First Lieutenant
Congressional Medal of Honor
George K. Sisler, from Dexter, Missouri, graduated from Arkansas State in 1964 with a BS in Education. In 1963 he won the National Collegiate Skydiving Championship while competing with his leg in a cast. Shortly after being commissioned as a Military Intelligence officer he served a tour of duty with Special Forces (Green Berets) in Vietnam, where he received our nation's highest award for valor: the Congressional Medal of Honor.
On 11 February, 1967, Lieutenant Sisler was serving as leader-advisor of a United States-South Vietnamese Platoon on a reconnaissance mission deep in enemy territory when the platoon was attacked from three sides by a company-sized enemy force. He deployed his men, called for air strikes, and moved among his men to encourage and direct their efforts. Learning that two men were wounded and unable to pull back, he charged through intense enemy fire, killed three of the enemy, silenced a machine gun with a grenade, and carried a wounded soldier back to the perimeter. As the left flank of his position came under extremely heavy attack, several additional men were wounded. Realizing the need for instant action to prevent his position from being overrun, he picked up some grenades and charged single-handedly into the enemy onslaught, firing his weapon and throwing grenades. This heroic action broke up the assault and forced the enemy to begin withdrawing. As he was moving about the battlefield directing air strikes upon the fleeing force, Lieutenant Sisler was mortally wounded.
