Rank: First Lieutenant
Unit: Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 1981 – Air Observation Pilot
Awards: Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Army Aviator Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Note: AH-1G, Tail # 67-15638, Co-pilot
Flight class: 69-6, Fort Wolters, Texas
Enlisted by: Reserve
Commission Source: Armor OCS Class 25-67 D2, Fort Knox, Kentucky
Date of birth: 29-Aug-1948
Hometown: Lake Park, Florida
Marital status: Married to Diana L. Ceres
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Entered service: 18-Oct-1966
Start of tour: 15-Jun-1969
Incident date: 10-Jul-1969
Date of casualty: 10-Jul-1969
Age at death: 20
Cause of death: Non-hostile, died of other causes. Helicopter Crash — Crew (MC). Aircraft loss, crash not at sea.
Thomas Allen Ceres died while co-pilot of a military aircraft on a military mission when the aircraft crashed and burned. / Co-pilot of AH-1G aircraft returning from fire support mission. Aircraft crashed and burned for unknown reasons. / Summary: Crashed 2 KM East-Southeast of Quan Loi Air Field due to bad weather.
Two Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
1LT Thomas Allen Ceres
1LT Robin Kirmeyer Wetzler
Location of fatality: Binh Long, South Vietnam, XT 830 899
Place of interment: Royal Palm Memorial Gardens, West Palm Beach, Florida, USA
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DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS
POSTHUMOUS
FIRST LIEUTENANT THOMAS ALLEN CERES, ARMOR
10 JULY 1969
AIR CAVALRY TROOP
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
First Lieutenant Ceres distinguished himself for heroism while participating in aerial flight evidenced by voluntary action above and beyond the call of duty on 10 July 1969 while serving as a helicopter pilot and gunner with the Air Cavalry Troop, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Lieutenant Ceres answered a call to provide support for one of the regiment’s armored troops heavily engaged with an enemy force. While flying over the area to place minigun and grenade fire on the hostile positions, he repeatedly came under intense anti-aircraft fire. Although he was given permission by the ground commander to return to his airfield because of the hazardous weather conditions, Lieutenant Ceres chose to remain in the area of the engagement. As a result of his continued support for the embattled ground troops, the friendly force was able to disrupt repeated enemy attacks. While he was returning to his base of operations to re-arm, he was fatally injured when his helicopter crashed. First Lieutenant Ceres’ courage and determination 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. 2627 (October 4, 1969)