LANCE CORPORAL
WILLIAM R. PROM, USMC (DECEASED) 
 

Medal of Honor Citation

William R. Prom, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam in February 1969, was born 17 November 1948, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He attended Mt. Troy Public School in Pittsburg and Millvale High School in Millvale, Pennsylvania.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve at Pittsburg on 8 December 1967, and was discharged to enlist in the Regular Marine Corps, 27 December 1967.

Upon completion of recruit training with the 3d Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, he was promoted to private first class, 1 March 1968. Transferred to the Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, he underwent individual combat training with the 2d Infantry Training Regiment, and weapons special training with the 1st Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Regiment, completing the latter in April 1968.

In June 1968, he arrived in the Republic of Vietnam, where he served consecutively as ammunition man, assistant gunner, machine gun team leader, and machine gun squad leader, with Company I, 3d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division. He was promoted to lance corporal, 1 September 1968. While participating in Operation Taylor Common during a reconnaissance in force operation southwest of An Hoa 9 February 1969, he was killed in action.

A complete list of his medals and decorations include: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Vietnam War 1965-1973 Medal of Honor