FORT CAVAZOS, Texas  –   Born on October 17, 1944, in Aurora, Illinois, Monroe grew up in Wheaton, Illinois, where he graduated from Wheaton Central High School in 1962. He attended Washington and Lee University in Virginia, studying political science before being drafted into the Army in 1966.

Monroe deployed to Vietnam in November 1966 and was assigned as a combat medic to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).

On February 16, 1967, during a night ambush near Bong Son in Hoai Nhon Province, Monroe's platoon came under intense enemy grenade attack. Without hesitation, he braved heavy small-arms fire to reach wounded comrades. While treating a severely injured radio operator, a live grenade landed nearby. Monroe shouted a warning, pushed his fellow soldiers to safety, and threw himself onto the grenade, absorbing the blast and sacrificing his life to save others.

For his extraordinary heroism, Monroe was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. His family received the medal on what would have been his 24th birthday, October 17, 1968.

Monroe's legacy lives on through institutions bearing his name, including a middle school in Wheaton, Illinois, and the Monroe Health Clinic on Fort Cavazos. The clinic provides comprehensive healthcare services to active-duty soldiers, including those from the 1st Cavalry Division. His story serves as a lasting reminder of the courage and sacrifice embodied by Army medics throughout history.

As the Army marks 250 years of service, Monroe’s legacy reminds us that courage isn’t always found behind a weapon—it’s found in choosing others before self. His sacrifice continues to shape the values of the medical professionals who walk the halls of the clinic that bears his name.