 On February 16, 1967, in Bồng Sơn, Hoài Nhơn District, South Vietnam, Monroe crossed through enemy fire to treat wounded soldiers and smothered the blast of a grenade with his body, sacrificing his own life to protect those around him.Monroe, age 22 at his death, was buried at Wheaton Cemetery in Wheaton, Illinois.His family was formally presented with his Medal of Honor during a ceremony at the Pentagon on what would have been his twenty-fourth birthday, October 17, 1968.