Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: Howitzer Battery, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 13A – Field Artillery Basic
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: Forward Observer attached to A Troop, 1/11 ACR
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 2-Dec-1948
Hometown: Sheldon, Iowa
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 9-May-1968
Start of tour: 2-Oct-1968
Incident date: 13-Apr-1969
Date of casualty: 13-Apr-1969
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Robert Jay Brinkman was killed while gunner on a military vehicle on a combat operation when encountered a hostile force. / Gunner on 155mm self-propelled howitzer on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.
Ten Blackhorse troopers died as a result of this incident:
SP4 Larry Bruce Barfield
SP4 Robert Jay Brinkman
SFC Harry Payne Burton Jr
SP4 Charles Chandler
SP4 Gary John Dasher
SSG Harold Lee Greever
SP4 Kenneth Vern Jensen
SGT Bruce Ervin Johnson
SGT Terry Edward Jones
SGT Joseph Anthony Oreto
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 428 557
Place of interment: East Lawn Cemetery, Sheldon, Iowa, USA
View this soldier‘s Find a Grave page (opens in a new window)
SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR ROBERT JAY BRINKMAN
A TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Brinkman distinguished himself for gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force 13 April 1969 while serving with Troop A, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, when the troop came under a deluge of small arms, automatic weapons, mortar and rocket-propelled grenade fire from a well-fortified enemy force, the mounted elements quickly assaulted and overran the hostile positions. However, as the armored vehicles passed through the enemy area, the friendly infantry troops following them came under fire. Upon seeing the threat to his comrades, Specialist Brinkman opened fire with his machine gun to suppress the hostile fire. After the vehicles had begun to turn around to assault the active enemy positions, he dismounted his vehicle to aid a wounded infantryman exposed to enemy fire. As he was running toward the casualty, Specialist Brinkman was taken under fire by two hostile soldiers with automatic rifles. Though armed only with a pistol, he assaulted and killed both of the enemy. When he reached his wounded comrade, Specialist Brinkman quickly moved him to a safe area. As he was standing to call for a medic, Specialist Brinkman was hit and mortally wounded by enemy small arms fire. Specialist Four Brinkman’s outstanding courage, unwavering devotion to duty and selfless concern for the welfare of his comrade 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. 1467 (June 13, 1969)