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 Edwin E. Caddell, United States Army, for heroism at the risk of life not involving conflict with an armed enemy on 23 January 1969, when at the risk of his own life he saved the life of a trainee. At the time of the incident, Sergeant Caddell was serving as Bay Safety Noncommissioned Officer on the hand grenade range, Basic Combat Training Committee Group, Fort Polk, Louisiana. As Bay Safety Noncommissioned Officer, it was his responsibility to aid and supervise trainees in the correct procedures to be used when throwing live hand grenades. At 1040 hours a trainee in the throwing bay was preparing to throw a fragmentation hand grenade and, after satisfactorily performing a practice throw, he was directed by Sergeant Caddell to pull the pin and prepared to throw. The trainee pulled the pin and threw the fragmentation grenade in a manner which caused it to strike the bay wall and bounce back into the bay. When this happened, the trainee froze in place. Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Caddell rushed forward, pushed the trainee to safety, picked up the grenade, and threw it into the impact area. Sergeant Caddell’s professional knowledge and unselfish act of heroism at the risk of losing his own life saved the trainee as well as himself from being seriously maimed or killed. Sergeant Caddell’s courageous actions are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon him, his unit, and the United States Army. [This award supersedes the Army Commendation Medal (First Oak Leaf Cluster) awarded to Sergeant Caddell for meritorious service on 23 January 1969, as announced in General Orders Number 44, Headquarters, US Army Training Center, Infantry, Fort Polk, Louisiana, dated 1 April 1969.]