[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 974 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 974

 To authorize and request the President to award the Medal of Honor to 
Joseph T. Getherall, of Hacienda Heights, California, for acts of valor 
 in the Republic of Vietnam on December 22, 1966, while serving in the 
                  Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2007

 Mrs. Napolitano introduced the following bill; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To authorize and request the President to award the Medal of Honor to 
Joseph T. Getherall, of Hacienda Heights, California, for acts of valor 
 in the Republic of Vietnam on December 22, 1966, while serving in the 
                  Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTHORIZATION AND REQUEST FOR AWARD OF MEDAL OF HONOR TO 
              JOSEPH T. GETHERALL, OF HACIENDA HEIGHTS, CALIFORNIA, FOR 
              ACTS OF VALOR DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

    (a) Authorization.--The President is authorized and requested to 
award the Medal of Honor under section 6241 of title 10, United States 
Code, to Joseph T. Getherall, of Hacienda Heights, California, for the 
acts of valor during the Vietnam War described in subsection (b).
    (b) Action Described.--The acts of valor referred to in subsection 
(a) are the actions of Joseph T. Getherall in the Republic of Vietnam 
on December 22, 1966, while serving as a squad leader in Company M of 
the Third Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, Third Marine Division, 
during ``Operation Chinook''. Company M was occupying a night defensive 
position in the area of the Co Bi-Than Tan Corridor, Thua Thien 
Province, when the Marines came under intense small arms and mortar 
fire from the 802nd Viet Cong Battalion. Unhesitatingly exposing 
himself to intense small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire, 
Sergeant Getherall repeatedly moved across open terrain to effectively 
direct his squad. Sergeant Getherall was seriously wounded in both legs 
and arms by an exploding mortar round. Despite his painful injuries, 
Sergeant Getherall refused medical evacuation and continued to pinpoint 
enemy targets, direct fire, resupply his men with ammunition, and 
ensure the integrity of the perimeter defense, which spread across 
fifty meters of open terrain. With most of the enemy ground assaults 
throughout the night concentrated in front of his squad's position, 
Sergeant Getherall continually exposed himself to enemy fire. He 
personally killed several of the enemy attackers with his own rifle 
fire. During one of the enemy assaults, a Marine was wounded in the 
open, and Sergeant Getherall fearlessly moved across the hazardous open 
terrain under intense enemy fire and moved the Marine to cover. During 
another assault, Sergeant Getherall observed a Viet Cong about to throw 
a grenade and killed him with rifle fire, but not before the enemy 
soldier threw the grenade, which landed among Sergeant Getherall's 
squad. Sergeant Getherall shouted a warning to his men and with 
complete disregard for his own life and under heavy enemy fire, he was 
able to get to the grenade and jump on it. He then picked it up and 
threw it back at the enemy where it exploded a few meters away, 
wounding Sergeant Getherall for a second time in one of his legs. By 
his prompt and courageous action in the face of almost certain death, 
he saved several of his squad members from death or serious injury. 
During the remainder of the night, he moved among his men, encouraging 
them and ensuring that there was maximum security and firepower to 
repulse subsequent attacks. Inspired by his selfless courage and 
aggressive fighting spirit, his squad members repulsed a number of 
savage attacks, while inflicting heavy casualties on a determined and 
numerically superior enemy force. By his outstanding leadership, 
resolute determination, and unfaltering devotion to duty in the face of 
grave personal danger, Sergeant Getherall upheld the highest traditions 
of the Marine Corps. Six of Sergeant Getherall's squad members and his 
commanding officer have submitted sworn affidavits attesting to his 
heroic actions. The Platoon Commander at the time, Gary Loveridge, 
recommended Sergeant Getherall for a Silver Star, but his 
recommendation was lost by the Marine Corps. In a letter dated April 
14, 2004, Mr. Loveridge wrote that his original Silver Star 
recommendation be upgraded to a Navy Cross. This letter was written 
before Mr. Loveridge was made aware of the fact that Sergeant Getherall 
jumped on an enemy grenade. In June 2004 at a reunion, two of Sergeant 
Getherall's former squad members told Mr. Loveridge for the first time 
about the action of Sergeant Getherall in jumping on the enemy grenade 
to save their lives during the battle. This updated information caused 
Mr. Loveridge to rewrite his Summary of Action and Citation to include 
this additional action.
    (c) Waiver of Time Limitations.--The award under subsection (a) may 
be made without regard to the time limitations specified in section 
6248 of title 10, United States Code, or any other time limitation with 
respect to the awarding of certain medals to persons who served in the 
Navy or Marine Corps.
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