Navy Federal Credit Union

Awards Received

  • Soldier’s Medal

    Service:

    United States Army

    Rank:

    Sergeant First Class

    Action Date:

    May 7, 1963

    Department of the Army, General Orders No. 49 (November 22, 1963)

    The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 2, 1926, takes pleasure in presenting the Soldier’s Medal to Sergeant First Class Roy P. Barefoot, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy as a member of Company E, Infantry School Battalion, on 7 May 1963, at Fort Benning, Georgia. Sergeant Barefoot was serving as Safety Noncommissioned Officer for a hand grenade class when a student, who was preparing to throw a live grenade, accidentally dropped the armed grenade, which rolled several feet to the rear of the throwing bay. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, Sergeant Barefoot dove toward the grenade, snatched it from the ground and while lying on his side threw it over a concrete wall into the impact area. The grenade had barely cleared the wall when it detonated. Through his courage and spontaneous reaction to a dangerous situation, he averted injury and possible loss of life to the personnel in the area. Sergeant Barefoot’s prompt and heroic action in this emergency is in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself and the United States Army.