Dale Eugene Wayrynen
Era: Vietnam
Military Branch: Army
WAYRYNEN, Dale Eugene *** Medal of Honor Recipient ***
Dale Eugene Wayrynen was born on January 18th 1947, in Rice River Township, Minnesota, son of Eugene Edward & LaVerne Doris [Erkkila] Wayrynen.
Mr. Wayrynen entered the U.S. Army on June 30th 1965 and served in the Vietnam War. He was assigned to Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502d infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in Quang Ngai Province, in the Republic of Vietnam. He rose to the rank of Specialist 4th Class (SPC4).
On May 18th 1967 when elements of his unit became pinned down and were taking casualties, Wayrynen's platoon, though miles away, was ordered to come to their rescue. Unwittingly, on the way there, Wayrynen's patrol ran right into a heavily fortified Viet Cong bunker complex hidden in the dense jungle as well as a nighttime Viet Cong patrol.
Specialist Wayrynen was mortally wounded in action in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, later that day when he jumped onto an enemy grenade to save his fellow comrades.
Decorations & honors:
- Congressional Medal of Honor, October 16th 1969
- Dale Wayrynen Memorial, McGregor, Minnesota, dedicated July 4th 1976
- Dale E. Wayrynen Recreation Center at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, dedicated October 30th 1974
- Dale Wayrynen Veterans Memorial Gymnasium at the McGregor School (McGregor, Minnesota), dedicated on August 19th 1995
- Dale Wayrynen Memorial Highway (formerly Hwy 210/169) that runs 42 miles through Aitkin County, Minnesota, dedicated on July 4th 1996
- Granted and assigned distinction of Distinguished Member of the 502nd Infantry
Dale posthumously received the Congressional Medal of Honor along with the following citation on October 16th 1969:
The President of the United States of America, authorized by an Act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor posthumously to
SPECIALIST FOUR DALE E. WAYRYNEN
UNITED STATES ARMY
for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:
Specialist Wayrynen distinguished himself with Company B, 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, during combat operations near Duc Pho, Quang Ngai Province, Republic of Vietnam. His platoon was assisting in the night evacuation of the wounded from an earlier enemy contact when the lead man of the unit met face to face with a Viet Cong soldier. The American’s shouted warning also alerted the enemy who immediately swept the area with automatic weapons fire from a strongly built bunker close to the trail and threw hand grenades from another nearby fortified position. Almost immediately, the lead man was wounded and knocked from his feet. Specialist Wayrynen, the second man in the formation, leaped beyond his fallen comrade to kill another enemy soldier who appeared on the trail, and he dragged his injured companion back to where the point squad had taken cover. Suddenly, a live enemy grenade landed in the center of the tightly grouped men. Specialist Wayrynen, quickly assessing the danger to the entire squad as well as to his platoon leader who was nearby, shouted a warning, pushed one soldier out of the way, and threw himself on the grenade at the moment it exploded. He was mortally wounded. His deep and abiding concern for his fellow soldiers was significantly reflected in his supreme and courageous act that preserved the lives of his comrades. Specialist Wayrynen’s heroic actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the service, and they reflect great credit upon himself and the United States Army.
[Signature of President Richard Nixon]
SP4 Dale E. Wayrynen's mother LaVearne went out to Washington, DC to receive the Medal of Honor from President Nixon. Dale was burind at Rice River Cemetery in McGregor, Minnesota.
The Road to Remembrance [Title of article]
There’s no time like the last weekend in May to start the journey down Dale Wayrynen Memorial Highway [Subtitle]
by Kathleen Pakarinen
It was just days before Memorial Day last year that we brought you the news that the McGregor School was considering naming its gym after the Vietnam war hero who is Atkin County’s only Congressional Medal of Honor winner. This Memorial Day, we bring you news that is even more far-reaching.
The State of Minnesota has agreed to rename the entire stretch of Highway 210/169 that runs through Aitkin County after the young man who gave his life to save his comrades. From the Crow Wing to the Carlton county line, Hwy. 210/169 will be known as Dale Wayrynen Memorial Highway.
The Minnesota Highway Department will furnish and maintain ten signs that will mark the 42 miles of newly designated highway from Cedarbrook through Aitkin, McGregor and Tamarack to Wright.
All the state is asking the local citizenry to donate to the cause is $54 per sign. There will be no more than ten signs, so organizers are attempting to raise about $500. If they raise more than that, the excess will go into the Dale Wayrynen Memorial Memorial Fund to be used for scholarships for local students.
Korean veteran John Smith took up the cause to recognize Wayrynen locally more than a year ago when he realized many of the current students at the McGregor school had not heard his story. Other McGregor-area veterans joined in the effort and the McGregor gym was named last year in honor of Wayrynen and all other local veterans.
At that time, Smith talked about renaming the highway as a remote possibility. But he said Representative Becky Lourey championed the cause and helped speed approval by the legislature. “There is some urgency to collect the funds,” Smith said, explaining that local organizers and state officials hope to hold the dedication ceremony for Dale Wayrynen Memorial Highway this 4th of July.
County’s Most Decorated Hero Fought in Country’s Most Controversial War [Title]
Dale Wayrynen was a member of 101st Airborne, serving in Quang Nai Province in Vietnam on May 18, 1967. During a night operation to rescue men wounded in earlier action, his platoon came into unexpected contact with an enemy force. The lead man of the unit was wounded in initial exchange of fire, Wayrynen who was second in formation jumped past the wounded man, killed an enemy soldier who appeared in front of him dragged the wounded man back to the place where the nearest squad had taken cover. At that moment, a live enemy grenade was thrown into the middle of the tightly grouped U.S. Soldiers. The citation presented later to a family says Wayrynen quickly assessed the danger to the entire squad as well as to his platoon leader who was nearby. He shouted a warning, pushed one soldier out of the way and threw himself on the grenade at the moment it exploded.
Source of both articles:
Aitkin Independent Age, month and day unknown, 1996
Wayrynen is one of 6 regional Medal of Honor recipients featured in the book Such Good Men by Alan M. Anderson. Follow the link below for additional information.
For more information and an oral history about Dale Eugene Wayrynen, please go to: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/...
Other Source(s):
Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center | Veterans Memorial Hall (vets-hall.org)
Vietnam Wall Vietnam Veterans Memorial - Fold3
Dale Eugene Wayrynen (1947-1967) - Find a Grave Memorial
SP4 Dale Eugene Wayrynen (1947-1967) - Find a Grave Memorial
U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1970 - Ancestry.com
Such Good Men | slchs (thehistorypeople.org)
Wayrynen's Medal of Honor is on display at the Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley near Little Falls, Minnesota.
Wayrynen is one of the featured Medal of Honor heroes in artist Tim Cortes' painting 'Forged Under Fire'. Limited edition prints are available through the St. Louis County Historical Society. Forged Under Fire (REPRODUCTION) | slchs (thehistorypeople.org)
