FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Gordon Douglas Yntema ~ 08 February 2021

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ Hall of Heroes ~

Gordon Douglas Yntema
Information from here.

           

Gordon Douglas Yntema (June 26, 1945 - January 18, 1968) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Vietnam War.

Yntema joined the Army from Detroit, Michigan in 1964, and by January 16, 1968 was serving as a Sergeant in Company D of the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). On that day, near Thong Binh in the Republic of Vietnam, Yntema and the two platoons of irregulars he was with were involved in a heavy firefight with the Viet Cong. After the group's Vietnamese commander was wounded, Yntema led the force for the remainder of the two-day battle as ammunition dwindled and losses mounted. With his position about to be overrun, he refused to abandon his wounded comrades and instead fought to the death.

Yntema, aged 22 at his death, was buried in Pilgrim Home Cemetery, Holland, Michigan. He and his wife Peggy had three daughters, Elizabeth, Jane and Julie.

The enlisted club at Fort Bragg, NC is named in his honor.

Sergeant Yntema's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Yntema, U.S. Army, distinguished himself while assigned to Detachment A-431, Company D. As part of a larger force of civilian irregulars from Camp Cai Cai, he accompanied 2 platoons to a blocking position east of the village of Thong Binh, where they became heavily engaged in a small-arms fire fight with the Viet Cong. Assuming control of the force when the Vietnamese commander was seriously wounded, he advanced his troops to within 50 meters of the enemy bunkers. After a fierce 30 minute fire fight, the enemy forced Sgt. Yntema to withdraw his men to a trench in order to afford them protection and still perform their assigned blocking mission. Under cover of machinegun fire, approximately 1 company of Viet Cong maneuvered into a position which pinned down the friendly platoons from 3 sides. A dwindling ammunition supply, coupled with a Viet Cong mortar barrage which inflicted heavy losses on the exposed friendly troops, caused many of the irregulars to withdraw. Seriously wounded and ordered to withdraw himself, Sgt. Yntema refused to leave his fallen comrades. Under withering small arms and machinegun fire, he carried the wounded Vietnamese commander and a mortally wounded American Special Forces advisor to a small gully 50 meters away in order to shield them from the enemy fire. Sgt. Yntema then continued to repulse the attacking Viet Cong attempting to overrun his position until, out of ammunition and surrounded, he was offered the opportunity to surrender. Refusing, Sgt. Yntema stood his ground, using his rifle as a club to fight the approximately 15 Viet Cong attempting his capture. His resistance was so fierce that the Viet Cong were forced to shoot in order to overcome him. Sgt. Yntema's personal bravery in the face of insurmountable odds and supreme self-sacrifice were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect the utmost credit upon himself, the 1st Special Forces, and the U.S. Army.

Please remember, the Canteen is family friendly and we exist to support and honor our troops and their families, as well as our Allies Troops and theirs.  Thank you to every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman out there for doing what you do to keep us safe.  We are ever in your debt.  And thank you, too, to the families and friends who support them.  God bless our troops.

[The Mayor]

Yes you are, I was shocked at the ping to the old thread.

I’m ready for work, well as ready as I can be.
Cold cold now, 8 degrees right now.

I spent the afternoon filling out VA forms.
Church last night, I like the Saturday 5PM service.

[radu]

You’ll have to deal with the huffy-puffy for a while yet. Pneumonia takes a while and Covid pneumonia is a different ballgame and takes even longer. You were lucky to be able to get off the oxygen as soon as you did.
It’ll happen. Just gotta be patient.

The snow is pretty much all gone now. There were little spots of it scattered around when I woke up this afternoon. It was pretty while it was here though.

[luvie]

I haven’t studied up on the difference in the two kinds of pneumonia. Maybe I should. And just keep plugging away at getting stronger.

Did you measure how much you got? It had to be gorgeous when it was freshly fallen.

[radu]

There was an inch or so on the bed cover of Hubby’s truck last night when I went out to take a few pix and it didn’t snow a whole lot more after that time. There was enough to cover most of the grass and being a wet snow, it stuck to trees and bushes nicely.

We’ve had some snow now and don’t need any more. LOL

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, radu...has your snow melted? More coming?

We’ve had a sunny, blue sky and funny mist today that shows as a little coating of snow/ice on the deck. Kinda weird.

[luvie]

Exactly the way I felt when we had our little snow...whenever that was. Time has been compressed. January Is a blur. But I don’t think I’m ready for spring in February, which is what we’re having. It no doubt means that summer will be another blast furnace.

I need to quit whining. LOL!

[radu]

Hey there, Kathy.

Yes, our snow is gone. It was the best kind - - pretty for a few hours and outta here. LOL

I could see the mist you’re talking about on the cam. It came and went a few times at the airport too. There were even a few snowflakes at one point. But overall it was a pretty day.

I hope you had your spikies on when you fed the ducks.

[radu]

We’ve had a few light dustings this year but this was the first one that was enough to look pretty. We usually get one of those each year so we’ve gotten it out of the way. LOL There’s a slight chance for snow early next Fri. morning but I doubt it’ll amount to much if it does happen. It’s just going to be cold.

Maybe this summer won’t be too bad. Just have to wait and see.

[Kathy in Alaska]

What? The gov, etc, allowed your church to open?

Glad you like the Saturday service.

Hope you got all your paperwork completed. And stay warm!!!

[luvie]

I guess the cold will make you appreciate the spring soooo much! That’s why I look forward to cold. To have the comparison.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, luvie...are you finally working your way back to feeling good? Lasting longer between naps?

Thanks for helping honor Sgt Yntema...a true hero.

[luvie]

I love helping to honor our heroes. They sacrificed everything for us!

I’m getting better every day. Just get tired very easily. I’m not used to that. At least I’m back to only one nap a day, and my appetite is a bit better.

[Kathy in Alaska]

No kickback time, but I was able to get several little things done. Then some work, with a little more in a bit.

Pretty exciting about seeing not 1, but 2 Dreamlifters. I’ll check with Dot.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Congrats on getting to see the snow and now it’s gone.

Spikies for sure...and only the homies again.

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Monday morning and ((HUGS)) to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

How's everyone doing this morning?

[radu]

I wouldn’t mind if we had two seasons - - spring and summer. LOL! BUT, we’d have SO MANY BUGS without some cold to kill some of them off. I don’t see many being killed off this winter, though, since it really hasn’t been that cold here. Brief cold snaps but overall it’s been pretty mild.

[radu]

That's a drag. I know you like to kick back in your recliner with a good book when you're able.

I just love that funky plane. LOL! One had been stuck at the airport for a few days due to bad weather in Japan, where it was going. I was shocked when I pulled up the cam today as another one was taxiing in, having just landed.
One of the chat moderators mentioned that the first one was due to take off in a couple of hours so I checked back to watch it take off. The other one would take off an hour or so later and I watched that one too.

This is the 2nd one to take off. It looked so pretty with the sun shining on it and on the snow-covered trees in the background, I just had to get a screen cap of it.

[luvie]

Yeah, I’m kind of thinking the same way, bug-wise. Not enough really cold to kill the suckers that are hiding underground.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, E...((HUGS))...hope you and Gizmo have good weather for a nice long walk with water, rocks, and tall grass.

You guys have a great Monday.

[Kathy in Alaska]

What a great picture! And on a great day...thanks.