COL ALLAN R. WETZEL, then Captain, Armor, United States Army, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division. For extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam. Captain Wetzel distinguished himself by exceptionally valorous actions on 16 February 1968 as commanding officer of an infantry unit conducting a mission in the city of Tay Ninh. His company, reinforced by an attached platoon approached a wall near the temple grounds, it suddenly encountered an intense volume of automatic weapons, grenade and rocket fire from a battalion-sized enemy force. Captain Wetzel quickly deployed his men and directed their suppressive fire on the insurgents. He then crawled to the lead element’s position and found that it had sustained heavy casualties. It was also in danger of being subjected to a flank attack. Captain Wetzel returned to the main element and led a spoiling attack to the temple wall to prevent the enemy form dividing his company and isolating its elements. His men were driven back by heavy automatic weapons fire and he regrouped them for another assault. As he did so, he observed an enemy soldier preparing to fire a rocket at an American armored personnel carrier. Unable to warn the vehicle’s crew from his position, he dashed through the intense hostile fire to the carrier and arrived at the vehicle at the same moment it was struck by the enemy round. Despite the wounds he sustained from the exploding rocket, he immediately evacuated the vehicle’s crew members to a position of safety. At the same time, the insurgent forces assaulted his company’s position. Moving to a holding position along the wall to his rear, Captain Wetzel and six of his men completely halted the enemy’s attack with a deadly barrage of grenade and rifle fire. After reinforcements had arrived, he personally directed the extraction of the wounded. Captain Wetzel’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.

Colonel Wetzel resided in Georgia, and was a LIFE MEMBER.