Rank: Staff Sergeant
Unit: D Company, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Bronze Star Medal with Valor Device, Purple Heart 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
Enlisted by: Selected Service
Date of birth: 6-Aug-1944
Hometown: Decatur, Georgia
Marital status: Never Married
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 2-Oct-1967
Start of tour: 10-Sep-1968
Incident date: 21-Feb-1969
Date of casualty: 21-Feb-1969
Age at death: 24
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Allan Brooks Callaway died from wounds received while guiding a tank when a hostile mine detonated. / On ground guiding tank when hostile mine detonated.
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam, XT 997 323
Place of interment: Decatur Cemetery, Decatur, Georgia, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
STAFF SERGEANT ALLAN B CALLAWAY
21 FEBRUARY 1969
D COMPANY, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Staff Sergeant Callaway distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations involving conflict with a hostile force on 21 February 1969, while serving as tank commander with Company D, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while an element of his company was conducting an escort mission, the armored column was channelized by marshy terrain. To insure safe and unhampered movement, Sergeant Callaway directed the column along the difficult route. While attempting to bypass a natural obstacle, one of the vehicles became immobilized and was unable to continue. With only a narrow path remaining for the other vehicles to use in passing through a heavily mined area, he unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his personal safety dismounted his tank to direct the difficult movement. As he was undertaking this task, he was mortally wounded by the blast from an enemy mine. Staff Sergeant Callaway’s devotion to duty and deep concern for the lives of his comrades 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. 639 (15 March 1969)