Rank: Specialist 4
Unit: K 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, 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: 19-Mar-1948
Hometown: North East, Pennsylvania
Marital status: Married to Brenda L. Carr
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 1-Nov-1967
Start of tour: 31-Aug-1968
Incident date: 7-Feb-1969
Date of casualty: 7-Feb-1969
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Explosive Device. Other explosive device.
Gerald Reid Carr died from wound received while on combat operation when hit by fragment from hostile grenade.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP4 Gerald Reid Carr
SFC Richard Bruce Garrett
SGT Donald Kent McLean
Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam
Place of interment: Quincy Rural Cemetery, Ripley, New York, USA
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BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS
SPECIALIST FOUR GERALD REID CARR
7 FEBRUARY 1969
K TROOP, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Specialist Four Carr distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 7 February 1969 while serving with the 2d Platoon, Troop K, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date while he was participating in a dismounted reconnaissance patrol in an area of dense vegetation, the small friendly force suddenly came upon a well-concealed and heavily fortified enemy bunker. As a number of the friendly troopers approached the hostile position, enemy soldiers hidden in it threw two fragmentation grenades at them, wounding the platoon leader. After aiding his comrade, Specialist Carr helped organize an assault on the hostile fortification, When the position had been destroyed, the patrol continued its search until it reached another enemy bunker. Specialist Carr immediately volunteered to accompany the platoon leader on an assault of the hostile position. While he was rushing the fortification, he was mortally wounded. Specialist Four Carr’s courage and dedication to duty 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. 666 (18 March 1969)