Dale Eugene Wayrynen (January 18 1947 – May 18 1967) was a United States Army specialist who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry during the Vietnam War. Born in Moose Lake, Minnesota, and of Finnish descent, Wayrynen enlisted in the Army from Minneapolis in 1965. He served as a Specialist Four in Company B, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile).
On May 18 1967, while his unit was conducting a night evacuation of wounded soldiers in Duc Pho District, Quảng Ngãi Province, the platoon came under heavy enemy fire. After a fellow soldier was wounded, Wayrynen rescued him and, moments later, a live enemy grenade landed among the tightly grouped troops. He shouted a warning, pushed one soldier out of the danger zone, and threw himself onto the grenade, absorbing the blast and saving the lives of his comrades at the cost of his own. He was mortally wounded in the explosion.
Wayrynen was buried in Rice River Lutheran Cemetery in McGregor, Minnesota. In addition to the Medal of Honor, he received the Purple Heart. His actions are recorded in the official Medal of Honor citation, which emphasizes his “supreme and courageous act” and his adherence to the highest traditions of the United States Army.