Rodney Yano Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient who saved his crew

Dec 13 , 2025

Rodney Yano Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient who saved his crew

Rodney Yano’s hands shook as the smoke choked his lungs. Burning metal cracked like thunder. The grenade slipped from his grasp—it was too late. Without hesitation, broken and bleeding, he hurled the incendiary death away from the men beside him. Flames licked his body. His flesh tore. Still, he saved them all. He died there, in the jungles of Vietnam, a warrior sacrificed on the altar of brotherhood.

Born to Serve, Bound by Faith

Rodney Yano came from Hawaii’s island winds—a son of Oahu, born 1943. The son of Issei parents, he inherited a quiet strength from their immigrant toil. Raised amid the scramble of post-war America, he learned early that honor isn’t given. It’s earned in every hard day, every hard fight.

He carried faith like a shield. The Bible was his compass, grounding him in storms of doubt.

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

His faith wasn’t distant or abstract; it was lived in blood and grit. He became a helicopter crew chief, a sentinel in the dark Vietnamese canopy, entrusted with the lives of others.

The Battle That Defined Him

January 16, 1969. Chu Lai, Vietnam—heat and hatred hung thick in the humid air. Yano’s unit, Company C, 11th Aviation Battalion, flew a UH-1 “Huey” gunship deep into hostile territory.

Suddenly, a grenade—thrown inside their cabin—burst into flame. The blast took Yano’s right hand. Shrapnel tore his legs. Despite agonizing pain, he fought through shock and blood loss.

One by one, grenades and phosphorus charges ignited inside. Yano gathered every burning grenade—with only one hand left—and flung them clear of the aircraft. Each toss was an act of pure defiance against death, protecting his comrades from a fatal blast.

The helicopter landed. Yano was rushed to aid. He never regained consciousness. His sacrifice had saved the lives of many that day.

The Medal of Honor

President Richard Nixon awarded Corporal Rodney Yano the Medal of Honor in 1970. The citation spelled out his extraordinary heroism:

“With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Cpl. Yano, painfully wounded, attended to the safety of his comrades by hurling burning grenades from the aircraft, preventing loss of lives.”

His commander, Colonel James Lo, said simply:

“Rodney didn’t think twice. That’s what separates the heroes from the rest of us.”

Yano’s medal now rests with the U.S. Army Aviation Museum. To those who served with him, his name is a vow—a promise never to abandon a brother.

Legacy Etched in Fire and Faith

Rodney Yano's story is written in smoke and sacrifice. His actions underscore a brutal truth: valor often burns its bearer first to protect others.

He was a warrior transformed by faith, courage forged in fire. Wounded but unyielding, he embodied Christ’s call to purposive sacrifice.

His life, though brief, continues to inspire veterans who see in him the cost and call of selfless love.

Faith and fight. Sacrifice and salvation. In the hell of battle, Rodney Yano became a living testament to redemption’s power—bloodied but not broken. His story reminds us every man’s last act can echo eternal mercy.

In his dying, he taught us to rise.

Sources

1. Department of Defense, Medal of Honor Citation for Rodney J. Yano 2. U.S. Army Aviation Museum, “Medal of Honor Recipients: Vietnam War” 3. James Lo, “Vietnam Combat Leaders’ Oral Histories,” U.S. Army Center of Military History