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Medal of Honor recipient Army SP4 Nicholas J. Cutinha
Congressional Medal of Honor
Episode 2828 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Army SP4 Nicholas J. Cutinha and his Congressional Medal of Honor award. Information featured in this episode appeared on the Military History website.
Nicholas Joseph Cutinha /kuːˈtiːnə/ (January 13, 1945 – March 2, 1968) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military’s highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.
Cutinha joined the Army from Coral Gables, Florida in 1967, and by March 2, 1968, was serving as a Specialist Four in Company C, 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division. During a firefight on that day, near Gia Dinh in the Republic of Vietnam, Cutinha held the enemy at bay with his machine gun and provided suppressive fire to allow for the evacuation of wounded soldiers, despite his own serious wounds. He was killed during the battle and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Cutinha, age 23 at his death, was buried in Fort Denaud Cemetery, Fort Denaud, Florida.
Cutinha’s Medal of Honor is under the custodianship of American Legion Post 130 in LaBelle, Florida, where it is on public display. American Legion Post 130 (Florida) is the only known American Legion Post with custodianship of a Medal of Honor. Cutinha’s medal was presented to the Post by his mother so that it could be displayed and so all who view it might remember that “the price of freedom is often paid with the blood of a nation’s youth”. On November 22, 2008, American Legion Post 130 held a commemorative ceremony in honor of Cutinha.
A portion of his Medal of Honor citation read as follows: While serving as a machine gunner with Company C, Sp4c. Cutinha accompanied his unit on a combat mission near Gia Dinh. Suddenly his company came under small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and rocket propelled grenade fire, from a battalion size enemy unit. During the initial hostile attack, communication with the battalion was lost and the company commander and numerous members of the company became casualties. When Sp4c. Cutinha observed that his company was pinned down and disorganized, he moved to the front with complete disregard for his safety, firing his machine gun at the charging enemy.
Listen to episode 2828 and discover more about Army SP4 Nicholas J. Cutinha and his Congressional Medal of Honor award.
