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the command element was receiving intense automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire. Although he knew the road was saturated with enemy fire, Sgt. Skidgel calmly mounted his vehicle and with his driver advanced toward the command group in an effort to draw the enemy fire onto himself. Despite the hostile fire concentrated on him, he succeeded in silencing several enemy positions with his machinegun. Moments later Sgt. Skidgel was knocked down onto the rear fender by the explosion of an enemy rocket-propelled grenade. Ignoring his extremely painful wounds, he staggered back to his feet and placed effective fire on several other enemy positions until he was mortally wounded by hostile small arms fire. His selfless actions enabled the command group to withdraw to a better position without casualties and inspired the rest of his fellow soldiers to gain fire superiority and defeat the enemy. Sgt. Skidgel's gallantry at the cost of his life were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
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positions. After silencing at least 1 position, he ran with his machinegun across 60 meters of bullet-swept ground to another location from which he continued to rake the enemy positions. Running low on ammunition, he returned to his vehicle over the same terrain. Moments later he was alerted that
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was replaced and the bridge was dedicated to
Skidgel's memory bearing the name "The Donald Sidney Skidgel Memorial Bridge". The renaming of the bridge to honor the Medal of Honor recipient was signed into law on May 26, 2011, by Maine Governor
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section leader in Troop D. On a road near Song Be in Binh Long
Province, Sgt. Skidgel and his section with other elements of his troop were acting as a convoy security and screening force when contact occurred with an estimated enemy
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in his vehicle while his driver steered through intense fire toward the command element. Skidgel, mortally wounded during the effort, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.
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For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Skidgel distinguished himself while serving as a
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when it came under enemy attack. In an attempt to draw the enemy fire away from the convoy's command group, Skidgel manned a
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and the bridge dedication ceremony took place
October 15, 2011. Among the speakers present at the dedication were Senator
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bordering the road. Sgt. Skidgel maneuvered off the road and began placing effective machinegun fire on the enemy
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Collins, Michaud help dedicate
Newport bridge in honor of Medal of Honor winner
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soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the
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In 2011, the bridge on Route 2 spanning the
Sebasticook River in
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Skidgel, aged 20 at his death, was buried in Sawyer
Cemetery,
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Sergeant
Skidgel's official Medal of Honor citation reads:
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United States Army personnel killed in the
Vietnam War
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List of Medal of Honor recipients for the
Vietnam War
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in 1968, and by
September 14, 1969, was serving as a
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194:(October 13, 1948 – September 14, 1969) was a
430:United States Army Center of Military History
483:Vietnam War recipients of the Medal of Honor
478:United States Army non-commissioned officers
468:United States Army Medal of Honor recipients
396:Donald S. Skidgel Memorial Bridge dedication
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422:"Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients"
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304:Donald Sidney Skidgel Memorial Bridge
299:Donald Sidney Skidgel Memorial Bridge
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432:. October 3, 2003. Archived from
359:List of Medal of Honor recipients
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214:Skidgel joined the Army from
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16:US Army soldier (1948-1969)
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473:People from Caribou, Maine
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202:—for his actions in the
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261:Medal of Honor citation
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192:Donald Sidney Skidgel
126:Years of service
23:Donald Sidney Skidgel
230:. On that day, near
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224:9th Cavalry Regiment
152:1st Cavalry Division
148:9th Cavalry Regiment
80:Republic of Vietnam
35:Army Medal of Honor
408:Bangor Daily News
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196:United States Army
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64:September 14, 1969
284:automatic weapons
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66:(1969-09-14)
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319:Paul LePage
248:machine gun
204:Vietnam War
162:Vietnam War
452:Categories
440:2007-06-18
370:References
99:Allegiance
47:1948-10-13
394:SVWeekly
276:battalion
238:, during
210:Biography
129:1968–1969
337:See also
220:Sergeant
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109:Service/
310:Newport
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232:SĂ´ng BĂ©
168:†
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176:Awards
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