Medal of Honor Monday: Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Marvin G. Shields

Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Marvin G. Shields has the distinction of being the only Seabee to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor.

He was born Dec. 30, 1939, in Port Townsend, Washington, and joined the Navy Jan. 8, 1962. He wanted to be a Seabee, construction mechanic, as he was good with his hands and liked the outdoors, having worked for a gold mining company in Hyder, Alaska, in 1958, just after high school.

On Nov. 1, 1964, he was assigned to Seabee Team 1104, Naval Construction Battalion 11, which consisted of eight enlisted service members and one officer.

Shields and his team deployed to Saigon, South Vietnam, Feb. 1, 1965, and were later assigned to a newly established Army Special Forces camp at Dong Xoai, about 55 miles northwest of Saigon, arriving June 4, 1965, to assist in repair and construction.

On the night of June 9, 1965, the camp was bombed and attacked by approximately 2,000 Vietcong soldiers. Besides the Seabees, the camp was manned by only 11 Green Berets and about 200 South Vietnamese soldiers.

By morning, the camp was overrun.

After being wounded by mortar fire, Shields fought alongside the Green Berets against the enemy, carrying ammunition to the firing line positions. Although wounded again by shrapnel and shot in the jaw, he helped a soldier and a Seabee carry a badly wounded special forces captain in charge of the camp to a safer position.

According to his Medal of Honor citation, Shields continued to resupply his fellow Americans with needed ammunition and returned enemy fire for approximately three hours. At that time, the Vietcong launched a massive attack at close range with flamethrowers, hand grenades and small-arms fire.

Wounded a second time during this attack, Shields helped carry a critically wounded man to safety and then resumed firing at the enemy for four more hours. When the commander asked for a volunteer to accompany him in an attempt to knock out an enemy machine-gun emplacement, Shields unhesitatingly volunteered for this extremely hazardous mission.

Proceeding toward their objective with a rocket launcher, they succeeded in destroying the enemy machine-gun emplacement and saved the lives of many of their fellow servicemen. However, Shields was mortally wounded by hostile fire while returning to his defensive position and died June 10, 1965. 
 
Two Seabees, Shields and Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class William C. Hoover lost their lives, and seven other Seabees were wounded in the battle. Three Green Berets were also killed, and many South Vietnamese soldiers were killed or wounded.

President Lyndon B. Johnson posthumously awarded Shields the Medal of Honor and presented it to his family Sept. 13, 1966. Shields is buried in Gardiner Cemetery in Gardiner, Washington, and his medal is displayed at the Seabee Museum and Memorial Park in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

Shields’ heroics during the Vietnam War continue to be appreciated. On Veterans Day in 2019, more than 100 service members, veterans and guests gathered at Gardiner Cemetery to honor him.

“It’s a tremendous honor for Naval Facilities and Engineering Command Northwest to host this event every year,” said Navy Capt. Chad Brooks, NAVFAC Northwest commanding officer. “We have great support from other units in the area, and it’s a privilege every year to celebrate the Shields family and the Seabee community.” 

“Of all of the opportunities I’ve had to share my thoughts at different events and ceremonies, being here today is by far the most humbling,” said retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Doug Heiner, NAVFAC Northwest employee. “His Medal of Honor citation is the basis of legend and is retold every year as Seabee chief [petty officer] selectees are charged to keep our heritage alive.”

The event included the placement of a Medal of Honor flower box on Shields’ grave, as well as a 21-gun salute. 

 ”Today was exceptionally moving and exceptionally thoughtful, and I’m very grateful for the Seabee family that continues to make this day very special for me and my family,” said Joan Bennett-Shields, Marvin Shields’ widow. “We couldn’t do this without them.” 
 
Camp Shields, a Seabee base in Okinawa, Japan, and the frigate USS Marvin Shields were named in his honor.

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan Batchelder contributed to this article.