Rank: Sergeant
Unit: L Troop, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor Device and Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Valorous Unit Award, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 27-Dec-1947
Hometown: Norfolk, Virginia
Marital status: Married to Eloise E. Bly
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 3-Oct-1968
Start of tour: 25-Sep-1969
Incident date: 16-Aug-1970
Date of casualty: 14-Sep-1970
Age at death: 22
Cause of death: Hostile, died of wounds. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Percy Eugene Bly Jr died as a result of wounds received while crew member of a military vehicle on a military mission when a mine detonated. / Crewman on Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle (ACAV) leaving night defensive position. Detonated hostile mine. Admitted to 93d Evacuation Hospital 17 Aug 1970 at 0015 hrs, placed on Serious Injured (SI) list on 17 Aug 1970 at 0400 hrs. Placed on Very Serious Injured (VSI) List 12 Sep 1970. Transferred to 3d Field Hospital, Saigon, 12 Sept 1970 and later expired.
Two Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SGT Percy Eugene Bly Jr
SP4 Robertis Pinkney
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, XT 906 324
Place of interment: Roosevelt Memorial Park, Chesapeake, Virginia, USA
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ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST PERCY EUGENE BLY JR
22 JUNE 1970
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Sergeant Ely distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 22 June 1970 while serving as a vehicle commander with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, when Sergeant Bly’s platoon was engaged by an enemy force, he observed several members of the element wounded in the initial moments of contact. Immediately, Sergeant Bly maneuvered his vehicle toward their position, secured the injured personnel, and brought them back for medical evacuation. When he returned to his position, he observed the machineguns of another position malfunction. Disregarding his own safety, Sergeant Bly dismounted his vehicle and carried two machineguns one hundred and fifty meters through the intense enemy fire to the other position. Sergeant Bly’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 3574 (4 September 1970)
BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE AND OAK LEAF CLUSTER
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST PERCY EUGENE BLY JR
2 MARCH 1970
L TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Sergeant Bly distinguished himself by heroism in connection with ground operations against a hostile force on 2 March 1970 while serving as a vehicle commander with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, his unit suddenly came under heavy small arms, automatic weapons, and rocket-propelled grenade fire from an enemy force of undetermined strength. Quickly locating the enemy position, Sergeant Bly laid down a suppressive base of machinegun fire. Then, with complete disregard for his own safety, he engaged and eliminated two enemy fortifications with hand grenades and his individual weapon. Sergeant Bly’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 4039 (8 October 1970)