Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient. A US Marine Corps officer, he received the Medal of Honor for his heroics during July 1966 while serving in the Vietnam War. His family moved to Louisville, Kentucky where he attended high school prior to enlisting in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in February 1957. A year later, he enlisted in the US Marine Corps as active duty and completed his basic training with the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina. He was sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina for advanced infantry combat training with Company M, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Training Regiment, In September 1957 he was promoted to the rank of private first class in September 1957, and transferred to the 7th Infantry Company, US Marine Corps Reserve, Louisville, Kentucky, to serve as a rifleman until March 1958. Two months later, he completed the Noncommissioned Officers Leadership School at Camp Pendleton, California and was ordered to Marine Barracks, US Naval Station, Kodiak, Alaska until May 1959, and was promoted to the rank of corporal while service there. From June 1959 until December 1965 he performed duty at various assignments and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in August 1962. In April 1966 he was sent to the Republic of Vietnam where he was assigned to the 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, Republic of Vietnam and performed duty as a platoon sergeant and platoon commander, Company K, 3rd Battalion, as S-2 Officer and Operation Chief, H&S Company, 3rd Battalion, and as Operations Chief, with Headquarters Company, 4th Marines. In July 1966, during Operation Hastings, he distinguished himself in combat the actions for which he was ultimately awarded the Medal of Honor. He returned to the US in May 1967, and was assigned to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, serving as a drill instructor until his promotion to second lieutenant in August 1967. He then became a Series Officer, 1st Recruit Battalion, at the Recruit Depot, Parris Island. On March 12, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Medal of Honor to him in a ceremony at the White House. In October 1976 he retired from the US Marine Corps at the rank of captain. Other than the Medal of Honor, his military awards include the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with two bronze stars, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars, the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. He died at his home from bone cancer at the age of 73. His Medal of Honor citation reads: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Acting Platoon Leader, First Platoon, Company K, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines, Third Marine Division, in the Republic of Vietnam on 18 July 1966. Second Lieutenant (then Staff Sergeant) McGinty's platoon, which was providing rear security to protect the withdrawal of the battalion from a position which had been under attack for three days, came under heavy small arms, automatic weapons and mortar fire from an estimated enemy regiment. With each successive human wave which assaulted his thirty-two-man platoon during the four- hour battle, Second Lieutenant McGinty rallied his men to beat off the enemy. In one bitter assault, two of the squads became separated from the remainder of the platoon. With complete disregard for his safety, Second Lieutenant McGinty charged through intense automatic weapons and mortar fire to their position. Finding twenty men wounded and the medical corpsmen killed, he quickly reloaded ammunition magazines and weapons for the wounded men and directed their fire upon the enemy. Although he was painfully wounded as he moved to care for the disabled men, he continued to shout encouragement to his troops and to direct their fire so effectively that the attacking hordes were beaten off. When the enemy tried to out flank his position, he killed five of them at point-blank range with his pistol. When they again seemed on the verge of overrunning the small force, he skillfully adjusted artillery and air strikes within fifty yards of his position. This destructive fire power routed the enemy, who left an estimated 500 bodies on the battlefield. Second Lieutenant McGinty's personal heroism, indomitable leadership, selfless devotion to duty, and bold fighting spirit inspired his men to resist the repeated attacks by a fanatical enemy, reflected great credit upon himself, and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service."