Bullets whizzed by Cpl. Daniel “Duke” Heller as he rescued wounded Marines who’d been trapped in a North Vietnamese Army ambush in the A Shau Valley, Vietnam, on Feb. 13, 1969. Despite being wounded by shrapnel from an RPG, Heller pushed on. He received a Silver Star Medal for his actions that day, but his fellow Marines campaigned for years to see the award upgraded. Five-and-a-half decades later, that happened.
On Wednesday, Heller received the Navy Cross, the second-highest valor award a Marine can receive. The 39th Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Eric Smith, pinned Heller’s Navy Cross to his collar during the ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C.
Walking with a baseball bat fashioned into a cane, Heller received the Navy Cross, pinned on by Smith, who expressed amazement by the Vietnam veteran’s response to the award:
“Just so you know what we’re whispering about, I told Cpl. Heller that we’re proud of him and his actions contributed to the legacy of the Corps,” Smith said during the ceremony. “His response was, ‘I just wish I could have done more,’ and that’s why he’s receiving the Navy Cross today.”
Heller was leading 3rd Squad, 3rd Platoon, Company C, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment when the NVA ambush kicked off to push the Marines from their position, according to a narrative of Heller’s actions that was read out during the ceremony.
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During the ambush, Heller was rescuing a fellow Marine when an RPG impacted close by, wounding both. Despite being “seriously wounded,” he carried the wounded Marine to safety before returning to the fray, Smith recounted on Wednesday.
Though all the Marines had a role in repelling the ambush, Heller was able to rally his squad, evacuate several wounded Marines, and single-handedly kill four enemy soldiers. His actions allowed his squad to take out eight more NVA soldiers and gave the Marines an opportunity to escape.
“I didn’t do it for a Navy Cross. Hell, I had never even heard of a Navy Cross,” Heller said during the ceremony. “I appreciate everyone here. It’s been a long, long, winding road, but here I am. I just want to say how thankful I am. Semper Fi, and how ‘bout them Jarheads!”
Operation Dewey Canyon started on Jan. 22, 1969, with the mission of disrupting the NVA buildup in the Da Krong Valley. The enemy forces used the area between the Laotian border and the A Shau Valley. So began a deadly game of hide-and-seek for the Marines tasked with destroying the enemy forces.
The operation ended on March 18, 1969, and though the Marines were able to take out enemy ammunition, weaponry, and troops, but the toll was heavy. By the end of the operation, 130 Marines were killed, 920 wounded, and one missing in action.
“It’s not often we get the opportunity to correct an oversight nearly 60 years old — and to honor a Marine who so exemplifies the courage and commitment that define our Corps,” Smith said. “Cpl. Daniel Heller’s actions on Feb. 13, 1969, were extraordinary. And it’s time we give them the recognition they deserve.”
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