Near the village of Hiep Duc, Republic of Vietnam on 7 June 1970, S/Sgt. Murray distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with Company B. S/Sgt. Murray’s squad was searching for an enemy mortar that had been threatening friendly positions when a member of the squad tripped an enemy grenade rigged as a booby trap. Realizing that he had activated the enemy booby trap, the soldier shouted for everybody to take cover. Instantly assessing the danger to the men of his squad, S/Sgt. Murray unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own safety, threw himself on the grenade absorbing the full and fatal impact of the explosion. By his gallant action and self sacrifice, he prevented the death or injury of the other members of his squad. S/Sgt. Murray’s extraordinary courage and gallantry, at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U. S. Army.

Robert Murray’s enrollment in the Legion of Valor was sponsored by Richard Rinaldo, DSC and Philip Conran, AFC, both of whom proceeded him as students at Fordham University, New York. After graduating with honors from Fordham in June, 1968 Murray was accepted into the Harvard University 1970 MBA program but chose instead to serve first his country and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was serving as a Staff Sergeant at the time of his heroic act in June 1970. He is buried in the Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, NY.