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Retired U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Terry P. Richardson, the recipient of the Medal of Honor, poses for his official portrait at Conmy Hall, Joint Base Meyer-Henderson Hall in Arlington, Virginia, March 3, 2026. (U.S. Army photo by William Pratt)
PHOTO: Staff Sgt. Terry Richardson during operations near Lộc Ninh, South Vietnam, in September 1968. Located just miles from the Cambodian border, Lộc Ninh was a key battleground and a hotbed of activity following the Tet Offensive. Richardson’s experiences in intense combat zones like this shaped the leader he became, culminating in a long and distinguished career as a U.S. Army Command Sergeant Major. Photo courtesy of the Richardson family.
Episode 3219 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Terry P. Richardson.
Terry P. Richardson was born on January 7, 1948, in Cass City, Michigan, the oldest of 13 children. Raised on his family’s 80-acre farm, he helped at his father’s gas station while growing up and was active in sports and school activities throughout high school. After graduating from Akron-Fairgrove School in 1966, he worked on the family farm until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in May 1967 at the age of 19.
Richardson completed basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and advanced infantry training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. He later attended Non-Commissioned Officer School at Fort Benning, Georgia, graduating with honors and earning promotion to staff sergeant in January 1968. After a short assignment at Fort Polk, Louisiana, he deployed to Vietnam with Company A, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division.
On September 14, 1968, during a reconnaissance mission near Loc Ninh and the Cambodian border, Richardson’s platoon came under heavy fire from a large North Vietnamese force occupying Hill 222. With several soldiers wounded and his unit surrounded, Richardson repeatedly risked his life to drag three injured soldiers to safety. Recognizing that air support was the only way to prevent his platoon from being overrun, he climbed the hill undetected and began directing air strikes from a shallow irrigation ditch.
Even after being shot in the leg by a sniper, Richardson continued coordinating attacks for seven hours, ultimately guiding about 32 air strikes that forced the enemy to retreat and saved 85 American soldiers.
For his heroism, Richardson received the Medal of Honor along with several other decorations. He later served in the Michigan National Guard and retired from military service in 2008.
Listen to Episode 3219 and discover more about Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Terry P. Richardson.
