Medal of Honor recipient Ferenc Zoltan “Frankie Zoly” Molnar (February 14, 1943 – May 20, 1967) was born in Logan to Paul and Margaret Puskas Molnar, both Hungarian immigrants. He had four sisters and three brothers. At some point, possibly after the death of Molnar’s father in 1960, the family moved to New Brunswick, New Jersey.

In 1961, Molnar enlisted in the Army in Fresno, California, and trained at Fort Ord, California, and was in the 3^rd Brigade, 9^th Infantry Division there from 1962 to 1964. According to one source, after one tour in Europe and Vietnam—with Company C, 3^rd Battalion, 6^th Infantry—he returned to his family’s home in New Jersey before re-enlisting. While stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, he married his wife Sharon. Their child Michelle was eight days old when he was deployed to Vietnam again in 1966, serving as a staff sergeant in Company B, 1^st Battalion, 8^th Infantry and then in the 4^th Infantry Division.

By May 1967, Molnar was participating in Operation Francis Marion in Kontum Province. On May 20, shortly after his battalion had set up a defensive position for the night, the North Vietnamese began attacking with heavy mortar fire. Knowing an attack was coming, Molnar left his protected spot to ensure his squad was ready. As he moved through the area, he saw a group of enemy soldiers creeping closer. He quickly opened fire, killing five enemy soldiers and forcing the others to flee. When the mortar fire stopped, the enemy launched a large attack, rushing forward in waves while throwing grenades and firing rockets, machine guns, and rifles. After helping push back the first attack, Molnar realized his squad was almost out of ammunition and grenades. He crawled through heavy enemy fire to get more supplies. He brought the ammunition back and handed it out to his men. He continued fighting and helped care for wounded soldiers, moving through the dangerous area to give first aid and help carry the injured to safety.

As he and several others were helping a badly wounded soldier, an enemy grenade landed near them. Molnar saw it first. Without hesitation, he threw himself onto the grenade, taking the full blast to protect the men around him. The blast killed him.

On July 10, 1969, President Richard Nixon personally presented Molnar’s Medal of Honor to his parents in a White House ceremony. Molnar is buried in Highland Memory Gardens in Chapmanville (Logan County).

The Mud Fork Bridge on Corridor G in Logan County was renamed in Molnar’s honor.