Humbert Roque Versace | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Rocky |
Born | Honolulu, Hawaii, US | July 2, 1937
Died | September 26, 1965 U Minh forest swamp, An Xuyen Province (Ca Mau), South Vietnam | (aged 28)
Cause of death | Execution by firing squad |
Buried | Remains never recovered; memorial headstone at Arlington National Cemetery |
Allegiance | United States |
Service | United States Army |
Years of service | 1959–1965 |
Rank | Captain |
Unit | Military Assistance Advisory Group |
Battles / wars | Vietnam War (POW) |
Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Captain Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace (July 2, 1937 – September 26, 1965) was a United States Army officer of Puerto Rican–Italian descent who was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his heroic actions while a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War. He was the first member of the U.S. Army to be awarded the Medal of Honor for actions performed in Southeast Asia while in captivity.[1][2]