Army Ranger and Medal of Honor recipient Gary Littrell will be honored at Coke Zero Sugar 400

President Richard Nixon awarded then-Sergeant First Class Gary Littrell the Medal of Honor on Oct. 15, 1973 for his distinctive service in the Vietnam War. Littrell will be honored again the weekend of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on July 7th at Daytona International Speedway. As part of the NASCAR Salutes Refreshed by Coca-Cola program, three servicemembers who received the nation's highest military commendation will be honored at Daytona. All three men served in the United States Army. MORE: Honoring Leroy Petry | Honoring Don Jenkins Originally from Henderson County, Kentucky, Littrell knew at the age of 9 he wanted to serve in the United States Armed Forces, he said in interviews for the book and video series "Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the call of Duty." Littrell now is 73 and still active in visiting troops stationed around the world. He is one of 3,501 Medal of Honor recipients, 72 of whom are living. His actions under fire in the Kontum Province of South Vietnam, Littrell also was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame, dedicated solely to extraordinary U.S. Army Rangers. Sergeant First Class Littrell was a Light Weapons Infantry Advisor with the 23rd Battallion, 2nd Ranger Group and under intense mortar attack from April 4 to April 8, 1970. Littrell said he thanks God he didn't take him during the four-day battle. "When I think about the Medal of Honor, I realize that I'm wearing this medal for the 400 and some people that died those 4 days. I'm their representative. They won this medal. I was selected to wear it for them." RELATED: Littrell interview as part of the "Medal of Honor" series “Recognizing Medal of Honor recipients is one of the most important traditions we have at Daytona International Speedway,” said speedway President Chip Wile. “This recognition is rooted in our facility’s history, while also being embedded in the values all Americans hold dear. It is a true privilege to have these American heroes join us for our race weekend.” | Coke Zero 400 tickets Read Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell's official Medal of Honor citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sfc. Littrell, U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Advisory Team 21, distinguished himself while serving as a Light Weapons Infantry adviser with the 23d Battalion, 2d Ranger Group, Republic of Vietnam Army, near Dak Seang. After establishing a defensive perimeter on a hill on 4 April, the battalion was subjected to an intense enemy mortar attack which killed the Vietnamese commander, one adviser, and seriously wounded all the advisers except Sfc. Littrell. During the ensuing four days, Sfc. Littrell exhibited near superhuman endurance as he singlehandedly bolstered the besieged battalion. Repeatedly abandoning positions of relative safety, he directed artillery and air support by day and marked the unit's location by night, despite the heavy, concentrated enemy fire. His dauntless will instilled in the men of the 23d Battalion a deep desire to resist. Assault after assault was repulsed as the battalion responded to the extraordinary leadership and personal example exhibited by Sfc. Littrell as he continuously moved to those points most seriously threatened by the enemy, redistributed ammunition, strengthened faltering defenses, cared for the wounded, and shouted encouragement to the Vietnamese in their own language. When the beleaguered battalion was finally ordered to withdraw, numerous ambushes were encountered. Sfc. Littrell repeatedly prevented widespread disorder by directing air strikes to within 50 meters of their position. Through his indomitable courage and complete disregard for his safety, he averted excessive loss of life and injury to the members of the battalion. The sustained extraordinary courage and selflessness displayed by Sfc. Littrell over an extended period of time were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him and the U.S. Army. MORE: NASCAR Salutes military spouses