William W. Seay

Seay joined the Army from Montgomery, Alabama in 1967, and by August 25, 1968, was serving as a Sergeant in the 62d Transportation Company (Medium Truck), 7th Transportation Battalion, 48th Transportation Group. On that day, a convoy of the 81 trucks escorted by eight Military Police gun jeeps left Long Binh Post for the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Tây Ninh Combat Base. Traveling at the mandated convoy speed of 20 mph, the convoy passed through the village of Ap Nhi. Approximately 11:45, a battalion sized enemy force opened fire from the Ben Chu Rubber Plantation on their right. The lead 30 5-ton cargo trucks escaped the kill zone, but the enemy set two fuel tankers on fire at the front of the convoy and two ammunition trailers on fire at the rear trapping the convoy in between. The enemy fire forced the crews of the trucks and gun jeeps to quickly dismount and take cover leaving their M60 machine guns on their jeeps. The enemy then made a concerted effort to destroy the radios and M-60s on the gun jeeps, but one MP managed to get to his jeep and put in a call for help about 15 minutes into the fight. Meanwhile, SGT Seay and SP4 David Sellman took cover behind the trailers of their rigs and fought back. Seay left the cover of his position several times to toss hand grenades back and was finally wounded in the wrist. The nearest mechanized infantry security forces approached with M113 armored personnel carriers but the intense enemy fire would not allow them to enter the kill zone, so they established casualty collection points at both ends of the kill zone. Truck drivers and MPs either fought in small pockets like Seay and Sellman or maneuvered to the safety of the ends of the convoy. Seay found LT Howard Brockbank and four other soldiers where they treated his wound. He continued to fight back enemy assaults until he died from loss of blood. The ambush lasted for over nine hours and for his actions during the battle, Seay was awarded the Medal of Honor.

William Wayne Seay (October 24, 1948 – August 25, 1968) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.