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SFC Bryant received the Medal of Honor for "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sergeant First Class Bryant assigned to Company A, distinguished himself while serving as commanding officer of Civilian Irregular Defense Group Company 321, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Mobile Strike Force Command, during combat operations. The battalion came under heavy fire and became surrounded by the elements of three enemy regiments. Sergeant First Class Bryant displayed extra ordinary heroism throughout the succeeding 34 hours of incessant attack as he moved throughout the company position heedless of the intense hostile fire while establishing and improving the defensive perimeter, directing fire during critical phases of the battle, distributing ammunition, assisting the wounded, and providing the leadership and inspirational example of courage to his men. When a helicopter drop of ammunition was made to resupply the beleaguered force, Sergeant First Class Bryant with complete disregard for his safety ran through the heavy enemy fire to retrieve the scattered ammunition boxes and distributed needed ammunition to his men. During a lull in the intense fighting, Sergeant First Class Bryant led a patrol outside the perimeter to obtain information of the enemy. The patrol came under intense automatic weapons fire and was pinned down. Sergeant First Class Bryant singlehandedly repulsed one enemy attack on his small force and by his heroic action inspired his men to fight off other assaults. Seeing a wounded enemy soldier some distance from the patrol location, Sergeant First Class Bryant crawled forward alone under heavy fire to retrieve the soldier for intelligence purposes. Finding that the enemy soldier had expired, Sergeant First Class Bryant crawled back to his patrol and led his men back to the company position where he again took command of the defense. As the siege continued, Sergeant First Class Bryant organized and led a patrol in a daring attempt to break through the enemy encirclement. The patrol had advanced some 200 meters by heavy fighting when it was pinned down by the intense automatic weapons fire from heavily fortified bunkers and Sergeant First Class Bryant was severely wounded. Despite his wounds he rallied his men, called for helicopter gunship support, and directed heavy suppressive fire upon the enemy positions. Following the last gunship attack, Sergeant First Class Bryant fearlessly charged an enemy automatic weapons position, overrunning it, and singlehandedly destroying its three defenders. Inspired by his heroic example, his men renewed their attack on the entrenched enemy. While regrouping his small force for the final assault against the enemy, Sergeant First Class Bryant fell mortally wounded by an enemy rocket. Sergeant First Class Bryant's selfless concern for his comrades, at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the U.S. Army."
William Maud Bryant was born in Cochran, Georgia, on February 16, 1933, to Mr. and Mrs. Sebron Bryant. Bryant's parents divorced when he was young, and he was sent to live with an uncle in Detroit, Michigan. He completed high school at Newark Vocational and Technical High School in Newark, New Jersey before he joined the Army on March 16, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan.
During his military career, Sergeant Bryant attended various military schools, including:
Basic Airborne Course, Fort Benning, Georgia;
Basic Heavy Weapons Course, Fort Campbell, Kentucky;
Jumpmaster Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina;
Advance Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina;
Advance Non-Commissioned Officer Course, Fort Benning, Georgia;
Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol School, Augsburg, Germany;
Explosive Ordnance Reconnaissance Course, Hohenfels, Germany;
Counterinsurgency Raider Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina;
Special Forces Airborne Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina;
Intelligence Analyst Special Forces Course, Fort Holabird, Maryland.
By September 1968, Sergeant Bryant was serving with Company A, 5th Special Forces Group, 1st Special Forces, and was transferred to Vietnam.
On 24 March 1969, Sergeant Bryant was serving as Commanding Officer of Civilian Irregular Defense Group Company 321, 2d Battalion, 3rd Mobile Strike Force Command in Long Khanh Province, Republic of Vietnam.
The battalion was ambushed, coming under heavy fire, and eventually surrounded by the elements of three enemy regiments. Sergeant Bryant displayed extraordinary heroism throughout the succeeding 3 hours of incessant attack as he moved throughout the company position heedless of the intense hostile fire while establishing and improving the defensive perimeters, directing fire during critical phases of the battle, distributing ammunition, assisting the wounded, and providing the leadership and inspirational example of courage to his men.
When a helicopter drop of ammunition was made to resupply the beleaguered force, Sergeant Bryant with complete disregard for his own safety ran through the heavy enemy fire to retrieve the scattered ammunition boxes and distributed needed ammunition to his men.
During a lull in the intense fighting, Sergeant Bryant led a patrol outside the perimeter to obtain information on the enemy. The patrol came under intense automatic weapons fire and was pinned down. Sergeant Bryant single-handedly repulsed one enemy attack on his small force and by his heroic action inspired his men to fight off other assaults.
Seeing a wounded enemy soldier some distance from the patrol location, Sergeant Bryant crawled forward alone under heavy fire to retrieve the soldier for intelligence purposes. Finding that the enemy soldier had expired, Sergeant Bryant crawled back to his patrol and led his men back to the company position where he again took command of the defense.
As the siege continued, Sergeant Bryant organized and led a patrol in a daring attempt to break through the enemy encirclement. The patrol had advanced some two hundred meters by heavy fighting when it was pinned down by the intense automatic weapons fire from heavily fortified bunkers. Bryant was severely wounded.
Despite being wounded, he rallied his men, called for helicopter gunship support, and directed heavy suppressive fire upon the enemy positions. Following the last gunship attack, Sergeant Bryant fearlessly charged an enemy automatic weapons position, overrunning it and single-handedly destroying its three defenders.
Inspired by his heroic example, his men renewed their attack on the entrenched enemy. While regrouping his small force for the final assault against the enemy, Sergeant Bryant fell mortally wounded by an enemy rocket.
Sergeant Bryant was killed in action on March 24, 1969, at Long Khanh Province, Republic of Vietnam. President Richard M. Nixon presented the Medal of Honor to Sergeant Bryant's parents on February 16, 1971, in a ceremony at the White House. He was buried in the Raleigh National Cemetery in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Sergeant Bryant also earned the Bronze Star; the Purple Heart; three Good Conduct Medals; the National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; Vietnam Campaign Medal (Vietnamese); the Combat Infantry Badge; and Parachutist Badge (Vietnamese).
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Source:
"SFC William M. Bryant," Army Special Operations History, https://arsof-history.org/medal_of_honor/recipient_bryant.html