James Leroy Bondsteel

James L. Bondsteel
Medal of Honor recipient.
Nickname(s)	Buddha
Born	(1947-07-18)July 18, 1947 Jackson, Michigan
Died	April 9, 1987(1987-04-09) (aged 39) Along the Glenn Highway between Anchorage and Palmer, Alaska
Place of burial	Fort Richardson National Cemetery, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Marine Corps United States Army
Years of service	1965 – 1985
Rank	Master Sergeant
Unit	1st Infantry Division
Battles/wars	Vietnam War *Operation Toan Thang III
Awards	Medal of Honor Soldier's Medal Bronze Star Purple Heart (2)
Other work	Counselor

James Leroy Bondsteel (July 18, 1947 – April 9, 1987) was a United States Army soldier who served during the Vietnam War, where he earned the Medal of Honor. His Medal of Honor, awarded in November 1973, was the last presented by President Richard Nixon.

Camp Bondsteel, located in Kosovo, is named in his honor.

Biography[]

James Leroy Bondsteel was born in Jackson, Michigan to Betty Jean Daisy and her fiancee, Kenneth Bondsteel. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1965 after graduating from Jonesville High School in Jonesville, Michigan.

Bondsteel enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1965 and was posted to Korea where he contributed his time to an orphanage. His contract in the Marine Corps finished he next enlisted the United States Army, serving until his retirement in 1985. In 1969 he was deployed to Vietnam with Company A, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division where he received the Medal of Honor for his actions which occurred on May 24, 1969 near An Lộc, South Vietnam during Operation Toan Thang III. During his time in Vietnam, Bondsteel learned to speak Vietnamese and could differentiate between different regional dialects. After leaving Vietnam Bondsteel he was posted to West Germany from 1970 to 1973 and held various other postings until his retirement in 1985 after 20-years of service. After his retirement from the Army as a Master Sergeant, he worked for the Veterans Administration as a counselor at the regional office in Anchorage, Alaska. ^[1]

He lived in Willow, Alaska with his wife Elaine and his daughters, Angel and Rachel.

Bondsteel died on the Knik River bridge of the Glenn Highway in 1987 when a trailer full of logs came unhooked from the transport which was pulling it and slammed into the front of his AMC Spirit.^[2]

A tree was placed at Freedoms Foundation Park at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in his honor.

Bondsteel is buried in Alaska at Fort Richardson National Cemetery.

There is a monument to him at the Alaska Veterans Memorial at Byers Lake on the Parks Highway in the Denali State Park.^[3]

Camp Bondsteel, the main U.S. Army base in Kosovo, is named in his honor.

Bondsteel, along with three other Medal of Honor recipients who were from the area, is honored on the Medal of Honor Memorial in Jackson County, Michigan, dedicated on November 22, 2011.^[4]

Medal of Honor citation[]

Citation:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Bondsteel distinguished himself while serving as a platoon sergeant with Company A, near the village of Lang Sau. Company A was directed to assist a friendly unit which was endangered by intense fire from a North Vietnamese Battalion located in a heavily fortified base camp. S/Sgt. Bondsteel quickly organized the men of his platoon into effective combat teams and spearheaded the attack by destroying 4 enemy occupied bunkers. He then raced some 200 meters under heavy enemy fire to reach an adjoining platoon which had begun to falter. After rallying this unit and assisting their wounded, S/Sgt. Bondsteel returned to his own sector with critically needed munitions. Without pausing he moved to the forefront and destroyed 4 enemy occupied bunkers and a machine gun which had threatened his advancing platoon. Although painfully wounded by an enemy grenade, S/Sgt. Bondsteel refused medical attention and continued his assault by neutralizing 2 more enemy bunkers nearby. While searching one of these emplacements S/Sgt. Bondsteel narrowly escaped death when an enemy soldier detonated a grenade at close range. Shortly thereafter, he ran to the aid of a severely wounded officer and struck down an enemy soldier who was threatening the officer's life. S/Sgt. Bondsteel then continued to rally his men and led them through the entrenched enemy until his company was relieved. His exemplary leadership and great personal courage throughout the 4-hour battle ensured the success of his own and nearby units, and resulted in the saving of numerous lives of his fellow soldiers. By individual acts of bravery he destroyed 10 enemy bunkers and accounted for a large toll of the enemy, including 2 key enemy commanders. His extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life was in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.^[5]

See also[]

• List of Medal of Honor recipients for the Vietnam War

References[]

External links[]

• "Remembrance Page (With Photos of SSG Bondsteel, Including His Memorial)". Retrieved September 29, 2010.
• "President Nixon presents MOH". Retrieved September 29, 2010.
• "List of Vietnam War MOH Recipients". Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved September 29, 2010.