His unit deployed to Vietnam on December 17, 1967 via C-141. On March 8, 1968, Gdovin displayed gallantry in combat and brought his fellow soldier, Sgt. Jacob Dan Phillips, to safety while under continued fire. He himself was wounded in combat two times and was evacuated to Japan. In 2011, he was awarded the Silver Star Medal by US Senator Rob Portman. Gdovin’s other medals and badges include the Purple Heart Medal with an oak leaf cluster, the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with four bronze stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Parachutist Badge, the Expert Marksmanship Badge with auto-rifle bar, pistol bar and rifle bar and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with palm unit citation.