VIETNAM - BUCHANAN, JAMES ELSON

Buchanan, James Elson

VIETNAM - BUCHANAN, JAMES ELSON
BUCHANAN, JAMES ELSON

Rank: Staff Sergeant

Unit: E Troop, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist

Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge

Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Note: CH-47, Passenger

Enlisted by: Regular

Date of birth: 8-Jul-1946

Hometown: Laurel, Mississippi

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 8-May-1964

Start of tour: 4-Sep-1969

Incident date: 3-Nov-1969

Date of casualty: 3-Nov-1969

Age at death: 23

Cause of death: Non-hostile, died of other causes. Helicopter Crash — Passenger (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
James Elson Buchanan was killed while a passenger on a military aircraft on a military mission when the aircraft landed and the rear rotor blade struck a tree causing a portion of the blade to pass through the aircraft striking him. The aircraft did not crash or burn. / Passenger on CH-47 aircraft on resupply mission.  Aircraft landed and rear rotor blade struck a tree.  A portion of the rotor blade passed through the aircraft striking individual.  Aircraft did not crass or burn.

Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XU 774 170

Place of interment: Clark Cemetery, Laurel, Mississippi, USA

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 16W 022 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

SILVER STAR

SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS

SPECIALIST FOUR JAMES ELSON BUCHANAN
12 SEPTEMBER 1968
E TROOP, 2nd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Specialist Four Buchanan distinguished himself for gallantry in action involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 12 September 1968 while serving as a vehicle commander with Troop E, 2nd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Specialist Buchanan’s troop was given the mission of relieving Company A of the 1st Infantry Division which was held up by an estimated North Vietnamese Battalion. During the move over 2,000 meters of enemy-infested terrain, Specialist Buchanan’s vehicle was under constant hostile automatic weapons and anti-tank fire. Foiling every attempt the enemy made to halt him, Specialist Buchanan, although receiving multiple fragmentation wounds from an exploding anti-tank rocket, continued to press forward until he was wounded by small arms fire. Showing no regard for his own personal safety, Specialist Buchanan then exchanged positions with one of his scout observers and as a medic attended his wounds, he continued to direct highly-accurate suppressive fire into the hostile positions. Although suffering from numerous painful wounds, Specialist Buchanan contributed to the successful accomplishment of his unit’s mission, enabling other elements of his unit to relieve the beleaguered infantry company, thus saving many American lives. Specialist Four Buchanan’s unwavering devotion to duty, personal courage and disregard of personal safety while under intense hostile fire 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. 1635 (November 7, 1968)