Rank: Private First Class
Unit: Howitzer Battery, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 82C – Field Artillery Surveyor
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Unit awards: Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 11-Feb-1947
Hometown: Somerset, New Jersey
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 3-May-1966
Start of tour: 30-Oct-1966
Incident date: 12-Jan-1967
Date of casualty: 12-Jan-1967
Age at death: 19
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
John Edward Busch was on combat operation when hit by fragments from hostile command detonated claymore mine.
Four Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC John Edward Busch
SGT Angus N. Jackson
SP4 Rene Reynoso
PFC Sander Chris Sanderson
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Lake Nelson Memorial Cemetery, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS JOHN EDWARD BUSCH
12 JANUARY 1967
HOWITZER BTTERY, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Private First Class Busch distinguished himself by heroism in ground combat against a hostile force on 12 January 1967 while serving with Troop L, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Private Busch volunteered to take the place of an ill gunner for the Artillery Forward Observer Section accompanying Troop L. Aware that this type of duty was considerably more hazardous than his assigned duty as a tapeman in the Battery. Survey Section, Private Busch exhibited his eagerness to meet the hostile forces in combat. Later- this day, Private Busch again volunteered for hazardous duty when a reconnaissance patrol of Troop L reported a squad Size enemy concentration in the area. Volunteers were needed to reinforce the dismounted patrol, from the 2d Platoon. Private Busch eagerly volunteered to accompany this patrol, knowing that the enemy was emplaced in fortified positions, including tunnels, trenches, and bunkers. As the patrol advanced through the dense jungle, it was brought under fire by the emplaced enemy with numerous claymore mines and intense small arms fire. While returning the fire at the hostile forces Private Busch was fatally wounded. Private First Class Busch’s devotion to duty and his willingness to engage the enemy in combat are ta 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. 311 (27 February 1967)