A Vietnam Hero Finds the Real War Is on the Home Front

PENNDEL: Captain David Christian, most decorated Vietnam War veteran, to keynote ‘The Traveling Wall’ visit to Bucks County
Bucks Local News
Feb 2, 2017

PENNDEL
Captain David A. Christian (Retired), the most decorated veteran of the Vietnam War, will deliver the keynote speech when the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall visits Penndel in July of 2017.

Capt. Christian will headline a roster of distinguished guests and speakers at the opening ceremonies for the Wall at 8:30 a.m. on July 14. Following the opening ceremonies, the wall will be on display through Sunday evening, July 16, at the Penndel Memorial Ball Field on PFC John Dalola Avenue in Penndel.

Capt. Christian has a long and illustrious service history, enlisting in the US Army at age 17. After completing Officers Candidate School at age 18, he went on to complete Airborne and Special Forces training. During his time in country, his reconnaissance unit was known as one of the Army’s best. After receiving significant injuries during an engagement for which he was thrice nominated for the Medal of Honor, he retired from Army service in 1969 at age 21, having been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star, and seven Purple Hearts.
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This is from PEOPLE in 1981

A Vietnam Hero Finds the Real War Is on the Home Front
PEOPLE
BY DAVID CHRISTIAN

POSTED ON SEPTEMBER 14, 1981

With his blond hair and blue-eyed good looks, David Christian could pass for a movie war hero sent up by central casting. In real life Christian was barely 18 when be became the youngest second lieutenant ever to graduate from the Army’s Officer Candidate School. During an eight-month tour in Vietnam he collected two Congressional Medal of Honor nominations, seven Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, two Silver Stars, a Distinguished Service Cross, two Vietnamese Crosses of Galantry and a chestful of other medals. Disabled by napalm burns in 1968, be left the military at 21 and became the Army’s youngest retired captain. Christian’s fighting didn’t stop on the battlefield, however; finding a war-weary and often hostile public back borne, be launched a campaign for veterans’ rights and a barrage of criticism at government policy toward returning GIs. Now 32, be lives in Washington Crossing, Pa., with Peggy, his wife of 14 years, and three children. Last month Christian declined the No. 2 position in the VA to continue as executive director of the United Viet Nam Organization, which be started in 1978. He talked to PEOPLE’s Margot Achterberg about his fights at the front and at home.read more here

David A. Christian Home of record: Turnersville New Jersey
In little more than one month time, from September 23 to October 29, 1968, David Christian earned the Distinguished Service Cross and TWO Silver Stars.