H.R. 3175 authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to retired Army Captain Thomas H. Griffin for extraordinary acts of valor during the Vietnam War. From March 1-3, 1969, Captain Griffin led the 4/5 Infantry Battalion against a North Vietnamese Army regiment threatening Quang Ngai City, repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire to direct his troops and coordinate air and artillery strikes. Despite being shot three times in the chest, he rescued five wounded soldiers and led his battalion to victory, killing 93 enemy soldiers and saving over 300 allied lives. The bill notes that when Griffin originally received the Silver Star for these actions, his chain of command was unaware of the full extent of his heroism, and his former commanding officer has since advocated for the upgrade to the Medal of Honor. The legislation waives normal time limitations on medal awards to allow this recognition decades after the events occurred.
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