Gordon Yntema's sacrifice at Dak To earned the Medal of Honor

Oct 09 , 2025

Gordon Yntema's sacrifice at Dak To earned the Medal of Honor

He was a man holding back death—and when it came, he didn’t flinch. Gordon Douglas Yntema stood between chaos and his brothers. That man was not just fighting for survival. He was fighting to carry others out of the inferno alive.

Background & Faith

Gordon Yntema was born in Little Falls, New York, 1945. Early on, he was no stranger to hard work and discipline. The weight of responsibility settled young on his shoulders. He grew into a man shaped by quiet grit and deep belief in something greater than himself.

Army Lieutenant with the 5th Special Forces Group, Yntema lived by a code — honor, faith, and loyalty. His troops called him “The Quiet Warrior.” Underneath that calm exterior? A man driven by conviction and purpose. Legends are made of blood and bone, but faith steels the soul. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Gordon clung to that truth.

The Battle That Defined Him

April 20, 1968, Dak To, Vietnam.

Lieutenant Yntema’s Special Forces reconnaissance team was struck hard. The enemy swarmed their position, sharp as a fang—vicious and relentless. Outnumbered and wounded, many were pinned down, unable to move. Death was stalking the jungle floor.

Yntema faced the impossible. Surrounded, severely wounded, he refused to leave a single man behind. The citation recounts his actions: “He moved through the murderous fire, retrieving the wounded, directing defensive fire, and organizing the team’s limited ammunition.”

When evacuation seemed lost to the night, Gordon covered his team’s withdrawal — absorbed enemy rounds like a shield. Even when his last breath was near, his fight was for others. His sacrifice was total.

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me...” (Psalm 23:4) — a mantle worn by warriors like Gordon, walking dark roads few dare tread.

Recognition

Gordon Douglas Yntema posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his valor— the highest military decoration.

His citation reads, in part:

“For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty… Lieutenant Yntema’s courageous and selfless actions reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.”

His comrades remembered him differently—not by medal, but by grit. Sergeant Carl Derby, who survived that night, said:

“Yntema never hesitated. He moved through the hailstorm of bullets to pull us back. He was the reason I live today.”

His story is neither legend nor tale, but raw flesh and blood—etched in scars and memory.

Legacy & Lessons

Gordon Yntema’s life and death mirror the harsh truths of combat: courage is forged at the edge of despair. True sacrifice knows no limits. The battlefield demands everything—the body, mind, and soul—yet it’s a man’s spine of character that determines whether he falls or stands.

His sacrifice reminds every veteran and civilian alike: freedom does not come free. It is paid for in the currency of courage and conviction. And redemption—often in the quiet moments between gunfire—is born in the giving of oneself for another.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Gordon Yntema lived this truth until the last breath.

Remember him. Remember what it costs. And may the echoes of his sacrifice carry on in those who still fight the shadows.

Sources

1. U.S. Army Center of Military History, Medal of Honor Recipients: Vietnam War 2. Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Gordon Douglas Yntema Citation 3. Derby, Carl, Survivor's Account: Dak To Combat (Veterans History Project)