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Indiana Rangers were among the most decorated Army units in Southeast Asia
Press Contact: John Goheen
202-306-0918
[email protected]
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 28, 2026) — An Indiana National Guard infantry company that fought in the Vietnam War will be formally recognized with the U.S. military’s highest unit award Saturday at the 148th General Conference & Exhibition here at the Indiana Convention Center.
Company D (Ranger), 151st Infantry will be presented with the Presidential Unit Citation, which is given for extraordinary heroism, gallantry and determination in action against an armed enemy under extremely difficult and hazardous conditions.
The Indiana Rangers, which is how unit members are known today, received more individual decorations during a one-year deployment than any other Army infantry company in the Vietnam War.
They earned 19 Silver Stars, one Soldiers Medal, 123 Bronze Stars (88 with “V” device for valor), 101 Purple Hearts, 111 Air Medals and 183 Army Commendation Medals (29 with “V” device), according to the Army Historical Foundation, but never a unit award.
Rep. Victoria Spartz, R-Ind., spearheaded the effort to change that. She put the unit in for the PUC earlier this year.
About 40 members of Company D — all now in their 80s — will attend the ceremony.
“Our nation has long owed these men and their families this recognition,” said retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the association’s president. “We’re thrilled to host the ceremony. I doubt there will be many dry eyes in the room.”
More than 4,000 current and former Guard officers, family members and supporters from around the country will attend the conference, which begins today and runs through Monday.
The gathering is the annual NGAUS business meeting. The agenda also features professional development, information sharing and networking opportunities. More information about the conference is available at www.ngaus.org/conference.
Featured speakers include Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, Gen. Steven S. Nordhaus, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, Gen. Christopher C. LaNeve, the acting chief of staff of the Army, and Space Force Gen. Michael A. Guetlein, the director of Golden Dome.
Braun, Nordhaus, LaNeve and Spartz will all participate in the Presidential Unit Citation presentation.
Also included on the business agenda are panel discussions on recent developments in asymmetric warfare, 9/11, and post-traumatic growth.
The “Remembering 9/11” panel features retired Air Force Maj. Heather Penney, who scrambled on possible suicide mission to intercept United Flight No. 93, and retired Marine Corps Lt. Col. Robert Darling, who spent 24-consecutive hours in the White House underground situation room that day as the liaison to the Pentagon.
The full agenda is at www.ngaus.org/events/148th-general-conference-exhibition/148th-general-conference-exhibition-business-agenda.
As the event name indicates, there is also an industry exhibition. This year it includes nearly 350 companies and organizations that offer products and services to the Guard. Exhibitors include small businesses as well as some of the world’s biggest defense corporations.
Reporters, Editors & Producers: Retired Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn is available for interviews or to appear as a subject matter expert on issues related to the National Guard. Contact John Goheen at 202-306-0918 to schedule an interview or appearance. He can also arrange interviews with the Indiana Rangers.
About NGAUS: The association includes nearly 45,000 current or former Guard officers. It was created in 1878 to provide unified National Guard representation in Washington. In their first productive meeting after Reconstruction, militia officers from the North and South formed the association with the goal of obtaining better equipment and training by educating Congress on Guard requirements. Today, 148 years later, NGAUS has the same mission.
