VIETNAM - BLICKENSTAFF, JOSEPH WILLIAM

Blickenstaff, Joseph William Jr

VIETNAM - BLICKENSTAFF, JOSEPH WILLIAM
BLICKENSTAFF, JOSEPH WILLIAM JR

Rank: Specialist 5

Unit: Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 63B – Light Wheel Vehicle Mechanic

Awards: Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Note: OH-6A, Tail # 69-15963, Observer

Enlisted by: Regular

Date of birth: 11-Aug-1949

Hometown: Littlestown, Pennsylvania

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 23-Sep-1968

Start of tour: 22-Oct-1969

Incident date: 19-Dec-1970

Date of casualty: 19-Dec-1970

Age at death: 21

Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Helicopter Crash — Passenger (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
Joseph William Blickenstaff Jr  was killed while an observer on a military aircraft on a military mission when the aircraft was fired upon by a hostile ground force, exploded in mid air, crashed and burned. / Observer on LOH on visual reconnaissance mission. Received hostile ground fire, exploded in mid-air, crashed and burned.

Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP5 Joseph William Blickenstaff Jr
1LT Dan L. F. Coombs III

Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, YT 014 367

Place of interment: Saint Marys Cemetery, Silver Run, Maryland, USA

View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 06W 131 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)