Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipient. He emigrated to the US with his parents in 1947. In 1953 he moved to Ballico, California to be with his stepfather and became a naturalized US citizen in 1968. The next year he joined the US Army and was sent to Vietnam with the Special Forces in 1970, and on June 4, 1971 he was serving as a staff sergeant with Task Force 1 Advisory Element, USARV Training Advisory Group when his platoon came under enemy attack. As his unit was being evacuated by helicopter, he stayed behind to cover their retreat and was captured, spending the next 661 days as a prisoner of war. He was released by the North Vietnamese government on April 27, 1973 and was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Gerald Ford in a ceremony on December 12, 1974. Afterwards, he served on various assignments in the Middle East, South America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, including three years in Berlin, Germany as the Senior Operations Sergeant Major for British, French and US Forces. In 1996 he retired from the US Army at the rank of sergeant major with 22 years of military service. Besides the Medal of Honor, his military decorations and awards include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with combat valor device, the Purple Heart, and the National Defense Service Medal. He was a freefell and static line jumpmaster and had over 5,000 jumps all over the world. After his military retirement, he served as the 6th region director of the Medal of Honor Society. He died of complications from myelodysplastic syndrome at the age of 70. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "S/Sgt. Cavaiani distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action in the Republic of Vietnam on 4 and 5 June 1971 while serving as a platoon leader to a security platoon providing security for an isolated radio relay site located within enemy-held territory. On the morning of 4 June 1971, the entire camp came under an intense barrage of enemy small arms, automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire from a superior size enemy force. S/Sgt. Cavaiani acted with complete disregard for his personal safety as he repeatedly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire in order to move about the camp's perimeter directing the platoon's fire and rallying the platoon in a desperate fight for survival. S/Sgt. Cavaiani also returned heavy suppressive fire upon the assaulting enemy force during this period with a variety of weapons. When the entire platoon was to be evacuated, S/Sgt. Cavaiani unhesitatingly volunteered to remain on the ground and direct the helicopters into the landing zone. S/Sgt. Cavaiani was able to direct the first 3 helicopters in evacuating a major portion of the platoon. Due to intense increase in enemy fire, S/Sgt. Cavaiani was forced to remain at the camp overnight where he calmly directed the remaining platoon members in strengthening their defenses. On the morning of 5 June, a heavy ground fog restricted visibility. The superior size enemy force launched a major ground attack in an attempt to completely annihilate the remaining small force. The enemy force advanced in 2 ranks, first firing a heavy volume of small arms automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenade fire while the second rank continuously threw a steady barrage of hand grenades at the beleaguered force. S/Sgt. Cavaiani returned a heavy barrage of small arms and hand grenade fire on the assaulting enemy force but was unable to slow them down. He ordered the remaining platoon members to attempt to escape while he provided them with cover fire. With 1 last courageous exertion, S/Sgt. Cavaiani recovered a machine gun, stood up, completely exposing himself to the heavy enemy fire directed at him, and began firing the machine gun in a sweeping motion along the 2 ranks of advancing enemy soldiers. Through S/Sgt. Cavaiani's valiant efforts with complete disregard for his safety, the majority of the remaining platoon members were able to escape. While inflicting severe losses on the advancing enemy force, S/Sgt. Cavaiani was wounded numerous times. S/Sgt. Cavaiani's conspicuous gallantry, extraordinary heroism and intrepidity at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army."