02/16/2026
58 years ago, between January 31 and February 6, 1968, 28-year-old Gunnery Sergeant John L. Canley of the United States Marine Corps was serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant of Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Marine Division during the Battle of Hue City in the Republic of Vietnam.
Alpha Company was ordered to move along Highway 1 toward Hue City to relieve friendly forces who were surrounded by North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces during the Tet Offensive.
The convoy stopped repeatedly to fight house-to-house and street-to-street against heavily entrenched enemy positions.
During intense combat on January 31, the company commander, Captain Gordon Batcheller, was seriously wounded by enemy fire.
Gunnery Sergeant Canley immediately assumed command of the company and took charge of the defense against multiple enemy assaults.
He personally led assaults against enemy positions, exposing himself repeatedly to heavy automatic weapons, rocket, and mortar fire.
On February 4, Canley organized and led a daring daylight assault on an enemy-occupied building in the heart of Hue City.
He moved into the open to deliberately draw enemy fire, pinpointed the enemy positions, eliminated the immediate threat, and then led his Marines in clearing the building room by room.
From a position above an enemy strongpoint, Canley dropped a large satchel charge of explosives that forced the enemy defenders to withdraw from the building.
Despite sustaining serious injuries during the fighting, Canley refused medical attention and continued to lead the assault against the enemy.
He repeatedly scaled walls and exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded Marines, personally carrying them to safety across open ground swept by enemy fire.
Throughout the six days of brutal urban combat, Canley demonstrated undaunted courage, selfless sacrifice, and complete disregard for his own safety while saving numerous American lives and enabling his company to maintain offensive momentum.
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant of Company A, First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, from 31 January to 6 February 1968 in the Republic of Vietnam, Gunnery Sergeant John L. Canley was awarded the Medal of Honor.
On October 17, 2018, during a White House ceremony, President Donald J. Trump presented the Medal of Honor to retired Sergeant Major John L. Canley.
Sergeant Major John L. Canley retired from the Marine Corps in 1981 after 28 years of service, and lived until May 11, 2022, when he died at age 84 after a long battle with cancer.
