VIETNAM - CASTANEDA, HUGO CARLOS

Castaneda, Hugo Carlos

VIETNAM - CASTANEDA, HUGO CARLOS
CASTANEDA, HUGO CARLOS

Rank: Private First Class

Unit: C Troop, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

MOS: 11D – Armor Reconnaissance Specialist

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: Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device

Enlisted by: Selected Service

Date of birth: 1-May-1946

Hometown: Compton, California

Marital status: Never Married

Campaign: Vietnam Conflict

Entered service: 5-Dec-1967

Start of tour: 11-May-1968

Incident date: 9-Jul-1968

Date of casualty: 9-Jul-1968

Age at death: 22

Cause of death: Hostile, Died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Hugo Carlos Castaneda died from a wound received while driver of a military vehicle on combat operation when engaged hostile force in firefight.

Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
PFC Hugo Carlos Castaneda
PFC Charles Cook Jr

Location of fatality: Binh Duong, South Vietnam

Place of interment: Woodlawn Memorial Park, Compton, California, USA

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

Vietnam Veterans Memorial panel and row: 52W 002 (view Vietnam Veterans Memorial link in a new window)

 

BRONZE STAR MEDAL

BRONZE STAR MEDAL
WITH VALOR DEVICE
POSTHUMOUS

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS HUGO CARLOS CASTANEDA
9 JULY 1968
C TROOP, 1st SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT

Private First Class Castaneda distinguished himself by heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force on 9 July 1968 while serving with Troop C, 1st Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date, Private Castaneda was participating in a reconnaissance in force mission in the vicinity of Lai Khe when suddenly his armored cavalry vehicle received a direct hit from an antitank rocket which wounded a number of the crewmen. Private Castaneda, totally disregarding his personal safety in the face of the intense concentration of the enemy small arms, automatic weapons and antitank rocket fire, remained with the disabled vehicle to place highly-accurate suppressive bursts from his machine gun upon the enemy while his wounded comrades were removed to safety. An instant after his comrades had been removed to a safe position, Private Casteneda was mortally wounded. Private First Class Castaneda’s unwavering devotion to duty, deep concern for the welfare of his comrades and disregard of his personal safety while under 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. 969 (17 August 1968)