Brian Miles Thacker earned the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War, when he rallied his men to fight off an NVA attack on his firebase. 

Thacker was serving as a forward observer with a small force of South Vietnamese soldiers when they came under attack by a much larger North Vietnamese force. Despite being heavily outnumbered, he directed artillery fire and helped repel multiple attacks. When the situation became hopeless, he voluntarily stayed behind to cover the retreat of his comrades, ensuring their safety at great personal risk. He managed to evade capture and was later rescued.

For his bravery and selflessness, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Richard Nixon.