,v  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cage  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,may #a1 #bjbe,mr4    
,panetta introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,arm$ ,s]vices
  ,a ,,bill  ,to au?orize ! ,presid5t to
 aw>d ! ,m$al ( ,honor to ,?omas ,h4    
,griff9 = acts ( valor z a memb] ( !    
,army dur+ ! ,vietnam ,w>4  #a4 ,acts ( 
valor describ$ ,congress recognizes !   
foll[+ acts ( valor by ,?omas ,helmut   
,griff93 7#a7 ,?omas ,helmut ,griff9    
di/+ui%$ himself by valor\s actions     
aga9/ ov]:elm+ odds :ile s]v+ z a capta9
 9 ! ,army1 ,s5ior ,advisor1 #d_/e      
,infantry ,battalion1 #bnd ,infantry    
,division1 ,army ( ! ,republic (        
,vietnam4  7#b7 ,f ,m>* #a1 #aifi ?r\gh 
,m>* #c1 #aifi1 dur+ ! ,vietnam ,w>1 su*
 battalion 0 ord]$ to =e/all an imm95t  
attack on ,quang ,ngai ,city ?reat5$ by 
units ( ! ,nor? ,vietnamese ,army       
7h]e9aft]1 ,,nva74 ,! #d_/e ,battalion  
engag$ unabat$ly ) an entr5*$ ,,nva     
regim5t ov] ! c\rse ( ?ree days4 ,capta9

 ,griff9 7h]e9aft]1 ,,cpt ,griff97 risk$
 8 life & disreg>d$ 8 p]sonal safety1   
all above & beyond 8 duty1 on "s #bj    
occasions1 to lead 8 battalion 9 ! fight
 z well z direct gun%ips1 air1 &        
artill]y /rikes on ! enemy positions4   
7#c7 ,dur+ ! initial phase ( battle1    
,,cpt ,griff9 made num]\s trips across  
#ej met]s ( op5 gr\nd1 :ile "u heavy    
automatic weapon1 rocket1 & small arms  
fire1 to advise on ! conduct ( ! battle 
& bett] direct /rikes aga9/ enemy =ces4 
,fe>+ slaught] ( 8 soldi]s1 ,,cpt       
,griff91 ) "o ( 8 c\nt]p>ts f ! ,army ( 
! ,republic ( ,vietnam 7h]e9aft]1       
,,arvn71 *>g$ directly into heavy enemy 
fire & assault$ a ma*9e gun bunk]4 ,,cpt
 ,griff9 cont9u$ ^! runs1 despite !     
enemy %oot+ ! heels (f ,,cpt ,griff9's  
boots4  7#d7 ,aft] tak+ out ! ,,nva     
bunk]1 ,,cpt ,griff9 br&i%$ ! captur$   
ma*9e gun & rocket laun*] to exhort 8   
battalion out ( ! kill zone & cont9ue ! 
assault into ! enemy entr5*m5ts :ile    
rema9+ expos$ to heavy fire4 ,,cpt      

,griff9's raw & int5se close combat     
lead]%ip galvaniz$ 8 battalion to move  
out ( ! kill zone & cont9ue _! mission4 
7#e7 ,,cpt ,griff9's ,,arvn c\nt]p>t 0  
/ruck by close fire1 & ,,cpt ,griff9    
unhesitat+ly c>ri$ ! w\nd$ comm&] to    
safety :ile %ield+ him ) 8 own body     
aga9/ rocket & artill]y fire4 ,,cpt     
,griff9 proce$$ to c>ry f\r m w\nd$     
soldi]s to safety :ile protect+ !m ) 8  
own body1 return+ ea* "t aga9/ deva/at+ 
enemy fire4 ,:ile lead+ ! f9al attack1  
,,cpt ,griff9 0 hit ?ree times 9 ! *e/  
by enemy small arms fire1 yet cont9u$ to
 lead at ! =efront ( 8 battalion until !
 mission 0 complet$4 ,"u ,,cpt ,griff9's
 comm& & lead]%ip1 ! #d_/e ,battalion   
cont9u$ to r$uce ! enemy regim5t's      
fight+ capacity4  7#f7 ,,cpt ,griff9's  
p]sonal lead]%ip 9 int5se close combat  
result$ 9 a major w9 = 8 battalion aga9/
 ov]:elm+ odds1 kill+ #ic enemy soldi]s 
& sav+ ! lives ( ov] #cjj alli$ soldi]s 
by galvaniz+ & lead+ !m out ( ! kill    
zone4  7#g7 ,,cpt ,griff9's selfless    

devotion to duty1 8 extraord9>y h]oism1 
conspicu\s gallantry & intrepidity1 &   
num]\s risks ( 8 life above & beyond !  
call ( duty1 are all 9 keep+ ) ! highe/ 
traditions ( ! ,army1 & reflect great   
cr$it on himself1 ! ,arm$ ,=ces1 & !    
,unit$ ,/ates4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress    
f9ds ! foll[+ ) reg>ds to ! orig9al     
decision to aw>d a ,silv] ,/> to ,?omas 
,helmut ,griff93 7#a7 ,:5 aw>d+ him !   
,silv] ,/>1 ,,cpt ,griff9's *a9 ( comm& 
0 unaw>e ( ! full ext5t ( 8 valor\s     
actions & ! num]\s risks he took = 8    
soldi]s1 all above & beyond ! call (    
duty4  7#b7 ,congress notes t al?\gh    
,,cpt ,griff9 0 /ruck ?ree times by     
enemy fire1 & at "o po9t 0 completely   
surr\nd$ by ! enemy1 he cont9u$ to fight
 & lead 8 battalion aga9/ deva/at+ &    
ov]:elm+ enemy fire4  7#c7 ,congress    
notes t ,,cpt ,griff9's ,comm&+ ,(fic]1 
,colonel ,dean ,e4 ,hutt] 7ret471 s5t a 
lett] to ! ,dep>tm5t ( ! ,army dat$     
,novemb] #f1 #bjac1 9 :i* he acc\nts = !
 revelation ( additional1 sub/antive &  

mat]ial evid5ce n kn[n at ! "t ( !      
decision to aw>d ! ,silv] ,/>1 & 9 :i*  
he describes z compell+ ! ju/ice (      
upgrad+ ,,cpt ,griff9's su/a9$ & v>i$   
acts ( combat valor to _! rightful level
 ( recognition1 ! ,m$al ( ,honor4  7#d7 
,congress fur!r notes t ,colonel ,hutt] 
issu$ a lett] to =m] ,unit$ ,/ates      
,repres5tative ,sam ,f>r on ,septemb]   
#ae1 #bjaa1 not+ 8 support = an upgrade 
f a ,silv] ,/> to a ,m$al ( ,honor1 hav+
 recogniz$ ,,cpt ,griff9's acts ( valor 
z1 num]\s1 selfless demon/rations (     
p]sonal risk 9 press+ a close-combat    
attack aga9/ a well-entr5*$ elem5t ( a  
battalion-size enemy =mation4  #c4      
,au?orization ( aw>d ( m$al ( honor to  
,?omas ,helmut ,griff9 = acts ( valor z 
a memb] ( ! ,army dur+ ! ,vietnam ,w>   
7a7 ,au?orization ,not)/&+ ! "t         
limitations specifi$ 9 section #gbgd (  
title #aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 or any  
o!r "t limitation ) respect to ! aw>d+ (
 c]ta9 m$als to p]sons :o s]v$ 9 ! ,arm$
 ,=ces1 ! ,presid5t is au?oriz$ to aw>d 

! ,m$al ( ,honor1 "u section #gbga ( su*
 title1 to ,?omas ,helmut ,griff9 = !   
acts ( valor describ$ 9 subsection 7b74 
7b7 ,acts ( valor describ$ ,! acts (    
valor describ$ 9 ?is subsection are !   
actions ( ,?omas ,h4 ,griff9 dur+ !     
p]iod ( ,m>* #a ?r\gh ,m>* #c1 #aifi1   
:ile s]v+ z a capta9 9 ! ,army dur+ !   
,vietnam ,w>1 = :i* he 0 previ\sly aw>d$
 ! ,silv] ,/>4