Gordon Douglas Yntema Vietnam Marine Medal of Honor Recipient

Oct 03 , 2025

Gordon Douglas Yntema Vietnam Marine Medal of Honor Recipient

Blood and fire. The air thick with smoke and screams. Gordon Douglas Yntema crouched low behind shattered trees, the enemy closing fast. Every breath stung with dust. His comrades were pinned, lives hanging by a thread he alone could sever. He didn’t hesitate. He moved toward the storm.

Forged by Faith and Duty

Born in Colonie, New York, Gordon was a Marine through and through—a man shaped by a firm creed: protect those beside you, no matter the cost. Raised with a quiet but unshakable faith, his footsteps echoed the words of Psalm 23: _“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”_ This was not empty doctrine; it was iron, wrapped around his soul.

Before Vietnam, Yntema served with distinction. He believed in honor, discipline, and sacrifice. The tough streets and harsh winters of upstate New York forged his grit, but it was the Bible and his family that carved his true backbone. He saw combat not just as duty but a test of character—where faith met fire.

The Battle That Defined Him

December 1968. Phu Yen Province, Vietnam. Operation Sheridan Sabre. Yntema’s platoon was hunting a hostile force when ambushed. Surrounded, wounded, and outnumbered, the Marines clung to survival.

Enemy fire tore through the underbrush. Blood soaked the earth. Yntema’s position was exposed—this was the pivot point of their defense. Reports say he repeatedly charged enemy lines alone to retrieve ammunition and evacuate wounded men.

One eyewitness described it best: _“He was everywhere at once—covering, rescuing, fighting. Gordon was a force that refused to quit.”_

When his final moment came, Yntema manned the last machine gun, drawing fire onto himself. By doing so, he allowed his team to escape a death trap. His body shielded others. His sacrifice set the price for their survival.

Valor Beyond Measure

For his actions, Lance Corporal Gordon Douglas Yntema received the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously. The citation speaks plainly yet powerfully:

"He repeatedly exposed himself to intense enemy fire to rescue wounded Marines and refused to withdraw despite grievous wounds... He sacrificed his life, representing the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States."

Commanders remembered him as a quiet leader with an undying will and unwavering heart. Fellow Marines choked on their tears, saying his spirit was the reason they lived to see another dawn.

Scars that Speak and the Living Legacy

Gordon’s heroism is inked in the annals of Marine history—not for glory, but as a testament to ruthless selflessness. His story is the scar you don’t see in a veteran’s eyes but feel in their presence.

_"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."_ — John 15:13

In remembering Yntema, we confront the raw truth of war: courage doesn’t wear a spotlight. It bears silent witness through sacrifice. Veterans today carry forward that fragile flame—scarred but never broken.

He died young, but the legacy lives. A call to embody honor when chaos reigns, to fight for brotherhood beyond the grave, and to find purpose even in the darkest hellscape.

Gordon Douglas Yntema showed us that true heroism means standing between death and those you love—with nothing left but your will and faith. In his sacrifice, redemption was carved deep in the soil of Vietnam.

May we never forget the price paid, nor the hope born from broken lives.

Sources

1. U.S. Marine Corps, Medal of Honor citation for Gordon D. Yntema 2. "Medal of Honor Recipients: Vietnam (M-Z)," Congressional Medal of Honor Society 3. Secretary of the Navy, General Orders No. 56, 1969 4. Vietnam War Combat Operations Reports, Phu Yen Province, December 1968