Private First Class Oscar Palmer Austin (January 15, 1948-February 23, 1969) was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism and sacrifice of his own life in Vietnam in February 1969.
PFC Austin's medals include:
Medal of Honor
Purple Heart
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal (with two bronze stars)
Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
PFC Oscar P. Austin's Medal of Honor Citation
PFC Oscar P. Austin's Name on Vietnam Veteran's Memorial Wall
Monument to PFC Oscar P. Austin in Nacogdoches, Texas
PFC Oscar P. Austin was born in Nacogdoches on January 15, 1949, the son of Frank and Mildred Austin.
He graduated from Phoenix High School in 1967 and was inducted into the United States Marine Corps at Phoenix, Arizona,
on April 22, 1968. PFC Austin was an assistant machine gunner with Company E, Second Battalion, Seventh Marines,
First Marine Division, six miles west of Da Nang, South Vietnam, on February 23, 1969. His company was in action
during the early morning hours against a large North Vietnamese force. After his post was attacked, he noticed a wounded
comrade unconscious in an exposed position. Austin unhesitatingly went to his aid. When a grenade landed near the injured man
he leaped between it and the wounded marine and absorbed the effects of the explosion. Badly wounded, he turned to render aid
to his fallen comrade and saw an enemy soldier aiming a weapon at the wounded man. Once again he resolutely threw himself
between the wounded marine and the enemy soldier and in so doing was mortally wounded. The Medal of Honor was presented to his
parents by Vice President Spiro Agnew on April 20, 1970, at the White House. 
PFC Oscar P. Austin in Vietnam, 1969