Two who died to save their comrades

Two men died together on this date in Vietnam in 1969 in a selfless act of courage that saved the lives of many of their comrades. Reflecting the diversity of American troops, one was an African American from South Carolina and the other was a Native American from California. Both were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, our Nation’s second highest combat honor. They are:

• Specialist Fourth Class Calvin Robinson, 20. He is buried at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in his hometown of Johnston, South Carolina.

• Specialist Fourth Class James Patrick Barrios, 21, Lemoore, California. He was a member of the Tachi Yokut Indian Tribe and is buried in their Tribal Cemetery at the Santa Rosa Rancheria, near Lemoore.

They were serving with Company D, 6th Battalion, 31st Infantry, 9th Infantry Division on a night patrol on January 12, 1969 near Cai Nua in Dinh Tuong Province when their unit came under attack by a “numerically superior” North Vietnamese Army force. Both men were wounded in the initial attack, but despite their wounds set up a machine gun emplacement and held off the enemy long enough for their comrades to recover the wounded and set up a perimeter defense. They were killed when a rocket propelled grenade hit their position.

One of the men who was with them that night wrote this tribute online in 2003:

Robinson, you and SP4 Barrios will never be forgotten. You guys held off the enemy while we dragged out our wounded at the cost of your lives. No man hath greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. Words from the holy one of Israel, Jesus of Nazareth.

The Distinguished Service Cross citations for these two heroes can be found here http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=5072 and here http://projects.militarytimes.com/citations-medals-awards/recipient.php?recipientid=5172.