying exposed to enemy fire, Sgt. Lynch dashed across 50 meters of open ground through a withering hail of enemy fire to administer aid. Reconnoitering a nearby trench for a covered position to protect the wounded from intense hostile fire, he killed two enemy soldiers at point-blank range. With the trench cleared, he unhesitatingly returned to the fire-swept area three times to carry the wounded men to safety. When his company was forced to withdraw by the superior firepower of the enemy, Sgt. Lynch remained to aid his comrades at the risk of his life rather than abandon them. Alone, he defended his isolated position for two hours against the advancing enemy. Using only his rifle and a grenade, he stopped them just short of his trench, killing five. Again, disregarding his safety in the face of withering hostile fire, he crossed 70 meters of exposed terrain five times to carry his wounded comrades to a more secure area. Once he had assured their comfort and safety, Sgt. Lynch located the counterattacking friendly company to assist in directing the attack and evacuating the three casualties. His gallantry at the risk of his life is in the highest traditions of the military service. Sgt. Lynch has reflected great credit on himself, the 12th Cavalry, and the U.S. Army.
Once rescued, Allen spent a few days medicating with some “liquid refreshments” and was then sent back to his unit. He was notified that he was put in for the Medal of Honor, but never heard anything until he was back home in the States and he re-enlisted while in Germany. The day before he was to be married to Susan, he was notified that he would be receiving the Medal from President Nixon on the 14th of May 1970. Allen joined eleven others in a ceremony at the White House, and he went on to serve in the Army Reserves and the Illinois National Guard, where he was an acting Sergeant Major with an air defense artillery unit, retiring at the rank of First Sergeant in 1994 after 21 years of service.
Allen and his wife have three children and they moved back to Illinois, where he worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs. He has stated that he truly wanted to earn the Medal and did so by advocating for veterans seeking care. He went on to serve as the chief of the Illinois Attorney General’s Veterans Rights Bureau until his retirement in 2005. Allen has volunteered for the Vietnam Veterans of America and gives speeches at military related events. Allen wrote a book, Zero to Hero: From Bullied Kid to Warrior, that was released in 2019, that acts as his life story and highlighting the consequences of surviving war. Allen James Lynch is 77 years old at the time of this recording and lives in Gurnee, Illinois.
