James M. Sprayberry

Lieutenant Colonel James M. Sprayberry was commissioned an Armor Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Class 2-67, 10 January 1967. His first duty assignment was as a Platoon Leader. | His subsequent duty assignments were Combat Infantry Platoon Leader; Combat Infantry Company Commander; Army Aviator, Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and Commander of an Air Cavalry Troop in Germany; Senior Academic Instructor at Fort Rucker, Alabama; Threat Manager USArmor Center; Active Duty Advisor to the Reserve Components for readiness testing and field exercises. | His military awards include the Medal of Honor, Combat Infantryman Badge and the Purple Heart. | Lieutenant Colonel Sprayberry was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions while serving as Executive Officer of Company D during the Vietnam War. After receiving enemy machine gun fire during a night patrol, CPT Sprayberry moved his men to protective cover, while he himself crawled within close range of the bunker from which the fire was coming. Without regard for his own safety, he silenced the machinegun with a hand grenade. Identifying several enemy positions nearby, CPT Sprayberry immediately attacked them with the rest of his hand grenades. He crawled back for more grenades. He charged another enemy-held bunker and disabled it with a grenade. He crawled forward and neutralized 3 additional bunkers with grenades. The rescue operations, which lasted over 7 hours, saved the lives of many of his Soldiers.