{{Short description|Retired United States Army Medal of Honor recipient}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}} {{Infobox military person |name= John J. Duffy |image= Official portrait of Major John J. Duffy, Medal of Honor recipient.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Duffy in 2022 |nickname= |birth_date= {{birth date and age|1938|3|16|df=y}} |birth_place= [[New York, New York]] |death_date= |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= United States |branch= [[United States Army]] |service_years= 1955–1977 |rank= [[Major (United States)|Major]] |service_number= |unit= [[5th Special Forces Group]] |commands= |battles= [[Vietnam War]] * [[Easter Offensive]]{{WIA}} |awards= [[Medal of Honor]]<br/>[[Soldier's Medal]]<br/>[[Bronze Star Medal]] with V (4)<br/>[[Purple Heart]] (8)<br/>[[Air Medal]] (7) |relations= |other_work= }} '''John Joseph Duffy''' (born 16 March 1938) is a retired [[United States Army]] [[Major (United States)|major]] who was awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] on 5 July 2022, for his actions during the [[Vietnam War]].
==Military career== Duffy joined the [[United States Army]] in March 1955.<ref name=Army>{{citation-attribution|1={{cite web|url=https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/duffy/?from=hp_spotlight|title=MEDAL OF HONOR: Major John J. Duffy|publisher=United States Army|access-date=6 July 2022}}}}</ref>
===Vietnam War=== Duffy served four combat tours in [[South Vietnam]]. In 1972, Duffy served as a special advisor with the [[Military Assistance Command Vietnam]] (MACV) Advisory Team 162, known as the “Red Hats”.<ref name=Army/>
On 14 April 1972, during the [[North Vietnam]]ese [[Easter Offensive]], following a rocket and artillery barrage, the [[People's Army of Vietnam]] (PAVN) [[320th Division (Vietnam)|320th Division]] attacked Firebase Charlie ({{Coord|14.576|N|107.778|E|display=inline}}) 10 km from Dak To. Despite airstrikes and helicopter gunship support, Duffy and the [[Republic of Vietnam Airborne Division|11th Airborne Battalion]] defenders were forced to abandon the base that night.<ref>{{citation-attribution|1={{cite book|last=Ngo|first=Quang Truong|title=Indochina Monographs The Easter offensive of 1972|publisher=U.S. Army Center of Military History|year=1980|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA324505.pdf|pages=86–7}}}}</ref>
==Later life== Following his military service, Duffy was president of a publishing company and the founder and president of an investment firm which was bought by TD Ameritrade Inc.<ref name=Army/>
Duffy has been nominated for the [[Pulitzer Prize]] and has published six books of poetry.<ref name=Army/>
==Awards and decorations== ===Medal of Honor=== [[File:P20220705AS-1089 (52308684923).jpg|thumb|President [[Joe Biden]] awards the Medal of Honor to Major Duffy during a ceremony in July 2022]] On 27 June 2022 it was announced that President [[Joe Biden]] would present the Medal of Honor to Duffy and three others on 5 July 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/27/president-biden-to-award-medal-of-honor/|title=President Biden to Award Medal of Honor|publisher=The White House|date=27 June 2022|access-date=28 June 2022}}</ref>
Duffy was presented with the Medal of Honor on 5 July 2022 in a ceremony at the [[White House]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/05/politics/biden-medal-of-honor-vietnam/index.html|title=Biden awards 4 Vietnam veterans with the Medal of Honor|publisher=CNN|author1=Maegan Vazquez|author2=Oren Liebermann|date=5 July 2022|access-date=6 July 2022}}</ref>
The text of Duffy's Medal of Honor citation reads:
<blockquote>Maj. John J. Duffy distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty, while assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group and serving as a senior advisor to the 11th Airborne Battalion, 2nd Brigade, Airborne Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnam in the Republic of Vietnam, on April 14–15, 1972. Two days earlier, the commander of the 11th Airborne Battalion was killed, the battalion command post was destroyed, and Duffy was twice wounded but refused to be evacuated. Then on April 14, Duffy directed the defense of Fire Support Base Charlie, which was surrounded by a battalion-sized enemy element. In the morning hours, after a failed effort to establish a landing zone for resupply aircraft, he moved close to enemy anti-aircraft positions to call in airstrikes. At this time, Duffy was again wounded by fragments from a recoilless rifle round and again refused evacuation. Shortly after, the enemy began an artillery bombardment on the base and he remained in an exposed position to direct gunships onto the enemy positions, which eventually silenced the enemy fire. Following the bombardment, Duffy assessed the conditions on the base and personally ensured that wounded friendly foreign forces were moved to positions of relative safety and the remaining ammunition was appropriately distributed to the remaining defenders. The enemy resumed indirect fire on the base, expending an estimated 300 rounds. Nevertheless, Duffy remained in an exposed position to direct gunship fire on the enemy positions. In the late afternoon hours, the enemy began a ground assault from all sides of the firebase, and Duffy moved from position to position to adjust fire, spot targets for artillery observers and, ultimately, to direct gunship fire on a friendly position which had been compromised. During the early morning hours of April 15, the enemy ambushed the battalion, inflicting additional casualties and scattering some of the able-bodied service members. After withstanding the ambush, Duffy led the evacuees - many of whom were significantly wounded - to an established evacuation area, despite being continually pursued by the enemy. Upon reaching the exfiltration site, Duffy directed gunship fire on enemy positions and marked a landing zone for the helicopters. Only after ensuring all of the evacuees were aboard, did Duffy board while also assisting a wounded friendly foreign service member. Once on board, he administered aid to a helicopter door gunner who had been wounded during the evacuation. Duffy's extraordinary heroism and selflessness beyond the call of duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.<ref name=Army/></blockquote>
===Commendations=== Duffy was awarded the following throughout his military career:<ref>{{cite web|title=Hall of Heroes induction, MAJOR JOHN J. DUFFY|url=https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/duffy/?from=hp_spotlight#:~:text=Duffy%20has%20been%20honored%20with,%22%20device)%2C%20three%20Army%20Commendation|website=www.army.mil|accessdate=July 6, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=OCS Alumni, Hall of Fame, John J. Duffy|url=https://ocsalumni.org/at_biz_dir/john-j-duffy/|website=ocsalumi.com|accessdate=July 6, 2022}}</ref>
{| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |colspan="12"|[[File:Combat Infantry Badge.svg]] |- |colspan="12"|[[File:US Army Airborne master parachutist badge.gif|120px]] |- |colspan="12"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-leaf|ribbon=Medal_of_Honor_ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Soldier's_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=3|type=oak|other_device=v|ribbon=Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=7|type=oak|ribbon=Purple Heart BAR.svg|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|other_device=6|ribbon=Air Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-star|ribbon=Joint Service Commendation ribbon.svg|width=109}}{{Ribbon devices|number=2|type=oak|other_device=v|ribbon=Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{ribbon devices|number=|type=|ribbon=Army of Occupation ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=service-star|ribbon=National_Defense_Service_Medal_ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expedtionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{ribbon devices|number=6|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}{{Ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Army_Service_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|ribbon=ResMedRib.svg|width=106}}{{ribbon devices|number=|type=award-star|other_device=|ribbon=Vietnam Gallantry Cross, with palm.svg|width=106}}{{ribbon devices|number=5|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}<span style="position:relative; top: 0px; left: -66px; display: inline-block; width: 0;">[[File:Award-star-silver-3d.png|27px]]</span>{{ribbon devices|ribbon=Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon with 60- clasp.svg|width=106}} |- |colspan="6"| [[File:ViPaBa.jpg|150px]] [[File:Einzelbild Special Forces (Special Forces Insignia).svg|125px]] |}
{| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- !Badge |colspan="12"|[[Combat Infantryman Badge]] |- !Badge |colspan="12"|[[Parachutist Badge (United States)#Master Parachutist Badge|Master Parachutist Badge]] |- !1st row |colspan="12"|[[Medal of Honor]] <br>{{small|Upgraded from the [[Distinguished Service Cross (United States)|Distinguished Service Cross]]}} |- !2nd row |colspan="3"|[[Soldier's Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[Bronze Star Medal|Bronze Star]] <br>{{small|with [["V" device]] and 3 [[Oak leaf cluster]]s <br> (4 awards for valor)}} |colspan="3"|[[Meritorious Service Medal (United States)|Meritorious Service Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[Purple Heart]] <br>{{small|with 1 silver and 2 bronze [[Oak leaf cluster]]s <br>(8 awards)}} |- !3rd row |colspan="3"|[[Air Medal]] <br>{{small|with [[Award numeral]] "6"}} |colspan="3"|[[Joint Service Commendation Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[Army Commendation Medal]] <br>{{small|with [["V" device]] and 2 [[Oak leaf cluster]]s<br>(3 awards for valor)}} |colspan="3"|[[Army of Occupation Medal]] <br>{{small|for [[Berlin, Germany]]}} |- !4th row |colspan="3"|[[National Defense Service Medal]] <br />{{small|with 1 [[Service star]]}} |colspan="3"|[[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[Vietnam Service Medal]] <br />{{small|with 1 silver and 1 bronze [[Campaign star]]s}} |colspan="3"|[[Army Service Ribbon]] |- !5th row |colspan="3"|[[Armed Forces Reserve Medal]] |colspan="3"|[[Gallantry Cross (South Vietnam)|Vietnamese Gallantry Cross]] <br />{{small|with palm}} |colspan="3"|[[Gallantry Cross (South Vietnam)|Vietnamese Gallantry Cross]] <br />{{small|with 1 silver star}} |colspan="3"|[[Vietnam Campaign Medal]] |- !Badges |colspan="6"|[[Parachutist badge#Examples of other parachutist badges from around the world|South Vietnamese Parachutist badge]] |colspan="6"|[[Special Forces Tab]] |- |}
===Unit Citations=== [[File:United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|left|106px|border|alt=Army PUC]]Presidential Unit Citation Army/Air Force
[[File:United States Navy Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|left|106px|border|alt=Navy and Marine]]Presidential Unit Citation Navy/Marine Corps
[[File:Valorous Unit Award ribbon.svg|106px|Valorous Unit Award]]Valorous Unit Award
[[File:Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon.svg|left|106px]] Meritorious Unit Citation
{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Gallantry Cross Unit Citation.png|left|width=106}} Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
[[File:Civil Action Unit Citation.png|106px]] Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Action)
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duffy, John J.}} [[Category:1938 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Military personnel from New York City]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War]] [[Category:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor]] [[Category:Writers from New York City]]